The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card*The information for the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. (terms apply) offers outsized rewards for people who will use this card for daily spending. But its annual fee can be a deal-breaker, especially if you can’t maximize the 50% extra points benefit.
Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card basics
- Annual fee: $95.
- Welcome bonus: 15,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first six months of card membership.
- Rewards: 3 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1 point), 2 points per $1 on U.S. gas stations and travel purchases booked through AmexTravel.com and 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.
- APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers requested within 60 days of opening the account for the first 12 months, followed by a regular APR of 18.24% to 28.24% variable. A balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of each transfer, whichever is greater applies.
- Other perks and benefits: Secondary car rental loss and damage insurance¹, return protection².
- Does the issuer offer a preapproval tool? Yes.
- Recommended credit score: Good to excellent credit.
About the Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card
The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card*The information for the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. offers a unique approach to earning Membership Rewards® points. In addition to providing a generous rewards rate on everyday purchases at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations, it also offers the chance to earn extra points when you use your card 30 or more times on purchases in a billing period.
With that benefit, you can effectively earn 50% extra points on top of the current rewards: 3 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1 point), 2 points per $1 on U.S. gas stations and travel purchases booked through AmexTravel.com and 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.
When it comes to redeeming those rewards, you can get up to 1 cent per point when booking travel with American Express, or you can transfer your rewards to one of the card issuer’s airline or hotel partners and potentially get more value.
That versatility could make the card more attractive than other everyday credit cards, but you’ll need to consistently earn the 50% extra points benefit to make the card worth it due to the annual fee. If you don’t use your card often enough or you like to spread your spending across multiple cards to maximize their rewards and benefits, then maybe this card won’t be a good fit.
What’s more, the card’s $95 annual fee makes it even more complicated to determine how much value your points are worth. Unfortunately, the card doesn’t offer notable benefits you can use to make up for that fee.
If you’re looking for a more straightforward approach to rewards or you don’t want to be forced to use your card a certain number of times each month to maximize its value, this card is not the best choice. But if you want just one credit card to use for your everyday spending and you’re savvy enough to maximize the value of the card’s Membership Rewards points through transfer partners, it could be worth your while.
Pros
- Extra points for frequent use: When you use the card 30 or more times on purchases in a billing period, you’ll earn 50% extra points on those purchases.
- Flexible rewards program: American Express offers several redemption options for Membership Rewards points, including transfers to a variety of airline and hotel loyalty programs. Transferable points aren’t a novelty, but they’re generally only available on travel rewards credit cards.
- Apply with confidence: American Express allows people to apply for the card and see if they’re approved without an impact on their credit score. The “apply with confidence” feature goes beyond traditional preapproval tools, which can give you an idea of whether you have good approval odds but don’t guarantee that you qualify. Keep in mind, though, that you’ll still undergo a hard credit check if you accept the card.
- Intro APR offer: Save on interest charges with a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers requested within 60 days of opening the account for the first 12 months, followed by a regular APR of 18.24% to 28.24% variable. A balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of each transfer, whichever is greater applies.
Cons
- Annual fee: You’ll have to earn enough back in rewards to make it worth the card’s $95 annual fee.
- Low welcome offer: The card’s welcome offer is low, even compared to cash-back credit cards that don’t charge an annual fee. Among other cards that charge a comparable annual fee, you can expect to earn a bonus worth four or five times more.
- No meaningful benefits: Even with the 50% extra points benefit, you may be able to get more value with another everyday credit card, primarily due to the Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card’s annual fee. Since the card doesn’t offer any notable extras, the yearly charge eats directly into the value you get from your rewards.
Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card rewards
When you open the Amex Everyday Preferred Credit Card, you’ll earn 15,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first six months of card membership.
You’ll also earn:
- 3 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1 point).
- 2 points per $1 on U.S. gas stations and travel purchases booked through AmexTravel.com.
- 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.
Using government data and other publicly available information, we estimate that a household in the U.S. that would be in the market for this card has around $25,087 in annual expenses that can be charged to a credit card. Here’s how our sample household’s rewards could break down, assuming the 50% extra points benefit requirements are met:
| Spending category | Spending amount | Points per dollar | Points earned |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. supermarkets | $3,459 | 4.5 points | 15,566 points |
| U.S. gas stations | $2,228 | 3 points | 6,684 points |
| Prepaid travel booked via Amextravel.com (not included in the 50% extra points benefit) | $2,941 | 2 points | 5,882 points |
| Other | $16,459 | 1.5 points | 24,689 points |
| TOTAL | $25,087 | 52,821 points |
Depending on how you use your points, you can get up to 1 cent per point in value through American Express. Here’s what it might look like based on the earning potential of 52,8210 rewards points per year:
| Redemption option | Value per point | Dollar value |
|---|---|---|
| Flights and flight upgrades | 1 cent | $528.21 |
| Other travel | 0.7 cents | $369.75 |
| Gift cards | 0.5 – 1 cents | $264.11 – $528.210 |
| Pay with points with select online merchants | 0.7 cents | $369.75 |
| Statement credits | 0.6 cents | $316.93 |
| Merchandise | 0.5 cents | $264.11 |
Alternatively, you can transfer your points to one of Amex’s several airline and hotel loyalty partner programs. Redemption values can vary depending on the partner and the details of your booking. That said, you may be able to get more than 1 cent per point through these transfers.
