American Express® Blue Cash Preferred vs Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful®

American Express® Blue Cash Preferred
VS
Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful®
The short answer: The American Express® Blue Cash Preferred delivers a bit more value for most spenders, but choose the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® if you spend more on dining, travel.

Side-by-side comparison

American Express® Blue Cash PreferredMarriott Bonvoy Bountiful®
Annual fee$95$250
Welcome offer$300 statement credit85,000 points
Dining1x4x
Groceries6x4x
Gas3x2x
Travel1x2x
Streaming6x2x
Everything else1x2x
Est. yearly rewards*$679$763
Points typeCash back onlyLocked to Marriott Bonvoy
NetworkAmexVisa

*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 American Express® Blue Cash Preferred earns about $679 a year in rewards and the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® about $763, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The American Express® Blue Cash Preferred charges $95, but carries about $84 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® charges $250, which you clear through its rewards and perks. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the American Express® Blue Cash Preferred delivers more total value, about $113 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on groceries and streaming. 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 Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.

Pick the American Express® Blue Cash Preferred if your spending leans toward groceries, gas, streaming. Pick the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® if your spending leans toward dining, travel, everything else.

Read the full reviews

Frequently asked questions

Is the American Express® Blue Cash Preferred or the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® better?
On typical household spending, the American Express® Blue Cash Preferred comes out ahead after its annual fee, by roughly $113 a year with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. But the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® can be the better fit if your spending lines up with its stronger categories. Run both through the Cardocrat calculator to see your own numbers.
Can I have both the American Express® Blue Cash Preferred and the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful®?
In most cases yes, as long as you meet each issuer's approval rules (for example Chase's 5/24 rule). Many people hold complementary cards to cover more bonus categories, then pool or redeem the rewards together where the program allows.
Which has the better welcome bonus, the American Express® Blue Cash Preferred or the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful®?
As of June 2026, the American Express® Blue Cash Preferred offers $300 statement credit and the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® offers 85,000 points. Welcome offers change often, so confirm the current offer on each card's page before applying.