The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is great for travelers, while the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is better for everyday expenses. Consider pairing both together to get the most value on both your spending and rewards redemption.
At first glance, the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Chase Freedom Unlimited may seem like they’re meant for entirely different types of card seekers.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a mid-tier travel rewards card that offers a big welcome bonus and earns 5 points per $1 on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per $1 on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per $1 on all other travel purchases and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases — all for a reasonable $95 annual fee. It has bonus categories designed to appeal to those on the go and offers a 25% points boost when redeeming for travel through Chase Travel℠. The card also offers robust travel benefits that include primary car rental insurance. It’s no surprise this well-rounded card is a favorite amongst travelers.
Meanwhile, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is a straightforward, no-annual-fee card that earns 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on eligible dining and drugstore purchases and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases. There’s no points boost on travel but the card also comes with a solid welcome bonus, travel and purchase protections, plus a 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% to 29.24%. An intro transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies in the first 60 days. After that, a fee of either $5 or 5% of each transfer applies.
Since both cards exist in the Chase Ultimate Rewards® ecosystem, they can each fulfill needs where the other is lacking. Using the Freedom Unlimited for non-bonus category spending and combining the rewards to be used with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card — either through the Chase Travel portal or by transferring to partners — maximizes the value of both cards.
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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
BLUEPRINT RATING
Our ratings are based on specific use cases for each card. We compared this card to others in the same category and developed our rankings based on this criteria, along with our editorial input. Note that although we chose this card as the best in its category, the right card for you will depend on your own financial circ*mstances.
On Chase Bank USA, NA’s secure website
BLUEPRINT RATING
Our ratings are based on specific use cases for each card. We compared this card to others in the same category and developed our rankings based on this criteria, along with our editorial input. Note that although we chose this card as the best in its category, the right card for you will depend on your own financial circ*mstances.
Welcome bonus
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
75,000 bonus points
Annual fee
$95
Regular APR
21.49%-28.49% Variable
Credit score
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
(700 – 749) Good, Excellent
Earn 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x points on dining and 2x points on all other travel purchases, plus more.
Editor’s take
Pros
- Flexible points that can be transferred to 14 travel partners or redeemed through Chase Travel℠ at 1.25 cents each.
- $50 annual statement credit toward Chase Travel hotel bookings.
- Valuable travel protections.
Cons
- $95 annual fee.
- Category bonuses are limited and not competitive against other travel cards.
- Transfer partner list is limited compared to programs like Amex Membership® Rewards and Citi ThankYou®.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred may not have a premium fee but it comes packed with enough benefits to stand tall in a crowded field of travel cards. It earns rewards at generous rates on travel purchased through Chase and on dining, and offers the same lineup of transfer partners as the more expensive Chase Sapphire Reserve®, plus a robust selection of travel protections.
Card details
- Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 75,000 points are worth $937.50 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
- Member FDIC
Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Freedom Unlimited comparison
| CHASE SAPPHIRE PREFERRED | CHASE FREEDOM UNLIMITED | |
|---|---|---|
Annual fee | $95 | $0 |
Rewards | 5 points per $1 on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per $1 on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per $1 on all other travel purchases and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases | 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on eligible dining and drugstore purchases and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases |
Welcome bonus | 75,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening | 1.5% back on everything bought in the first year on up to $20,000 in spending, which is worth up to $300 |
Travel perks | $50 annual statement credit for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel; Complimentary fourth night at Ennismore Hotel Properties; Trip cancellation/interruption insurance up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip; Primary car rental insurance; Baggage delay insurance; Trip delay reimbursem*nt; No foreign transaction fees | Trip cancellation/interruption insurance up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip; Secondary car rental insurance |
Other benefits | Each account anniversary, earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year; Purchase protection; Extended warranty protection; Complimentary DashPass subscription for one year; Complimentary six-month Instacart+ subscription and $15 in quarterly statement credits through July 2024 | 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% to 29.24%. An intro transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies in the first 60 days. After that, a fee of either $5 or 5% of each transfer applies; Purchase protection; Extended warranty protection; Complimentary three-month DashPass subscription; Complimentary three-month Instacart+ subscription |
Annual fees
The Chase Sapphire Preferred has an annual fee of $95.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited has an annual fee of $0.
Although the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s annual fee can be easily justified by its welcome bonus and perks — a no-annual-fee card with the earnings rate and benefits of the Chase Freedom Unlimited card is a rarity.
Winner for annual fee: Chase Freedom Unlimited
Rewards rates
The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 5 points per $1 on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per $1 on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per $1 on all other travel purchases and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited earns 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on eligible dining and drugstore purchases and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred has an edge when it comes to travel purchases, but the Freedom Unlimited’s broader bonus categories make it the preferred card for everyday use.
