Quick verdict
Best for grocery shoppers spending $200–$500/month at u.s. supermarkets. Skip if you spend $500+/month at u.s. supermarkets — step up to the blue cash preferred for 6%. also skip if you want travel transfer partners (bce is cash-back only).
🎁 Welcome bonus
$200 statement credit after $2,000 spend in 6 months
⚡ Rewards
| Category | Rate | Type |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. supermarkets (up to $6K/yr) | 3% | cash back |
| U.S. gas stations (up to $6K/yr) | 3% | cash back |
| U.S. online retail (up to $6K/yr) | 3% | cash back |
| Everything else | 1% | cash back |
Points/miles valued at 1.00¢ each (CreditStud.io estimate based on typical travel redemption).
✨ Perks
- 3% at U.S. supermarkets, gas stations, and online retail (each up to $6K/yr)
- No annual fee, ever
- 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases
- $200 statement credit after $2,000 spend in 6 months
- Amex Offers: personalized deals at popular retailers
- No foreign transaction fees
- Purchase protection (90 days, up to $1,000/occurrence)
- Return protection (90 days, up to $300/item)
🎯 Who should consider this card
✅ Best for
- Grocery shoppers spending $200–$500/month at U.S. supermarkets
- People who want simple cash back with no annual fee
- Online shoppers who want 3% back on Amazon and other retail
❌ Skip if
You spend $500+/month at U.S. supermarkets — step up to the Blue Cash Preferred for 6%. Also skip if you want travel transfer partners (BCE is cash-back only).
📊 Example: Typical traveler/diner
Everything else: $1500/mo × 12 × 1%$180 value
Net annual value+$180
Based on illustrative spending. Use our AF Worth It Calculator to plug in your real numbers.
📋 Application tips
Credit needed
Good to Excellent (670+)
Issuer rules
Welcome bonus once per lifetime. Amex 1/5 rule: max 1 new Amex credit card per 5 rolling days.
Not sure if you'll qualify? Try our credit score simulator to see what rate range you might fall into.
⚖️ Compare to similar cards
❓ Frequently asked questions
Is the Amex Blue Cash Everyday worth it?
If you spend $200–$500/month at U.S. supermarkets, yes. At $300/month, you'd earn $108/year in grocery cash back alone. Add gas and online retail and you're looking at $200–$300+/year in total cash back with zero annual fee. It's the best no-AF grocery card if you don't want to track rotating categories.
What counts as "U.S. online retail" for the 3%?
Online purchases from U.S. retailers not classified as supermarkets, gas stations, or travel. This includes Amazon, Target.com, Walmart.com, and most online stores. The $6,000/year cap means you earn 3% on up to $500/month of online shopping.
Blue Cash Everyday vs Blue Cash Preferred — which is right?
BCP gives 6% on groceries for $95/year. BCE gives 3% on groceries for $0/year. Break-even: if you spend more than ~$160/month at U.S. supermarkets, BCP earns more after the fee. BCP also adds 6% streaming and 3% transit. If you're a light grocery spender or hate annual fees, BCE is the move.
Can I upgrade from Blue Cash Everyday to Blue Cash Preferred?
Yes. After having the BCE for 12+ months, you can request a product change to the BCP. You'll start earning 6% on groceries, but you'll also incur the $95 annual fee. Amex sometimes offers upgrade bonuses (e.g., $150 statement credit) — watch for those.
Does the $6,000 annual cap apply to each category separately?
Yes. The $6,000 cap is per category. You get $6K at supermarkets, $6K at gas stations, and $6K at online retail — each earning 3%. After each $6K cap, that category drops to 1%. For most people, the caps won't matter on gas and online retail, but heavy grocery spenders ($500+/mo) should track the supermarket cap.
How does the Blue Cash Everyday compare to the Citi Custom Cash?
BCE gives 3% on groceries capped at $6K/yr. Custom Cash gives 5% on your top category capped at $500/mo spending. Custom Cash earns more on groceries up to $500/mo ($25/mo vs $15/mo), but BCE gives 3% on gas AND online retail too. If groceries are your only big category, Custom Cash wins. If you want broader 3% coverage, BCE wins.