Prime Visa vs American Express® Blue Cash Preferred
Side-by-side comparison
| Prime Visa | American Express® Blue Cash Preferred | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | $95 |
| Welcome offer | $200 Amazon Gift Card upon approval | $300 statement credit |
| Dining | 2x | 1x |
| Groceries | 5x | 6x |
| Gas | 2x | 3x |
| Travel | 1x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 6x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $590 | $679 |
| Points type | Cash back only | Cash back only |
| Network | Visa | Amex |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Prime Visa earns about $590 a year in rewards and the American Express® Blue Cash Preferred about $679, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Prime Visa has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The American Express® Blue Cash Preferred charges $95, but carries about $84 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Prime Visa delivers more total value, about $39 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on dining. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use. On the sign-up bonus, the American Express® Blue Cash Preferred currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Prime Visa if your spending leans toward dining. Pick the American Express® Blue Cash Preferred if your spending leans toward groceries, gas, streaming.