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American Express Blue Cash Preferred vs Classic Green Card

Both are American Express cards. Here is every spend category, ranked by what each card actually returns.

Best card by category Card terms as of Oct 29

Everything else

  1. Classic Green Card 2.0% 1x base rate
  2. Blue Cash Preferred 1.0% 1% base rate

Dining

  1. Classic Green Card 6.0% 3x
  2. Blue Cash Preferred 1.0% 1% base rate

Groceries

  1. Blue Cash Preferred 6.0% 6%, capped
  2. Classic Green Card 2.0% 1x base rate

Gas

  1. Blue Cash Preferred 3.0% 3%
  2. Classic Green Card 2.0% 1x base rate

Ground transportation

  1. Blue Cash Preferred 3.0% 3%
  2. Classic Green Card 2.0% 1x base rate

Streaming

  1. Blue Cash Preferred 6.0% 6%
  2. Classic Green Card 2.0% 1x base rate

Flights

  1. Classic Green Card 6.0% 3x
  2. Blue Cash Preferred 1.0% 1% base rate

Hotels

  1. Classic Green Card 6.0% 3x
  2. Blue Cash Preferred 1.0% 1% base rate

Public transit

  1. Classic Green Card 6.0% 3x
  2. Blue Cash Preferred 3.0% 3%

Rideshare & taxis

  1. Classic Green Card 6.0% 3x
  2. Blue Cash Preferred 3.0% 3%

Tolls

  1. Classic Green Card 6.0% 3x
  2. Blue Cash Preferred 3.0% 3%

What the numbers are doing

Blue Cash Preferred's 6% on groceries runs out: it applies to the first $6,000 of groceries spend a year, and everything past that earns 1%.

Classic Green Card tops everything else at 2.0% only because this table values its points at 2 cents each. Value them at one cent and Blue Cash Preferred wins that category instead.

The table is earn rate only — annual fees are not netted out of it. These cards charge Blue Cash Preferred $95 and Classic Green Card $150 a year, so a thin lead in one category may not cover the difference.

pointslipEveryday
Pass content preview
CategoryBest card
Everything elseClassic Green Card2.0%
DiningClassic Green Card6.0%
GroceriesBlue Cash Preferred6.0%
GasBlue Cash Preferred3.0%
Ground transportationBlue Cash Preferred3.0%
StreamingBlue Cash Preferred6.0%
FlightsClassic Green Card6.0%
HotelsClassic Green Card6.0%
Public transitClassic Green Card6.0%
Rideshare & taxisClassic Green Card6.0%
TollsClassic Green Card6.0%

Content preview. Apple Wallet controls the layout; visible categories vary by device. Categories that rank the same as Everything else are left off; every other category is in pass details.

Every category, every card

Everything else

  1. Classic Green Card — 2.0%
  2. Blue Cash Preferred — 1.0%

Dining

  1. Classic Green Card — 6.0%
  2. Blue Cash Preferred — 1.0%

Groceries

  1. Blue Cash Preferred — 6.0%
  2. Classic Green Card — 2.0%

Gas

  1. Blue Cash Preferred — 3.0%
  2. Classic Green Card — 2.0%

Ground transportation

  1. Blue Cash Preferred — 3.0%
  2. Classic Green Card — 2.0%

Streaming

  1. Blue Cash Preferred — 6.0%
  2. Classic Green Card — 2.0%

Flights

  1. Classic Green Card — 6.0%
  2. Blue Cash Preferred — 1.0%

Hotels

  1. Classic Green Card — 6.0%
  2. Blue Cash Preferred — 1.0%

Public transit

  1. Classic Green Card — 6.0%
  2. Blue Cash Preferred — 3.0%

Rideshare & taxis

  1. Classic Green Card — 6.0%
  2. Blue Cash Preferred — 3.0%

Tolls

  1. Classic Green Card — 6.0%
  2. Blue Cash Preferred — 3.0%
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