Amex Blue Cash Everyday vs. Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards: Which cash-back card is right for you?

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If you're looking for a $0 annual fee cash back card, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express (see rates and fees) is a good option that earns in useful categories like gas and groceries. With the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card, you'll earn rewards in one of six categories of your choosing.

Both are rewarding enough to consider, especially since there's no annual fees to worry about. If you're struggling to decide which of these cash-back cards is a better fit for you, we'll cover everything you need to know.

Both the Amex Blue Cash Everyday and the Customized Cash Rewards carry a $0 annual fee, making them both good options for anyone who wants to avoid paying an annual fee.

While having no annual fee lowers the entry barrier, it also means you'll have fewer benefits, but the tradeoff is well worth it for some people.

The Amex Blue Cash Everyday has a welcome offer of as high as $200 cash back* after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply, and if approved: 1. Find out your offer amount 2. Accept the Card with your offer 3. Spend $2,000 in 6 months 4. Receive the cash back. *Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.

With the Customized Cash Rewards card, you can earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after making at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days from account opening. In addition to the online cash, you'll also earn an additional 3% cash back in the category of your choice for the first year, for a total of up to 6% cash back in that category.

These offers are similar, both offer a bonus worth as high as $200 with slightly different spending requirements. While the Blue Cash Everyday card gives you roughly twice as long to meet the spending goal compared to the Customized Cash card, the amount you need to spend is twice as high, balancing it out.

The largest difference comes with the Customized Cash Rewards card, offering an additional 3% cash back in the category of your choosing for the first year.

The Amex Blue Cash Everyday card is a great option for people looking to earn cash back on their grocery and gas spending. The card earns:

• 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 in purchases each year (then 1% back)
• 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases on up to $6,000 in purchases each year (then 1% back)
• 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 in purchases each year (then 1% back)
• 1% cash back on all other purchases

All cash back is earned in the form of Reward Dollars, which can be redeemed as a statement credit.

With the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards, you'll earn:

• 3% cash back in one category you choose (6% for the first year), you can select from the following: Gas and EV charging stations, online shopping (including cable, internet, phone plans and streaming), dining, travel, drug stores and pharmacies, home improvement and furnishings
• 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs
• 1% cash back on all other purchases

You'll earn 3% and 2% cash back on up to $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter in the choice category and at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, then an unlimited 1% after. You can change your category up to once per month.

If you find yourself spending a lot at grocery stores, then the Amex Blue Cash Everyday is likely the better pick. The Customized Cash Rewards card offers more flexibility with its choice categories and a higher annual cap for its bonus categories.

With the Amex Blue Cash Everyday, all your cash back comes in the form of Reward Dollars. These can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.

With the Customized Cash Rewards card, you can redeem your cash back in a few different ways:

• Statement credits/deposits into a Bank of America checking or savings account
• Credit to an eligible Merrill account
• Contribution to a 529 savings plan with Merrill (minimum $25)
• Amazon purchases
• PayPal at checkout

These cards don't come with premium perks since both have no annual fee. However, that doesn't mean there aren't any benefits.

The Amex Blue Cash Everyday card offers the following benefits:

• $84 Disney Bundle Credit: Receive a monthly $7 statement credit for a subscription purchase at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or Stream.ESPN.com in the U.S. (enrollment required).
• $180 Home Chef credit: Up to $15 back per month when you purchase a Home Chef meal kit subscription (subject to auto-renewal; enrollment required).
• Rental car insurance: When you pay for your rental car with this card, you'll receive car rental loss and damage insurance. (Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car rental loss or damage coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.)
• Purchase protection: Merchandise purchased with your card may receive purchase protection, which protects eligible items for 90 days from the date of purchase if it is stolen or damaged. The coverage is limited up to $1,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per card member account per calendar. (Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.)

The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards has one worthwhile benefit:

• Increased cash-back rewards: If you bank with Bank of America, Preferred Reward Members can earn 25% to 75% more cash back on each purchase, depending on what tier you're in.

While both of these cards carry no annual fee, the Blue Cash Everyday card still comes with several useful statement credits and insurance perks.

Both the Amex Blue Cash Everyday and the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards earn cash back in valuable spending categories. The Blue Cash Everyday is more valuable for grocery store spending. It also provides over $200 a year in value from the statement credits for Home Chef and Disney Streaming services.

The Customized Cash Rewards card has more flexibility with how you redeem your rewards and where you earn bonus rewards. But it doesn't offer ongoing perks anywhere nearly as valuable as what you get with the Amex Blue Cash Everyday.

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For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, click here.