Amex
Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express
Families with high supermarket bills and multiple streaming subscriptions
Annual Fee
$95
Bonus Value
$300
Min Spend
$3K/6mo
Current Welcome Offer
300
Cash — worth ~$300
Spend $3,000 in 6 months
Verify offer with issuer
Source: www.americanexpress.com
CreditPoints Take
The best grocery and streaming cash-back card
For most households, the Blue Cash Preferred pays for itself in the first month of grocery spend. The Disney Bundle credit makes the effective annual fee just $11 after the credit.
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Key facts
| Annual fee | $95 |
|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 300 Cash after $3,000 spend in 6 months |
| Bonus value estimate | ~$300 |
| Top earning rates | 6× US supermarkets · 6× US streaming subscriptions · 3× US gas stations · 1× Everything else |
| Points program | Cash Back |
| Card network | Amex |
What you get
All 3 perks ↓Perks/yr up to
$84
Annual Fee
$95
Covers fee
0.9×
1 of 3 need activation — credits often split into small chunks, easy to miss.
AI Analysis
Who is this card best for?
For most households, the Blue Cash Preferred pays for itself in the first month of grocery spend. The Disney Bundle credit makes the effective annual fee just $11 after the credit.
Power combo: Use for all grocery and streaming. Pair with a flat-rate card (like Amex Blue Cash Everyday) for non-bonus spending. Max out the $6,000 grocery cap for $360 in annual cash back.
Strengths
- 6% at US supermarkets is the highest grocery earn rate available on any widely-held card
- 6% on streaming covers Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Spotify and other major services
- $84 Disney Bundle credit largely offsets the $95 annual fee
- 3% on transit and gas covers most everyday commuting costs
Weaknesses
- $6,000/yr grocery cap limits value for very high grocery spenders
- Cash back, not transferable points — less upside for travel optimizers
Rewards
Earn rates by category
US supermarketsBest rate
Up to $6,000/yr
US streaming subscriptionsBest rate
US gas stations
Transit (subway, rideshare, taxis, buses)
Everything else
Earn rates in Cash Back. Point value varies by redemption method.
Historical Intelligence
Offer history & timing
Current
300
Average
300
Tracked High
—
No offer change history on record yet.
Timing Intelligence
Typical offer
The current offer is in line with the typical range for this card (average: 300). No strong signal to wait — it's a reasonable time to apply if this card fits your needs.
Based on limited history.Not financial advice. Always verify with issuer.
Intelligence
Decision guide
Offer Score
Solid
Est. +$642 net first-year value
Timing
Typical offer
The current offer is in line with the typical range for this card (average: 300). No strong signal to wait — it's a reasonable time to apply if this card fits your needs.
Ecosystem
Cash Back
Simple cash rewards — no program management, no point valuations.
Value
First-year value estimate
Conservative
+$612
65% benefit utilization, minimal travel redemptions
Realistic
+$642
85% benefit utilization, occasional transfer partner redemptions
Optimized
+$664
100% utilization, premium transfer partner redemptions
Keeper Value (Year 2+)
After the signup bonus — is it worth keeping?
+$642/yr
Based on avg US annual spend of $24,120 · Year 1 includes signup bonus. Illustrative — actual value varies by spending habits and redemption strategy.
Benefits & Transfer Partners
Benefits
Card perks & credits
Up to $84/yr in benefits
🛍️shopping credit
Disney Bundle Credit
$84/yr
$7/mo
$7/month ($84/yr) statement credit on an eligible Disney Bundle subscription. Requires enrollment.
⚠ Enrollment required
Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ bundle subscription
🛡️insurance
Return Protection
Refund up to $300/item ($1,000/yr) if a merchant will not accept an eligible return within 90 days.
Purchase Protection
Covers eligible purchases against damage or theft up to $1,000/item ($50,000/yr).
Approval & Best For
Eligibility
Approval insights
Recommended Credit Score
670+
Good (670+)
Difficulty
Moderate
Annual Fee
$95
⚠ Know Before You Apply
Amex Once Per Lifetime Rule
Welcome bonus is available once per lifetime per card product
The $95 annual fee (waived first year) makes this accessible. Use Amex pre-approval to check eligibility without a hard inquiry.
