Is the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card worth it?

If you absolutely do not want to pay an annual fee, the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card is worth it. The card has a simple earning and redemption structure and allows you to earn rewards on purchases you’re already making on a daily basis. You can earn $180 cash-back on $6,000 in supermarket purchases each year, $180 cash-back on $6,000 in gas purchases each year, and $180 cash-back on $6,000 in U.S. online purchases each year.

How does cash-back on the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card work?

Cash-back is earned as a percentage of each purchase you make with the card. All purchases earn at least 1% cash-back and bonus-category purchases earn more, up to 3% depending on the category. Cash-back is deposited into your account after your statement closes each month and your bill is paid. The cash-back will then be available to redeem for a statement credit, gift cards, or merchandise. There is a minimum redemption amount of $25 and you must redeem additional cash-back in $25 increments.

Does the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card charge foreign transaction fees?

Unfortunately, the card charges a foreign transaction fee of 2.7% of the total purchase (see rates and fees).

How does the introductory 0% APR period for purchases and balance transfers work?

Eligible purchases and balance transfers made on the card within the first 15 months after card approval will not incur interest rate charges for that 15-month period. After that, normal interest rates will be charged on any remaining balance not paid off prior to the 0% APR period expiring. Terms apply.

22 Benefits of the Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card [2023]

When you add up the total of your everyday purchases such as groceries, gas, and online purchases, it may be surprising to see the amount you’re spending on a daily basis. In fact, it’s possible that everyday spending recently has made up a large portion of your overall purchases.

If you’re nodding your head “yes” because you’re making a lot of daily purchases in those general categories, you’re just the person we had in mind for our article today.

Earning rewards on every purchase you’re already making can be the easiest way to earn rewards. It can also be a smart economic decision, especially when you select a rewards-earning card that doesn’t charge an annual fee. It can also be prudent to select a card that earns rewards in the form of cash-back, the most liquid of all rewards.

That’s why we’ve chosen to focus our review today on the multiple benefits you’ll find on the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express.

Table of contents

Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card Overview
Earning Rewards
Statement Credits
- Monthly Disney Bundle Statement Credit
- Home Chef Statement Credit
Redeeming Rewards
- Redeem for Statement Credits
- Additional Redemption Options
Travel Benefits and Protections
Shopping Benefits and Protections
Additional Benefits
Alternatives to the Blue Cash Everyday Card
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- American Express® Gold Card
Final Thoughts

Table of Contents

Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card Overview
Earning Rewards
Statement Credits
- 6. Monthly Disney Bundle Statement Credit
- 7. Home Chef Statement Credit
Redeeming Rewards
- 8. Redeem for Statement Credits
- 9. Additional Redemption Options
Travel Benefits and Protections
Shopping Benefits and Protections
Additional Benefits
Alternatives to the Blue Cash Everyday Card
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- American Express® Gold Card
Final Thoughts

Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card Overview

We’ll quickly get to the details of all the benefits that come with the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card, but let’s start with a snapshot of the core card offerings and a link to learn more about any fees, interest rates, and terms that apply.

Earning Rewards

Rewards are earned on the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card in the form of cash-back based on a percentage of your total purchase. This cash-back is termed “Reward Dollars” and is deposited into your account after your monthly statement closes.

Let’s look at the ways you can earn cash-back Reward Dollars.

1. An Introductory Welcome Bonus

Once you are approved for the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card, spending on the card will count towards earning the welcome bonus. Here’s the current bonus:

Earn a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first 6 months

2. Earning at U.S. Supermarkets

You’ll be earning 3% cash-back on your purchases at U.S. supermarkets up to a maximum of $6,000 in purchases each calendar year. Purchases beyond the $6,000 cap will earn 1% cash-back.

3. Earning at U.S. Gas Stations

Fill up the tank, buy refreshments and snacks for your road trip, and earn 3% cash-back on every U.S. gas station purchase (up to $6,000 in purchases each calendar year). Purchases beyond the $6,000 cap will earn 1% cash-back.

4. Earning at U.S. Online Retail Purchases

You can earn 3% cash-back at U.S. online retailers up to a maximum of $6,000 in purchases each calendar year. Purchases over $6,000 earn 1% cash-back.

Here are examples of some of the online retailers that will earn 3% cash-back:

Apparel, footwear, and accessories stores
Auto and home supply stores
Book stores
Computer and electronics stores
Department stores
Drugstores
Furniture stores (like Wayfair.com)
Major retailers (like Amazon.com)
Personal and household care
Pet stores (like Chewy.com)
Sporting goods stores
Toy and hobby stores

You will NOT earn 3% cash-back on the following purchases:

Airline tickets
Concert tickets
Food delivery
Online grocery orders
Rideshare services
Streaming services
Wireless and cellular providers

Note that these lists are not exhaustive.

5. Earning on Every Purchase

Every purchase you make, even outside of the bonus categories, will still be earning 1% cash-back.

Bottom Line: If you’re spending a lot on these bonus categories, having a no-annual-fee card earning rewards on all those purchases could be a smart and economically-sound decision.

Statement Credits

6. Monthly Disney Bundle Statement Credit

Receive $7 back each month (up to $84 back annually) after spending $12.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription to The Disney Bundle which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ using your Card. Note that enrollment required is required so be sure to enroll to receive this benefit.

