Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express vs. Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card [Full Comparison]

Amex Blue Cash Preferred vs. Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards

Both of these cash back credit cards offer great benefits for the right consumer. The trick is determining which one is best for you.

	Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express	Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
FinanceBuzz star ratings	5.0 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	4.5 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
FinanceBuzz valuations1	Year 1: $1,088 Year 2: $743	Year 1: $763 Year 2: $563
Annual fee	$0 intro annual fee for the first year, $95 per year thereafter	$0
Intro bonus	Earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases in the first 6 months of account opening	Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Earning rate	6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (for first $6,000 per year, after that 1%) and on select U.S. streaming services, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on eligible transit, and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases	1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day; and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)
Intro APR	0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, then 18.74% - 29.74% (variable)	0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months, then 19.74% - 29.74% (Variable) 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months, then 19.74% - 29.74% (Variable); Balance transfer fee applies
Foreign transaction fee	2.7%	None
Credit needed	Excellent, Good	Excellent, Good
	Learn more	Learn more

When to choose the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card

The Amex Blue Cash Preferred card may be best if you:

• Have a large grocery budget
• Spend a lot on transportation including gas, parking, and tolls
• Prefer statement credits versus cashback

You have a high supermarket spend

Grocery prices have skyrocketed recently, so if you’re anything like me, you’re always looking for ways to save on the costs. Clipping coupons is time consuming, and messing with store loyalty cards to get the savings can be frustrating. Fortunately, the American Express Blue Cash Preferred card automatically pays you 6% back on purchases at U.S. supermarkets (for first $6,000 per year, after that 1%) and on select U.S. streaming services.

But there’s one small catch; big stores like Walmart, Target, warehouse clubs, or other super stores are excluded. So as long as you shop at smaller grocery stores, like Kroger or Meijer, you can enjoy elevated earnings up to the limit.

You want uncapped rewards on transportation

Transportation costs are another major component of many household budgets. Whether you drive a lot, use rideshare, or take public transportation, you can earn 3% back on your costs, with no limit.

Keep in mind that airfare, car rental, and cruises are excluded, as they are considered travel. If you spend a lot in travel categories or want to rack up travel points instead of cash back, consider a credit card that is more travel-focused.

You don’t mind getting your rewards as a statement credit

I personally love to get cashback when I redeem rewards because I like to see my hardwork in action. But, if you don’t mind seeing your earnings as a statement credit, the American Express Blue Cash Preferred card is a good choice. After all, it’s not a bad idea to see your credit card bill decrease without taking money out of your bank account.

When to go with the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards credit card

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards credit card may be best if you:

• Don’t like to track spending categories
• Prefer flexible reward options that aren’t only cashback
• Don’t mind booking travel through a credit card’s travel company

You like simple rewards structuring

If you’re like me and rotating reward categories makes your head spin, you’ll love the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards credit card. There are no categories to track, but you earn a lower rate of 1.5% on every purchase, every day.

If you’ve never had a rewards credit card, this can be a nice introduction to how they work without boggling your mind with different rewards for each category. If I only had one cashback credit card, it would be a simplistic one like the Quicksilver Cash Rewards card.

However, if you have a large family and/or spend a lot of money on transit, the Blue Cash Preferred is the better choice.

You’d prefer flexible redemption options

I like options when choosing my credit card rewards. After all, I worked hard to earn them, and honestly, sometimes I want to use the extra earnings on a “splurge,” rather than a bill I have to pay, like my credit card.

With the Quicksilver card, you can redeem rewards for any of the following:

• Mailed check
• Statement credit
• Cover your purchases
• Gift cards to major retailers and restaurants

Plus, Capital One offers the option to set up automatic redemptions when your rewards hit your selected threshold. For example, if you want to cash out each time you hit $50, you can set it up to automatically happen.

You want an additional rewards boost when booking travel

If you travel frequently and are comfortable booking it through Capital One Travel, you can boost your rewards to 5% on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply). While even the 1.5% earned on Quicksilver is better than the 1% travel purchases would earn you with the Blue Cash Preferred card, why not earn more by booking through Capital One Travel?

Key differences between the two

Although both of these options are among the best cashback credit cards, they have notable differences. Think about the way you spend and which benefits are most important to you as you compare these two credit cards.

Earning rate

The Amex Blue Cash Preferred offers 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (for first $6,000 per year, after that 1%) and on select U.S. streaming services, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on eligible transit, and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases.

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Card earns unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day; and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply).

There’s no clear winner here. How much you spend in the Amex card’s three bonus categories versus everywhere else will tell you which card the winner is for cash back rewards. Review your spending in the last few months to help you determine your average expenses.

Fees

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards credit card charges a $0 annual fee, whereas the Amex Blue Cash Preferred has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $95 per year thereafter. Additionally, the Amex card charges a 2.7% foreign transaction fee, while the Capital One option charges none.

Winner: The Quicksilver Cash Rewards credit card if you travel abroad frequently or don’t have a large grocery budget.

New cardmember offer

Both credit cards offer decent welcome offers, but the minimum spend requirements are vastly different.

Winner: Even though the Capital One bonus is smaller, you have to spend less to earn it, and can redeem it however you want.

Intro APRs

If intro APRs on purchases are important to you, either of these cards could be a good choice. Capital One offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months, then 19.74% - 29.74% (Variable) on new accounts. American Express offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, then 18.74% - 29.74% (variable).

Winner: Capital One because you get extra time to pay the balance off before interest charges accrue.

Other benefits

Credit cards include other benefits besides intro APRs and welcome offers, and these cards almost go head-to-head on the benefits. Here’s how they stack up:

Winner: The benefits are quite similar, but if you travel, Capital One Quicksilver wins with its travel accident insurance and complimentary concierge service that could come in handy.

FAQs

Bottom line

The Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express and Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card are two different cards that cater to different types of people.

If you have a large family, spend a lot on groceries and transit, the Blue Cash Preferred® is a no-brainer in my mind. As long as you’ll spend at least $1,600 a year at U.S. supermarkets, you can make up for the annual fee, and the rest of the money you earn is profit.

If you don’t have a large family or spend a lot on groceries and transportation or want a basic cash back credit card, the Capital One Quicksilver card offers an easy option with no categories to track or annual fees to consider.

Cash Back at U.S. Supermarkets

Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express

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FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express

Learn How to Apply

See rates and fees | Terms Apply

Current Offer

Earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases in the first 6 months

Annual Fee

$0 intro annual fee for the first year, $95 per year thereafter

Rewards Rate

6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (for first $6,000 per year, after that 1%) and on select U.S. streaming services, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on eligible transit, and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• High cashback rates at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, eligible transit, and U.S. streaming subscriptions (cash back is in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit)
• Introductory APR for purchases and balance transfers
• $7 monthly statement credit toward an eligible Disney bundle subscription (subject to auto renewal) of $9.99 or more (enrollment required)

Drawbacks

• Cap on highest reward category limits what you can earn
• Welcome offer is a little lackluster compared to other cards
• Has foreign transaction fee

Card Details

• Earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases in the first 6 months
• 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (for first $6,000 per year, after that 1%) and on select U.S. streaming services, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on eligible transit, and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases
• Intro purchase 0% APR offer: 0% for 12 months then 18.74% - 29.74% (variable)
• Intro balance transfer 0% APR offer: 0% for 12 months then 18.74% - 29.74% (variable)
• Terms apply