2021 Blue Cash Everyday Review

The Amex Blue Cash Everyday foreign transaction fee is 2.7%. Both Amex Blue Cash Everyday and the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express have that same foreign fee, applicable to any purchases processed internationally.

American Express offers cards that do not have foreign transaction fees, like the American Express® Gold Card and the American Express Platinum card. The tradeoff here is their large annual fees. There are, though, some American Express cards with no foreign transaction fee and no annual fee like the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card and the Hilton Honors American Express Card.

Here's some info about Amex Blue Cash Everyday:

• Foreign Transaction Fee: 2.7%
• Annual Fee: $0 for Amex Blue Cash Everyday; $0 intro 1st yr, $95 after for Blue Cash Preferred
• Rewards Rate: 1 - 3% cash back for Amex Blue Cash Everyday; 1 - 6% cash back for Blue Cash Preferred
• APR: 13.99% - 23.99% (V)

Keep in mind American Express may not be the best choice to take abroad due to lower international acceptance than Visa or Mastercard. While Visa and Mastercard are accepted in 200+ countries, Amex lags behind at 160+ countries. There are lots of credit cards with no foreign transaction fee on those other networks, too.

The Amex Blue Cash Everyday credit score requirement is 700 at a minimum. That means applicants for the Amex Blue Cash Everyday need at least good credit to be approved.

But your credit score is only one of the factors considered when you apply. American Express will also consider your income, existing debts, number of recently opened accounts and other things. Make sure you are aware of what American Express looks for before applying.

Here's what we know about Amex Blue Cash Everyday credit scores:

• The Amex Blue Cash Everyday credit score requirement at least 700. That means you'll need at least good credit for approval.
• Other requirements for the Amex Blue Cash Everyday include a steady income and a Social Security Number, ITIN or passport (Amex can access your credit reports from select countries so you don't necessarily need a credit history in the U.S.). American Express will also look at your expenses, existing debt, credit history and recent credit inquiries.
• The Amex Blue Cash Everyday good credit score requirement is consistent with most credit cards issued by American Express. For example, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, The Platinum Card® from American Express, The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express and Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card also require at least good credit for good approval odds.

Applying for any credit card can temporarily hurt your score, so you'll want to check your latest credit score before you apply for the Amex Blue Cash Everyday. You can also get a better idea of your Amex Blue Cash Everyday approval chances by checking for pre-qualified offers on Amex's website. Pre-qualification doesn't guarantee approval, but it increases your likelihood of approval.

The best way to estimate your Amex Blue Cash Everyday approval odds is to check for pre-qualification. You can do that in minutes on the American Express website. Pre-qualification does not guarantee you'll be approved. But most people who are pre-qualified get approved. Another good way to gauge your Amex Blue Cash Everyday approval odds is to check your credit score before applying. Applicants for the Amex Blue Cash Everyday require at least good credit to be approved.

Here's how to estimate your Amex Blue Cash Everyday approval odds:

• You can check for Amex Blue Cash Everyday pre-qualification. Go to Amex's pre-qualified offers page, enter your contact information and the last four digits of your Social Security Number, and click the "View my Offers" button. If you are pre-qualified, it means American Express has done a soft inquiry into your credit and thinks you'd likely get approved.
• You can check your credit score. Credit card applications can temporarily damage your credit score, so it's best to know where you're situated before applying. Amex Blue Cash Everyday requires good credit for approval, so make sure you meet that requirement.
• Your Amex Blue Cash Everyday approval odds should be pretty similar to your odds with other American Express credit cards.

If your application is denied, you can request a reconsideration by calling American Express at (800) 567-1083 at least 30 days after denial. That's basically a chance to explain yourself and correct any errors related to your application. Also, if you think your credit score needs improving, consider some tips to address just that.

Your Amex Blue Cash Everyday credit limit depends entirely on your credit score, income, debt and payment history. Unfortunately, there's no formula, no guideline, nothing that can help you get a rough estimate before submitting an application. In principle, though, the two most important pieces of information that determine your credit limit are your credit history and disposable income.

Best thing you can do is check your credit score and make sure it's higher than the minimum required for this card; a good credit score is needed to get the Amex Blue Cash Everyday.

Ultimately, if you don't receive your desired credit limit, though, you can request a credit limit increase after your account has been open for 60 days. Or, you can reject the offer and not open the account.

A Blue Cash Everyday apply RSVP code will be included if you get a pre-qualified offer in the mail. You may receive a pre-qualified offer for Blue Cash Everyday if Amex thinks you'd likely be approved should you apply. The Blue Cash RSVP code is 14 characters: one letter and 13 numbers. You can use it and your zip code to flag your application as pre-qualified when you apply online.

