Every American Express Card With No Annual Fee in 2026
American Express offers four consumer cards with no annual fee. While the Amex no-fee lineup is smaller than Chase's, each card has a distinct purpose, and all Amex cards (including no-fee versions) get access to Amex Offers, a targeted merchant discount program worth $50-$200 per year if you use it actively.
All Amex No-Fee Cards
Blue Cash Everyday
The grocery powerhouse
Top Reward
3% groceries (up to $6K/yr)
Points Type
Cash back
Sign-Up Bonus
$200
Best For
Groceries
The strongest grocery card in the Amex no-fee lineup. 3% on groceries (first $6,000/year), 3% on gas and transit (first $6,000/year), 3% on online retail (first $6,000/year), 1% on everything else. Cash back is earned as Reward Dollars, redeemed as statement credits.
Amex EveryDay
The transferable points card
Top Reward
2x at supermarkets (up to $6K/yr)
Points Type
Membership Rewards
Sign-Up Bonus
10K MR points
Best For
Transfer partners
The only no-fee Amex that earns Membership Rewards points. 2x at US supermarkets (first $6,000/year), 1x on everything else. 20% bonus on points when you make 20+ transactions in a billing cycle. The gateway to the Amex transfer partner ecosystem.
Hilton Honors Card
The hotel rewards card
Top Reward
7x at Hilton, 5x dining/grocery/gas
Points Type
Hilton Honors
Sign-Up Bonus
Varies
Best For
Hilton guests
7x Hilton Honors points per dollar at Hilton properties, 5x at restaurants, grocery stores, and gas stations, 3x on everything else. No cap on points earned. If you value Hilton points at 0.5 cents each, the effective dining rate is 2.5%, which is competitive for a no-fee card.
Delta SkyMiles Blue
The Delta starter card
Top Reward
2x on Delta, 2x dining
Points Type
Delta SkyMiles
Sign-Up Bonus
Varies
Best For
Delta flyers
2x SkyMiles on Delta purchases and restaurants, 1x on everything else. Free first checked bag on Delta flights (saves $30-$60 per round trip). Priority boarding. No foreign transaction fees. The entry point to the Delta credit card ecosystem.
Which Amex No-Fee Card Is Right for You?
Heavy grocery shopper?
Blue Cash Everyday. 3% on groceries (up to $6,000/year), 3% on gas, 3% on online retail. The strongest grocery-focused no-fee Amex card. Just remember: Walmart and Target supercenters do not qualify for the grocery bonus.
Want transferable points?
Amex EveryDay. The only no-fee Amex that earns Membership Rewards points. These transfer to airlines (Delta, JetBlue, British Airways) and hotels. The 20% bonus for 20+ transactions per billing cycle is a nice incentive for everyday use.
Frequent Hilton guest?
Hilton Honors Card. 7x Hilton points at Hilton hotels, 5x on restaurants, grocery, and gas. No annual fee. If you stay at Hilton properties even a few times per year, the elevated earning rate makes this the most valuable Amex no-fee card in terms of raw reward rate.
Delta loyalist?
Delta SkyMiles Blue. 2x miles on Delta purchases and restaurants. Free first checked bag on Delta flights. If you fly Delta 2+ times per year, the bag fee savings alone ($60-$120/year) justify holding this card.
The Amex Offers Advantage
Every Amex card, including no-fee cards, gets access to Amex Offers. These are targeted merchant discounts that appear in your Amex app or online account. Examples: "Spend $50 at Home Depot, get $10 back," "Get 2x points on Amazon purchases this month," or "$5 back on a $25+ Uber order."
You need to manually add each offer to your card before making the purchase. The credits appear as statement credits within a few days. Active Amex Offers users report saving $50-$200 per year from these targeted deals alone, making even the no-fee Amex cards quietly more valuable than they appear on paper.
The Amex Membership Rewards Ecosystem
The Amex EveryDay earns Membership Rewards (MR) points. On their own, MR points are worth 0.6-1 cent each. But MR points can be transferred 1:1 to airline and hotel partners, where they are worth 1.5-2.5 cents each.
Key transfer partners: Delta SkyMiles (1:1), JetBlue TrueBlue (1:0.8), British Airways Avios (1:1), Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1), Hilton Honors (1:2), and Marriott Bonvoy (1:1). The ability to transfer to partners is what makes MR points valuable. The EveryDay card unlocks this even at $0/year.
Important note: you must hold at least one MR-earning card to keep your MR points. If you close or downgrade your EveryDay to a non-MR card (like Blue Cash Everyday), you lose your MR balance. Keep the EveryDay open as your MR anchor card.
Downgrade Paths Into Amex No-Fee Cards
| From | → | To | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Card ($250) | → | Blue Cash Everyday or EveryDay | BCE if you want cash back; EveryDay if you want to keep MR transfer partners |
| Platinum Card ($695) | → | Amex EveryDay | Best downgrade to keep MR points and transfer partner access |
| Hilton Surpass ($150) | → | Hilton Honors Card ($0) | Hilton points stay in your account |
| Delta Gold ($150) | → | Delta SkyMiles Blue ($0) | SkyMiles stay; lose companion certificate |
See our complete downgrade guide for step-by-step instructions. Also see amexeverydayvsbluecashpreferred.com ↗ for a detailed Amex comparison.