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Safeway forU American Express Card Review: How It Stacks Up Against Kroger and the Best Grocery Cards
September 27, 2026
The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.
Albertsons Companies now has its own grocery rewards card. The Safeway® forU American Express® Card launched this month with no annual fee, 5% back on online grocery orders and 3% back on in-store groceries.
It arrived two weeks after Kroger rolled out a new store card of its own, built by the same rewards company. Below, we break down the Safeway card's rewards and fine print, then compare it with Kroger's card and the grocery cards most shoppers already carry.
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Shop in store more than online? See which cards earn the most at each type of grocery store. Read the grocery card breakdown by store type.
Is the Safeway forU American Express Card Worth It?
It is if you order groceries through the Safeway or Albertsons app at least a few times a month. Online and app orders earn 5% back with no cap and no annual fee, which beats every mainstream grocery card once that card's annual fee applies.
In-store shoppers have better options. The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express earns more for households spending roughly $265 to $855 a month on groceries, and no-fee cards like the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card match the Safeway card's 3% in-store rate at almost any grocery store. We show the math below.
Not sure which card to use for each trip? Kudos looks at the cards in your wallet and shows which one earns the most at checkout, including on Safeway.com, so your online orders land on the card that pays 5% and in-store trips go to the card that earns more there.
Hitting grocery caps on other cards? See where spending limits change which card wins. Read how grocery and gas caps compare.
Safeway forU American Express Card Rewards
The card earns statement credits at four rates, with no caps on any category. Rewards post automatically against your statement each billing cycle, and they don't expire while your account stays open.
- 5% back on online and app orders at Albertsons Companies stores, including delivery and pickup
- 3% back on in-store groceries and pharmacy at Albertsons Companies stores
- 3% back on gas, dining, utilities and streaming
- 1% back on everything else
The store rates apply across the Albertsons Companies family, including Safeway, Albertsons, Vons, Jewel-Osco and ACME. The 5% rate only applies when you check out on the store's own website or app, so orders placed through a third-party delivery app earn less.
Does the Safeway Credit Card Pay 3% on Bills?
Only some bills. The card's marketing mentions "recurring bills," but the rewards terms (effective Sept. 1, 2026) name only utilities and streaming.
Electric, water and natural gas bills, plus streaming subscriptions, should earn 3%. Phone, internet, insurance and rent payments aren't named, so expect 1% unless the merchant happens to code as a utility. Bills paid through a third-party payment service or digital wallet may also miss the 3% rate, so check your first statement.
What Is the Safeway forU Amex Welcome Offer?
New cardholders get a $50 statement credit after spending $1,000 in net purchases within the first 90 days. The catch: purchases at Albertsons Companies stores don't count toward the $1,000, so the spending has to come from gas, dining, bills and shopping elsewhere.
The credit can take 8 to 12 weeks to post. Kudos Premium tracks welcome offer progress for you, so you can see exactly how much non-Safeway spending you still need before the 90 days run out.
Fees and APR
The card has a $0 annual fee and a variable purchase APR of 20.99% to 33.99%, based on your creditworthiness. It charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, so leave it home when you travel abroad. See the cardholder agreement for all rates and fees.
The card is issued by First Electronic Bank on the American Express network, and Imprint runs the rewards program. You can check whether you're approved without a hard credit pull, and accepting the offer triggers a hard inquiry.
Ordering groceries online? See which stores earn bonus points on the Sapphire Preferred. Read which grocery stores earn 3X.
Safeway Credit Card vs. Kroger Credit Card
Kroger launched the Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard® on Sept. 30, 2026, replacing its old U.S. Bank card. It's issued by First Bank & Trust and run by Imprint, the same company behind the Safeway card, and Kroger banners like Ralphs, Fred Meyer, King Soopers and Smith's get their own versions. For the full breakdown, read our Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard review.
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- Annual fee: $0 on both cards
- Online grocery orders: 5% back with Safeway; up to 5X points with Kroger
- In-store groceries: 3% back with Safeway; up to 3X points with Kroger
- Gas: 3% back anywhere with Safeway; 4X points at participating Kroger fuel pumps
- Dining and utilities: 3% back with Safeway; 2X points with Kroger
- Streaming: 3% back with Safeway; 1X points with Kroger
- Everything else: 1% back with Safeway; 1X points with Kroger
- Welcome offer: Safeway gives a $50 statement credit after $1,000 in purchases outside Albertsons Companies stores within 90 days. Kroger gives a $100 Kroger reward after $750 in purchases outside Kroger within 90 days.
The rates look nearly identical, but the Kroger card's "up to" totals include the base loyalty and Boost membership points you'd earn at Kroger anyway, according to its rewards terms. The card's own share of those points is smaller.
Kroger points are worth 1 cent each toward groceries (100 points for $1 off, up to $10 a day), and can be worth more at the pump. Safeway's statement credits come off your bill no matter where you spent the money. The Kroger welcome reward is also limited to groceries and expires at the end of the second month after it's issued.
