The basics
Is the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express worth it?
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express can absolutely be worth it. This card is a fantastic choice for anyone looking to maximize rewards on everyday spending (particularly groceries, gas, and online shopping) without the hassle of an annual fee. With its straightforward reward structure, you can earn cash back effortlessly on things you’d be buying anyway.
Essential info
Welcome offer:
- Earn a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 in the first six months of account opening
Rewards:
- Earn 3% cash back on up to $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets per year, then 1%
- Earn 3% cash back on up to $6,000 spent on U.S. online retail purchases per year, then 1%
- Earn 3% cash back on up to $6,000 spent at U.S. gas stations per year, then 1%
- Earn 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
- Cash back is received via Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
Rates and fees:
- Annual fee: $0
- APR: 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months after opening the account, then a variable APR of 18.74% to 29.74%
- Foreign transaction fees: 2.7% of the transaction amount after converted to U.S. dollars
- (See rates and fees)
Who is the Blue Cash Everyday Card best for?
This card is ideal for families and individuals who do a lot of grocery shopping, online shopping, and driving in the U.S. If you’re interested in earning rewards on everyday expenses without worrying about annual fees, Blue Cash Everyday fits the bill.
What we like
Cash back on everyday purchases
Blue Cash Everyday® Card holds some pretty impressive cash-back rates on routine spending. You can earn 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. online retailers, up to $6,000 in spending per year for each category, then 1%. So every time you fill up your cart (in person or online) or gas tank, you’re earning a portion of your money back.
No annual fee
Let’s be real: you don’t always want to pay a yearly fee to hold a credit card (or at least we don’t). With the Blue Cash Everyday® Card, you don’t need to worry about it, since it has no annual fee (see rates and fees). This makes it a top-tier option for budget-conscious consumers who want to maximize their rewards without worrying about offsetting a fee with rewards. You can rest easy, knowing that every bit of cash back you earn goes into your pocket, rather than toward fees.
Welcome offer
New cardholders can earn a solid welcome offer of a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 in the first six months. We especially like this offer because it’s achievable for most people, requiring less than $340 in spending per month. With the rising cost of everything these days, hitting that target becomes quite feasible. It’s a good way to kickstart your reward-earning journey with a nice chunk of change right from the start.
Useful perks
Beyond cash back, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card offers various perks to enhance your everyday spending experience. A complimentary ShopRunner membership gives you access to free two-day shipping at participating retailers, saving time and money on online purchases.
A Disney Bundle credit (up to $7 monthly, enrollment required) allows you to subscribe to certain streaming services for a fraction of the cost. While these benefits may not seem like much, they add up through the course of the year, helping you save money on purchases you may have been making already.
What we don’t like
Caps on bonus categories
While the 3% reward rate on U.S. supermarket, U.S. gas station, and U.S. online retailer spending is a pretty solid rate for a card with no annual fee, there’s a caveat. This rate only applies to the first $6,000 spent in each of these categories per year, then it drops to a mediocre 1%. If you spend less than $500 per month in each category, you shouldn’t have to worry about this, but if you’re a big spender, the 1% rate isn’t ideal.
If you’re a big spender at U.S. supermarkets, you can do better than this card’s 3% rate. The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers 6% back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 spent per year, then 1% (see rates and fees). While it does have the same earning cap as the Blue Cash Everyday, you can earn double the cash back before meeting that cap. Then, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can use the Blue Cash Everyday to cover the following $6,000 at U.S. supermarkets and earn 3% on those purchases, rather than 1%.
Limited partner benefits
Another downside is that the card’s partner benefits are somewhat limited. While the Disney Bundle, Shoprunner, and Home Chef perks are nice, they may not be useful for everyone. If those specific offers don’t align with your lifestyle, they’ll just sit there collecting dust (metaphorically). Other cards might offer partner benefits or credits that align better with your lifestyle, like for restaurant or travel purchases.
Foreign transaction fees
If you’re planning to travel internationally, you’ll want to think twice about using this card abroad. The Blue Cash Everyday® Card charges a 2.7% foreign transaction fee on purchases made outside the U.S (see rates and fees).
While this might not seem like a huge amount, it can add up quickly, especially on larger purchases. If you travel frequently, a card without foreign transaction fees might be a better fit, allowing you to avoid those extra charges. It’s also important to note that since this is an American Express card, international acceptance is lower than with a Mastercard or Visa.
Rewards
Earning rewards
With the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express, you can earn:
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3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%
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3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%
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3% cash back at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%
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1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
Reward potential
Consider this example of how your rewards could stack up with Blue Cash Everyday:
- Imagine you spend $800 per month on groceries at U.S. supermarkets. That’s $9,600 total for the year. You would earn 3% cash back on the first $6,000 and 1% on the remaining $3,600. That’s $216 in cash back.
- Perhaps you also spend $300 on gas at U.S. gas stations each month, for a total of $3,600 per year. Cash back on that amount at 3% is $108.
- Finally, you use your card to make online purchases at U.S. retailers, averaging $250 per month. That’s $3,000 per year, which means $90 in cash back.
Also imagine that you pay off your credit card statement every month, never accruing interest expenses. At the end of the year, you’ve earned $414 in cash without any expense — all for buying things you had to buy anyway.