Winner for rewards: Chase Freedom Unlimited
A quick guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards
The Chase Travel portal allows qualifying cardholders to book hotels, flights, rental cars, cruises and more by using points, cash or a combination of both. The value of each point being used in the portal depends on the card the points are tied to.
Chase Sapphire Preferred points, for example, are worth 1.25 cents per point – a 25% points bonus – when redeemed for travel purchases made through Chase Travel. Big sibling Chase Sapphire Reserve® holds the highest per point value in the portal with 1.5 cents per point — a 50% points bonus – for booking travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal.
A unique feature of the Ultimate Rewards program is that Chase allows cardholders to pool points between their cards, making it possible for rewards that are otherwise only cash back (like those earned with the Freedom Unlimited card) to be used as Ultimate Rewards points.
Holders of select Chase cards, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card*The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. can also transfer Ultimate Rewards at a 1:1 rate to over a dozen of Chase’s airline and hotel loyalty partners which could potentially yield even greater value.
Welcome offers
New cardholders of the Chase Sapphire Preferred can earn 75,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
New cardholders of the Chase Freedom Unlimited receive a different twist, they can earn 1.5% back on everything bought in the first year on up to $20,000 in spending, which is worth up to $300.
The Freedom Unlimited’s welcome bonus is great for a card without an annual fee, but the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s welcome bonus could be worth more or less depending on how the rewards are used and compared to how much someone spends on each card. If used to book travel through the Chase travel portal, the points are worth at least 25% more or possibly even more if transferred to travel loyalty partners.
Winner for welcome offer: Tie
Travel perks and benefits
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a travel rewards card, while the Freedom Unlimited is marketed as a cash-back card. You can use the rewards you earn from the Freedom Unlimited for travel rewards, but it simply doesn’t have as robust a list of travel perks as the Sapphire Preferred.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card comes with a slew of travel benefits including insurance for trip cancellation/interruption, baggage delay and primary car rental along with trip delay reimbursem*nt. It also comes with a $50 annual statement credit for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel and 25% more value per point when booking travel through the Chase travel portal.
The Freedom Unlimited does come with trip cancellation/interruption insurance — but its coverage is for a lower amount. And while a no-annual-fee card having secondary car rental insurance is definitely a perk, it doesn’t hold up to Chase Sapphire Preferred’s primary car rental insurance.
Winner for travel perks and benefits: Chase Sapphire Preferred
Other benefits
Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Freedom Unlimited come with purchase protection and extended warranty protection. Both also come with complimentary DassPass and Instacart+ memberships — but the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers both for a longer period of time.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred also offers account anniversary bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year. Meanwhile, the Freedom Unlimited card offers a different value proposition: a 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% to 29.24%. An intro transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies in the first 60 days. After that, a fee of either $5 or 5% of each transfer applies. Although carrying a balance is never recommended, this offer can be a beneficial money-saver for someone looking for some extra breathing room on a big purchase.
Winner for other benefits: Chase Freedom Unlimited
Who should choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is an ideal travel card for someone who doesn’t want the premium perks or premium price tag of higher-end travel cards. A novice traveler can benefit from the card’s easy-to-use Chase travel portal, while experienced points and miles maximizers can receive outsized value from transferring points to airline and hotel loyalty partners and booking travel directly from the source.
Who should choose the Chase Freedom Unlimited Card?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited card is for someone looking to earn simple rewards on their daily spending, without paying an annual fee. The card’s introductory APR offer is a helping hand for anyone looking to pay down existing debt or get some breathing room on a big buy. This card would not be a good pick for travelers as it comes with a foreign transaction fee of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars.
Which card should you get?
Deciding between the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Freedom Unlimited cards is a calculation of how you spend your money, how you’d like to benefit from your spending and the lifestyle you live.
If travel is not a consideration, the Freedom Unlimited card is an excellent choice for earning cash-back rewards on everyday spending. But if getting on a plane, staying in a hotel or even cruising is in your future — the Chase Sapphire Preferred can not only add peace of mind by insuring your travels, it can also help you travel for less.
And if you want to take it up a notch, and you are within the Chase 5/24 rules, you can pair the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Freedom Unlimited and benefit from both cards. By earning rewards where your spending takes you, but redeeming them where it’s more valuable — the two can effectively coexist in a single wallet.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the better card for travel.
Approval for the Chase Freedom Unlimited card generally requires a good to excellent credit score which FICO generally defines as starting at 670 or above.
There is no known minimum income requirement for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.
The highest credit limit for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is not publicly disclosed but the credit limit the issuer will extend to you will be based on your credit standing, income and any existing debts.
You cannot upgrade from the Chase Freedom Unlimited card to the Chase Sapphire Preferred card; each card requires its own application.
*The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
