When it comes to credit card options, it’s tricky to choose which one is right for you. They all promise the best rewards, the most flashy benefits, and fees that’ll make your wallet sing.
To help you out, we’ll compare two heavy hitters in the credit card game: the Amex Gold and Blue Cash Preferred.
Let’s cut through the fluff and find out which card is truly worth your dime—
If the Amex Gold or Blue Cash Preferred is right for you.
All you need to know about fees, rewards, and credit scores.
How other Amex cards stack up.
Read more:
Amex Gold vs. Blue Cash Preferred
Let’s start with a quick summary:
AMEX GOLD | AMEX BLUE CASH PREFERRED | |
|---|---|---|
Best for | Generous rewards | Everyday spending |
Required credit score | 670 or higher | 670 or higher |
Intro offer | Earn 60,000 points when you spend $4,000 in the first 6 months | Earn $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in the first 6 months |
APR | 20.99% to 28.99% variable | 18.99% to 29.99% variable |
Rewards | 4x points at restaurants 4x points on groceries 3x points on flights 1x points on other eligible purchases | 6% cash back on groceries 6% cash back on streaming 3% cash back on transit 3% cash back on gas |
Annual fee | $250 | $0 for the first year, then $95 |
American Express Gold Card
The American Express Gold Card is a premium credit card that offers a variety of benefits. These perks include travel credits and access to exclusive events and airport lounges.
Thanks to no foreign transaction fees, you can use it anywhere in the world without worrying about getting charged extra while sipping sangria.
One of the major perks of the Gold Card is its rewards program, which offers points for every dollar spent on dining, groceries, flights, and hotels. You can redeem these points for travel, merchandise, or statement credits.
There’s a catch, though—it comes with a steep annual fee of $250 and a high cash advance APR. But if you’re a frequent traveler or a keen foodie, the rewards and benefits could outweigh the costs.
- Generous rewards program.
- Access to exclusive benefits.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Welcome bonus.
- High annual fee.
- No balance transfer option.
- Only for good to excellent credit scores.
American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card
The Blue Cash Preferred Card is a credit card that offers cashback for purchases made at supermarkets, gas stations, and department stores.
The card offers a tempting welcome bonus and plenty of perks, like exclusive access to ticket presales and sporting events.
One of the top Amex Blue Cash Preferred benefits is its cashback rewards program. You can earn up to 6% cash back at US supermarkets and streaming services and 3% at gas stations and on transit purchases. Plus, there’s a nice 1% cash back on all other purchases.
The Blue Cash Preferred Card annual fee stands at $95, which is high but not as much as its golden counterpart. But for those who spend plenty on the categories listed above, the rewards can make up for the cost.
- High cashback rewards.
- Welcome bonus.
- $0 intro annual fee.
- Includes cash advances and balance transfers.
- High credit score requirement.
- Has an annual fee.
- High foreign transaction fee.
Check out our full Amex Blue Cash Preferred review.
Blue Cash Preferred vs. Amex Gold: How Do They Compare?
When it comes to credit cards, it’s like a beauty contest out there—everyone’s flaunting their shiny rewards and fancy features. But the real winners are the ones that won’t leave you fearing those credit card bills every month.
So let’s cut to the chase and find out how much you’ll be shelling out to own these cards:
Amex Blue Cash Preferred vs. Gold: Fees
AMEX GOLD | AMEX BLUE CASH PREFERRED | |
|---|---|---|
Annual fee | $250 | $0 for the first year, then $95 |
APR | 20.99% to 28.99% variable | 0% for the first year, then 18.99% to 29.99% variable |
APR for balance transfers | N/A | 18.99% to 29.99% |
APR for cash advances | 29.99% | 29.99% |
Penalty APR | 29.99% | 29.99% |
Balance transfer fee | N/A | $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater |
Cash advance fee | $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater | $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater |
Foreign transaction fee | None | 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars |
Late fee | Up to $40 | Up to $40 |
Returned payment fee | Up to $40 | Up to $40 |
Read more:
Amex Gold vs. American Express Blue Cash Preferred: Rewards
Fees are important, but rewards can also save you a pretty penny. Whether you’re a globetrotter, a big-time foodie, or you just prefer to Netflix and chill—finding the right rewards for your spending habits can make all the difference.
Let’s take a peek at what these cards are serving up in the rewards department:
REWARDS | AMEX GOLD (EACH POINT IS WORTH 0.5 CENTS TO 1 CENT) | AMEX BLUE CASH PREFERRED |
|---|---|---|
Restaurants | 4x points (including takeout/delivery) | 1% cash back |
US supermarkets | 4x points (up to $25,000/year) | 6% cash back (up to $6,000/year) |
Airline bookings | 3x points (booked directly or via Amex) | 1% cash back |
Hotels | 1x points (no specific category) | 1% cash back |
Entertainment | 1x points | 6% cash back on select US streaming subscriptions |
Gas | 1x points | 3% cash back at US gas stations |
Other travel | 1x points (no specific category) | 3% cash back on transit |
Credits | Up to $120 dining credit (monthly) Up to $100 airline fee credit | N/A |
For the Blue Cash Preferred, the cash back is pretty self-explanatory. You get a percentage of cash back on every qualifying purchase.
