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Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs Chase Sapphire Reserve

Chase Sapphire Reserve leads 2 to 1 on the 3 rankable specs, but Chase Sapphire Preferred Card charges $455 a year less. Most of the 10 attributes tracked here are descriptive rather than numeric.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

  • Annual fee: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card lists $95 (Chase sheet, 2026-09-02); Chase Sapphire Reserve lists $550 (Chase sheet, 2026-09-02).
  • Rewards rate: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card lists 5X travel via Chase, 3X dining/online grocery/select streaming, 2X other travel, 1X other (Chase sheet, 2026-09-02); Chase Sapphire Reserve lists 10X hotels/cars & 5X flights via Chase Travel, 3X general travel & dining, 1X other (Chase sheet, 2026-09-02).
  • Sign-up bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card lists 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after $4,000 spend in first 3 months ($750 travel value) (Chase sheet, 2026-09-02); Chase Sapphire Reserve lists 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after $4,000 spend in first 3 months (Chase sheet, 2026-09-02).
  • Intro APR offer: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card lists None (Variable APR applies from account opening) (Chase sheet, 2026-09-02); Chase Sapphire Reserve lists 0% intro APR for 0 months (Pay Over Time APR applies) (Chase sheet, 2026-09-02).
  • Lounge access: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card lists No (Chase sheet, 2026-09-02); Chase Sapphire Reserve lists Yes (Priority Pass Select + Sapphire Lounge by The Club) (Chase sheet, 2026-09-02).

Not financial advice. Annual fees, APRs, bonuses and credits change. Confirm current terms with the issuer before you apply.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
$95/yr1 spec win
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Chase Sapphire Reserve
$550/yr2 spec wins
Swap

Compare a different credit card

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Buying for

Every rankable spec counts once. Pick a lens to score only what matters for your credit card.

Straight answer

Overall: 1 to 2

Buy the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

  • Leads 2 of 3 rankable overall specs; Chase Sapphire Preferred Card takes 1.
  • Rewards rate: 10X hotels/cars & 5X flights via Chase… vs 5X travel via Chase, 3X dining/online…
  • Lounge access: Yes vs No
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred Card charges $455 less a year. Pay the higher fee only if rewards rate matters to you.

Check first: the Chase Sapphire Reserve needs excellent credit (720+). Tick them under deal-breakers if that rules it out.

1 Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3 rankable of 10 specsChase Sapphire Reserve 2

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

  • row

    You pay before a single reward is earned.

    Trips:Chase Sapphire Preferred Card · $95Trips:Chase Sapphire Reserve · $550
  • row

    No free lounges; only matters if you fly often.

    Trips:Chase Sapphire Preferred Card · NoClear:Chase Sapphire Reserve · Yes (Priority Pass Select + Sapphire Lo…
  • row

    Applications under 720 are usually declined.

    Clear:Chase Sapphire Preferred Card · Good to ExcellentTrips:Chase Sapphire Reserve · Excellent
  • row

    Carrying a balance costs full interest from day one.

    Trips:Chase Sapphire Preferred Card · None (Variable APR applies from account…Trips:Chase Sapphire Reserve · 0% intro APR for 0 months

At a glance

The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.

2 of 2 differ

Annual fee

Sapphire Preferred

$95

Sapphire Reserve

$550

Rewards rate

Sapphire Preferred

5X travel via Chase, 3X dining/online grocery/select streaming, 2X other travel, 1X other

Sapphire Reserve

10X hotels/cars & 5X flights via Chase Travel, 3X general travel & dining, 1X other

True 3-Year Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Upfront price + 3 years of consumables, fees & essential add-ons

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Upfront list price$0
3-Yr Annual card membership fee ($95 billed annually)+$285
3-Year Estimated Total$285

Cost over 3 years in annual fees before rewards or statement credits.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Upfront list price$0
3-Yr Annual card membership fee ($550 billed annually)+$1,650
3-Year Estimated Total$1,650

Cost over 3 years in annual fees before rewards or statement credits.

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.

Post-Purchase Truths

Sapphire Preferred: What to watch for

  • Maintenance

    Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.

    Regular cleaning, firmware updates, and standard care are recommended to preserve longevity.

Sapphire Reserve: What to watch for

  • Hidden Cost

    Priority Pass lounge crowding and long waitlists during peak hours.

