Points · American Express · $95 annual fee
Last verified 2026-09-09. Review issuer source
Amex EveryDay Preferred is a $95-a-year points card from American Express. Its best everyday rates are 3x on grocery stores, and 2x on gas stations; everything else earns 1x. Grocery stores is capped at $6,000 a year, then drops to the base rate.
On our reference budget of $24,600 a year it earns $390, which clears the $95 fee with $295 to spare before any credits or perks. The welcome bonus, 15,000 points after $1,000 in 6 months, adds to the first year's return.
Pay the fee if you will redeem for travel or transfer points to partners. For cash back, a no-fee flat-rate card earns nearly as much with less to think about. It charges 2.7% on foreign purchases, so leave it home when you travel abroad.
Earn 2X points at U.S. gas stations for purchases made directly at U.S. gas stations
Cap: $6,000 per annual
Earn 3X points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per calendar year in purchases (then 1X)
Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $2,000 in qualifying purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Getting into your Rental Vehicle can be the start of a great vacation. When you use your Eligible Card to reserve and pay for the Entire Rental and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental Company counter, you can be covered for Damage to or Theft of a Rental Vehicle in a Covered Territory. Please read important exclusions and restrictions. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Coverage is not available for vehicles rented in Australia, Italy, and New Zealand. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage.
Use your Card 30 or more times on purchases in a billing period and earn 50% extra points on those purchases less returns and credits.
Whenever you travel more than 100 miles from home, Global Assist Hotline is available for 24/7 medical, legal, financial and other select emergency assistance and coordination services, such as medical and legal referrals, emergency cash wires, and missing luggage assistance. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Other terms and conditions apply.
With Return Protection, you may return eligible purchases to American Express if the seller won't take them back up to 90 days from the date of purchase. American Express may refund the full purchase price excluding shipping and handling, up to $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year per Card account, if you purchased it entirely with your eligible American Express® Card. Purchases must be made in the U.S. or its territories.
Benefit descriptions are the issuer’s and network’s own wording, trimmed for length. Limits and exclusions are in the guide to benefits.
| Card | Annual fee | Rewards earned | Net after fee | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex EveryDay® PreferredThis card · 3x on grocery stores | $95 | $390 | +$295 | 538th of 1,291 |
| American Express® GoldAmerican Express's most-held other card · 4x on dining | $325 | $594 | +$269 | 547th of 1,291 |
| Savor RewardsThe strongest no-fee card on this budget · 3% on dining | None | $642 | +$642 | 4th of 1,291 |
| Robinhood Gold CardHighest net return on this budget · 3% on everything | $50 | $798 | +$748 | 1st of 1,291 |
Reference budget: groceries $6,000, dining and restaurants $3,600, gas and ev charging $2,400, travel and transit $3,000, online shopping $2,400, entertainment and streaming $1,200, everything else $6,000. Points are valued at 1¢ unless the program is worth less; statement credits, welcome bonuses, and perks are left out. Run it with your own spending.
