Freedom Unlimited vs Sapphire Reserve

Every figure below is from the same dataset Miles computes its recommendations from. Rows the two cards agree on are collapsed at the bottom.

Economics

Dollar figures are per year unless the row says otherwise. Ongoing annual value is Miles' estimate of what the card adds per year after its annual fee: statement credits discounted for realistic use, benefits, and earning above a strong flat-rate card on a typical spending profile. First-year value is a separate net figure that includes the welcome bonus. A welcome bonus shown at its advertised maximum may not be available to every applicant; that figure is not marked as stronger. ★ marks the stronger comparable figure on other rows, and no row is marked when either figure is unknown.
Figure	Freedom Unlimited Chase	Sapphire Reserve Chase
Annual fee	Best: $0 $795/yr less	$795
Ongoing annual value, after fee	$170	Best: $818 $648/yr more
First-year value	$247	Best: $1,621 $1,374/yr more
Foreign transaction fee	3%	Best: None
Authorized user fee	—Unknown	$195

Sign-up Bonus

The current welcome offer as recorded in the dataset. No winner is marked: a bonus is points times a valuation times a spend requirement you may or may not clear, and the first-year value above already prices it.
Offer	Freedom Unlimited Chase	Sapphire Reserve Chase
Current offer	$200 (*awarded as 20,000 points) after spending $500 in the first 3 months	100K points after $6K spend in the first 3 months

Earning

Percentages are the return on a dollar spent: the multiplier times what Miles values those points at. ★ marks the higher return on a row. Categories only one card earns a bonus on are marked for that card; the other earns its base rate.
Category	Freedom Unlimited Chase	Sapphire Reserve Chase
Peloton hardware and accessory purchases (up to 50,000 total points)	—Unknown	Best: 10X15%
Flights booked directly with airlines	—Unknown	Best: 4X6%
Hotels booked directly with hotels	—Unknown	Best: 4X6%
Drugstores	Best: 3X4.5%	—Unknown
Lyft (through 9/30/2027)	2X3%	Best: 5X7.5%
Travel booked through Chase Travel	5X7.5%	Best: 8X12%
All other purchases	Best: 1.5X2.2%	1X1.5%

Benefits

Statement credits, lounge access and elite status as listed in the dataset; protections are counted, not listed. No winner is marked: twelve small credits are not more than two large ones, and the row that prices them, ongoing annual value, is under Economics.
Benefit	Freedom Unlimited Chase	Sapphire Reserve Chase
Statement credits	DoorDash Grocery/Retail, quarterly: $10 (Quarterly)	DoorDash Grocery/Retail #1: $10 (Monthly) DoorDash Grocery/Retail #2: $10 (Monthly) The Edit by Chase Travel: $250 (Semi Annual Calendar Year) Travel: $300 (Annual Cardmember Year) OpenTable Exclusive Tables Dining: $150 (Semi Annual Calendar Year) StubHub and viagogo: $150 (Semi Annual Calendar Year) Global Entry/TSA PreCheck: $120 (Every 4 Years) Lyft: $10 (Monthly) Peloton: $10 (Monthly) DoorDash: $15 (Monthly) Chase Travel Hotel (2026): $250 (Annual Calendar Year)
Lounge access	—Unknown	Priority Pass Select (unlimited) Chase Sapphire Lounge (unlimited) Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge (unlimited)
Elite status	—Unknown	Marriott Bonvoy Gold IHG One Rewards Platinum IHG One Rewards Diamond World of Hyatt Explorist Southwest Rapid Rewards A-List National Emerald Club Executive
Protections	4	12

The same on both cards (5)

Rows where both cards state the same figure or the same earning rate. Nothing is marked, because there is no stronger side.
Fact	Freedom Unlimited	Sapphire Reserve
Issuer	Chase	Chase
Rewards currency	Chase Ultimate Rewards	Chase Ultimate Rewards
Card type	Personal	Personal
Network	Visa	Visa
Dining	3X4.5%	3X4.5%

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 get