Redeeming rewards
Cash-back on the Blue Cash Everyday card is earned as Blue Cash Rewards Dollars. These are not points, and you can’t convert them to Membership Rewards points. However, you can redeem them for a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
It’s important to note that cash back statement credits don’t reduce your minimum payment due (unless they happen to pay off the entire balance). For example, if you have a balance of $1,000 and a $50 minimum payment due, redeeming $100 in cashback to reduce your balance to $900 doesn’t change the fact that you also have to make that $50 payment.
Welcome offer
New cardholders can earn $200 after spending $2,000 in the first 6 months after opening their account.
This welcome offer is easier to earn than many cards, as $2,000 in 6 months requires you to spend less than $350 per month. For many people, it’s easy to spend that much just by walking into Target a few times per month or by doing some therapeutic online shopping throughout the week.
Benefits
Travel benefits
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Car rental insurance. Use your Blue Cash Everyday card to cover the entire purchase of a car rental, and you don’t need to pop for extra insurance through the rental company. You get automatic coverage for theft and damage. Note that this is only true in covered territories, so ensure you’re in the right geolocation for this benefit before you count on it.
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Global Assist Hotline. If you’re traveling and are more than 100 miles from your home, this benefit can help you handle emergencies. Helpful representatives at this hotline can recommend legal, medical and other services in the area where you are or offer information about customs or other processes.
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Purchase protection. Your in-store or online retail purchases may be covered against theft or accidental damage up to 90 days from the date you use this card to make the purchase. This benefit does have limits, so always check your cardholder agreement for the fine print.
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Amex Offers. You can browse special offers and deals in your online account and add them to your card. When you shop for related products through Amex Offers and pay with your Blue Cash Everyday card, you can score significant deals.
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ShopRunner membership. Being an Amex Blue Cash Everyday cardholder gets you a complimentary membership in the ShopRunner program. You can get free two-day shipping on online retail purchases from participating retailers. With more than 100 online stores to shop with, chances are you can find what you need and save on shipping with this perk.
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Pay It Plan It®. This feature allows you to split large purchases into equal monthly payments. Instead of charging interest, Amex charges you a fixed monthly fee on these purchases, making it easier to budget your money.
Other perks
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Disney Bundle credit. Disney lovers can get a credit to reduce the cost of their streaming entertainment consumption when they pay with this card. If you use your Amex Blue Cash Everyday card to cover $9.99 or more each month in Disney Bundle costs on Plus.espn, Hulu.com or DisneyPlus.com, you can get a $7 statement credit monthly. This perk is only valid in the United States. Enrollment required.
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Home Chef credit. You can get up to $15 back in statement credit when you use this card to pay for a Home Chef subscription. That’s a benefit of up to $180 per year. Enrollment required.
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American Express Experiences. Blue Cash Everyday credit cardholders can take advantage of this program, which lets you purchase tickets for card-member exclusive events. You can also get access to ticket presales that the general public doesn’t have access to, potentially helping you score entry into popular concerts and other events.
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Instant use. After getting approved for the Blue Cash Everyday Card, you’ll receive your card info so you can use your card immediately.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
The fine print
Fees
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Annual fee: $0
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Foreign transaction fees: 2.7% on every purchase outside of the United States
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Late and returned payment fees: Up to $40
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Cash advance fees: 5% of the withdrawal amount or $10, whichever is more
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Balance transfer fees: 3% of the balance transfer or $5, whichever is more
- (See rates and fees)
Interest rates
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Introductory APR on purchases & balance transfers: 0% for the first 15 months after opening the account
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Regular APR after introductory offer: 18.74% to 29.74%, variable, based on your creditworthiness and other financial factors
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APR for Cash Advances: 29.99% variable
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Penalty APR: 29.99% for at least six months; penalty APR may be applied if you are late on payments or have a returned payment
▶︎ See more: Best 0% APR credit cards
Credit limit
Amex Blue Cash Everyday cardholders report credit limits ranging from $1,000 to $20,000 with this card, so you can likely expect your initial credit to fall in that range. American Express may increase your credit limit over time as you handle your account responsibly.
How Blue Cash Everyday compares
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express vs. Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express comes with an annual fee of $95 after the first year (see rates and fees), which means you have to earn more cash back to benefit from the card. However, cash rewards on this card are 6% for U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%) and U.S. streaming services, 3% on transit and U.S. gas station purchases and 1% on all other eligible purchases. Cash back is earned in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for statement credits or at Amazon.com. Terms apply.
If you know that you’ll spend a lot of money at supermarkets, on public transit, or gas in a year, you may be able to maximize benefits to more than make up for that annual fee. Otherwise, the Blue Cash Everyday card lets you earn a bit of cash back without worrying about overcoming the fee.
▶︎ Read more: Amex Blue Cash Preferred vs Blue Cash Everyday
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express vs. Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Neither of these cards has an annual fee, but they offer different rewards structures. The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card offers 3% back on dining, grocery store (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), streaming service and entertainment purchases. If you’re more likely to dine out and catch a movie than shop online or in the grocery store, the Savor card may let you earn more cashback than the Blue Cash Everyday card.