7. Home Chef Statement Credit

Receive up to $15 per month in statement credits when you purchase Home Chef meal solutions online with your enrolled Blue Cash Everyday Card. As with the Disney bundle statement credit, enrollment is required and shipping is available only in the contiguous U.S.

Redeeming Rewards

Once your cash-back has accumulated, you’ll have options for redeeming those rewards.

8. Redeem for Statement Credits

Simply log in to your card account online and select Redeem Reward Dollars to request a statement credit. Requests must be made in $25 increments and the minimum you can request is $25.

9. Additional Redemption Options

You also have the option to redeem Reward Dollars for gift cards or merchandise, but this option may not be good value compared to a statement credit.

Travel Benefits and Protections

Amex Car Rental Insurance — One of the benefits found on the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card is affordable access to premium car rental coverage. Image Credit: American Express

10. Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

The Amex Blue Cash Everyday card comes with complimentary secondary car rental insurance that covers damage or theft to the rental car. Secondary coverage means that you must first file a claim with any other insurance you might have.

11. Access to Premium Car Rental Protection

Fortunately, cardholders have access to Premium Car Rental Protection for just 1 low fee that covers the entire rental car period. This car rental insurance coverage is primary which means you do not first have to file a claim with your own insurance company.

Prices range from $12.25 to $24.95 for the full rental period, up to 42 consecutive days, depending on selected coverages and location.

12. Lowest Hotel Rate Guarantee

Book a qualifying prepaid hotel via Amex Travel and if you find a lower rate online for the same exact room after you book, you could receive the difference refunded.

13. Global Assist Hotline

Have peace of mind knowing you have access to assistance when traveling more than 100 miles from home. You can expect help with securing emergency medical and legal referrals, lost passport assistance, arranging emergency transportation, and much more. You can also utilize the hotline prior to your trip to inquire about specific destination requirements and information.

Shopping Benefits and Protections

video game controllers flatscreen tv — Eligible purchases may qualify for protections that come complimentary with the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card. Image Credit: JESHOOTS.com via Pexels

14. Introductory 0% APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers

If you need to make a large purchase (or purchases) such as appliances, a computer, or major electronics, you’ll be please to know that your purchase can be paid back over time using the card’s introductory 0% APR period.

Balance transfers are also eligible for an introductory 0% APR period.

The period begins when you’re approved for the card, no interest is charged on those purchases for the entire period, then normal variable rates apply, which are listed in the card overview above.

15. Amex Offers

In addition to earning cash-back on every purchase, you’ll receive ongoing Amex Offers available in your account that can be quite lucrative. Past offers have included a $20 statement credit on a $20 wine purchase, 10% cash-back at Mobil gas stations, and $35 cash-back for paying your AT&T bill of $35 or more. Your offers will vary.

16. American Express Auto Purchasing Program

The Amex Auto Purchasing Program is provided by TruCar and could save you thousands of dollars on your new car purchase. You’ll also be able to use your American Express card to charge at least $2,000 of the purchase on your card and receive up to $2,000 in post-purchase benefits.

17. Purchase Protection

Use your card to make an eligible purchase and receive up to 90 days of coverage, from the purchase date, for damage or theft. There is a limit of $1,000 per purchase and a $50,000 maximum per eligible card.

18. VIP Entertainment Benefits

Receive complimentary access to event ticket presales, preferred seating, special cardholder events, and access to American Express experiences.

19. Complimentary ShopRunner Membership

Your complimentary ShopRunner membership comes with free 2-day shipping and free returns at over 100 retail stores.

Additional Benefits

20. No Annual Fee

You’ll never have to pay an annual fee on the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card which means you can keep the card as long as you desire to build your credit history (rates and fees).

21. No Fee To Add Authorized Users

Earn rewards faster by adding additional users to your card. Each user will receive a separate card but all of the purchases will earn cash-back rewards in your account (rates and fees).

22. Year-end Summary

Keep track of your purchases with an organized year-end summary available each January for the previous year.

Alternatives to the Blue Cash Everyday Card

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

If you’re comfortable paying an annual fee, you’ll find the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card kicks up the earnings percentage significantly on grocery purchases which, in turn, could increase your bottom line cash-back.

If you’d like to compare the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card with the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card, we can help you with that. Our detailed comparison is a click away.

American Express® Gold Card

Spend a lot at U.S. supermarkets or restaurants? With big bonus earnings, valuable Membership Rewards earnings will add up quickly. Plus, the Amex Gold card comes with TSA PreCheck or Global Entry reimbursement and up to $120 in dining credits (up to $10 per month) with participating dining partners.

Still want more information? Check out our comparison of the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card and the Amex Gold card.

Final Thoughts

American Express does a great job of delivering everyday-spending rewards card options. You’ll have no trouble finding a card that matches your tolerance for paying an annual fee, has bonus categories that align with your spending mix, and offers an appropriate level of benefits and protections you can use.

You’ll want to run the numbers before selecting a card, however. The Amex Blue Cash Preferred card with an annual fee, for example, delivers $360 in earnings each year on $6,000 in grocery purchases, while the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card would earn $180. Even with the annual fee, you’ll come out ahead on the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card.

The Amex Blue Cash Everyday card may be a fit if you absolutely do not want to pay an annual fee and major travel benefits are not a priority.

If you spend a lot more than $6,000 on groceries and are looking for additional travel benefits, the Amex Gold Card could be a better match.

For the Global Assist Hotline benefit of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, you can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.