American Express Blue Cash Preferred vs Citi Costco Anywhere Visa
On an illustrative household's spending, American Express Blue Cash Preferred comes out about $104 a year ahead once both annual fees are paid.
The short version
- Over a year: Blue Cash Preferred nets $537 and Costco Anywhere Visa nets $433, after fees of $95 a year and none.
- Where it flips: Below about $1,052 a month of spending, Costco Anywhere Visa comes out ahead; above it, Blue Cash Preferred does.
- Category by category: Blue Cash Preferred earns more on 5, Costco Anywhere Visa on 6 — the table below. Pick by where most of your money goes.
- What they pay in: both earn Cash Back, so the rates compare directly.
Priced on a household spending $2,205 a month on a card — the assumption, in full. Credits, perks and welcome offers are not priced; each card's page lists them.
Where each one earns more
| Spending on | Blue Cash Preferred per $100 |
Costco Anywhere Visa per $100 | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries | $6.00 6% |
$1.00 base rate |
Blue Cash Preferred |
| Restaurants & Bars | $1.00 base rate |
$3.00 3% |
Costco Anywhere Visa |
| Gas Stations | $3.00 3% |
$4.00 4% |
Costco Anywhere Visa |
| Flights | $1.00 base rate |
$3.00 3% |
Costco Anywhere Visa |
| Hotels | $1.00 base rate |
$3.00 3% |
Costco Anywhere Visa |
| Streaming | $6.00 6% |
$1.00 base rate |
Blue Cash Preferred |
| Food Delivery | $1.00 base rate |
$3.00 3% |
Costco Anywhere Visa |
| Rideshare & Taxis | $3.00 3% |
$1.00 base rate |
Blue Cash Preferred |
| Public Transit | $3.00 3% |
$1.00 base rate |
Blue Cash Preferred |
| EV Charging | $1.00 base rate |
$4.00 4% |
Costco Anywhere Visa |
| Parking & Tolls | $3.00 3% |
$1.00 base rate |
Blue Cash Preferred |
Only categories where the two differ and at least one pays a bonus, plus everything else. No rotating or chosen categories are switched on, and a rate that needs the issuer's travel portal is not counted.
Side by side
| Blue Cash Preferred | Costco Anywhere Visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | American Express | Citi |
| Annual fee | $95 a year | none |
| Foreign transaction fee | 2.7% | none |
| Earns | Cash Back | Cash Back |
| A year, before the fee | $632 | $433 |
| A year, after the fee | $537 | $433 |
| Rates checked | 2026-08 | 2026-08 |
Each card on its own
- American Express Blue Cash Preferred — every rate, where it ranks, what the issuer lists besides rewards
- Citi Costco Anywhere Visa — every rate, where it ranks, what the issuer lists besides rewards
- Every cash back card, ranked
- Which card adds the most to your own wallet
Carry both? Use the right one.
Cardful picks between them at every checkout, store by store.