Compare the Features and Benefits of Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express and
United Gateway℠ Card

The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is a well-rounded card offering no annual fee and cash back on three key spending categories, including on online purchases. If your focus is on maximizing your earnings towards pure cash back (as opposed to travel rewards), the Everyday Card is a solid option worth considering.

If your spending aligns with purchases at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, or U.S. online retail (who doesn’t shop at online retailers?) — and cash back is your main objective from a credit card — then this becomes an even easier decision. That’s because the Everyday Card earns 3% cash back on these three categories, up to $6,000 per calendar year in purchases in each (then 1%). In addition, the Everyday Card offers a statement credit with several merchants including select streaming services and Home Chef, a rarity for a card with no annual fee (enrollment required).

Of course, it pays to consider other options, including this card’s sister product, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express and the no-annual-fee Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card. Both of these cards may offer slightly more cash back depending on your monthly expenses.

Rates and fees for the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

The United Gateway card does a solid job of providing enough benefits to make you wonder if it will be sufficient, vs investing $95 or more on one of the other Chase United credit cards since this is the only one with no annual fee.

The answer will depend on you.

If you fly several times a year and check a bag each time, then you’ll come out ahead paying the $95 annual fee on the United℠ Explorer Card since you’ll get free checked bags (one for you and a companion on the same itinerary) every time you pay with your card on a domestic flight. You also won’t get priority boarding with the Gateway card.

However, if you are on “Team Carry-On Only,” then this card provides many of the same benefits, including the benefit that gives you access to expanded Saver economy coach availability just like a United Silver Premier member. However, unlike all of the other United cards, you won’t be entitled to upgrades on award tickets.

Additionally, you won’t have any opportunities to earn PQPs from spending on this card whereas all the other United cards do offer that benefit.

Lastly, you might do better with a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card if you aren’t using the checked bag benefit or the expanded award availability benefit. That’s because you’ll have more opportunities to earn points from spend on the Sapphire Preferred, and while you can transfer those points right over to United, you can also take advantage of all of the other Chase Ultimate Rewards airline and hotel transfer partners.

In the end, it depends on you if this is a good card for you, or if another similar card might be better.