So, if you’ve got a card with 5% cash back on all purchases, you’ll earn 5 cents in cash back rewards for every dollar you spend.
And if you’re keen to start shopping, here are some of the grocery stores on the Amex Blue Cash Preferred supermarket list:
ALDI
FreshDirect
Kings Food Markets
Meijer
ShopRite
Stop & Shop
Trader Joe’s
Vons
Whole Foods
But how do the Amex Gold points work?
The Amex Gold cash back system works a little differently. Here’s how you can redeem your points:
Checkout: Use your points at the checkout of fifteen different online retailers. This includes PayPal, which lets you use Pay with Points at millions of global online stores.
Gift cards: Redeem points for gift cards at retail, dining, air, and lodging companies.
Cover your card charges: Redeem points for a credit equal to one or more eligible charges on your monthly Gold Card statement.
Book or upgrade travel: Get Amex Gold flight points to upgrade your flight. You can also transfer your points to airline and hotel frequent traveler loyalty programs.
Go shopping: Shop with American Express merchant partners through the Membership Rewards portal.
Remember
Each point is worth around 0.5 cents to 1 cent—so 60,000 points totals up to $300 to $600.
When choosing a card, look at the cashback percentages you get, also known as the rewards points. If you’re looking for something simple, a card that offers 2% on all purchases is a decent option. Consider where most of your money is going and find a rewards card that offers the most points on that category.Colin Palfrey, Chief Marketing Officer at Crediful
Take a look at our top cashback credit cards to boost your rewards.
Interest rates
Both the American Express Gold Card and the American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card have a pretty high APR (which can differ depending on your creditworthiness).
The variable APR for the Amex Gold Card ranges from 20.99% to 28.99%.
The variable APR for the Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card ranges from 18.99% to 29.99%.
The average credit card APR currently stands at 20.92%—so you could be coughing up more than the standard credit card interest rate.
However, Blue Cash Preferred narrowly wins the interest rate round with slightly lower rates and a 0% introductory APR period for the first year of owning the card.
This is a great chance to save money on interest charges—just keep an eye out for when that introductory period ends.
Remember
We recommend paying off your balance in full every month to avoid getting slapped with steep interest charges. But not everyone can be a perfect angel all the time. So, if you tend to carry a balance, it’s essential to consider the APR when choosing a credit card.
Find out more about what makes a good credit card APR.
Credit scores
Both cards are aimed at those with good to excellent credit scores (which range from 670 to 850). So if your score is less than 670, you’re going to have a hard time getting accepted.
And if you’re in doubt, we have some good news. When you apply for your chosen card, they’ll do a soft inquiry on your credit report. This won’t hurt your credit score, and it’ll tell you whether or not you’re getting approved.
But if you get the thumbs up and decide to accept, they’ll do a hard inquiry on your credit report. This one might sting a little and could temporarily impact your credit score.
Remember
To make that hard inquiry worthwhile, it’s always best to check your credit score and review your credit report to make sure you’re in tip-top shape.
Check out Credit Karma for a free credit report and monitoring.
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Welcome bonus
The Amex Gold Card and the Blue Cash Preferred Card both have some nice welcome bonuses for all new cardholders—you can start racking up those rewards from day one.
Here are the current welcome bonus offers for each card:
American Express Gold Card: Earn 60,000 points when you spend $4,000 in the first six months. Each point is worth 0.5 cents to 1 cent, which means 60,000 points is $300–$600.
American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card: Earn $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in the first six months.
Remember
The decision of which welcome bonus is best for you will depend on your individual needs and spending habits. Just make sure that you can meet the spending requirements to earn the bonus.
Credit limits
If you opt for the Amex Gold Card, you won't have to worry about any credit limits holding you back. That’s because, technically, the card has no preset spending limit.
Instead, your purchase, payment, and credit history will all play a role in how much you can spend.
And it’s a similar story for the Blue Cash Preferred credit limit, which is based on the assessment of your application—so it’ll be different for every cardholder.
Basically, you won’t find out your credit limits for sure until you get the cards. A little transparency wouldn’t go amiss here, but the card’s saving grace is that they’re both known for offering pretty high spending limits.
And once you’ve got your hands on a card, American Express offers a few tools for you to keep tabs on your spending limit.
Their “Check Spending Power” feature lets you see how much you can spend based on your current credit limit, available credit, and recent spending.
They also offer a “Credit Limit Increase” feature, which lets you request a credit limit increase online or over the phone. (If approved, the credit limit increase will be effective straight away.)