People who get pre-qualified for Blue Cash Everyday and receive an RSVP code to apply with are often affluent big-spenders. But you don't have to be a current Amex cardholder to receive a pre-qualified offer. And you don't need to be pre-qualified for a card to apply, although pre-qualification lets you see your odds before applying.

Here's how to apply for Blue Cash Everyday with an RSVP code:

• If you got a RSVP code by mail, you can respond to the mail invitation online and apply for the card. Plug in the 14-digit code and your zip code and your application will show up to Amex as pre-qualified.
• If you didn't receive anything by mail, you can check for pre-qualified offers on the American Express website. You need to enter your name, address, and the last four digits of your Social Security Number. You'll also need to give some information about your income. Then click “View my Card Offers,” and in minutes you will know if you are pre-qualified. Because this uses a soft inquiry of your credit, it will not impact your credit score. You won't get an RSVP code with the online method. You won't need one.
• Pre-qualification does not guarantee you'll be approved, but it means your chances are high. The Blue Cash Everyday card requires a good credit score. So before you apply, see if your credit score falls within that range and review your credit report for any errors, just as a precaution.

If you're not pre-qualified for the Blue Cash Everyday card, that does not mean you will necessarily be rejected if you apply. But you might want to rethink it for now and work on improving your credit.

You can get the Amex Blue Cash Everyday bonus of $200 statement credit by making purchases worth $1,000 or more within 3 months of opening an account. The Amex Blue Cash Everyday statement credit will be applied to your balance within 8-12 weeks after you meet the spending threshold.

Beyond the welcome offer, Amex Blue Cash Everyday also has ongoing rewards, giving 1 - 3% Cash Back cash back on certain purchases. You'll earn 3% cash back on up to $6,000 spent at grocery stores each calendar year and unlimited 2% cash back at gas stations and U.S. department stores. All other purchases, including grocery purchases over the yearly limit, get 1% cash back. Amex Blue Cash Everyday bonus rewards never expire as long as the card is active. If your account is closed for any reason, you'll forfeit any unredeemed rewards.

American Express Blue applicants generally need good credit for approval (i.e., a score above 700), but simply having such a credit score doesn't necessarily guarantee approval.

Issuers typically make proprietary modifications to publicly available scoring models, in addition to considering factors such as your income and assets.

It is possible to upgrade from Amex Blue Cash Everyday to Preferred, as long as the Blue Cash Everyday account has been open for at least 12 months. American Express sometimes sends targeted upgrade offers to Blue Cash Everyday cardholders, either through the mail or by e-mail. Or, you can call customer service at 1 (800) 528-4800 to request an upgrade to Blue Cash Preferred. To increase the odds of getting an upgrade, make sure your Blue Cash Everyday account is in good standing. That means a history of on-time payments and low credit utilization, preferably less than 30 percent of your credit limit.

When you request an upgrade from Amex Blue Cash Everyday to Preferred, there's no hard inquiry on your credit report, so there's no effect on your credit score. Approval for an upgrade typically takes just a few minutes, but there's no guarantee you will be approved.

If you are approved for an upgrade, your card number won't change, but you will receive a new card with an updated expiration date and security code. You should receive your card within 7 business days from when the upgrade was approved. You can use your old card until the new one arrives, but it will have all the benefits of the new card within a day after the upgrade. Your current credit limit and APR will carry over to the new card, as will your unredeemed rewards. But you won't qualify for any introductory bonus offers unless they are cited in your upgrade offer from Amex.

Finally, the Blue Cash Preferred card comes with an annual fee of $0 intro 1st yr, $95 after. If you're approved for an upgrade, the first fee will not be charged. After that, the entire fee will be charged to the account on your next anniversary date.

Yes, Blue Cash Everyday does offer bonus rewards at department stores. Amex Blue Cash Everyday gives unlimited 2% cash back on purchases at specific U.S. department stores, including Bloomingdale's, JCPenney, Kohl's, Macy's and Nordstrom. Purchases made in-store and standard home deliveries of online purchases qualify for the 2% cash back bonus. Online purchases either picked up in-store or shipped directly from the store are not eligible for 2% bonus rewards. Normally, purchases get you 1% back with Blue Cash Everyday.

You can redeem your rewards for a statement credit ($25 minimum), gift cards or merchandise. Rewards never expire as long as your Blue Cash Everyday account is open and in good standing. If the account is closed, you will lose any unredeemed rewards. Blue Cash Everyday also comes with a $0 annual fee, which means your rewards don't have to partially go toward recouping the cost of the card.

Please call their customer service at 1 (800) 528-4800. Balance transfers might not be allowed at the moment.