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Citi Custom Cash vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred

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Published on October 23, 2024 | 4 min read

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Key takeaways

  • Both the Citi Custom Cash® Card and the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express are excellent cards for everyday purchases.
  • Both cards have solid welcome offers and intro APR offers.
  • The Citi Custom Cash Card has no annual fee, while the American Express Blue Cash Preferred charges a $95 annual fee ($0 intro annual fee for the first year), but could likely be offset with its higher rewards potential
  • The right cash back card for you depends on your spending habits.

Citi is an advertising partner

Both the Citi Custom Cash® Card and the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offer generous cash back rewards and welcome bonuses. So what sets these cards apart, and which option is right for you?

It depends on your monthly spending. Do you spend a lot in one particular category (such as groceries, gym memberships or streaming services), or do you spend a lot in several categories? Are you willing to pay an annual fee? Your answers can help you decide which one of these top cash back cards deserves a space in your wallet.

Main details

Cards Citi Custom Cash® Card Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Welcome bonus 20,000 ThankYou points (worth $200 in cash back) after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months
Rewards rate
  • 5% cash back (on up to $500 each billing cycle, then 1%) on your top qualifying spending category each billing cycle

  • 4% cash back on hotels, rental cars and attractions booked using the Citi Travel portal (through June 30, 2026)

  • 1% cash back on all other purchases

  • 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year, then 1% back)

  • 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services

  • 3% cash back on U.S. gas station and transit purchases

  • 1% cash back on other purchases
Intro APR 0% for 15 months on purchases (18.74% - 28.74% (Variable) thereafter) 0% on purchases for 12 months (18.74%-29.74% Variable thereafter)
Annual fee $0 $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Foreign transaction fees 3% on foreign transactions 2.7% on foreign transactions

Citi Custom Cash vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred highlights

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express image

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express image

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Citi Custom Cash® Card image

Citi Custom Cash® Card

Citi Custom Cash® Card image

Citi Custom Cash® Card

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express image

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Which card earns the most?

The amount you can earn from either of these cards depends on your monthly spending habits. The Blue Cash Preferred card is worth it if the card’s bonus categories fit your lifestyle and you earn enough rewards to justify the $95 annual fee (after the $0 intro annual fee the first year). If you tend to spend regularly on one particular category or don’t want to go through the hassle of determining which categories you spend the most in each month, you might do well with the Citi Custom Cash.

Citi Custom Cash vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred spending example

Let’s say your top spending category during a particular billing cycle is grocery stores, and you spend $500 on those purchases, fully maxing out the Citi Custom Cash’s 5 percent category. In doing so, you’ll earn $25 in cash back. If you spend another $1,000 during that billing cycle on non-category purchases (for example, $500 on gas and another $500 on online shopping), you’ll earn an additional $10 in cash back. That’ll bring you to $35 in cash back earnings for that billing cycle. The drawback here is that you can only spend up to $500 per billing cycle in your top category before the cash back rate drops from 5 percent to 1 percent.

Now, let’s also assume that you spend the same $500 on U.S. supermarket purchases over the course of a month with the Blue Cash Preferred. Doing so will net you $30 in cash back. To fully match the example above, let’s say you spend an additional $1,000 that month ($500 on gas and $500 on online shopping). Since U.S. gas station purchases earn 3 percent cash back with this card, that’s an additional $15 in cash back earned. Online shopping would classify as non-category spending, earning you an additional $5 in cash back. In total, that’s $50 in cash back earnings for the month with the Blue Cash Preferred versus $35 in cash back with the Citi Custom Cash. While it’s possible to earn more with the Blue Cash Preferred, keep in mind that it comes with a $95 annual fee after the first year.

Why should you get the Citi Custom Cash?

The Citi Custom Cash card is worth it if you like the simplicity of automatically earning the top rewards rate on your highest spending category each billing cycle and don’t want to pay an annual fee. Another reason why you should get the Citi Custom Cash card is that it pairs well with other no-annual-fee credit cards. So if you like to earn as much cash back as possible and don’t mind juggling more than one rewards card, the Citi Custom Cash is also a winner.

Lastly, the Citi Custom Cash works well as part of a larger Citi ThankYou points-earning strategy. Pair this card with a premium Citi card to turn your earnings into transferrable Citi ThankYou points.

Why should you get the Amex Blue Cash Preferred?

The Blue Cash Preferred is more than just one of the best grocery rewards cards; it’s also one of the best standalone cards thanks to all the everyday rewards categories and additional features that come with the card.

What it isn’t is a Membership Rewards-earning card. That means it won’t help you if you’re working on a larger travel rewards strategy involving American Express cards.

The bottom line

So, which card is better? If you spend a lot in the following combination of categories, the Amex Blue Cash Preferred might be worth it: grocery store purchases, streaming services, gas and transit. The card is especially appealing considering you earn unlimited boosted rewards on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, on transit and at U.S. gas stations.

However, the Citi Custom Cash Card is also a great option. It holds its own as a grocery rewards card and is a great fit if you tend to spend a good amount in niche categories like live entertainment, fitness clubs and home improvement stores. Your own spending habits will determine which of these cards is better for you, but both have the potential to earn you significant cash back each month.