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Both cards offer a fantastic return on grocery, but the true question comes down to which card is better? The answer heavily depends on how you plan on redeeming your rewards and how much spend you plan on running through these cards.
The AMEX Gold Card earns Membership Rewards Points which is a flexible rewards currency that is worth the most when redeemed towards travel.
The Blue Cash Preferred Card earns cash back which can be redeemed towards just about anything you can charge to the card.
Membership Rewards Points
Membership Rewards Points has a large list of redemption options that can give you anywhere from 0.5 cents to 2+ cents per point depending on how you use them.
When redeeming your points directly with AMEX, you can obtain the easist value of 1 cent per point by using them towards airfare on amextravel.com. This is the baseline value of Membership Rewards Points and anything lower than this is considered to be bad redemption value.
The table below shows the average value you'll be able to get out of your points with the AMEX Gold Card.
AMEX Points Value
Redemption
Average Value Per Point
Point Transfers To Partners
1.2 to 2+ Cents
Airfare via American Express Travel
1 Cent
Other AMEX Travel
0.7 Cents
Pay With Points At Checkout
0.7 Cents
Gift Cards
0.5 to 1 Cent
Statement Credit
0.6 Cents
The best use of Membership Rewards Points will come from transferring points to AMEX's airline and hotel partners and redeeming them for travel. This gives you the ability to obtain a higher value than 1 cent per point.
Membership Rewards Points can be transferred to 20 partners.
Airline miles with most frequent flyer programs are worth 1.2 to 1.5 cents each on average for domestic flights and can be worth significantly more for upper class redemptions. So converting your Membership Rewards Points to miles with these programs is going to be the best route to take if you're looking for exceptional value.
Hotel rewards points are generally worth 0.6 to 0.7 cents on average, but there are sweet spots in most popular programs that can give you over 1 cent in value. This will typically be at high-scale properties or during peak times at popular beach/warm properties.
While the best use of points will typically come from first and business class redemptions with airline partners, don't feel pressured to go this route. As long as you're transferring points to partners to obtain more than the baseline 1 cent per point in value, all is good in the world of Membership Rewards Points.
American Express Cash Back
The Blue Cash Preferred Card earns cash back per $1 spent on the card. Unlike Membership Rewards Points, the value of cash back does not change.
The rewards you earn with the Blue Cash Preferred Card will be worth face value meaning that if you earn $5 in Rewards, those rewards will have a redemption value of $5.
When it comes to value, cash back earned with the Blue Cash Preferred will beat out Membership Rewards redemptions that would give you less than 1 cent in value. This includes redemptions such as cash back, statement credits, and gift cards.
Basically, the Blue Cash Preferred will be the better options if you don't plan on redeeming your rewards strickly for travel.
Comparing Earning Rates
Now that you're aware of what you can do with the rewards offered by the AMEX Gold and Blue Cash Preferred, lets take a look at how much you can earn running spend through them. Both cards feature several great everyday purchase categories that can earn you bonus rewards including U.S. supermarkets, gas stations, and restaurants.
AMEX Gold Card vs Blue Cash Preferred Bonus Categories
AMEX Gold Card
4 Membership Rewards Points per $1 spent at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year) and restaurants
3 Membership Rewards Points per $1 spent on airfare booked direct or through American Express Travel
1 Membership Rewards Points per $1 spent on everything else
Blue Cash Preferred
6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per calendar year.
6% cash back on U.S. streaming services
3% cash back on U.S. gas station purchases and transit
1% cash back on everything else
The only overlapping category on these cards is the U.S. supermarket category.
The Blue Cash Preferred Card earns a whopping 6% back on up to $6,000 in U.S. supermarket spend per year while the AMEX Gold Card earns 4X Membership Rewards Points on up to $25,000 per calendar year.
If you're redeeming Membership Rewards Points for 1 cent each, the AMEX Gold Card is going to give you a 4% return which is less than the Blue Cash Preferred's 6% back.
