Cash back · American Express · $95 annual fee
Last verified 2026-09-09. Review issuer source
American Express Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card is a $95-a-year cash back card from American Express. Its best everyday rates are 6% on grocery stores, 6% on streaming services, and 3% on gas stations; everything else earns 1%. 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 $714, which clears the $95 fee with $619 to spare before any credits or perks. The welcome bonus, $350 after $3,000 in 6 months, is the strongest reason to open it in a given year. The annual fee is waived the first year.
The fee only makes sense if the bonus categories match your spending. A no-fee card covers everything else just as well.
Earn 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations.
Cap: $6,000 per annual
Earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per calendar year in purchases (then 1%).
Earn 3% cash back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more.
Earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
Earn 3% cash back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more.
Earn 3% cash back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more.
Earn more Cash Back – starting with a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
$100 statement credit every year after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases.
Work out at home with Equinox+ and get up to $120 back annually. Use your Blue Cash Preferred® Card to pay for a subscription1 to Equinox+ at equinoxplus.com and receive $10 in monthly statement credits.
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.
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred CardThis card · 6% on grocery stores | $95 | $714 | +$619 | 9th 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.
