How does cash back work on the Blue Cash Preferred Card?

You earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (taxis, rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses), and 1% on other purchases. Cash back accrues as Reward Dollars and redeems as statement credit, gift cards, or at checkout.

What credit score do I need for the Amex Blue Cash Preferred?

American Express Blue Cash Preferred applicants typically need good to excellent credit — a FICO score of 670 or higher, with most approvals at 700+. American Express has a no-hard-pull pre-qualification flow so you can see your exact welcome offer before applying.

What is the welcome bonus on the Amex Blue Cash Preferred?

Eligible applicants can earn up to $300 cash back after spending $3,000 in purchases in the first 6 months of card ownership. Welcome offers vary by applicant and are not guaranteed — use Amex pre-qualification to confirm your specific offer.

How do I apply for the Blue Cash Preferred Card?

You can apply online in a few minutes. We walk through eligibility, the documents you'll need, and the step-by-step on the next page — tap the button below to continue.

American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card — Review & How to Apply

Q: What is the annual fee on the American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card?

The American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 every year after. For a typical U.S. household, the 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets alone (up to $360 cash back per year) more than covers the $95 fee.

What makes the American Express Blue Cash Preferred different

The American Express Blue Cash Preferred is the strongest grocery cash back card on the U.S. market in 2026. You earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per calendar year in purchases (then 1%) — an effective $360 cash back ceiling on supermarket spend alone, which more than covers the $95 annual fee after the intro year. For a family that spends $500-$600 a month on groceries, this Amex Blue Cash Preferred card delivers consistent return without the welcome-bonus chase of premium travel cards.

Beyond groceries, the American Express Blue Cash Preferred layers 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services (Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, and more) and 3% cash back on U.S. gas stations and transit (taxis, rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses) — covering the four highest-recurring household lines after housing. The 2025 refresh added a $10 monthly Disney Streaming Credit as a statement credit on eligible Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ bundle subscriptions ($120/year). Unlike Amex Gold or Amex Platinum, the American Express Blue Cash Preferred returns plain cash back — no points to manage, no transfer math. See the official American Express Blue Cash Preferred page for the full terms.

See How to Apply for the American Express Blue Cash Preferred

How the math works: $360 in supermarket cash back covers the $95 fee 3.8×

Here is how the American Express Blue Cash Preferred pays for itself. The 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets caps at $6,000 per calendar year — that means $500 per month in grocery spending earns the maximum $360 in supermarket cash back. That alone offsets the $95 annual fee almost 4× over. Add the Disney Streaming Credit ($120/year), 6% on streaming subscriptions, 3% on gas stations and transit, and the $300 welcome bonus in year one, and the American Express Blue Cash Preferred routinely returns $700-$900 in year-one cash back for an average U.S. household.

For year-two and beyond, the supermarket cap (6% on $6,000) and the Disney Streaming Credit ($120) together produce a $480 baseline return — $385 net of the $95 fee, before any spending in the 3% gas/transit category or the 6% streaming bucket. Few cash back cards on the market in 2026 produce that level of net return without ongoing engagement gimmicks. The intro $0 annual fee for the first year makes the first 12 months pure upside.

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Who should consider the American Express Blue Cash Preferred

The American Express Blue Cash Preferred is built for an average U.S. household that spends $300-$600 a month on groceries and pays for streaming subscriptions. If your monthly U.S. supermarket spend regularly exceeds $300, the 6% earn rate generates more than $216 a year in cash back from groceries alone — already covering the $95 annual fee twice. The American Express Blue Cash Preferred is also a strong second-card pairing for someone who already holds a premium travel card (Amex Gold, Amex Platinum, or Chase Sapphire Reserve) and wants to route grocery + streaming + gas spend to a higher-earning cash back credit card. Approval typically requires good to excellent credit (FICO 670+, with most approvals at 700+), a U.S. address, and a verifiable source of income. American Express has a no-hard-pull pre-qualification flow so you can see your exact welcome offer before applying.

How to apply for the American Express Blue Cash Preferred

Applying for the American Express Blue Cash Preferred takes a few minutes online. We walk you through the eligibility checklist, the documents you need, what to expect on the application form, and how to maximize the $300 welcome bonus on the next page.

How to apply for the American Express Blue Cash Preferred

Frequently asked questions

The American Express Blue Cash Preferred has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 every year after. For a typical U.S. household, the 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets alone (up to $360 cash back per year) more than covers the $95 fee.

Bottom line on the American Express Blue Cash Preferred

If you spend $300-$600 a month on U.S. groceries and pay for streaming subscriptions, the American Express Blue Cash Preferred is the strongest cash back credit card on the market in 2026. The 6% earn rate at U.S. supermarkets, the 6% on select U.S. streaming services, the 3% on gas and transit, the $10 monthly Disney Streaming Credit, and the $300 welcome bonus together deliver $700-$900 in year-one cash back for an average household. Year-two and beyond, the $480 baseline return ($385 net of the $95 fee) makes the American Express Blue Cash Preferred one of the few cash back credit cards that pays for itself almost without engagement.

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Sources: American Express Blue Cash Preferred official page · NerdWallet: Blue Cash Preferred review