American Express® Blue Cash Preferred vs U.S. Bank Cash+®
Side-by-side comparison
| American Express® Blue Cash Preferred | U.S. Bank Cash+® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | $300 statement credit | $250 rewards bonus |
| Dining | 1x | 2x |
| Groceries | 6x | 2x |
| Gas | 3x | 5x |
| Travel | 1x | 1x |
| Streaming | 6x | 5x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $679 | $492 |
| Points type | Cash back only | Cash back only |
| Network | Amex | Visa |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified July 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | American Express® Blue Cash Preferred | U.S. Bank Cash+® |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | $300 statement credit | $250 rewards bonus |
| To earn it | $3,000 in 6 months | $1,000 in 90 days |
| Est. first-year value* | $968 | $742 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $668 | $492 |
The American Express® Blue Cash Preferred wins on both fronts: it comes out ahead in year one on the welcome offer and stays ahead every year after. Short term or long, it is the stronger pick on the numbers.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | American Express® Blue Cash Preferred | U.S. Bank Cash+® |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Annual credits | ~$84/yr (1 credits) | None |
| Points & redemptions | Cash back only | Cash back only |
On perks and redemptions, the American Express® Blue Cash Preferred carries the heavier credit stack (about $84 a year). Weigh those against the fee, since credits and lounge access only count if you will actually use them.
Transfer partners and point value
Neither card earns transferable points, so redemptions are cash-back or fixed portal value on both, roughly a cent per point. There is no airline or hotel transfer angle to separate them.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the American Express® Blue Cash Preferred earns about $679 a year in rewards and the U.S. Bank Cash+® about $492, 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 U.S. Bank Cash+® 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 $134 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 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, streaming. Pick the U.S. Bank Cash+® if your spending leans toward dining, gas.