Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card
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How we calculate effective rate →
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..
- Top category
- Grocery
- Effective value
- 6%
- Annual fee
- $95
Best for grocery-heavy spend when the $95 fee fits your usage; confirm issuer terms before applying. 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.
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 2,855 cards we track in that category. The five-category effective-rate table on this page shows how Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card compares across dining, grocery, gas, travel, and other spend. Catalog spend signals highlight music and audio at.
Grocery is the strongest category at 6% effective value (6% back). That grocery rate ranks higher than about 100% of the 2,855 cards we track in that category. The five-category effective-rate table on this page shows how Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card compares across dining, grocery, gas, travel, and other spend.
| 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.
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.
- 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.
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.
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.
What is the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card welcome bonus?
In Madeen's catalog snapshot, the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card welcome offer is 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 — confirm on.
- Offer
- $350
- Terms (catalog 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. First-year annual fee waived.
- Minimum spend
- $3,000
- Window
- 6Months
Does the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card have an annual fee?
The Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card has an annual fee of $95 and a foreign transaction fee of None. Confirm current fees on the issuer page before applying.
- Annual fee
- $95
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
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.
$120 Equinox+ Credit
$120/yrWork 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.
$100 Satement Credit
$100/yr$100 statement credit every year after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases
Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance
$40/yrGetting 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
$25/yrWhenever 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.
Related encyclopedia topics
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
Where do cardholders spend most with the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card?
Madeen's RewardsCC catalog snapshot shows the strongest bonus categories on music and audio (6x), tv and movies (6x), groceries (6x) for the Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card. These are anonymized issuer category signals, not individual cardholder transactions. Route everyday spend through categories that match your habits, then compare effective rates with Madeen at checkout.
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.
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.
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. Compare effective rates across the cards you already carry in Madeen.
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.
| Card | Top category | Effective value | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred Card This card | Grocery | 6% | $95 |
American Express | Grocery | 6% | $95 |
American Express | Grocery | 3% | $0 |
American Express | Grocery | 1.8% | $95 |
American Express | Grocery | 1.2% | $0 |
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American Express and related product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Madeen is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of American Express. Madeen is an independent credit-card comparison and education service. Issuer websites control current terms, fees, and eligibility.
Madeen compares cards you add to your wallet using published catalog rules — no bank login required. Issuer pages control current fees, caps, exclusions, and eligibility; Madeen does not issue cards, make approval decisions, or provide financial advice. Apply links are temporarily hidden on madeen.app. Affiliate disclosure