Amex EveryDay Credit Card vs. Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express

When comparing the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card* and Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, there are a number of factors to consider — such as rewards rate, redemption options, welcome bonuses and the spending categories that garner boosted rewards. If you or your family spends a lot on groceries each month, then both cards are good options.

According to our analysis, the Blue Cash Everyday Card beats the Amex EveryDay in most situations. It offers more rewards at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations and on U.S. online retail purchases — three useful bonus categories for the average household.

However, if rewards in these categories aren’t as important to you as getting boosted rewards for travel redemption, then the Amex EveryDay card comes out on top. This card gives you the option to redeem points at higher values for certain travel spending.

In the end, this decision will likely come down to whether you want a straight cash back card or a no-annual-fee option for earning travel rewards. Let’s take a look at other features that could help you decide between these two rewards credit cards.

Card details at a glance

Amex EveryDay Credit Card vs. Blue Cash Everyday Card highlights

Both of these American Express cards offer similar perks and benefits, but there are differences that could make either card better for one type of spender over the other. We’ll dissect the finer points of both cards so that you can figure out which one suits your spending habits better.

Welcome bonus winner

Blue Cash Everyday Card

• Why it wins

  The Amex EveryDay Credit Card offers 10,000 Membership Rewards points if you spend $2,000 on purchases within the first six months of opening your account. These points don’t expire and offer an estimated value of 2.0 cents each when transferred to a high value Amex travel partner, according to Bankrate valuations, which would make this offer worth about $200. However, 10,000 Membership Rewards points is only worth $60 when redeemed for statement credit, making this worth far less than the Blue Cash Everyday welcome offer if cash back is your goal.

  In contrast, the Blue Cash Everyday Card offers a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card within the first six months. It’s straightforward and simple rewards math, and you may not get that much value from the Membership Rewards points, which makes Blue Cash Everyday the winner in this category.

Rewards rate winner

Blue Cash Everyday Card

• Why it wins

  The biggest difference between the Blue Cash Everyday and Amex EveryDay is that the Blue Cash card earns cash back in the form of Reward Dollars, which can be redeemed as statement credits. Meanwhile, the Amex EveryDay earns American Express Membership Rewards points.

  Though some might see Membership Rewards points as more valuable, the Blue Cash Everyday Card still wins based on the varied nature of its boosted rewards categories, which fit well within the spending habits of average households:

  • 3 percent cash back on U.S. supermarket purchases (up to $6,000 per year, then 1 percent)
  • 3 percent cash back on U.S. gas station purchases (up to $6,000 per year, then 1 percent)
  • 3 percent cash back on U.S. online retail purchases(up to $6,000 per year, then 1 percent)
  • 1 percent cash back on all other purchases

  The Amex EveryDay, on the other hand, offers:

  • 2X back on U.S. supermarket purchases (up to $6,000 per year, then 1 percent)
  • 2X points on eligible travel purchases booked through American Express Travel
  • 1X points on all other purchases

  The Blue Cash Everyday wins our rewards rate category, but it’s important to remember that the Amex EveryDay Credit Card offers cardholders a unique perk. If you use your card 20 or more times on purchases in a billing period, you’ll earn 20 percent more points on those purchases (less with returns and credits). With this structure, you could end up earning more than 2X on your purchases if you tend to swipe your credit card almost daily.

Which card earns more rewards?

To determine your rewards potential for either card, it’s best to look at a spending example. You can always adjust the dollar amounts to match your particular spending habits. Keep in mind, too, that the rewards you’re earning are different: One earns straight cash back, the other earns points that can be redeemed for cash back but not at a great redemption rate.

Amex EveryDay vs. Blue Cash Everyday spending example

American Express Membership Rewards points can be worth anywhere from around 0.5 cents to about 2 cents per point, and they’re redeemable for travel, gift cards, shopping and more, though your best redemption rate is going to come through a travel rewards strategy that involves transferring points to Amex travel partners. Amex Reward Dollars are treated like cash back and can be redeemed as statement credits.

If you spend $1,500 every quarter on both cards for their U.S. supermarkets category, you’d max out their $6,000 spending caps. Doing so would earn you 12,000 Membership Rewards points with the Amex EveryDay, which would be worth $72 when redeemed as a statement credit since Membership Rewards points are only worth .6 cents each when redeemed for cash back (12,000 x .006 = $72). But that same spending is worth $180 in cash back with the Blue Cash Everyday since you earn Reward Dollars, which are treated the same as regular cash back, at a higher percentage rate for each purchase ($6,000 x 3% = $180).

The Blue Cash Everyday gives you more categories in which to earn boosted rewards, plus it has a better redemption rate for cash back. So, if cash back is your goal, the Blue Cash Everyday will earn quite a lot more.

