Dedicated comparison page

Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express vs Discover it Student Cash Back

Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express vs Discover it Student Cash Back on Luminxo. Compare annual fees, rewards, welcome offers, credit requirements, and who each card is best for.

Lowest annual feeDiscover it Student Cash BackNo annual fee
Highest reward rateBlue Cash Preferred Card from American Express1.0%
Lowest starting credit rangeDiscover it Student Cash Back580+

Quick Take

Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express

by American Express

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Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express is a cashback card from American Express with a $95 annual fee, $350 back after $3,000 in 6 months, and good to excellent credit.

Best for: People focused on cashback rewards who can justify a $95 annual fee and who typically have good to excellent credit.

  • 6% on Groceries
  • $350 back after $3,000 in 6 months
  • Foreign transaction fee: 2.7%
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Discover it Student Cash Back

by Discover

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Discover it Student Cash Back is a student card from Discover with no annual fee, cashback match — all cash back earned in first year is matched, and fair credit.

Best for: People focused on student rewards who want to avoid an annual fee and who typically have fair credit.

  • 5% on Dining
  • Cashback Match — all cash back earned in first year is matched
  • No foreign transaction fee
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Side-by-Side Facts

MetricBlue Cash Preferred Card from American ExpressDiscover it Student Cash Back
Annual Fee$95None
Reward Rate1.0%1.0%
Signup Bonus$350 back after $3,000 in 6 monthsCashback Match — all cash back earned in first year is matched
Foreign Transaction Fee2.7%None
Recommended CreditGood to excellent creditFair credit
Rewards SummaryEarn elevated rewards with 6% on Groceries, 6% on Streaming and 3% on Gas, plus 1% on other purchases.Earn elevated rewards with 5% on Dining, 5% on Gas and 5% on Groceries, plus 1% on other purchases.

Who Should Pick Which Card?

Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express

Its strongest earning category is Groceries at 6%, backed by 1% on general spending.

Best for: People focused on cashback rewards who can justify a $95 annual fee and who typically have good to excellent credit.

Pros

  • $350 back after $3,000 in 6 months
  • Potentially worthwhile if you use the card enough to cover the $95 annual fee
  • Earns 6% on Groceries
  • Earns 6% on Streaming

Tradeoffs

  • Annual fee of $95 means you need ongoing value from the card
  • Foreign transaction fee of 2.7% can hurt value abroad
  • Typically requires good to excellent credit
  • Base rewards on non-bonus spending are relatively modest

Discover it Student Cash Back

Its strongest earning category is Dining at 5%, backed by 1% on general spending. It also avoids foreign transaction fees.

Best for: People focused on student rewards who want to avoid an annual fee and who typically have fair credit.

Pros

  • Cashback Match — all cash back earned in first year is matched
  • No annual fee to offset rewards
  • Earns 5% on Dining
  • Earns 5% on Gas

Tradeoffs

  • Base rewards on non-bonus spending are relatively modest

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express and Discover it Student Cash Back?

The biggest tradeoffs are annual fee, reward concentration, and the level of credit usually needed to qualify. This page compares those inputs directly so you can choose the card that fits your spending and tolerance for annual fees.

Which card is easier to qualify for?

Discover it Student Cash Back has the lowest published starting credit range in this comparison at 580.

Which card has the lowest annual fee?

Discover it Student Cash Back has the lowest annual fee in this comparison at no annual fee.