Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred [Detailed Comparison]

Key Takeaways

• The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card earns 3x points on dining, online groceries, and select streaming services and 2x points on travel purchased outside of Chase Travel.
• The Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express earns 6% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year) and on select U.S. streaming services and 3% cash-back on gas and transit.
• The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is best for travel rewards, while the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card is ideal for those who prefer cash-back on everyday spending and don’t travel often.

In this guide, we are comparing the Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express against the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card. The former is one of the best cash-back credit cards, while the latter is one of the best travel rewards credit cards — but which one is better for you?

To provide a full comparison, we will break down all of the most important details of each card, including the welcome bonus, earning rates, redemption options, card benefits, and much more.

Overview

Before we go through each category, here is a high-level overview of what each card offers.

Bottom Line: Unsurprisingly, you’ll find that the rewards and benefits of the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card are tailored towards everyday purchases, while the offerings of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card are more focused on travel.

The Value of a Welcome Bonus Offer

A good welcome bonus offer is a great way to kickstart your rewards earning on a new card. Here is what each card offers.

Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card

GREAT FOR CASH BACK

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This card is great for those who want to earn cash-back with U.S. supermarkets, U.S. streaming subscriptions, transit, and U.S. gas stations.

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express

This card is great for those who want to earn cash-back with U.S. supermarkets, U.S. streaming subscriptions, transit, and U.S. gas stations.

Welcome Offer

Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.

$250

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$250

Annual Fee

$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.

APR

19.74%-28.74% Variable,0% on purchases for 12 months

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express is a stellar cash-back credit card for those looking to maximize every purchase they make.

With bonus categories like U.S. supermarkets, select U.S. streaming services, U.S. gas stations, and transit purchases, this card rewards you for the items you spend the most on in a big way! For those looking to earn up to 6% cash-back on their purchases, this could be the card for you!

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 6% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year)
• 6% cash-back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
• 3% cash-back on U.S. gas stations and transit (including rideshares, parking, etc.)

Cons

• $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 annual fee (rates and fees)

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Card Highlights

• Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
• $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
• Low Intro APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.74% - 28.74%.
• Plan It^®: Buy now, pay later with Plan It. Split purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee so you don’t have the pressure of paying all at once. Simply select the purchase in your online account or the American Express^® App to see your plan options. Plus, you’ll still earn rewards on purchases the way you usually do.
• Earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at eligible U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) purchases and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.
• Get up to a $10 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred^® Card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at disneyplus.com, Hulu.com, or Plus.espn.com U.S. websites. Subject to auto-renewal.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.74%-28.74% Variable,0% on purchases for 12 months
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.

Rewards Center

Redeem cash-back through your American Express account

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

NEW OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

60,000 75,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,500

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.74% - 27.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

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Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
• Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
• 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.74% - 27.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you’ll earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points on all of your purchases, which we value at 2 cents per point.

Earning Potential

You can’t redeem points (or cash-back) without earning them first, so here is a breakdown of how each card rewards your purchases.

When it comes to the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card, you’ll fair much better on purchases at U.S. supermarkets, select streaming services, and U.S. gas stations.

On the other hand, the Chase Sapphire Preferred shines when it comes to purchases through the Chase travel portal, dining, and general travel purchases, and while it doesn’t beat the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card, it is still quite solid on online grocery store and select streaming service purchases.

It is also worth mentioning that the Chase Sapphire Preferred gives you bonus points on your account anniversary each year amounting to 10% of your annual spend from the previous year. For instance, if you were to spend a total of $30,000 on your card you would receive a bonus of 3,000 points.

Ultimately, both cards offer great bonus categories, and which is better for you will largely come down to what you happen to spend the most on each month.

Redemption Options

Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card

All cash-back earned on the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card is earned in the form of Reward Dollars that you can redeem as a statement credit to offset the purchases you make with your card or at Amazon.com checkout. You can redeem your cash-back rewards as often as you’d like and there is no minimum threshold required to redeem.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are extremely flexible and that is why it is one of our favorite rewards currencies to earn.