Ideal Profile
Best use cases
Families with $500+ monthly supermarket bills
Cord-cutters paying for multiple streaming services
Commuters who spend on transit and gas
Disney+ subscribers who can offset the fee with the bundle credit
Fit assessment
Best For / Not Best For
Best For
- 6% at US supermarkets is the highest grocery earn rate available on any widely-held card
- 6% on streaming covers Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Spotify and other major services
- $84 Disney Bundle credit largely offsets the $95 annual fee
- 3% on transit and gas covers most everyday commuting costs
Not Best For
- $6,000/yr grocery cap limits value for very high grocery spenders
- Cash back, not transferable points — less upside for travel optimizers
Current Offer Status
Offer status
300 Cash
Last verified
Jun 13, 2026
Annual fee
$95/year
Compare & Alternatives
Alternatives
Consider these cards instead
Amex
Amex Gold
Foodies and families who spend heavily on restaurants and supermarkets
$325/yr
100,000 pts
View review
Chase
Freedom Flex
Strategic spenders who activate quarterly categories and want to earn 5× UR without an annual fee
No fee
$200
View review
Capital One
Savor
No annual fee alternative with solid cash back.
No fee
$250
View review
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What's the current Blue Cash Preferred welcome bonus?
300 Cash after spending $3,000 in the first 6 months. Welcome bonus offers change frequently — the value shown on this page is updated against the issuer's published offer. For the live offer, click through to the apply page; the bonus is confirmed at approval time, not click time.
Is the Blue Cash Preferred worth the $95 annual fee?
For first-year cardholders the answer is usually yes — the welcome bonus (~$300 estimated cash value) plus up to ~$84/yr in tracked benefits and credits typically covers the $95 fee several times over. After year one, the math depends on whether you actually use the recurring credits and category multipliers. Run your real spending through our Annual Fee Calculator before deciding to renew.
What are the main benefits of the Blue Cash Preferred?
The highest-value benefits we track on the Blue Cash Preferred: Disney Bundle Credit (~$84). Combined tracked benefit value is up to ~$84 per year against the $95 annual fee. Dollar values are our estimates of realistic usage — credits that require enrollment or expire monthly are worth less if you don't actively use them.
What credit score do I need for Blue Cash Preferred?
Realistic target: 670+ FICO. Issuers don't publish hard cutoffs, but data points from approval/denial reports suggest 670+ is the floor for reliable approval on cards in Blue Cash Preferred's tier. Income, debt-to-income ratio, and existing relationship with Amex also matter — use our Approval Predictor for a more personalized estimate.
What credit limit does the Blue Cash Preferred come with?
Amex doesn't publish credit limits for the Blue Cash Preferred — your starting line is assigned individually at approval based on income, existing debt obligations, and credit history, so reported limits vary widely between applicants. If your initial limit is lower than you'd like, most issuers let you request a credit-line increase after several months of on-time payments.
Editorial guides
More on Blue Cash Preferred and Amex
Amex Blue Cash Preferred Review 2026: 6% Grocery Cash Back
Amex Blue Cash Preferred 2026 review: 6% at US supermarkets up to $6K/yr, 6% streaming, 3% gas. $95 AF waived yr 1. Costco/Walmart caveat explained.
Read
Amex Blue Cash Everyday Review 2026: No-Fee 3% Cash Back
Amex Blue Cash Everyday 2026 review: $0 annual fee, 3% at US supermarkets, online retail and gas (each up to $6K/yr). Reward Dollars cash back. Everyday vs Preferred.
Read
Amex Blue Cash Preferred vs Blue Cash Everyday 2026: Which Wins?
Head-to-head: $95 Blue Cash Preferred (6% groceries + streaming) vs $0 Blue Cash Everyday (3% groceries/gas/online). The grocery break-even where the fee pays off, plus a worked example and a clear verdict.
Read
Tools & next steps
Run the math for your situation
Why trust this review
- Independent research. CreditPoints is not paid by issuers to rank cards. All scores are algorithmic, based on public offer data, benefit valuations, and issuer rules.
- Regular verification. Offer amounts, spend requirements, and benefit values are checked against issuer pages via automated monitoring and manual audit.
- Transparent methodology. Every value estimate uses disclosed assumptions. Read our full scoring methodology.
Editorial note: CreditPoints may earn a commission when you apply through some of the links on this page. The first-year value math, transfer-partner analysis and approval signals on this card review are algorithmic and identical for all readers. We never accept payment to change ordering.
Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express
Current offer: 300 Cash — worth ~$300
View Official OfferAmex's secure site · No data stored · Commission may apply
Offers are based on publicly available information and are subject to change without notice. Estimated values are illustrative. Not affiliated with or endorsed by any card issuer.
Blue Cash Preferred
300 Cash offer