Head to head
American Express Gold vs Blue Cash Preferred
Updated June 2026 · Decided by net annual value (rewards minus the effective fee), not by who pays us.
American Express Gold
$325/yr · $1 after credits
Blue Cash Preferred
$95/yr
The verdict
American Express Gold wins 6 of 6 sample spending profiles — by about $900/yr on average where it leads. Blue Cash Preferred doesn't win a single one.
Below: net annual value for each card across six representative spending profiles. Your real numbers will differ — run them here.
Who wins, by how you spend
Net annual value (after the effective fee). The higher number wins each row.
Everyday balanced
A typical mix — some groceries and dining, a little travel, and a big catch-all bucket.
American Express Gold
$1,209/yr
Blue Cash Preferred
$546/yr
Grocery-heavy family
A household cooking mostly at home — supermarkets are the top line.
American Express Gold
$1,439/yr
Blue Cash Preferred
$577/yr
Dining-out foodie
Restaurants and delivery dominate the month.
American Express Gold
$1,213/yr
Blue Cash Preferred
$332/yr
Frequent traveler
Flights, hotels, and rideshare are the biggest category.
American Express Gold
$1,333/yr
Blue Cash Preferred
$367/yr
Heavy commuter
A long daily drive — gas is the standout category.
American Express Gold
$918/yr
Blue Cash Preferred
$449/yr
Big spender
High spend across every category.
American Express Gold
$2,454/yr
Blue Cash Preferred
$893/yr
The fine print, side by side
These are six sample profiles. Yours is one.
Enter your actual monthly spending and we'll rank both of these — and every other card — by what they'd net you.
Run your numbersAdvertising disclosure: we may earn a commission if you apply through this link. This does not affect your ranking. Full disclosure
Figures are estimates from our net-value model on fixed sample profiles, using the point valuations on our methodology page. Rates and fees change — verify on the issuer's site before applying.