When it comes to high-value redemptions, our top option is using one of the many Chase travel transfer partners to book luxury travel experiences for a fraction of what the cash cost would usually be.

While using transfer partners can result in a very high redemption value for your points, they do require a lot more legwork. For those who prefer simplicity, Chase allows you to redeem your Ultimate Rewards points through its Chase travel portal towards airfare, hotels, rental cars, or essentially any other travel purchase. Plus, you have access to elevated Chase travel portal redemptions, which could mean up to a 75% bonus, giving you 1.75 cents per point in value for your Ultimate Rewards points.

In terms of non-travel redemptions, cardholders can redeem points for cash-back, gift cards, or shop with merchants like Apple and Amazon at a rate of 1 cent per point.

Hot Tip: We really can’t understate just how much value you can receive by redeeming through the Chase travel transfer partners, so read through some of our favorite Ultimate Rewards redemptions to see for yourself.

Statement Credits

While both cards charge an annual fee, statement credits are a great way to receive some added value and help offset the annual fee you pay.

Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card — Disney Streaming

With the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card, you’ll receive up to a $10 monthly credit on an eligible Disney Streaming subscription.

Disney Streaming includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. You can conveniently pay for your Disney Streaming subscription monthly using your card and receive the statement credit. Enrollment is required.

The up to $10 monthly credit can save you up to $120 each year, which can more than offset the card’s $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 annual fee for those who find value in Disney Streaming.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Annual Hotel Credit

Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders receive a $50 statement credit each year towards any hotel purchased through the Chase travel portal. The credit is quite flexible as there is no purchase minimum and it can be used towards any hotel you’d like so long as it is bookable through the portal.

DoorDash

Do you order food delivery often? Then you’ll be pleased to know that the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers a free year subscription to DoorDash DashPass. Usually, DashPass costs $10 per month and offers free delivery and reduced service fees on your DoorDash orders of $12 or more — so receiving the service free for a year can save you quite a bit if you order from DoorDash a few times each month.

Travel Protection Perks

Here is how each card keeps you covered during your travels.

Unsurprisingly, it is far from a fair fight when it comes to travel protections as the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers significantly more, primarily because it is a travel rewards card. Given that, if benefits like no foreign transaction fees, trip delay insurance, and baggage delay insurance are important to you, then the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is the way to go.

Shopping Benefits and Protections

Both cards are relatively evenly matched when it comes to shopping benefits and protections.

The Amex Blue Cash Preferred card offers these benefits:

• Amex Offers — Discounts and opportunities to earn more points with 100 merchants each month after adding offers to your account
• Return Protection — Return eligible purchases to American Express if the seller won’t take them back up to 90 days from the date of purchase, up to $300 per item and a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year
• American Express Experiences — Exclusive access to ticket presales

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers these benefits:

• Chase Offers — Discounts with select merchants
• Purchase Protection — Covers new purchases against damage or theft for up to 120 days from purchase with up to $500 in coverage per claim and $50,000 per account
• Extended Warranty Coverage — Extends a U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year on eligible warranties of 3 years or less

Annual Fees and Adding Authorized Users

Annual Fees

Both the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred card charge a $95 annual fee. That said, each card can be well worth it given the rewards you can earn and benefits you’ll receive.

Authorized Users

You can add an authorized user to either card without needing to pay any extra. Authorized users will receive all of the same card benefits as the primary cardholder, except any statement credits like Disney Streaming.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, both cards are excellent and have tons to offer cardholders, so when deciding which card is “better,” it comes down to what you are looking for in a new card along with your spending habits.

Those looking for a travel-rewards-focused card should without question go for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card as it is easily one of the best cards in this category thanks to its bonus categories, flexible rewards, solid benefits, and travel protections.

If you don’t travel much, or prefer a card that is focused on earning cash-back, then the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card would be a fantastic option, especially for those who spend quite a bit on groceries, streaming services, transit, and gas.

For the car rental collision damage coverage benefit of the Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car rental loss or damage coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. For the purchase protection benefits of the Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. For the return protection benefit of the Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.