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American Express Cash Magnet Card vs Hilton Honors Surpass 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. Cash Magnet Card 1.5% 1.5% base rate
  2. Hilton Honors Surpass Card 1.2% 3x base rate

Dining

  1. Hilton Honors Surpass Card 2.4% 6x
  2. Cash Magnet Card 1.5% 1.5% base rate

Groceries

  1. Hilton Honors Surpass Card 2.4% 6x
  2. Cash Magnet Card 1.5% 1.5% base rate

Gas

  1. Hilton Honors Surpass Card 2.4% 6x
  2. Cash Magnet Card 1.5% 1.5% base rate

Online

  1. Hilton Honors Surpass Card 1.6% 4x
  2. Cash Magnet Card 1.5% 1.5% base rate

Hotels

  1. Hilton Honors Surpass Card 4.8% 12x
  2. Cash Magnet Card 1.5% 1.5% base rate

What the numbers are doing

Abroad the answer flips: Cash Magnet Card charges a 2.7% foreign transaction fee, so once that comes off the rate Hilton Honors Surpass Card is the better card for everyday spend.

The table is earn rate only — annual fees are not netted out of it. These cards charge Cash Magnet Card $0 and Hilton Honors Surpass Card $150 a year, so a thin lead in one category may not cover the difference.

Where they differ: Cash Magnet Card takes everything else; Hilton Honors Surpass Card takes dining, groceries, gas and online, plus 1 more.

pointslipEveryday
Pass content preview
CategoryBest card
Everything elseCash Magnet Card1.5%
DiningHilton Honors Surpass Card2.4%
GroceriesHilton Honors Surpass Card2.4%
GasHilton Honors Surpass Card2.4%
OnlineHilton Honors Surpass Card1.6%
HotelsHilton Honors Surpass Card4.8%

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. Cash Magnet Card — 1.5%
  2. Hilton Honors Surpass Card — 1.2%

Dining

  1. Hilton Honors Surpass Card — 2.4%
  2. Cash Magnet Card — 1.5%

Groceries

  1. Hilton Honors Surpass Card — 2.4%
  2. Cash Magnet Card — 1.5%

Gas

  1. Hilton Honors Surpass Card — 2.4%
  2. Cash Magnet Card — 1.5%

Online

  1. Hilton Honors Surpass Card — 1.6%
  2. Cash Magnet Card — 1.5%

Hotels

  1. Hilton Honors Surpass Card — 4.8%
  2. Cash Magnet Card — 1.5%
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