    Airport lounge access is frequently restricted by capacity caps at major domestic hubs (JFK, SFO, ORD), turning a primary perk into a frustrating wait.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card$95/yr1 win
Chase Sapphire Reserve$550/yr2 wins

Fees & Rates

leads 1-0
Fees & Rates specifications. Middle column is Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, right column is Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Annual fee$95 (wins this row: lower)$550
Regular APR21.49% – 28.49% Variable APR21.49% – 28.49% Variable APR
Foreign transaction feeNone (0%)None (0%)
Late feeUp to $40Up to $40

Rewards & Perks

leads 2-0
Rewards & Perks specifications. Middle column is Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, right column is Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Rewards rate5X travel via Chase, 3X dining/online grocery/select streaming, 2X other travel, 1X other10X hotels/cars & 5X flights via Chase Travel, 3X general travel & dining, 1X other (wins this row: higher)
Sign-up bonus60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after $4,000 spend in first 3 months ($750 travel value)60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after $4,000 spend in first 3 months
Intro APR offerNone (Variable APR applies from account opening)0% intro APR for 0 months (Pay Over Time APR applies)
Lounge accessNoYes (Priority Pass Select + Sapphire Lounge by The Club) (wins this row: has it)

Card Details

2 differences
Card Details specifications. Middle column is Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, right column is Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Credit neededOur summaryGood to Excellent (690–850)Excellent (720–850)
NetworkVisa SignatureVisa Infinite

Credit-card figures are from issuer materials and go stale. This is not an offer to lend, not financial advice, and not a recommendation to apply. Verify every fee, APR, bonus and credit on the issuer's site.

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

The benchmark travel rewards card with 5X points on travel through Chase, 3X dining, and 1:1 point transfers.

  • Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel through Chase Travel
  • 1:1 point transfers to Hyatt, United, Southwest, and British Airways
  • Primary rental car collision damage waiver insurance

What you give up

  • No airport lounge access
  • $95 annual fee is not waived the first year
Full Chase Sapphire Preferred Card specs →

Pick this one if

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Premier travel card with $300 annual travel statement credit, Priority Pass lounge access, and 3X points on travel and dining.

  • $300 automatic annual travel statement credit offsets base annual fee
  • Complimentary Priority Pass Select lounge access and Sapphire Lounge entry
  • 50% bonus point value when redeeming points for travel through Chase Travel (1.5¢ each)

What you give up

  • $550 annual fee plus $75 per authorized user
  • Requires Excellent credit (720+) to qualify
Full Chase Sapphire Reserve specs →

Best for each use

Travel

Flights, hotels and spending abroad: no foreign fees, lounges, a big bonus

For travel, buy the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

  • Leads 2 of 3 rankable travel specs; Chase Sapphire Preferred Card takes 1.
  • Rewards rate: 10X hotels/cars & 5X flights via Chase… vs 5X travel via Chase, 3X dining/online…
  • Lounge access: Yes vs No
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred Card charges $455 less a year. Pay the higher fee only if rewards rate matters to you.

Everyday cash back

Simple rewards on groceries and gas with nothing to pay each year

Tied on everyday cash back. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card charges less a year.

  • The 2 rankable everyday cash back specs split 1 to 1.
  • Saves $455 a year in fees.

Carrying a balance

Paying over time or newer to credit: APR, intro offers, approval odds

Too close to call on carrying a balance from the spec sheets. Only annual fee is rankable here.

  • Intro APR offer: None vs 0% intro APR for 0 months
  • Credit needed: Good to Excellent vs Excellent

Every answer above is scored from published figures. A lens uses only the rows that matter for that use, including marked rows that are not on the official sheet. Switch lenses interactively in the panel above.

Done deciding?

Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card spec sheetChase Sapphire Reserve spec sheet

Manufacturer pages: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card ↗ · Chase Sapphire Reserve ↗

Common questions

Which card has the lower annual fee, Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve?

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card charges $455 a year less.

What is the biggest catch with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve?

Both has this deal-breaker: annual fee. You pay before a single reward is earned.

Which is better for travel, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve?

For travel, buy the Chase Sapphire Reserve. Leads 2 of 3 rankable travel specs; Chase Sapphire Preferred Card takes 1. Rewards rate: 10X hotels/cars & 5X flights via Chase… vs 5X travel via Chase, 3X dining/online…

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 10 specs tracked here, 7 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.

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