American Express® Blue Cash Preferred vs PayPal Cashback Mastercard
Side-by-side comparison
| American Express® Blue Cash Preferred | PayPal Cashback Mastercard | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | $300 statement credit | No current offer |
| Dining | 1x | 1.5x |
| Groceries | 6x | 1.5x |
| Gas | 3x | 1.5x |
| Travel | 1x | 1.5x |
| Streaming | 6x | 1.5x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1.5x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $679 | $437 |
| Points type | Cash back only | Cash back only |
| Network | Amex | Mastercard |
*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 PayPal Cashback Mastercard about $437, 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 PayPal Cashback Mastercard has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the American Express® Blue Cash Preferred delivers more total value, about $189 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on groceries and gas. 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 American Express® Blue Cash Preferred if your spending leans toward groceries, gas, streaming. Pick the PayPal Cashback Mastercard if your spending leans toward dining, travel, everything else.