Monthly spending. We rank on rewards minus the full annual fee, so statement credits and perks are listed separately and never counted for you.
Choosing between the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express ($95/yr) and the Bilt Obsidian Card ($95/yr) comes down to where you spend most. Both cost $95 a year, so it comes down to where you spend: Blue Cash Preferred earns more on groceries, gas and other travel, Bilt Obsidian Card on dining, flights and hotels. Enter your monthly spending above to see which comes out ahead for you.
Strongest in groceries at 6% (up to $6,000/yr). 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets and streaming, 3% on transit and gas.
Perfect if: Your monthly spending stays within the bonus cap for maximum value.
Apply NowStrongest in dining at 3%. 3x on dining or grocery (your choice), 4x on hotels through Bilt Travel, up to 1.25x on rent and mortgage.
Perfect if: You want a strong rewards rate with no spending caps to worry about.
Apply Now| Feature | Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express | Bilt Obsidian Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $95 | $95 |
| Sign-Up Bonus | $300 after $3,000 spend in 6 months | None |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | 2.7% | 0% |
| Base Reward Rate | 1% | 1% |
| Flights Rewards | 1% | 2% |
| Hotels Rewards | 1% | 2% |
| Other travel Rewards | 3% | 2% |
| Dining Rewards | 1% | 3% |
| Groceries Rewards | 6% (up to $6,000/yr) | 1% |
| Gas Rewards | 3% | 1% |
| Rates with conditions not counted in the rows above |
None |
4% on hotels through Bilt Travel Earns 4% only on hotels booked through Bilt Travel, Bilt's own booking site. Hotels booked anywhere else earn 2%. 3% on flights through Bilt Travel Earns 3% only on flights booked through Bilt Travel. Flights booked direct with an airline earn 2%. 3% on Lyft Earns 3% only on Lyft rides, after linking your Bilt and Lyft accounts. Other rideshare and travel earns 2%. |
| Key Benefits | 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets and streaming, 3% on transit and gas. | 3x on dining or grocery (your choice), 4x on hotels through Bilt Travel, up to 1.25x on rent and mortgage. |
Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express pulls ahead for groceries, gas spending.
Bilt Obsidian Card wins on travel, dining.
Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express carries $120/year in credits (mostly tied to specific merchants or bookings), while Bilt Obsidian Card carries $100/year in credits (mostly tied to specific merchants or bookings). Those only count if you’d actually use them. Worth checking against your own habits before treating them as a discount on the fee.
Not sure which fits your life? Enter your spending below and we’ll do the math. The calculator ranks purely on rewards minus the full annual fee, so credits and perks are yours to judge.