You'll need to redeem Membership Rewards Points for at least 1.5 cents each to match the 6% return, which is not hard to do if you're transferring points to AMEX's travel partners.
The AMEX Gold Card also has a significantly larger cap on it's U.S. supermarket category... over 4 times that of the Blue Cash Preferred. If you spend heavy at supermarkets (or buy gift cards which is why it has a cap in the first place), then the AMEX Gold could easily still be the best option even if you're redeeming points for 1 cent per point.
All-in-all, you can use the calculator at the bottom of this page to see which card earns you the best return across U.S. supermarket and other spend.
Comparing Benefits
The AMEX Gold Card offers a handful of great travel benefits and annual credits. This includes a $120 dining credit, $120 in Uber Cash and access to The Hotel Collection. These benefits help make up for the annual fee if the card if you're able to use them.
The Blue Cash Preferred Card, on the other hand, doesn't offer any kind of unique travel benefits and doesn't offer any credits. The value you get out of this card will strickly depending on how much you spend on it.
Both cards offer the standard suite of American Express card member benefits which includes complimentary ShopRunner membership, access to AMEX Offers, and some travel/purchase coverage.
AMEX Gold Card vs Blue Cash Preferred Benefits
AMEX Gold Card
$120 Dining Credit: Receive up to $120 in dining credits annual with the American Express Gold Card. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you use the card to pay at select retailers. (Enrollment Required)
$120 Uber Cash: Receive up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with the American Express Gold Card. You'll automatically get $10 in Uber Cash each month that you can use towards with Uber rides or Uber Eats orders in the U.S. (Enrollment Required)
The Hotel Collection: As an American Express Gold Card member, you will be able to book hotels through The Hotel Collection with American Express Travel. When booking at least a two-consecutive night stay, you'll receive a $100 hotel credit, to spend on qualifying dining, spa and resort activities (qualifying activities vary by property) and a room upgrade upon arrival, when available.
Standard AMEX Benefits
Blue Cash Preferred
Standard AMEX Benefits
Rewards Calculator
Calculate how many Membership Rewards Points you can earn with the AMEX Gold and how much cash back you can earn with the Blue Cash Preferred. Compare the results side by side and see how much your rewards are worth when redeemed.
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Credit Cards
Use this section to add credit cards to the calculator. You can search for a card or go through our top recommendations for each category.
Once you select a card, you'll be shown the details of the card. Any link you click on in the details will open up in a new tab, so you will not lose your calculations.
Clicking on Add Selected Card will add it to the calculator.
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Compare A Card
Add a credit card to compare side by side based on spend, benefits and fees.
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Search for a credit card by name, rewards program, or the rewards currency it earns.
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Family Cards
These cards are part of the same family and generally earn the same type of rewards.
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Travel Cards
Travel credit cards are great for building rewards redeemable towards a wide variety of travel including airfare, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and more. Most travel cards also offer a range of benefits that can make your trips more enjoyable and save you money.
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Cash Back Cards
Cash back is one of the most flexible form of rewards and most easy to understand. Rewards earned are worth face value and they can be used towards almost anything.
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Business Cards
Put money back into your business by earning cash back, points, or miles on business expenses. Many cards also offer travel insurance, purchase protection, and more.
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Airline Cards
These are the best credit cards if you're looking to use rewards towards award flights. Some of these cards also offer various benefits such as lounge access the ability to earn qualifying miles through spending.
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Hotel Cards
If you're looking to use rewards towards free nights at hotels, these are the best cards for you. Many of these cards also offer great benefits such as annual free nights, complimentary elite status, and more.
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No Annual Fee
If you're looking to minimize your immediate costs while still earning plenty of value, you may want to consider a credit card with no annual fee. Some of these cards also offer lower interest rates and balance transfer offers.
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Intro Bonus:
Annual Fee:
Authorized User Fee:
Bonus Categories:
Loyalty & Memberships
Loyalty: When adding hotel rewards cards (and a select few others) you'll be able to factor in the points earned from elite status. If a card offers complimentary status, the proper status will be selected by default.
