Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express
Families with high grocery and streaming spend. Every figure below comes from the issuer’s own page; offers change often, so confirm with the issuer before you apply.
Terms as of September 30, 2026 · checked 30 September 2026View terms on www.americanexpress.com ↗ Compare with another card
📖 Overview
The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express is issued by American Express. It charges $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95 and lists a purchase APR of 19.49% – 28.49% variable (after intro period). The issuer advertises: $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the new card within the first 6 months. Its top reward rate is 6% cash back on u.s. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%).
Best for: Families with high grocery and streaming spend.
💵 Fees, APR and offer
| Annual fee | $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95 |
| Purchase APR | 19.49% – 28.49% variable (after intro period) |
| Intro APR offer | 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers |
| Balance transfer fee | See issuer |
| Foreign transaction fee | See issuer |
| Sign-up offer | $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the new card within the first 6 months |
APRs are variable and depend on your creditworthiness. Interest applies only if you carry a balance — see how credit card interest works.
🎁 Rewards
| Category | Rate |
|---|---|
| U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%) | 6% cash back |
| Select U.S. streaming subscriptions | 6% |
| U.S. gas stations | 3% |
| Transit | 3% |
| Everything else | 1% |
What spending earns (at the rates shown)
| You spend | At the top rate (6% cash back) | At the base rate (1%) |
|---|---|---|
| $500 | $30.00 | $5.00 |
| $1,000 | $60.00 | $10.00 |
| $5,000 | $300.00 | $50.00 |
Simple multiplication of the issuer’s published rates. Category caps, activation rules and the value of points or miles (which depends on how you redeem them) are not included.
🧮 Rewards value calculator
Enter your monthly spending in each category to estimate a year of rewards at the issuer’s published rates.
Estimate only: it multiplies your spending by the published rates. Spending caps, activation rules and the value of points or miles (which depends on how you redeem them) are not included. For points cards the result is shown as points, not dollars.
🎯 Who this card fits — and who may want to skip it
- prefer cash back to points or miles
- spend a lot at grocery stores
- want an intro APR period and can repay within it
- will not use the benefits that offset the $95 fee
- carry a balance from month to month — interest can outweigh rewards
Generated from the published terms on this page; not an approval prediction. Issuers decide eligibility.
🚀 How to get the most from this card
- Pay in fullPay the statement balance every month; carrying a balance at the purchase APR usually costs more than the rewards earn.
- Match spending to rewardsPut purchases in the categories where the card earns its top rate (see the rewards table) and use another card elsewhere if it earns more.
- Use the benefitsCheck the benefits list for credits or protections you would use anyway, especially if there is an annual fee.
- Watch the sign-up requirementIf there is a sign-up offer, note the spending requirement and the time window before you apply.
- Set autopay and alertsAutopay the minimum at least, and turn on due-date alerts to avoid late fees.
Terms explained
| Term | What it means | This card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | Yearly charge for keeping the card | $95 |
| Purchase APR | Yearly interest rate on balances you carry | 19.49% – 28.49% variable (after intro period) |
| Intro APR | A temporary low or 0% rate | 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers |
| Balance transfer fee | Fee for moving a balance from another card | See issuer |
| Foreign transaction fee | Fee on purchases abroad or in another currency | See issuer |
✨ Key benefits
- Cash back is earned as Reward Dollars
- Terms and caps per issuer
⚖️ Pros and cons
- Intro APR offer: 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers.
- Sign-up offer: $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the new card within the first 6 months.
- Annual fee of $95.
- The top rewards rate has a spending cap — see the rewards table.
Pros and cons are generated from the published fees and terms on this page, not from opinion or rankings.
📝 How to apply and what you need
- You generally must be at least 18; if you are under 21, federal rules require you to show independent ability to make payments or have a cosigner (CARD Act)
- A credit history the issuer can review; requirements vary by card and issuer
- Income you can report for the application
- A US mailing address; some issuers also ask for a Social Security number or, where accepted, an ITIN
- You usually do not upload documents for a card application; you provide information instead
- Full legal name, date of birth and Social Security number (or ITIN where the issuer accepts it)
- Home address and how long you have lived there
- Employment status and total annual income you can rely on to pay
- Monthly housing payment
- The issuer may ask for proof of identity or income if it cannot verify your application
How to apply, step by step
- Check your credit reports and read the card’s fee, APR and rewards terms.
- Look for pre-qualification with a soft credit check on the issuer’s site, if it is offered.
- Apply on the issuer’s official website (the “View terms” button on each card page goes to the issuer).
- Answer the application questions accurately and submit; the issuer may decide instantly or ask for more information.
- If approved, wait for the card, activate it and set up autopay and due-date alerts.
- Track any sign-up spending requirement and its deadline.
A full application usually causes a hard inquiry on your credit report; see the guide on hard vs soft inquiries. Every lender sets its own requirements, so confirm the list with the lender before you apply.
💳 Similar cards
| Card | Annual fee | Top rewards | Foreign fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savor Rewards from Capital One Capital One | $0 | 5% cash back — Hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars via Capital One Travel | None |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® Credit Card Chase | $0 | 5% cash back — Chase Travel | See issuer |
| Chase Freedom Flex® Credit Card Chase | $0 | 5% cash back — Rotating quarterly categories (activation required), on up to $1,500 per quarter | None |
| Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express American Express | $0 | 3% cash back — U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%) | See issuer |
Compare Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express with these cards →
❓ Frequently asked questions
What is the annual fee for the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express?
The issuer’s page shows: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95. Data checked September 30, 2026.
What is the purchase APR?
The issuer’s page shows a purchase APR of 19.49% – 28.49% variable (after intro period). Your APR depends on your creditworthiness at approval.
Does it have a foreign transaction fee?
The foreign transaction fee was not shown on the issuer page we read. Check the card’s terms.
Is there a sign-up bonus or intro APR?
Sign-up offer: $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the new card within the first 6 months. Intro APR: 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers.
How do I get the most value from the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express?
Pay the statement balance in full each month so interest does not cancel out the rewards, use the card for the categories where it earns the most, and check whether the annual fee (if any) is covered by the benefits you will actually use.
Will applying affect my credit score?
A full application usually causes a hard inquiry on your credit report. Some issuers offer pre-qualification with a soft check first; see our guide on hard vs soft inquiries.
Can I pay off a balance with this card?
Carrying a balance means paying interest at the purchase APR. If you have existing card debt, compare the payoff and balance transfer calculators before you decide.
How does FinancePortal get this information?
We read each figure from the issuer’s own page (www.americanexpress.com) on September 30, 2026. If a figure was not shown there, we display “See issuer” rather than guess. Offers and rates change often, so confirm with the issuer before you apply.
📚 Source and date
Information for this card was read from the issuer’s page on September 30, 2026: www.americanexpress.com. “See issuer” means the figure was not shown on that page. Rates, fees, offers and eligibility can change; the issuer’s terms control. FinancePortal does not issue cards and this is not financial advice. See our editorial policy.