Which Store Card Is Better?
You'll rarely choose between these two on rates, because the right one is the card for the store you already shop at. Outside the store, the Safeway card is stronger: 3% on gas at any station, dining, utilities and streaming beats Kroger's 2X and 1X.
The Kroger card wins on its bigger $100 welcome offer and on fuel if you regularly fill up at Kroger stations. If you live near both chains (Vons and Ralphs in Southern California, for example), compare the stores' prices first, since a 3% reward disappears fast at a store that's 5% more expensive.
How the Safeway Card Compares to the Best Grocery Credit Cards
The Safeway card's edge is narrow: 5% on online orders at one family of stores. Here's how it holds up against the grocery cards Kudos members use most.
Safeway Card vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred
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The Blue Cash Preferred earns 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 annually, then 1%). It has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 (See Rates & Fees).
Here's what each card earns on a year of grocery spending, with the Blue Cash Preferred shown after its $95 fee:
- $3,000: Safeway card $90 in store or $150 online; Blue Cash Preferred $85
- $6,000: Safeway card $180 in store or $300 online; Blue Cash Preferred $265
- $9,000: Safeway card $270 in store or $450 online; Blue Cash Preferred $295
- $12,000: Safeway card $360 in store or $600 online; Blue Cash Preferred $325
Calculation formulated by Kudos, based on each card's published grocery reward rate, the Blue Cash Preferred's $6,000 annual cap and its $95 annual fee after the first year. Assumes all spending lands in one category and that Safeway purchases code as U.S. supermarket purchases on the Blue Cash Preferred.
In store, the Blue Cash Preferred comes out ahead between about $3,170 and $10,250 of yearly grocery spending. Online, the Safeway card's uncapped 5% wins at every spending level once the Amex fee applies. Big spenders can use both: run groceries through the Blue Cash Preferred until the $6,000 cap, then switch to the Safeway card.
Safeway Card vs. Amex Blue Cash Everyday
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The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express earns 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, on U.S. online retail purchases and at U.S. gas stations, each on up to $6,000 per year, then 1% (See Rates & Fees). It has no annual fee.
It ties the Safeway card on in-store groceries up to the cap, and it works at any U.S. supermarket. The Safeway card pulls ahead on online orders and on grocery spending above $6,000 a year.
Safeway Card vs. Amex Gold
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The American Express® Gold Card earns 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $25,000 per year, then 1X, and 4X at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 per year, then 1X. It carries a $325 annual fee (See Rates & Fees).
Spending $6,000 a year on groceries earns 24,000 points, and their value depends on how you redeem them. The Gold Card makes sense for diners and travelers who use its credits and transfer points. If you want simple cash back on groceries, the Safeway card costs nothing to hold.
Calculation formulated by Kudos, based on the Gold Card's 4X U.S. supermarket rate.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Safeway Card vs. Capital One Savor
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The Capital One Savor earns 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), plus 3% on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services. It has no annual fee (See Rates & Fees).
That matches the Safeway card's in-store rate at Safeway and at nearly every other grocery store you visit. The Safeway card only edges ahead on online orders, gas and utilities.
Who Should Get the Safeway forU American Express Card?
The card fits households that order from Safeway, Vons, Albertsons or another Albertsons Companies store online every week and pay their utilities and streaming directly. If that's you, 5% uncapped with no annual fee is hard to beat.
Skip it if you split your grocery shopping across several stores, mostly shop in person, or sometimes carry a balance. At a variable APR of 20.99% or more, one month of interest erases more than the card earns. For a card that works at any supermarket, see the best credit cards by grocery store type.
Safeway forU American Express Card FAQ
Does the Safeway credit card earn 5% in store?
No. The 5% rate only applies to orders completed on an Albertsons Companies website or app, including pickup and delivery. In-store grocery and pharmacy purchases earn 3%.
Can I use the Safeway card at Vons, Albertsons or Jewel-Osco?
Yes. The store rates apply across Albertsons Companies banners, not just Safeway. Check the card's FAQ for the full list of participating stores.
Is the Safeway Amex issued by American Express?
No. First Electronic Bank issues the card on the American Express network, and Imprint manages the rewards. You'll view your rewards and statements in the Imprint app or website.
Is the Safeway card better than the Kroger card?
It depends on where you shop, since each card's best rates only work at its own stores. The Safeway card earns more on gas, dining, utilities and streaming, while the Kroger card has a larger $100 welcome offer.
Do Safeway forU rewards expire?
Not while your account stays open and in good standing. Rewards that haven't been applied yet are lost if you close the card, so let them post before you cancel.
Want to see how the Safeway card fits with the cards you already have? Our guide to grocery and gas spending caps shows where each card's limits kick in.
The information for the Safeway® forU American Express® Card and the Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Kudos. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
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