Key takeaways

  • Both the Citi Custom Cash Card and the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express are great cash back cards
  • Both cards have generous welcome offers and 0% intro APR offers
  • The Citi Custom Cash Card has no annual fee, while the American Express Blue Cash Preferred charges a $95 annual fee ($0 intro annual fee for the first year)
  • The right cash back card for you depends on your spending habits

Both the Citi Custom Cash® Card and the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offer generous cash back rewards and welcome bonuses. So what sets these cards apart, and which option is right for you?

It depends on your monthly spending. Do you spend a lot in one particular category, such as groceries, gym memberships or streaming services? Or do you spend a lot in several categories? And are you willing to pay an annual fee? Your answers to these questions can help you decide which one of these top cash back cards deserves a space in your wallet.

Main details

Cards Citi Custom Cash Card Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express
Welcome bonus 20,000 ThankYou Points (worth $200 in cash back) after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months
Rewards rate
  • 5% cash back (on up to $500 each billing cycle, then 1%) on your top spending category each billing cycle
  • 1% cash back on all other purchases
  • 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year, then 1% back)
  • 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services
  • 3% cash back on U.S. gas station and transit purchases
  • 1% cash back on all other purchases
Intro APR 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (19.24% to 29.24% variable APR thereafter) 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months (19.24% to 29.99% variable APR thereafter)
Annual fee $0 $95 ($0 intro annual fee for the first year)

Citi Custom Cash vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred highlights

Welcome bonus winner: Amex Blue Cash Preferred

In the battle between the Citi Custom Cash versus Amex Blue Cash Preferred, the Blue Cash Preferred’s welcome offer is the winner — but just barely.

With the Amex Blue Cash Preferred, you can earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases within the first six months. The Citi Custom Cash offers 20,000 Citi ThankYou points — worth $200 in cash back — after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months.

While the Blue Cash Preferred offers $50 more than the Custom Cash, you’ll have to spend twice as much to earn the bonus offer. On average, you’ll have to spend $500 for six months to earn the Blue Cash Preferred’s bonus and $250 for six months to reach the Citi Custom Cash’s bonus.

Rewards rate winner: Tie

Both cards offer flexibility and the chance to earn plenty of cash back. The right card for you depends on the type of cash back card you’re looking for.

The Blue Cash Preferred’s rewards structure offers more flexibility for people who want to earn as much cash back as possible on everyday spending. It offers 6 percent cash back on purchases made at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 in spending per year, then 1 percent back). You’ll also earn 6 percent cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3 percent cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (such as rideshares, parking, tolls, trains and buses) and 1 percent cash back on everything else.

The Citi Custom Cash also offers flexible rewards but is a better fit for people who value simplicity and want to choose their own high bonus rewards category. You’ll earn 5 percent cash back on your top eligible spending category, which includes restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs and live entertainment. That 5 percent cash back rate applies to the first $500 you spend in your top category during each monthly billing period. If you go over that limit, you’ll earn 1 percent cash back on those purchases until your billing cycle starts again. You’ll also earn 1 percent cash back on non-category purchases.

The Blue Cash Preferred’s 6 percent back in two categories and 3 percent back in two categories gives it the edge if you can take advantage of those rewards categories. But if groceries aren’t your biggest spending area or your everyday spending changes month to month, the Custom Cash gives cardholders more flexibility to choose a category that earns an impressive rewards rate.

Annual fee winner: Citi Custom Cash

The Citi Custom Cash Card charges no annual fee, while the American Express Blue Cash Preferred charges a $95 annual fee ($0 intro annual fee for the first year). The Citi Custom Cash’s $0 annual fee is hard to beat.

Intro APR offer winner: Citi Custom Cash Card

A 0% intro APR offer gives cardholders a set period of time to pay off purchases or past debt without having to worry about interest charges. When comparing the Amex Blue Cash Preferred versus the Citi Custom Cash Card, both have solid intro APR offers. But the Custom Cash Card gives cardholders three months more than the Blue Cash Preferred, making it a clear winner.

