American Express Blue Cash Preferred vs Citi Custom Cash
Two grocery-friendly cards at different price points and cap structures. The Blue Cash Preferred ($95) pays 6% at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000/yr) plus 6% on select streaming. The Custom Cash ($0) pays 5% in your single top eligible category each cycle — including groceries — but only on the first $500 of spend. Both effectively cap grocery rewards around $6,000/yr; the break-even math and the streaming bonus decide it.
American Express Blue Cash Preferred
Family households that spend $3,000+ a year at U.S. supermarkets and $1,200+ on streaming. The 6% on groceries (up to $6,000/yr) and 6% on streaming is industry-best cashback if you actually use both.
Citi Custom Cash
Moderate spenders who concentrate buying in one category each month — groceries, gas, dining, or streaming — and want an automatic 5% without activating anything. It also carries a 0% intro-APR window, so it doubles as a short-term financing card.
Pick American Express Blue Cash Preferred if
High-grocery families (over ~$3,167/yr at U.S. supermarkets) who also pay for streaming
6% on groceries plus 6% on streaming clears the $95 fee once supermarket spend passes the break-even. The 6% is capped at $6,000 of grocery spend ($360 max), but adding the streaming credit pushes it past what a $0-fee card can return.
Pick Citi Custom Cash if
Moderate spenders who want $0 fee and 5% on their single top category
The 5% auto-applies to whatever category you spend most on each cycle — groceries, gas, or dining — up to $500 of spend ($6,000/yr equivalent). At the cap it returns ~$300/yr with no fee, which can edge the Preferred's ~$265 net if you don't also lean on streaming.
Skip both if
Warehouse-club and superstore grocery shoppers — Walmart, Target, and Costco don't code as supermarkets, so neither card's grocery bonus applies. And travelers: the Preferred charges 2.7% FX, the Custom Cash 3%, so keep a no-FX card for trips.
Head-to-head
| Dimension | American Express Blue Cash Preferred | Citi Custom Cash |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 | $0 |
| Grocery rate | 6% at U.S. supermarkets up to $6,000/yr, then 1% | 5% if groceries are your top category, up to $500/cycle |
| Streaming | 6% on select U.S. streaming | Only if streaming happens to be your top category that cycle |
| Grocery cap | $6,000/yr ($360 max at 6%) | $500/cycle (~$6,000/yr; ~$300 max at 5%) |
| Break-even | Pays off above ~$3,167/yr in supermarket spend | No fee — wins on net value below the Preferred's break-even |
| Foreign transaction fee | 2.7% | 3% |
| Honest knock | The $6,000 grocery cap tops out the fee math — heavy Q4 spenders earn 1% after they hit it | The 5% only lands on one category per cycle up to $500 — it's a sidecar, not a household's main grocery card |
Reviewed by the ClearValue Editorial Team · Last updated 7/8/2026. ClearValue Cards may earn a commission when readers take the quiz and match through links on this site. See disclosure.