Blue Cash Preferred^® Annual Fee: How Much Does the Amex Card Cost?

The Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year. After the introductory period ends, the annual fee is $95.

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How Much Is the Blue Cash Preferred Annual Fee?

The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year. Beginning after the introductory year, the annual fee is $95 per year.

• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year
• $95 annual fee after the first year

This means that new cardmembers can use the card during the first year without paying the regular $95 annual fee. After that introductory period, the $95 annual fee becomes the ongoing annual cost of keeping the card.

When Does the $95 Annual Fee Begin?

The Blue Cash Preferred annual fee is $0 during the first year of Card Membership. After the first year, the regular $95 annual fee applies.

The introductory annual fee is separate from the card's other terms and benefits. In other words, the $0 annual fee during the first year does not mean the card has no annual fee permanently.

Can the Blue Cash Preferred Annual Fee Be Waived?

The standard terms for the Blue Cash Preferred Card provide for a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, followed by a $95 annual fee. The introductory $0 fee should not be confused with a permanent annual-fee waiver.

If you're specifically looking for ways the annual fee may be waived or avoided, see our detailed guide: Can the Blue Cash Preferred Annual Fee Be Waived?

Is the $95 Annual Fee Worth Paying?

The Blue Cash Preferred can provide significant value during the first year because the annual fee is $0 during the introductory period, and eligible applicants may also receive a welcome offer.

American Express currently advertises a welcome offer of as high as $300 cash back after spending $3,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer.

For more information about the current welcome offer and how it works, see: Blue Cash Preferred $300 Welcome Offer

The card also earns elevated cash back in several spending categories, including 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1%, and 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions. It also earns 3% cash back at eligible U.S. gas stations and on transit purchases and 1% on other purchases.

Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars, which can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.

Rewards and Benefits That Can Offset the Annual Fee

The Blue Cash Preferred offers elevated cash back on several spending categories, including eligible U.S. supermarkets and select streaming subscriptions. These rewards can help offset the card's $95 annual fee for cardmembers who use the card regularly.

For a complete list of streaming services that qualify for the card's streaming rewards, see: Blue Cash Preferred Streaming Services List

Blue Cash Preferred Annual Fee After the First Year

The first-year $0 introductory annual fee can make the Blue Cash Preferred easier to try without paying the regular annual cost immediately. After the first year, however, the $95 annual fee becomes part of the card's ongoing cost.

If you're considering the card primarily for its rewards, it's useful to compare the $95 annual fee with the cash back you expect to earn from your normal spending. Someone who spends heavily in the card's higher-reward categories may receive substantially more value than someone who rarely uses those categories.

Blue Cash Preferred Annual Fee: Bottom Line

The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95. The first-year introductory period gives new cardmembers an opportunity to use the card without paying the regular annual fee during that initial year.

After the first year, whether the $95 annual fee makes sense depends largely on how much value you receive from the card's cash back rewards and other benefits.

If you're interested in applying, you can apply for the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express and find out what welcome offer you may be eligible for. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer.