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

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.

Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card — Summary

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

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

Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card

HIGHEST 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 in's and out's 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.

Learn More(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 purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.

$250

Annual Fee

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

APR

19.24%-29.99% 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 cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

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 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) and on select streaming services
• 6% cash-back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
• 3% cash-back on U.S. gas stations and transit (including rideshares, parking, etc.)
• 1% cash-back on all other purchases

Cons

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

Card Highlights

• Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
• $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
• Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It^® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 intro plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months from the date of account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each eligible purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
• Low Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.24% - 29.99%. Variable APRs will not exceed 29.99%.
• 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 subscriptions.
• 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations.
• 3% Cash Back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
• 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
• Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
• Get up to $120 in statement credits annually when you pay for an auto-renewing subscription to Equinox+ at equinoxplus.com with your Blue Cash Preferred^® Card. That’s $10 in statement credits each month. Enrollment required.
• Thinking about getting the Disney Bundle which can include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+? Your decision made easy with $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $9.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your Blue Cash Preferred^® Card. Enrollment required.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.24%-29.99% Variable,0% on purchases for 12 months
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.

Card Categories

• Credit Card Reviews
• Cash Back Credit Cards

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Redeem cash-back through your American Express account

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Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

POPULAR FIRST CARD

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's 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 huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

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

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards^®.

60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,200

Annual Fee

$95

APR

21.49%-28.49% 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 cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

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
• 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
• 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide
• $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through the Chase Travel portal
• 6 months of complimentary Instacart+ (activate by July 31, 2024), plus up to $15 in statement credits each quarter through July 2024
• Excellent travel and car rental insurance
• 10% annual bonus points
• No foreign transaction fees
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs like United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt

Cons

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

Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• 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, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 21.49%-28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

• Credit Card Reviews
• Credit Cards
• Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Sign Up Bonuses

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

More Reads

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• Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Reserve
• Amex Gold vs Chase Sapphire Preferred

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, Chase travel portal redemptions receive a 25% bonus, giving you 1.25 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 — Equinox+

With the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card, you’ll receive a $10 monthly credit towards an Equinox+ subscription.

Equinox+ is the fitness brand’s at-home workout app that includes access to instructor-led live and on-demand classes … a great option for those who have a busy lifestyle or are always on the go and can’t always visit a gym in person.

The $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 Equinox+.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card — Annual Hotel Credit, and Instacart

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.

Lastly, your Chase Sapphire Preferred card can score you a free 6-month membership to Instacart+, which offers free delivery and reduced service fees on grocery orders, along with a $15 quarterly credit on these orders — amounting to $60 each year if you use the full credit each quarter.

In total, these 3 separate credits can save you up to $230 each year, which is quite good given the annual fee for the card is $95.

Additional Card Benefits

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card — 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 Protections

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
• 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 Equinox+, or Instacart.

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.