Keep in mind that there is an excise tax offset fee of $0.0006 per point if you opt to transfer points to an airline loyalty program, up to a maximum of $99. You can use points to cover this fee at a rate of 0.5 cents per point.
Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card APR
The card offers a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers requested within 60 days of opening the account for the first 12 months, followed by a regular APR of 18.24% to 28.24% variable. A balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of each transfer, whichever is greater applies.
How the Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card compares to other everyday cards
Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card vs. Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
If you like the rewards structure on the Amex EveryDay Preferred but find the usage requirements to get the points boost daunting, consider the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (terms apply, rates & fees) instead. The card earns 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and has an annual fee of $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
The Blue Cash Preferred also offers a $7 monthly statement credit (up to $84 in statement credits annually) when you use your card to spend $12.99 or more each month on an eligible U.S. Disney Bundle subscription, which includes Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ (enrollment required). As a new cardholder, you’ll get a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 in purchases in the first six months of card membership plus a 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers requested in the first 60 days, then a variable APR of 19.24% to 29.99%. A balance transfer fee of $5 or 3%, whichever is greater, applies.
Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card vs. Chase Freedom Flex℠*The information for the Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If you want to maximize rewards but groceries aren’t a top area of spending for you, the $0-annual-fee Chase Freedom Flex℠*The information for the Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. could be a good fit. The card earns 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in categories that rotate quarterly (requires activation), 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% cash back on dining and drugstores and 1% cash back on all other purchases. The Ultimate Rewards® points earned on this card are worth a penny each, no matter how you use them, eliminating the need to figure out how to get the most value from your earnings.
New cardholders can receive a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. TheChase Freedom Flex also comes with a 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% to 29.24%. There is an intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of each transfer, whichever is greater, in the first 60 days. Then the fee is the greater of $5 or 5% of each transfer.
Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
If your preference is a simple rewards program, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card should be on your radar. This no-annual-fee card earns 2% cash rewards on purchases. You’ll also get up to $600 in cell phone protection against theft or damage when you pay your monthly cellphone bill with the card (up to two claims per 12-month period and subject to a $25 deductible).
There’s a welcome offer of a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first three months of account opening. Plus a 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then a 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR applies. Balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3%. After that a fee of up to 5%, with a minimum of $5 applies.
Should you get the Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card?
If you use your credit card just about every day and want a one-card solution that earns Membership Rewards, the Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card’s unique rewards structure could work in your favor. However, if you don’t spend often enough to meet the card’s 50% extra points benefit requirements or you’d prefer a simpler rewards structure, you may want to consider other everyday credit cards before you make a decision.
Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card summary
| Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card details | ||
|---|---|---|
| $95 | ||
| 3 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1 point), 2 points per $1 on U.S. gas stations and travel purchases booked through AmexTravel.com and 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases | ||
| 15,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first six months of card membership | ||
| 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers requested within 60 days of opening the account for the first 12 months, followed by a regular APR of 18.24% to 28.24% variable. A balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of each transfer, whichever is greater applies | ||
| Secondary car rental loss and damage insurance¹ and return protection² | ||
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
The Amex EveryDay Preferred offers American Express Membership Rewards points, which you can redeem in a variety of ways, including travel reservations, gift cards, statement credits, merchandise and online shopping. You can also transfer your points to various airline and hotel loyalty programs.
American Express doesn’t disclose a minimum credit score, but you generally need good or excellent credit to get approved. According to FICO, a good credit score is 670 or above. That said, the card issuer will also consider other factors, such as your income, credit history and other debt, to determine your eligibility.
Both the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card*The information for the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. (terms apply) and the Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card offer the chance to earn extra points when you use your card a minimum number of times in a billing period.
However, the Amex EveryDay Credit Card’s rewards rates and points bonus are less valuable — you’ll earn 2 Membership Rewards points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year (then 1 point), 2 points per $1 on American Express Travel and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. Plus, use the card 20 or more times in a billing period and earn 20% extra points.
The Amex EveryDay Credit Card also doesn’t charge an annual fee.
Like most credit cards, this one is made from plastic.
For rates and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express please visit this page.
¹Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
²Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.