But how might a more balanced budget compare? Here’s what you’d earn in either currency if you spent $1,500 per quarter on your card when split between spending categories:

With this budget, you’d earn 9,200 points a year with the Amex EveryDay, which would be worth about $55 as a statement credit. On the other hand, you’d earn $144 with the Blue Cash Everyday.

In nearly every spending example, the Blue Cash Everyday comes out on top when you’re strictly looking at these cards for their cash back rewards value. However, the Amex EveryDay is best thought of as a travel rewards card; it’s possible to use it as a cash back card, but be aware the redemption value will fall short. To maximize the value of the Amex EveryDay rewards, you want to redeem the Membership Rewards points for travel and, more specifically, transfer them to one of Amex’s travel partners.

Why should you get the Amex EveryDay Credit Card?

While there might be better rewards credit cards out there that can offer you more, the Amex EveryDay Card still has its perks. If you’re looking for a travel credit card for beginners, this card could be a good introduction to the world of travel cards and of American Express. However, keep in mind that you’ll pay a 2.7 percent foreign transaction fee for each transaction you make outside of the U.S., so it won’t be best for purchases abroad.

Here are other reasons the card might stand out to you:

Additional Amex EveryDay Credit Card benefits

A few extra benefits offered by the Amex EveryDay include:

• Access to Amex Pay It Plan It
• Complimentary ShopRunner membership
• Car rental loss and damage insurance
• 24/7 access to Global Assist Hotline when you travel over 100 miles from home
• Purchase protection
• Access to American Express Experiences
• Access to Send & Split

Redemption options for points

There are multiple redemption options for your points, including:

• Getting statement credits
• Getting gift cards
• Using Amex’s Pay with Points (select merchants, terms apply)
• Booking or upgrading select travel
• Transfering points to Amex travel partners
• Shopping with Membership Rewards points at partner merchants

Remember that you’ll get the most value when you redeem points through the American Express Travel portal or partner travel programs. According to Bankrate valuations, Membership Rewards points are worth about 2 cents each on average when transferred to a high-value travel partner. If we go back to the earlier spending example, those 9,200 points earned in a year could be worth $184 when transferred to a travel partner, which, in that example, makes Amex EveryDay a more valuable rewards card than Blue Cash Everyday. It’s all about how you want to redeem your rewards.

Amex EveryDay Credit Card credit score requirement

This card requires a good to excellent credit score for the best approval odds. This means your FICO credit score should be between 670 and 850, but you’ll have a better chance of approval if your score is 700 or more.

Why should you get the Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card?

The Blue Cash Everyday Card is a solid cash back card. It offers more bonus categories in which to earn boosted rewards than Amex EveryDay does, and, most importantly, you can redeem those rewards for cash back at a value of 1:1. Plus, cash back rewards are simpler than a points system overall.

One downside is that you can’t convert Reward Dollars into Membership Rewards points and redeem them for travel; this truly is a pure cash back card. There’s also a 2.7 percent foreign transaction fee for all purchases abroad. But if you don’t travel much these factors likely won’t be cons for you.

Additional Amex Blue Cash Everyday benefits

Additional Amex Blue Cash Everyday benefits that you might find useful include:

• Access to Amex Pay It Plan It
• Disney Bundle credit of $84 annually (as a statement credit of $7 per month when you spend at least $9.99 on an eligible subscription)
• $180 annual Home Chef credit (as up to $15 in statement credits per month)
• Complimentary ShopRunner membership
• Car rental loss and damage insurance
• 24/7 access to Global Assist Hotline when you travel over 100 miles from home
• Purchase protection
• Access to Send & Split
• Access to American Express Experiences

Redemption options for cash back

The Blue Cash Everyday card earns Reward Dollars, which you can redeem for cash back in the form of a statement credit or while checking out with Amazon.com.

Amex Blue Cash Everyday credit score requirement

This card also requires a good or excellent credit score (between 670 and 850). As with the Amex EveryDay, you’ll have a better chance of approval for the Blue Cash Everyday if your score is 700 or more.

The bottom line

Both the Amex EveryDay and Blue Cash Everyday can help you to earn rewards on purchases you make at U.S. supermarkets. But if earning rewards at U.S. gas stations and on U.S. online retail purchases is important to you as well, the Blue Cash Everyday card should be your pick. Furthermore, if cash back is your rewards goal, Blue Cash Everyday should always come out ahead. However, if you’re eyeing travel rewards, the Amex EveryDay Credit Card is the better option.

Either way, you should choose the credit card that matches up with your spending habits and financial objectives. This approach will help you to maximize your chosen card’s value.

*Information about The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card has been collected independently by Bankrate. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.