Amex Blue Cash Preferred Payoff Calculator 2026

Card data, May 13, 2026

• Issuer: American Express
• Network: Amex (proprietary)
• Card type: Revolving credit card
• Purchase APR: 20.24-29.24% variable
• Annual fee: $95
• Balance transfer intro APR: 0% for 12 months
• Balance transfer fee: 3% of each transfer, $5 minimum
• Rewards:
  • 6% cashback at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 a year, then 1%)
  • 6% cashback on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
  • 3% cashback at U.S. gas stations
  • 3% cashback on transit (taxis, ride-share, parking, tolls, trains, buses, etc.)
  • 1% on everything else
• Cashback redemption: Reward Dollar statement credit, $25 minimum
• Late fee: up to $40
• Foreign transaction fee: 2.7%
• Minimum payment formula: 1% of balance plus interest and fees, $40 minimum
• Typical FICO floor: 700

Source: Blue Cash Preferred terms, verified 2026-05-13.

TL;DR

The Blue Cash Preferred is widely considered the best grocery-rewards card for households spending over $300 a month at U.S. supermarkets. The 6% rate caps at $6,000 a year ($500 a month), beyond which the category drops to 1%. The $95 annual fee breaks even on the supermarket differential at roughly $1,584 a year in grocery spend versus the no-fee Blue Cash Everyday.

Math worked example

$5,000 balance at 24.74% APR (midpoint of range):

• $150 per month: 50 months to payoff, $2,235 interest, plus $475 in 5 years of annual fees
• $200 per month: 31 months to payoff, $1,492 interest, plus $190 in annual fees
• $300 per month: 19 months to payoff, $911 interest, plus $95 in annual fees
• Minimum payment only: 19 plus years, more than $7,400 in interest, more than $1,800 in stacked annual fees

Rewards math at full category cap

Maxing the supermarket cap ($6,000 at 6%) earns $360. Adding $1,200 in streaming at 6% equals $72. Adding $3,000 at U.S. gas at 3% equals $90. Adding $2,500 in transit at 3% equals $75. Plus 1% on $10,000 of other spend equals $100.

Total rewards on roughly $22,700 in optimized spend: $697. Subtract the $95 annual fee: net $602.

For a revolver, $5,000 carried at 24.74% APR generates roughly $103 a month in interest, or $1,236 a year, which exceeds the entire optimized rewards yield within 7 months of carrying.

Run your specific Blue Cash Preferred numbers

The pillar tool accepts the Blue Cash Preferred APR. Pull your specific Purchase APR from your statement and enter it. Add $95 to total cost for each year you hold the card.

Blue Cash Preferred vs Blue Cash Everyday decision

Break-even threshold for the $95 annual fee at the supermarket differential alone:

• Preferred: 6% at U.S. supermarkets
• Everyday: 3% at U.S. supermarkets
• Differential: 3% on each dollar
• Break-even: $95 / 3% = $3,167 a year in U.S. supermarket spend

Below $3,167 a year in groceries, the no-fee Everyday wins on net. Above $3,167, the Preferred wins. The streaming and transit bonuses on Preferred add additional differential value, lowering the practical break-even closer to $2,000 a year in groceries plus typical streaming subscriptions.

0% intro APR transfer math

$5,000 transferred at 3% fee ($150), 0% APR for 12 months:

• Pay $417 per month: cleared in 12 months, total cost $5,150, plus $95 annual fee
• Versus carrying at 24.74%: about $850 in avoided interest over the year

Avalanche priority

The Blue Cash Preferred APR (20.24-29.24%) is in the standard mid-market range for credit cards. If your specific rate is at the upper end, this is likely your highest-APR card and the avalanche method starts here.

The annual fee math during payoff

The $95 fee compounds with interest while you carry a balance:

• Year 1: $95 fee plus interest at your specific APR
• Year 2 if balance persists: another $95
• Three-year carry: $285 in fees alone

If you are not actively earning enough in 6% categories to offset the $95 fee, the card costs more than a no-fee alternative. Two options during payoff:

1. Downgrade to the Blue Cash Everyday (no annual fee). Amex permits product change between Blue Cash family cards. The downgrade preserves the account history.
2. Cancel after paying off the balance. Closes the credit line; raises utilization on remaining cards.

The streaming category

The 6% streaming bonus applies to select U.S. streaming subscriptions including Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Spotify, Apple Music, and others. The list is maintained by Amex and updated periodically; check the current eligible list before assuming a service qualifies. International services (e.g., a foreign Spotify account) do not qualify.

Should you keep Blue Cash Preferred long-term?

For households with:

• $300 a month or more in U.S. supermarket spend
• Multiple streaming subscriptions
• Regular use of U.S. gas at 3%

The card produces $400-700 in annual net cashback (after the $95 fee). For households below those thresholds, the no-fee Blue Cash Everyday or a 2% flat card (Citi Double Cash, Wells Fargo Active Cash) usually wins on net.

Sibling Amex cards

• Amex Blue Cash Everyday payoff calculator
• Amex Cash Magnet payoff calculator
• Amex EveryDay payoff calculator

Other category cashback cards

• BoA Customized Cash payoff calculator
• US Bank Cash Plus payoff calculator
• Citi Double Cash payoff calculator

Related

• Credit card payoff calculator (home) , pillar tool
• Credit card payoff by card type , full hub
• Balance transfer calculator

Frequently asked questions

What is the APR on the Amex Blue Cash Preferred?

The variable Purchase APR is 20.24-29.24% as of May 13, 2026, per American Express pricing. Your specific rate was set at application based on credit profile and prime rate at the time. New applicants receive a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 months (shorter than the Blue Cash Everyday’s 15 months). The post-intro rate floats with the prime rate published by the Federal Reserve.

Is the $95 Blue Cash Preferred annual fee worth it?

Break-even versus the no-fee Blue Cash Everyday is roughly $3,167 a year in U.S. supermarket spend at the 6% versus 3% differential. Add streaming and transit category bonuses, and the practical break-even drops closer to $2,000 a year in groceries plus typical streaming subscriptions. Below those thresholds, the Everyday wins on net. The fee is also charged even in months you carry a balance, so a revolver pays both interest and the annual fee.

How does the 6% supermarket cashback cap work?

The 6% rate at U.S. supermarkets caps at $6,000 of spend per card anniversary year. Once you cross $6,000 in supermarket spend, additional supermarket spend earns 1%. The maximum cashback at the 6% rate is $360 per year. The cap is tracked per card anniversary; it does not reset on January 1. Households spending over $500 a month at supermarkets should split spend with another card after hitting the cap.

Can I do a balance transfer to the Blue Cash Preferred?

Yes, for new applicants. The intro offer is 0% APR on balance transfers for 12 months, with a 3% transfer fee (5 dollars minimum). After 12 months, the variable purchase APR (20.24-29.24%) applies. The Blue Cash Preferred’s intro period is 3 months shorter than the Everyday’s 15-month offer; if balance-transfer length is your priority and you do not need 6% supermarket rewards, the Everyday is the better transfer landing pad.

What streaming services qualify for 6% on the Blue Cash Preferred?

Amex maintains a list of qualifying U.S. streaming subscriptions including Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Max, Spotify, Apple Music, ESPN+, Showtime, Peacock, Sirius XM, YouTube TV, and others. The list is updated periodically; check the current Amex Membership Experiences page for the active eligible services. International streaming services, cable bills, and pay-per-view do not qualify.