American Express Cash Magnet® Card Review

The American Express Cash Magnet® card is great for people who want a lot of rewards without a lot of work. If you have good or excellent credit, this may be the perfect card.

Written by : Updated On: August 3
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The basics

Reward Rate:

Groceries

All spends

1.5%

1.5% cash back on eligible purchases (purchases in all categories earn the same amount)

Rewards are on eligible purchases. This excludes returns, fees or interest charges, cash advances and purchases of travelers’ checks.

Key Features:

Annual Fee

No annual fee

Intro APR

0% intro APR for 15 months

Regular APR

18.99% to 29.99%. variable

Signup bonus

signup-bonus

$200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 or more within the first 6 months.

Redemption ways

signup-bonus

Cash back is received as Reward Dollars and redeemed for statement credits. Rewards can be redeemed for statement credits with a minimum redemption of $25. Redemption can also be in the form of gift cards or exclusive offers on merchandise at certain retailers.

Our Verdict

If you are in the market for low introductory APRs, the Amex Express Cash Magnet is the card for you. The rewards are straightforward, allow you to earn cashback rewards on all purchases and enjoy more benefits with no annual fee. But if you want higher cashback rates on specific spending categories, you may want to look at other cards.

Best Suited for:

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Avid shopper

You love a great bargain and know your way around a Neiman Marcus as well as a Target. You also love a good online shopping session. Finding a sale at your favorite store is great, but what you really love is a great cash back rewards program.

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Pantry stocker

You are not happy unless you have a kitchen full of food. You are the designated grocery person in your household, and you are good at it. But what you really like is getting cash back for spending in this category.

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Always-on-the-road

Travel is your middle name. When you aren’t taking advantage of transit for your daily commute in the form of cabs, rideshares and trains, you are looking for a weekend escape. And if there is an opportunity to go somewhere, you take it. You are into earning miles, getting hotel upgrades, eating out and making sure your car is always fueled.

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Social butterfly

You are a person of the people and love to hang out with your friends whether it is a beautiful meal out, attending a sporting event or rocking out at a live concert. If something fun is happening, you want to be there and get rewarded for it.

Hidden perks

Amex Offers: Rewards you at places you like to shop, dine, travel, and more.

You can add as many offers as you’d like to your Card.

Enjoy rewards directly on your statement.

Fixed fee for the monthly payment plan.

Pair this card with:

Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express

citi-Premier

The best card to pair with the Amex Express Cash Magnet Credit Card is the Blue Cash Preferred Card. When you pair the cards together, you can earn a higher percentage of reward points in specific spending categories that include department stores, gas stations, and grocery stores.

Apply for Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express

Beyond the basics

Balance Transfer Intro APR

No balance transfers allowed

Cash Advance APR

25.49%

Foreign Transaction Fee

2.7%

Late Payment fee

$40

Penalty APR

29.99%

Credit Score Required

Good to excellent

Other Offers

Use your Blue Cash Preferred Card to pay for your Equinox+ membership and receive $10 in monthly statements, up to $120 per year.

Use Pay it to quickly make payments on purchases under $100 throughout the month. Use Plan it to split purchases of over $100 for a fixed monthly fee and no interest charges.

Earn more cash back by adding a card member to earn on eligible purchases, just as you would.

When you pay for a rental car with your card, you can decline the collision damage waiver and be covered. Restrictions apply.

When traveling more than 100 miles from home, you get access to 24/7 emergency assistance and coordination services.

You can return eligible purchases to American Express if the seller will not take them back up to 90 days from the date of purchase. American Express may refund the item up to $300 per item and $1000 per year.

Gain access to ticket presales and member only events near you.

Send money and split purchases to any Venmo or PayPal user directly through the Amex app.

You are never held responsible for fraudulent charges when using your card.

Manage your account from anywhere using a web browser or the Amex mobile app.

View charges on your account from January 1st to December 31st of the previous year.

Cashback Example

With the American Express Cash Magnet card, you can enjoy cashback rewards on your everyday purchases. Let’s say you spend $1000 each month on eligible purchases. The card offers a 1.5% cashback rate, which means you’ll earn $15 cashback every month. Over the course of a year, that adds up to $180 in cashback rewards. The best part is, there are no caps on spending or earnings, so you can freely use the card and maximize your cashback benefits. Whether it’s groceries, dining, or any other eligible purchase, the Cash Magnet card helps you earn while you spend, making it an excellent choice. 

ProsCons
No membership feesForeign transaction fees
$200 statement credit bonus offerNo balance transfers allowed
0% introductory APRRequires good/excellent credit
Reports to 3 credit bureaus

Apply now