Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
On an illustrative household's spending, Chase Sapphire Preferred comes out about $714 a year ahead once both annual fees are paid.
The short version
- Over a year: Sapphire Preferred nets $719 and Sapphire Reserve nets $4, after fees of $95 a year and $795 a year.
- Where it flips: Sapphire Preferred stays ahead at every level of spending this looks at, from a fraction of that household's to many times it.
- Category by category: Sapphire Preferred earns more on 7, Sapphire Reserve on 3 — the table below. Pick by where most of your money goes.
- What they pay in: both earn Chase Ultimate Rewards, so the rates compare directly.
Priced on a household spending $2,205 a month on a card — the assumption, in full. Credits, perks and welcome offers are not priced; each card's page lists them.
Where each one earns more
| Spending on | Sapphire Preferred per $100 |
Sapphire Reserve per $100 | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas Stations | $6.00 3x |
$2.00 base rate |
Sapphire Preferred |
| Flights | $4.00 2x |
$8.00 4x |
Sapphire Reserve |
| Hotels | $4.00 2x |
$8.00 4x |
Sapphire Reserve |
| Streaming | $6.00 3x |
$2.00 base rate |
Sapphire Preferred |
| Rideshare & Taxis | $4.00 2x |
$2.00 base rate |
Sapphire Preferred |
| Public Transit | $4.00 2x |
$2.00 base rate |
Sapphire Preferred |
| EV Charging | $6.00 3x |
$2.00 base rate |
Sapphire Preferred |
| Parking & Tolls | $4.00 2x |
$2.00 base rate |
Sapphire Preferred |
| Car Rental | $4.00 2x |
$2.00 base rate |
Sapphire Preferred |
| Vacation Rentals | $4.00 2x |
$8.00 4x |
Sapphire Reserve |
Only categories where the two differ and at least one pays a bonus, plus everything else. No rotating or chosen categories are switched on, and a rate that needs the issuer's travel portal is not counted.
Side by side
| Sapphire Preferred | Sapphire Reserve | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Chase | Chase |
| Annual fee | $95 a year | $795 a year |
| Foreign transaction fee | none | none |
| Earns | Chase Ultimate Rewards | Chase Ultimate Rewards |
| A year, before the fee | $814 | $799 |
| A year, after the fee | $719 | $4 |
| Rates checked | 2026-08 | 2026-08 |
Protections one has and the other does not
| Benefit | Sapphire Preferred | Sapphire Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Trip delay | Yes | — |
| Priority Pass lounges | — | Yes |
| Roadside assistance | — | Yes |
| Concierge | — | Yes |
From each issuer's benefit summary (Sapphire Preferred: 2026-09; Sapphire Reserve: 2026-09). Summaries leave out exclusions — read the full guide to benefits before relying on one.
Each card on its own
- Chase Sapphire Preferred — every rate, where it ranks, what the issuer lists besides rewards
- Chase Sapphire Reserve — every rate, where it ranks, what the issuer lists besides rewards
- Every travel card, ranked
- Which card adds the most to your own wallet