Loyalty is reflected by a blue LOY image. Adding a card with loyalty attached to it will add it to the calculator. It becomes its own entity once added to the calculator and can be removed independent of the card that added it.
Membership: If a card offers any kind of bonus rewards based on your membership in a program, the option will be listed here. Do note that some options calculate automatically.
Welcome Bonus: Any welcome bonuses that changes the earning rates of a card will also be listed here. This allows you to toggle the bonus on or off.
Category Spending
Use this section to enter how much you plan on spending either monthly or yearly across different categories for each card listed.
You can click on the option button for access to a lot of useful tools you can use to quickly adjust spending for the calculator.
Change the order of the categories in the Category Spending section. This has an impact on cards that have spend limits and bonus caps on categories.
Resets all fields in the Category Spending section for all columns. Also clears all saved spend values that carry from calculator to calculator.
Add Categories
Search for categories and click 'Add Category' to add it to the calculator. If you want to be more specific, you can specify domestic or international spend.
Type at least 3 characters.
Currently Selected:
Spend Region:
Category Spending Total
The amount of rewards earned from card spending.
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Rewards & Bonuses
If a card earns bonus points, miles, or cash back, it will be listed here. You'll be able to edit or toggle on/off most bonuses listed here.
Do note that some bonuses may be automatically calculated based on spend entered in the Category Spending section.
If you want to factor in an intro or welcome bonus, you can also do that here by entering it in the Extra Value field. You can click on View Offers when applicable to see current sign up bonuses for all top credit cards by category.
Extra Value
Use this field to add additional rewards to include in the calculation such as an intro or signup bonus.
Extra Value
Use this field to add additional rewards to include in the calculation such as an intro or signup bonus.
Extra Value
Use this field to add additional rewards to include in the calculation such as an intro or signup bonus.
Rewards & Bonus Total
The amount of rewards earned from card bonuses.
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Total Rewards & Cash Value
This is the total of all points, miles, and cash back earned between Loyalty & Memberships, Category Spending, and Rewards & Bonuses.
You can view the average value of the rewards based on popular redemptions and the transfer of rewards to partners (where applicable).
This is how much we value the rewards earned with the card on average based on our valuations. Cards that may offer bonus/additional value are reflected here.
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Transfers To Partners
Redemptions to do with transferring rewards to partner loyalty programs and redeeming them for high value (when applicable). These redemption values typically require knowledge of the best transfer partners.
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Cash Back, Statement Credits
Redemptions to do with turning your rewards into cash back or using it as a statement credit to offset purchases made to the card.
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Travel
Redemptions to do with using your rewards towards travel such as airfare, hotels, and car rentals (not including transfers to partners).
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Gift Cards
Redemptions to do with using your rewards towards the purchase of gift cards.
Enter how much you value a single rewards point or mile in cents or regional currency equivalent (X.XX). The value of cash back cannot be changed.
Rewards Cash Value
The average cash value of rewards earned in the Grand Total section based on the set Currency Worth.
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Monetary Bonuses
This section lists all monetary bonuses. This includes annual credits and top-tier benefits that can offer great monetary value.
If there's a perk or benefit missing that you find valuable, you can add how much you value it in the Extra Cash Value field.
Extra Cash Value
Use this field to add additional cash value to the calculations.
Extra Cash Value
Use this field to add additional cash value to the calculations.
Extra Cash Value
Use this field to add additional cash value to the calculations.
Total Cash Value
The total cash value of all listed benefits plus the cash value of rewards earned.
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Fees
With great benefits comes great annual fees. If a card has a fee that you have to pay annually (or monthly in rare cases), it will be listed here. You have the ability to change it.
If the card charges a fee for adding authorized users, it will also appear in this section.
Annual Fee
This is the fee you must pay annually to have the card.
Authorized User Fee
This is the cost to add additional users or supplemental cards to the account. Enter total amount of authorized users.
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Total Card Value
This is the total cash value of each listed card when factoring in all rewards and all fees.