Remember
Credit limits are as fickle as a New York minute. They can fluctuate based on your spending habits, income, and credit score. So if you’re looking for more financial freedom, make sure you’ve got your ducks in a row before requesting that credit limit increase.
Extra benefits
The Amex Gold Card and the Blue Cash Preferred Card aren’t just rewarding. They’re overachievers in the perks department too.
Here’s a glimpse of the extra benefits that each card offers:
American Express Gold Card:
The Hotel Collection: Get $100 hotel credit and room upgrades (when available) at select hotels when you book a stay of two or more consecutive nights through American Express Travel.
American Express Preferred Seating: The program offers exclusive access to tickets for concerts, theater, and sporting events.
Uber Cash: Get up to $120 in Uber Cash annually. Just add your card to your Uber account, and you’ll get $10 in Uber Cash each month for Uber Eats or Uber rides in the US.
American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card:
Return Protection: Get refunds on the purchase price of an eligible item if the merchant won’t accept a return within 90 days of purchase.
The Disney Bundle Credit: Get a $7 monthly statement credit after spending $12.99 or more each month on a subscription to The Disney Bundle (Disneyplus.com, Hulu.com, or Plus.espn.com).
Both cards also offer the handy Plan It® service.
This handy “buy now, pay later” feature lets you split purchases of $100+ into fixed monthly installments. You can choose online or in the app and still earn your usual rewards.
Other features offered by both cards include the Global Assist Hotline, car rental insurance, American Express Experiences, and the Send & Split® feature.
If you’re interested in travel perks, check out our top travel credit cards.
Approval Rates
American Express keeps approval rates a mystery, so it’ll be tricky tracking down your approval odds for the Amex Gold and Blue Cash Preferred.
American Express credit cards have slightly higher approval requirements than other credit cards out there.
This is because American Express typically targets those with good to excellent credit scores and higher incomes.
Remember
The best way to determine your chances of approval for the Amex Gold Card or the Blue Cash Preferred Card is to check the card’s eligibility requirements and your own creditworthiness.
Read more:
Amex Gold Card vs. Blue Cash Preferred: Alternatives
Amex Platinum vs. Gold Card vs. Amex Green
If you truly want a taste of the Amex card rainbow, it’s worth checking out their other options before making a decision. Is Amex Platinum better than Gold? Or is it better to go Green?
Let’s see how these cards stack up:
AMEX GOLD | AMEX PLATINUM | AMEX GREEN | |
|---|---|---|---|
Annual fee | $250 | $695 | $150 |
Intro offer | Earn 60,000 points when you spend $4,000 in the first 6 months | Earn 80,000 points after you spend $6,000 in the first 6 months | Earn 20% back on eligible travel and transit during your first 6 months (up to $200 back in statement credit) |
Rewards | 4x points at restaurants 4x points on groceries 3x points on flights 1x points on other eligible purchases | 5x points on flights 5x points on prepaid hotels 1x points on other eligible purchases | 3x points on travel and transit 3x points at restaurants 1x points on other eligible purchases |
Amex Platinum vs. Blue Cash Preferred vs. Amex Everyday Preferred
We haven’t forgotten about the Blue Amex card.
Here’s how it compares to other American Express cards:
AMEX BLUE CASH PREFERRED | AMEX PLATINUM | AMEX EVERYDAY PREFERRED | |
|---|---|---|---|
Annual fee | $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 | $695 | $95 |
Intro offer | Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in the first 6 months | Earn 80,000 points after you spend $6,000 in the first 6 months | Earn 15,000 points after you spend $2,000 in the first 6 months |
Rewards | 6% cash back on groceries 6% cash back on streaming 3% cash back on transit 3% cash back on gas | 5x points on flights 5x points on prepaid hotels 1x points on other eligible purchases | 50% extra points when you use your card 30 or more times on purchases in a billing period 3x points on supermarkets 2x points on gas 1x points on other eligible purchases |
Amex Gold vs. Blue Cash Preferred: Which Amex Card Is the Best?
So, which card is going for the goal? Well, that depends on you.
The Amex Gold offers generous rewards on dining and travel purchases—while the Blue Cash Preferred offers high cashback rewards on groceries, gas, and streaming services.
Think about which rewards match best with your spending habits and can save you the most money.
Then there are the less exciting fees. The Amex Gold annual fee is $250, while the Amex Blue Cash Preferred stands at $95. If you opt for the higher fee, make sure you get the most out of the rewards, or it may not be worth it.
And don’t forget about the extra perks. The Amex Gold offers a variety of extra benefits, such as travel credits and airport lounge access. The Blue Cash Preferred doesn’t have as many benefits, but it does offer many standard Amex features like extended warranty and purchase protection.
Remember
The perfect card should fit your needs like a glove. Crunch some numbers by calculating rewards based on your spending habits, then weigh that against the annual fee. This will help you choose which card offers the best bang for your buck.
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