The American Express® Green Card and Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express are two very different cards.
The Amex Green is a credit card that offers 3 points per dollar spent on travel, transit, and restaurants worldwide, an annual $189 CLEAR® Plus credit, and an annual $100 LoungeBuddy credit.
The Blue Cash Everyday is a no-annual-fee credit card that offers 3% cash back on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. online retailers, and U.S. gas stations, plus credits for The Disney Bundle and Home Chef.
This article will compare each card based on several factors to help you make an informed decision on which card is the best to add to your wallet.
Full Reviews: American Express® Green Card and Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express.
Overview of Each Card
Welcome Bonus
The Amex Green currently offers the following welcome bonus: Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 within the first 6 months.
The Blue Cash Everyday currently offers the following welcome bonus: bonus_miles_full
Earning Rewards
The Amex Green earns points at the following rates:
The Blue Cash Everyday earns cash back at the following rates: * 3% back capped on up to $6,000 per year in purchases in each category, then 1% back.
Winner: The Amex Green wins this category since 3x Membership Rewards points are much more valuable than 3% back in their top categories.
But I do really like the Blue Cash Everyday’s ability to earn 3% back on U.S. online purchases, but it is subject a yearly cap.
Card Benefits and Perks
The Amex Green offers the following benefits: * Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
The Blue Cash Everyday offers the following benefits and perks:
- Earn $7 back each month after you use your card to spend $12.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription to The Disney Bundle, which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ (enrollment required).
- Up to $180 Home Chef credit ($15 monthly statement credit when you enroll your card).
- Secondary rental car insurance.*
- Purchase protection.*
* Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Winner: The Amex Green offers better overall benefits with better travel and purchase protections, in addition to the statement credits.
Value of the Annual Fees
The Amex Green has an annual fee of $150 , which can be offset by the extra points at restaurants, travel, and transit, fee credits, and travel and purchase protections.
One of the best benefits of the Blue Cash Everyday is that it has a lot of benefits for no annual fee (rates & fees).
Winner: The Blue Cash Everyday since its hard to beat no annual fee and the Disney Bundle credit is great for a no annual fee card.
Redeeming Rewards
American Express Membership Rewards is a popular rewards program that offers a variety of redemption options, including travel, merchandise, gift cards, and more.
However, to get the most value out of your rewards, it’s important to use them strategically.
One of the best ways to use Amex Membership Rewards is through transfer partners.
The program partners with over 20 airline and hotel partners, including ANA, Air Canada Aeroplan, Iberia Avios, and Avianca LifeMiles.
By transferring your points to these partners, you can often get more value per point and enjoy a wider range of redemption options.
Membership Rewards Transfer Partners [1 to 1]
|
|
|---|---|
Aer Lingus Avios
|
AeroMexico [1 to 1.6]
|
Air Canada Aeroplan
|
Air France/KLM Flying Blue
|
ANA
|
Avianca LifeMiles
|
British Airways Avios
|
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
|
Delta SkyMiles
|
El Al [1,000 to 20]
|
Emirates
|
Etihad Guest
|
Hawaiian Airlines
|
Iberia Avios
|
JetBlue [250 to 200]
|
Qantas
|
Qatar Airways
|
Singapore KrisFlyer
|
Virgin Atlantic
|
Choice
|
Marriott Bonvoy
|
Hilton Honors [1 to 2]
|
The Blue Cash Everyday earns cash back rewards, which are received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit with no minimum redemption.
Winner: The Amex Green wins this category since Membership Rewards can provide great value if you like to travel.
The Verdict
Both the Amex Green and Blue Cash Everyday are good choices.
The Amex Green is a great option for travelers due to its 3x points on travel, restaurants, and transit.
But if you are not a traveler, the Amex Blue Cash Everyday’s 3% cash back categories and statement credits make it an attractive option.
Which card are you going to choose?
