Amex Blue Cash Preferred

Rewards summary

Earns 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 a year (then 1%), 6% on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% at U.S. gas stations and on transit, and 1% elsewhere. The supermarket rate alone covers the $95 fee at about $3,170 a year of supermarket spending compared with the no-fee Blue Cash Everyday.

Earn rates

• 6% at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 a year, then 1%
• 6% on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
• 3% at U.S. gas stations and on transit (rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses)
• 1% on other purchases

Year-2 value math

Year-2 net value of about $595 on $24,000 of annual spending: $115 more than a $0, 2% flat-rate card.

U.S. supermarkets: $6,000 at 6%

$360

Select U.S. streaming: $600 at 6%

$36

U.S. gas stations: $2,000 at 3%

$60

Transit: $1,000 at 3%

$30

Everything else: $14,400 at 1%

$144

Credits and perks captured (friction-adjusted)

$60

Annual fee (Year 2)

−$95

Year-2 net value

$595

$0, 2% flat-card baseline on the same $24,000

$480

Difference vs. baseline

+$115

At this spending, the card has to deliver about $0 a year in credits and perks you actually use just to tie a $0, 2% flat-rate card. Our assumptions count $60; if your real usage is lower, the gap closes quickly.

Assumptions behind the math

• $24,000 of annual spending on this card, split as shown.
• Rewards valued as cash back at 1¢ each.
• Welcome bonus excluded: this is Year-2 math, when the card has to earn its keep.
• Disney streaming credit: $120 face value counted at 50% = $60. Assumes an existing Disney+, Hulu, or ESPN subscription on monthly billing.

Credits and perks

Up to $10 a month ($120 a year) in statement credits on Disney+, Hulu, or ESPN streaming purchases, with enrollment. Credits do not roll over, so we count half of the face value for a household that already subscribes.

• Not a travel card: the 3% transit category helps commuters, but a 2.7% foreign transaction fee applies abroad.
• Rewards are cash back (Reward Dollars) only; no Membership Rewards transfers.

What the marketing overstates

• "6% back" stops at $6,000 of supermarket spend a year; beyond that it earns 1%.
• Warehouse clubs and superstores are excluded from the supermarket category.
• The first-year $0 fee flatters Year-1 math; Year 2 has to clear $95.

Who should get it

• Households spending $3,200 or more a year at U.S. supermarkets
• Families with several streaming subscriptions and a regular commute
• Cash-back households that do not want to manage points

Who should skip it

• Your supermarket spending is under about $3,000 a year: Blue Cash Everyday earns similar value for $0
• Most of your groceries come from warehouse clubs or superstores, which do not count as supermarkets
• You want travel rewards or plan to use the card abroad

Alternatives to compare

• Amex Blue Cash Everyday ($0 annual fee)

  The $0-fee version: 3% at U.S. supermarkets, gas, and online retail.

• American Express Gold ($325 annual fee)

  4x Membership Rewards at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets if you also dine out heavily and want points.

• Citi Double Cash ($0 annual fee)

  A flat 2% catch-all to pair with it for non-grocery spending.

Fact check

Checked Oct 29, 2026. Checked against current public card listings and recent 2026 card reviews. Issuer terms were not independently confirmed, so confirm final terms on the issuer's site before applying.

• Verified: $95 annual fee ($0 first year); 6% U.S. supermarkets up to $6,000, 6% select U.S. streaming, 3% U.S. gas and transit, 1% other.
• Changed: The Disney streaming credit rose from $7 to $10 a month in August 2025; it is counted at 50% of face value.
• Not yet verified: The welcome offer varies by listing and is not used in this profile.

Sources

• American Express official card page

  Primary source for current terms. Our automated check of this page runs weekly.

• American Express (benefit page)

  Checked Oct 29, 2026: Disney streaming credit up to $10/month.

• AwardWallet

  Checked Oct 29, 2026: Disney credit increase from $7 to $10 (Aug 2025).

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