Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred: Which Card Is Better for Cash-Back in 2026?

The Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card are both great cards in their own right, but both are primarily built for 2 different types of spenders.

With the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card, you get a straightforward cash-back card with its strongest earning categories in U.S. supermarkets, streaming services, gas stations, and transit.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card, on the other hand, is primarily a travel rewards card. You might be confused about why we would compare a cash-back rewards card to a travel rewards card, but the points you earn with your Chase Sapphire Preferred card can easily be redeemed for cash-back at a rate of 1 cent per point, so the comparison makes more sense than you might think.

Here’s how to decide which card is better if you simply want to earn as much cash-back as possible.

Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Comparison

Before we dive into the details, here is a quick overview of the top benefits of each card.

Which Card Earns More Cash-Back?

Determining which card earns you more cash-back in a given year depends on the types of purchases you make each month.

For instance, the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card easily comes out ahead when it comes to groceries by earning 6% back on up to $6,000 in spend per year, which is just $500 a month, and meeting this cap would earn you $360 in cash-back each year. Plus, you receive 6% back on certain streaming and 3% back on other useful categories, such as gas and transit purchases.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card, on the other hand, earns just 3x points (3% when redeemed for cash-back) on online groceries and some streaming services compared to 6% on the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card. However, there are no caps on these earnings, so that’s worth keeping in mind for big-spending households.

While both cards match each other’s earnings at 3% or 3x on gas and EV charging. Where the Chase Sapphire Preferred card comes out ahead is that it offers far more categories for earning rewards on travel purchases via Chase Travel, vacation rentals, and general travel purchases, plus 3x on dining. The Amex Blue Cash Preferred card would earn just 1% back on these purchases.

What About Award Redemptions?

When it comes to redemptions for the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card, the setup is very simple. All of the cash-back you earn comes in the form of Reward Dollars, which you can apply to your account as a statement credit at any time, with no redemption minimums.

In other words, if you have $100 in Reward Dollars, you can apply that as a statement credit to your account to lower your account balance by $100.

On the other hand, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which provide many more options. Fortunately, you can redeem these points at 1 cent per point for cash-back or as a statement credit, just as you would with the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card.

You can also redeem them for gift cards, as a payment method through certain merchants, or for travel through the Chase Travel portal (where you can receive up to a 75% bonus through Points Boost), and, most importantly, you can transfer them to Chase transfer partners where you can receive over 2 cents per point in value.

Perks To Offset the Annual Fee

It’s worth keeping in mind that both cards charge an annual fee, so factor that into your decision about whether each card is worth it for you. Fortunately for cardholders, both cards offer perks that can help offset the annual fee you’d pay each year based on your purchase habits.

With the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card, this comes in the form of an up-to-$120 annual streaming credit toward Disney+, Hulu, or ESPN+, provided in $10 monthly increments after enrollment. If you’re already paying for one or more of these subscriptions, this credit is nearly as good as cash and can help offset a meaningful portion of the subscription cost.

Holders of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card receive a $100 annual Chase Travel hotel credit to apply to any hotel booking through Chase Travel. If you book at least 1 hotel stay each year, you should be able to make good use of this credit.

Additionally, you receive a complimentary 1-year Apple TV subscription when you activate by December 31, 2026. Usually, a 1-year Apple TV subscription costs $99, and if you’re paying for it anyway, it provides a nice cash savings for your household.

Lastly, while this is not an annual benefit, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card provides a $120 credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS every 4 years, allowing you to enjoy expedited security when you travel. All told, this could amount to up to $319 in value from credits during your first year of holding the Chase Sapphire Preferred card compared to its $95 annual fee.

Final Thoughts

While neither card is objectively better than the other, one card might be a much better fit for you based on what you’re looking for in a rewards card. If you want a pure cash-back rewards card and want to maximize your earnings on the purchase categories you spend the most on, then the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card is better for you.

If you prefer a card that is more well-rounded, both in terms of bonus categories you can earn rewards for and the number of ways you can redeem these rewards, then the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is the better fit for you.