Amex EveryDay vs. Amex EveryDay Preferred: Which should be in your wallet?

Part of having a well-rounded credit card strategy is maximizing every single purchase and ensuring you’re never just getting 1 point per dollar or 1% cash back. When earning rewards on everyday spending, knowing which card is right for you can be hard.

For those with other American Express Membership Rewards points-earning cards, the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express and the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express offer additional ways to bolster your Membership Rewards earnings. And for those new to points and miles, both are introductory options to help you jump into the broader Membership Rewards program.

Let’s break down the card you should choose for the long term, tailored to your specific spending habits and budget.

The information for the Amex EveryDay and Amex EveryDay Preferred has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Right now, the Amex EveryDay is offering new cardholders 10,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first six months of card membership. The EveryDay Preferred, meanwhile, is offering 15,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first six months of card membership.

Those points are worth $200 and $300, respectively, per TPG valuations.

These aren’t near the highest available card offers on other Amex cards, but they are a good starting point if you want easy points with a new card. $2,000 in six months is a very low spending requirement, too.

Winner: Amex EveryDay Preferred

Amex EveryDay vs. Amex EveryDay Preferred benefits

As with all Amex Membership Rewards cards, both cards provide access to perks like ShopRunner’s free two-day shipping on eligible orders*, Global Assist Hotline**, and car rental loss** and damage insurance**.

Daily Newsletter

Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter

Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts

*Enrollment is required for select benefits.

**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

***Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Winner: Tie

The Amex EveryDay offers 2 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 in purchases per year, then 1 point per dollar) and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. You’ll also get 20% more points for making 20 or more purchases in a billing period.

The EveryDay Preferred, meanwhile, offers 3 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 in purchases per year, then 1 point per dollar), 2 points per dollar at U.S. gas stations and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. You’ll get 50% more points for making 30 or more purchases in a billing period.

Ignoring the 20%-50% bonus and spending in other categories, you’d need to spend at least $4,750 annually — or $396 monthly — at supermarkets to justify the annual fee on the Everyday Preferred (compared to no annual fee on the EveryDay.)

Winner: EveryDay Preferred

While these cards may not offer the highest earning rates, they still use Amex’s highly valuable Membership Rewards points, widely recognized as some of the most valuable rewards points on the market.

While you can use your points for cash back, Amazon purchases, Uber rides, gift cards, and other purposes, we usually advise against these options. Transferring your points to a travel partner is typically recommended, as it often yields the highest value for your Amex points (see below).

Winner: Tie

Transferring points with the Amex EveryDay vs. Amex EveryDay Preferred

The Membership Rewards points you earn can be transferred to 21 airline and hotel partners, including renowned names like Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles and British Airways Executive Club.

You’ll find that the airline partners cover all major alliances — SkyTeam, Star Alliance, and Oneworld — allowing you to use your points to book flights on almost any airline.

Furthermore, Amex frequently offers transfer bonuses, which means you can potentially enhance the value of your points even further.

TPG points and miles senior writer Ben Smithson likes to transfer his Amex points to Air Canada’s Aeroplan program, capitalizing on the airline’s fixed-rate redemption partners. He also transfers points to British Airways Executive Club for short flights from the United Kingdom to Europe for under 5,000 points each way on British Airways.

Winner: Tie

The question of getting the Amex EveryDay or Amex EveryDay Preferred likely comes down to whether you can justify the latter’s $95 annual fee. With the card’s superior earnings rates and higher welcome offer, most people will be able to get maximum value by going with the Preferred. If you don’t think you can take advantage of the card’s (very easy-to-earn) welcome offer, though, or maximize the card’s higher earnings rates, it might make sense to stick with the Amex EveryDay.

Knowing which card is right for you can be difficult, especially when looking at two cards as similar as the Amex EveryDay and Amex EveryDay Preferred. Be sure that you crunch the numbers based on your situation and personal budget.

If you’re not planning on using your card frequently, the no-fee EveryDay is a good choice. However, if you’re looking for a card that can maximize rewards at both U.S. gas stations and U.S. supermarkets, the Preferred is worthwhile.

To learn more, read our full review of the Amex EveryDay and Amex EveryDay Preferred.

For rates and fees of the Amex EveryDay, click here.

For rates and fees of the Amex EveryDay Preferred, click here.