Citi Double Cash vs American Express Blue Cash Everyday
A flat 2% card versus a 3% grocery-and-online card, both at $0 fee. The Double Cash earns 2% on every purchase (1% when you buy, 1% when you pay). The Blue Cash Everyday earns 3% at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. online retail, and U.S. gas — each capped at $6,000/yr, then 1%. The decision is whether your spending has a dominant grocery-and-online tilt or is spread evenly across everything.
Citi Double Cash
Readers who want one flat-rate no-fee cashback card and aren't interested in tracking categories. The 2% (1% at purchase + 1% at payment) is the cleanest math in the cashback space.
American Express Blue Cash Everyday
Family households that want 3% at U.S. supermarkets, gas, and online retail with no annual fee — the $0 AF sibling to the Blue Cash Preferred for households that won't hit the preferred card's grocery cap.
Pick Citi Double Cash if
Diverse spenders with no dominant category who want one simple rate
2% on everything, uncapped, with nothing to track. When your spend is spread across many categories, a flat 2% beats a 3%/1% card that mostly earns the 1%. Just pay in full — the back 1% only credits when you pay the statement.
Pick American Express Blue Cash Everyday if
Households whose supermarket and online-retail spend regularly tops ~$500/month combined
3% at U.S. supermarkets, online retail, and gas beats 2% wherever that spend lands, up to $6,000/yr per category. If groceries and online shopping are a big, steady share of your budget, the Everyday out-earns the flat 2%.
Skip both if
Warehouse-club and superstore grocery shoppers — the Everyday excludes them, so the Double Cash's flat 2% quietly wins on those trips. And travelers: the Double Cash charges 3% FX and the Everyday 2.7%, so neither is a strong card abroad.
Head-to-head
| Dimension | Citi Double Cash | American Express Blue Cash Everyday |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 |
| Base rate | 2% on everything (1% at purchase + 1% at payment) | 1% outside the bonus categories |
| Bonus earning | None — the 2% is flat and uncapped | 3% at U.S. supermarkets, online retail, and gas (each up to $6,000/yr, then 1%) |
| Who comes out ahead | Wins when spend is spread out across categories | Wins when grocery + online retail is a large, steady share of spend |
| Intro APR | 0% on balance transfers for 18 months (no intro APR on purchases), then 18.74% – 28.74% variable | 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then 19.24% – 29.99% variable |
| Foreign transaction fee | 3% | 2.7% |
| Honest knock | Skip a payment and you forfeit the back 1% — the 2% only holds if you pay in full | The 3% categories cap at $6,000/yr each and exclude superstores; past the cap it's a 1% 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.