Monthly spending. We rank on rewards minus the full annual fee, so statement credits and perks are listed separately and never counted for you.
Choosing between the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express ($95/yr) and the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi (no annual fee) comes down to where you spend most. Blue Cash Preferred needs about $160 a month in groceries, counting that spending alone, to make up its $95 higher annual fee over Costco Anywhere Visa. Below that, Costco Anywhere Visa comes out ahead. Enter your monthly spending above to see which comes out ahead for you.
Strongest in groceries at 6% (up to $6,000/yr). 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets and streaming, 3% on transit and gas.
Perfect if: Your monthly spending stays within the bonus cap for maximum value.
Apply NowStrongest in gas at 4% (up to $7,000/yr). 4% on gas/EV (up to $7,000/yr), 3% on restaurants and travel, 2% on Costco purchases.
Perfect if: You want solid rewards without paying an annual fee.
Apply Now| Feature | Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express | Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $95 | $0 |
| Sign-Up Bonus | $300 after $3,000 spend in 6 months | None |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | 2.7% | 0% |
| Base Reward Rate | 1% | 1% |
| Flights Rewards | 1% | 3% |
| Hotels Rewards | 1% | 3% |
| Other travel Rewards | 3% | 3% |
| Dining Rewards | 1% | 3% |
| Groceries Rewards | 6% (up to $6,000/yr) | 1% |
| Gas Rewards | 3% | 4% (up to $7,000/yr) |
| Rates with conditions not counted in the rows above |
None |
5% on gas at Costco Earns 5% only on gas at Costco, within the same $7,000 yearly cap as other gas. Other gas stations earn 4%. 2% at Costco Earns 2% only at Costco and Costco.com. Groceries bought anywhere else earn 1%. |
| Key Benefits | 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets and streaming, 3% on transit and gas. | 4% on gas/EV (up to $7,000/yr), 3% on restaurants and travel, 2% on Costco purchases. |
Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express pulls ahead for groceries spending.
Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi wins on travel, dining, gas.
The $95/year fee difference means Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express needs to earn about that much more in rewards to justify its cost.
Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express carries $120/year in credits (mostly tied to specific merchants or bookings). Those only count if you’d actually use them. Worth checking against your own habits before treating them as a discount on the fee.
Not sure which fits your life? Enter your spending below and we’ll do the math. The calculator ranks purely on rewards minus the full annual fee, so credits and perks are yours to judge.