At a Glance
| Amex Blue Cash Preferred | Robinhood Gold Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $95 | $0 |
| Effective Fee after credits | $-109 −$120 Equinox+ Credit −$84 Disney Bundle Credit | $0 |
| Base Rate | 1% | 3% |
| Supermarkets | 6% (up to $6000/yr) | 3% base |
| Streaming | 6% | 3% base |
| Gas Stations | 3% | 3% base |
| Transit & Rideshare | 3% | 3% base |
| Foreign Tx Fee | 2.7% | None |
| Transfer Partners | 0 | 0 |
| Min FICO Score | 670 (Good to Excellent) | 660 (Good) |
| Network | American Express | Visa (Visa Signature) |
Estimated Annual Value
Spending profile: $1500/month total — $500 groceries · $300 dining · $150 gas · $50 streaming · $200 travel · $300 other.
| Amex Blue Cash Preferred | Robinhood Gold Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Est. Monthly Rewards | $45.50 | $45.00 |
| Est. Annual Rewards | $546 | $540 |
| Annual Fee (effective) | −$-109 | −$0 |
| Net Annual Value | $655 | $540 |
Estimates computed from card data files.
Last verified: Amex Blue Cash Preferred —,
Robinhood Gold Card 2026-03-13.
Adjust spending profile via page spending: front matter.
The Break-Even Point
The Blue Cash Preferred’s supermarket advantage over Robinhood Gold (6% vs 3%) generates a 3-percentage-point delta on grocery spend. The break-even question is whether that delta, over a year, exceeds the difference in effective annual fees shown in the table above.
If your grocery spend exceeds the break-even threshold (roughly $97–$120/month depending on current fee structures — see effective fee rows above), BCP’s grocery bonus alone covers the cost gap.
Where Each Card Dominates
Blue Cash Preferred wins on:
- US supermarkets (6% vs 3%) — up to the annual cap shown in the rewards table
- Streaming services (6% vs 3%)
Robinhood Gold wins on:
- Dining — BCP earns only base rate at restaurants
- Foreign transactions — BCP charges a foreign transaction fee; see pricing table above
- Spend that exceeds BCP’s supermarket annual cap (reverts to base rate)
- General miscellaneous spend at the full base rate
Acceptance & Practical Considerations
Blue Cash Preferred runs on American Express, which has slightly narrower merchant acceptance than Visa (Robinhood Gold). International travelers should check the FX fee row above — the difference is material for frequent international use.
The Axe-Sharpened Verdict
Choose Blue Cash Preferred if: groceries are your single largest monthly expense, you subscribe to multiple streaming services, and you rarely spend at restaurants as a primary category.
Choose Robinhood Gold if: your spending is balanced across dining, gas, and general purchases, or you travel internationally and need a card with no foreign transaction fee.
The net annual value table above shows the current computation — update the spending: front matter in this file to model your own household.