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Freedom vs Sapphire Preferred
Every figure below is from the same dataset Miles computes its recommendations from. Rows the two cards agree on are collapsed at the bottom.
Freedom
Chase
Sapphire Preferred
Chase
Economics
Annual fee
$0
$95/yr less
$95
Ongoing annual value
$301
$473
$172/yr more
Net value (value − fee)
$301
$378
$77/yr more
First-year value estimate
—
$1,020
Foreign transaction fee
3%
None
Authorized user fee
—
—
Sign-up Bonus
Current offer
—
75K bonus points after spending $5K within the first three months from account opening.
Earning
Gas stations, public transit, & EV charging (July to September 2026) up to $1.5K total spend per quarter. Requires activation.
5X7.5%
—
Peloton equipment and accessories over $150 (through 12/31/2027, max 25K points)
—
5X7.5%
Select live entertainment (July to September 2026) up to $1.5K total spend per quarter. Requires activation.
5X7.5%
—
Travel booked through Chase Travel
—
5X7.5%
United Way (July to September 2026) up to $1.5K total spend per quarter. Requires activation.
5X7.5%
—
Dining
—
3X4.5%
Gas & EV charging
—
3X4.5%
Online Grocery (excluding Target, Walmart, and Wholesale Clubs)
—
3X4.5%
Select streaming services
—
3X4.5%
Vacation homes
—
3X4.5%
Travel including airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, rental car agencies, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites, campgrounds and operators of passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges and highways, and parking lots and garages
—
2X3%
Percentages are the return on a dollar spent: the multiplier times what Miles values those points at. Categories only one card earns a bonus on are marked for that card; the other earns its base rate.
Benefits
- Instacart: $10 (Quarterly)
- Hotel Credit: $100 (Annual Cardmember Year)
- DoorDash Grocery/Retail (non-restaurant): $10 (Monthly)
- Global Entry / TSA PreCheck / NEXUS Credit: $120 (Every 4 Years)
Statement credits
Lounge access
—
—
Elite status
—
—
Protections
4
9
The same on both cards (6)
Issuer
Chase
Chase
Rewards currency
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Card type
Personal
Personal
Network
Visa
Visa
All other purchases
1X1.5%
1X1.5%
Lyft (through 9/30/2027)
5X7.5%
5X7.5%
Which one is right for you
This page shows the difference. It does not pick: the winner depends on what you spend and what you already hold, and adding these figures up without knowing that would be a guess dressed as a verdict. Ask Miles and it computes the answer against your own wallet.
Ask Miles which to getNo ads, no paid placement · Your wallet, your math