Foreign transaction fee winner: Amex Blue Cash Preferred

The Blue Cash Preferred charges a 2.7 percent foreign transaction fee, while the Citi Custom Cash charges a higher 3 percent foreign transaction fee.

Which card earns the most?

The amount you can earn from either of these cards depends on your monthly spending habits. The Blue Cash Preferred card is worth it if the card’s bonus categories fit your lifestyle and you earn enough rewards to justify the annual fee after the $0 intro annual fee the first year. If you tend to spend regularly on one particular category, you might do well with the Citi Custom Cash.

Citi Custom Cash vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred spending example

Say your top spending category during a particular billing cycle is grocery stores, and you spend $500 on those purchases, fully maxing out the Citi Custom Cash’s 5 percent category. In doing so, you’ll earn $25 in cash back. If you spend another $1,000 during that billing cycle on non-category purchases (for example, $500 on gas and another $500 on online shopping), you’ll earn an additional $10 in cash back. That’ll bring you to $35 in cash back earnings for that billing cycle. The drawback here is that you can only spend up to $500 per billing cycle in your top category before the cash back rate drops from 5 percent to 1 percent.

Say you spend the same $500 on U.S. supermarket purchases over the course of a month with the Blue Cash Preferred. Doing so will net you $30 in cash back. To fully match the example above, say you spend an additional $1,000 that month ($500 on gas and $500 on online shopping). Since U.S. gas station purchases earn 3 percent cash back with this card, that’s an additional $15 in cash back earned. Online shopping would classify as non-category spending, earning you an additional $5 in cash back. In total, that’s $50 in cash back earnings for the month with the Blue Cash Preferred versus $35 in cash back with the Citi Custom Cash. While it’s possible to earn more with the Blue Cash Preferred, keep in mind that it comes with an annual fee after the first year.

Why should you get the Citi Custom Cash?

The Citi Custom Cash card is worth it if you don’t want to pay an annual fee for a rewards card. Another reason why you should get the Citi Custom Cash card is that it pairs well with other no-annual-fee credit cards. So if you like to earn as much cash back as possible and don’t mind juggling more than one rewards card, the Citi Custom Cash is a winner.

Additional benefits

The Citi Custom Cash is a fairly basic rewards card, but it does have some additional benefits. You can set up automatic alerts if you’re getting too close to your spending limit, and the card does offer access to the Citi mobile app. It also lets you choose your own payment date. Other perks include identity theft protection, $0 fraud liability, access to Citi Entertainment and free access to your FICO credit score.

Redemption options

The Citi Custom Cash card technically awards you in the form of basic Citi ThankYou points, which can be redeemed for statement credits, direct deposits, checks, gift cards, Amazon.com purchases and travel through Citi.

Recommended credit score

The recommended credit score range for the Citi Custom Cash is good to excellent (670 to 850).

Why should you get the Amex Blue Cash Preferred?

The Blue Cash Preferred is more than just one of the best grocery rewards cards. It’s also one of the best standalone cards, thanks to all the everyday rewards categories and additional features that come with the card.

Additional benefits

The Blue Cash Preferred offers a wider range of benefits than you’ll get with the Citi Custom Cash. You’ll get access to American Express’ Global Assist Hotline, which offers 24/7 emergency assistance while traveling. You can use the hotline as long as you’re at least 100 miles from your home. The card also comes with car rental loss and damage insurance, purchase protection and return protection.

Redemption offers

Cash back is earned in the form of Reward Dollars, which can be redeemed for a statement credit to your account.

Recommended credit score

The recommended credit score range for the Blue Cash Preferred is good to excellent (670 to 850).

The bottom line

So, which card is better? If you spend a lot in the following combination of categories, the Amex Blue Cash Preferred might be worth it: grocery store purchases, streaming services, gas and transit. The card is especially appealing considering you earn an unlimited amount of rewards on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, on transit and at U.S. gas stations.

But the Citi Custom Cash Card is also a great option. It holds its own as a grocery rewards card and is a great fit if you tend to spend a good amount in niche categories like live entertainment, fitness clubs and home improvement stores. Your own spending habits will determine which of these cards is better for you, but both have the potential to earn you significant cash back each month.