American Express

Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card

Highest earn rate in Grocery at 6% effective value

The Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express earns up to 6% effective value on grocery in Madeen's catalog snapshot. Its annual fee is $95. New applicants may see: Earn more Cash Back – starting with a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.. Madeen compares this card against the cards you already carry — no bank login required.

Top category
Grocery
Effective value
6%
Annual fee
$95

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Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card card art
Reviewed by Madeen editorial review
Catalog snapshot 2026-05-01
Updated 2026-06-03
Data source Madeen catalog analysis

Madeen compares public issuer terms with its card-rule catalog. Issuer pages control rewards, fees, benefits, exclusions, and eligibility; Madeen does not issue cards, make approval decisions, or provide financial advice.

Madeen analysis

What does the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card earn in each category?

Grocery is the strongest category at 6% effective value (6% back). That grocery rate ranks higher than about 100% of the 1,552 cards we track in that category. Madeen summarizes catalog reward rules for comparison only; issuer pages control current fees, caps, exclusions, and eligibility.

Grocery is the strongest category at 6% effective value (6% back). That grocery rate ranks higher than about 100% of the 1,552 cards we track in that category.

Category Earn rate Effective value
Dining
Restaurants, cafes, takeout
1% back 1%
Grocery
Supermarkets and grocery stores
6% back 6% Top category
Gas
Gas stations and fuel
3% back 3%
Travel
Flights, hotels, transit
3% back 3%
Other
General everyday spend
6% back 6%

Madeen values cash back at about 1 cents each. Madeen compares every card using this cash-equivalent estimate while still showing the raw earn rate for context.

Reward rules

What are the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card reward caps and conditions?

The Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card has 4 notable cap or condition rule(s) in Madeen's catalog, including activation windows, spend limits, and category exclusions. Review each bullet below before assuming unlimited earn rates. Madeen summarizes catalog reward rules for comparison only; issuer pages control current fees, caps, exclusions, and eligibility.

  • Earn 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations.
  • Earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per calendar year in purchases (then 1%). Capped at $6000 per year.
  • Earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
  • Earn 3% cash back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more.
Madeen take

Who should get the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card?

The Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card fits spenders who put meaningful volume in grocery and can earn 6% back. Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in grocery and can earn 6% back. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.

Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card fits spenders who put meaningful volume in grocery and can earn 6% back. Madeen ranks its grocery effective rate higher than about 100% of the catalog in that category. Compare it against cards you already carry with Madeen — no bank login required.

Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in grocery and can earn 6% back. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.

Compare it against simpler no-fee cards if you want minimum complexity.

Best for grocery-heavy spend when the $95 fee fits your usage; confirm issuer terms before applying. Madeen summarizes catalog reward rules for comparison only; issuer pages control current fees, caps, exclusions, and eligibility.

Pros

  • Strongest Madeen category is grocery at about 6% effective (6% back).
  • That grocery rate ranks higher than about 100% of cards we track in the category.
  • No foreign transaction fee listed.
  • Welcome bonus may add value if you can meet spend requirements.

Cons

  • $95 annual fee requires enough spend in bonus categories to offset.
  • Multiple caps, activations, or exclusions may limit headline earn rates.
Fees and bonus

Does the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card have an annual fee, and what's the welcome bonus?

The Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card has an annual fee of $95 and a foreign transaction fee of None. New applicants may see: Earn more Cash Back – starting with a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.. Confirm current issuer terms before applying.

Annual fee
$95
Foreign transaction fee
None
Signup bonus
Earn more Cash Back – starting with a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. First-year annual fee waived.
Benefits

What benefits come with the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card?

The Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card includes $100 Satement Credit, $120 Equinox+ Credit, Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance in our snapshot. Perks and benefits can change; verify coverage on the issuer site before you rely on them. Madeen summarizes catalog reward rules for comparison only; issuer pages control current fees, caps, exclusions, and eligibility.

  • $100 Satement Credit

    $100 statement credit every year after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases

  • $120 Equinox+ Credit

    Work out at home with Equinox+ and get up to $120 back annually. Use your Blue Cash Preferred® Card to pay for a subscription1 to Equinox+ at equinoxplus.com and receive $10 in monthly statement credits.

  • Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

    Getting into your Rental Vehicle can be the start of a great vacation. When you use your Eligible Card to reserve and pay for the Entire Rental and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental Company counter, you can be covered for Damage to or Theft of a Rental Vehicle in a Covered Territory. Please read important exclusions and restrictions. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Coverage is not available for vehicles rented in Australia, Italy, and New Zealand. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage.

  • Global Assist® Hotline

    Whenever you travel more than 100 miles from home, Global Assist Hotline is available for 24/7 medical, legal, financial and other select emergency assistance and coordination services, such as medical and legal referrals, emergency cash wires, and missing luggage assistance. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third'party service providers.

Spend bonuses

What annual spend bonuses does the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card offer?

  • Earn a $100 statement credit after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases per calendar year on the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card.

Common questions about the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card

Does the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card have an annual fee?

The Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card carries an annual fee of $95 in Madeen's catalog snapshot. Issuer terms can change, so confirm the current fee on the issuer's site before you apply. Madeen does not predict approval or prequalification.

What category earns the most with the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card?

Grocery is the strongest Madeen category for the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card at about 6% effective value, based on our catalog snapshot and standard point valuations. Other categories are listed in the effective-rate table on this page. Madeen summarizes catalog reward rules for comparison only; issuer pages control current fees, caps, exclusions, and eligibility.

Does the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card charge foreign transaction fees?

The Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card does not charge a foreign transaction fee in Madeen's catalog snapshot, which can make it stronger for purchases outside the U.S. Issuer terms still control international acceptance and other fees. Madeen summarizes catalog reward rules for comparison only; issuer pages control current fees, caps, exclusions, and eligibility.

What is the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card welcome bonus?

The Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card welcome offer in our snapshot: Earn more Cash Back – starting with a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.. Minimum spend, eligibility, and offer windows are set by the issuer and can change.

Is the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card annual fee worth it?

Whether the $95 annual fee pays off depends on how much you spend in grocery and whether you use the card's benefits. Madeen compares effective rates across the cards you already carry without bank login. Madeen summarizes catalog reward rules for comparison only; issuer pages control current fees, caps, exclusions, and eligibility.

What credit score do you need for the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card?

Madeen's catalog lists a typical credit range of Good to Excellent for the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card. Issuers decide approval using their own criteria; Madeen does not predict approval odds or prequalification. Madeen summarizes catalog reward rules for comparison only; issuer pages control current fees, caps, exclusions, and eligibility.

Compare

How does the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card compare to similar cards?

Compare the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card against Blue Cash Preferred (6% on Grocery, $95 fee); Blue Cash Everyday (3% on Grocery, $0 fee); Amex EveryDay Preferred (1.8% on Grocery, $95 fee). Madeen ranks effective value by category and annual fee using the same catalog snapshot dated 2026-05-01.

CardTop categoryEffective valueAnnual fee
Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card
This card
Grocery6%$95
American Express
Grocery6%$95
American Express
Grocery3%$0
American Express
Grocery1.8%$95
American Express
Grocery1.2%$0
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