2021 Blue Cash Preferred Review

The Blue Cash Preferred annual fee is $0 intro 1st yr, $95 after. Starting the second year, the card is roughly 5 times more expensive than the average credit card's annual fee: about $20. Blue Cash Preferred's rewards help cover the cost. Its standard $300 initial bonus is equal to more than three annual fees. And at 6% cash back up to $6,000 spent per year, the card's supermarket rewards alone can total as much as $360, or nearly four annual fees.

By the way, there's also a Blue Cash card with no annual fee – Amex Blue Cash Everyday. It's not quite as rewarding, but it's still great for people who don't spend enough for the Blue Cash Preferred annual fee to be worth it.

The American Express Blue Cash Preferred benefits include rental car insurance, purchase protection, return protection, extended warranties, and access to exclusive events. Blue Cash Preferred cardholders also earn lots of rewards.

Best American Express Blue Cash Preferred Benefits

• Rental car insurance
• Purchase protection
• Return protection
• Extended warranty
• American Express Experiences
• Global Assist® hotline
• Pay It Plan It®
• Amex Send & Split™
• $0 fraud liability
• Year-end account summary
• Bonus cash back rewards

There are plenty of worthwhile Amex Blue Cash Preferred benefits, but don't forget that the card comes with an annual fee of $0 intro 1st yr, $95 after. Also, all of the benefits on purchases have exceptions to the coverage, along with other fine print, so be sure to consult your benefits guide for the full details.

The Amex Blue Cash Preferred supermarkets list includes Gristedes, Foodtown, Meijer, Shoprite, Stop and Shop, Vons, Whole Foods and Winn-Dixie. These U.S.-based supermarket chains all earn 6% cash back on the first $6,000 in combined purchases charged to the Blue Cash Preferred card each calendar year. Online supermarkets such as FreshDirect also get 6% cash back, up to the combined limit. To qualify, purchases must be classified with the merchant category code for supermarkets and grocery stores.

According to the Amex website, the Blue Cash Preferred supermarkets list is not exhaustive, meaning that similar supermarket chains located in the U.S. may also earn 6% cash back. Retailers such as Target and Walmart, however, are not considered supermarkets, making them ineligible for the bonus rewards. Other excluded merchants include warehouse clubs, specialty food stores, gourmet stores, convenience stores and more.

To find out if a merchant qualifies for 6% cash back, take a look at a recent billing statement and check the merchant category code listed with each transaction. On the Blue Cash Preferred card, you should see “Grocery Stores” under each eligible purchase.

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express foreign transaction fee is 2.7%. This is the surcharge applied to all transactions made outside of the U.S. That includes both purchases in another country and stateside transactions through an internationally-based merchant.

All American Express cards with foreign transaction fees charge 2.7%. This includes the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express's companion card, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express. The percentage other issuers apply to foreign transactions varies, but will range from 1%-3%. Capital One, Discover and USAA are the three major issuers with no foreign transaction fees on any of their cards.

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is ideal for everyday purchases. But it may not be the best option for travel. It offers 6% cash back on grocery purchases, up to $6,000 spent per year, and 3% at gas stations. There's also a $300 statement credit for spending $3,000 in the first 6 months. Cash back rewards can be redeemed for statement credits, gift cards and merchandise. The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express's annual fee is $0 intro 1st yr, $95 after.

American Express Blue Cash Preferred foreign transaction fee and more:

• Foreign transaction fee: 2.7%
• When the foreign transaction fee applies: On all transactions outside of the U.S. and through an internationally-based merchant.
• Annual Fee: $0 intro 1st yr, $95 after.
• Introductory APR: 0% for 12 months on purchases.
• Cash advance fee: 5% (min $10) of the balance.
• Maximum Late Fee: $40
• Regular APR: 13.99% - 23.99% (V)

There are multiple ways to check your Home Depot Credit Card balance:

Online at homedepot.com. This is the quickest and easiest way to check your balance.

By phone at 866-875-5488.

In a Home Depot store. Just visit the customer service desk and ask the cashier or customer service executive to scan your card.

The Amex Blue Cash Preferred credit score requirement is 700 or higher. That means applicants need at least “good” credit for approval. Some forum posts online report getting approved for American Express Blue Cash Preferred with scores as low as 665.

Your credit score is not the only thing American Express considers, however, annual income, existing debt, and derogatory marks on your credit also matter. The good thing is you can see if you're pre-qualified for an American Express card by using their online pre-qualification tool.

Amex Blue Cash Preferred is worth it for cardholders who spend enough to recoup the value of the card's $95 annual fee (waived the first year) in rewards earnings. The easiest way to do that is by spending $3,000 within 6 months of opening an account. That will trigger the Blue Cash Preferred card's $300 initial bonus, which will pay for the annual fee for a couple of years.

The Blue Cash Preferred card will continue to be worth it if you consistently charge purchases to the card after meeting the initial bonus, especially in its bonus rewards categories. To break even on the annual fee, you could spend $1,584 on groceries and streaming services per year, $3,167 on gas and transit, or $9,500 on purchases not in those categories. Of course, your spending will probably be a mix of all those categories.

Ultimately, the best way to figure out if Blue Cash Preferred is worth it is to figure out how much you spend in each category per year, determine how much you would earn in rewards based on that, and then compare the rewards value to the annual fee. If you break even or make money, the card is worth it. If not, you should consider a cheaper card.

There is no longer an Amex Blue Cash Preferred department stores bonus. The card used to offer 3% cash back at select department stores, but it ended that bonus category in July 2019. Currently, the card gives cash back in several other bonus categories. Cardholders get 6% cash back on the first $6,000 spent per year at U.S. supermarkets, unlimited 6% back on streaming services, 3% back on transit and gas purchases, and 1% back on all other purchases. The Blue Cash Preferred Card also has an annual fee of $0 intro 1st yr, $95 after.

If you want a card that offers bonus cash back at department stores, consider the Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card. It gives 2% cash back at select U.S. department stores, including J.C. Penny, Kohl's, Macy's, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's and 9 others. The card also offers bonus cash back on gas and supermarket purchases. The Blue Cash Everyday Card has a $0 annual fee.

To log in to your American Express Blue Cash Preferred account, visit the American Express website and click the “Log In” button in the upper right corner of the page. In the box that says, “Log In To My Account,” type in your User ID and password, then click “Log In.” You can also use your credentials to log in to the American Express app.

Before you can log in to your Amex Blue Cash Preferred account for the first time, you will need to create a User ID and a password. From the “Log In To My Account” box, click “Create New Online Account,” then type in your card number and the 4-digit card ID located on the front of your card, and click “Confirm” to finish setting up the account. Once you've set up your User ID and password, you'll be able to log in and manage your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Blue Cash Preferred card's rewards are:

• An initial bonus of $300 for spending $3,000 within the first 6 months
• 6% cash back offered on the first $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets yearly, along with the same rate for selected U.S. streaming services
• 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and transit
• 1% cash back on other purchases

The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express is a great rewards card choice for people who usually spend on groceries, streaming services, transit purchases and gas. It's not for everyone, though, because you need good or excellent credit in order to get approved.