United Club vs United Explorer

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	United Club Chase	United Explorer Chase
Annual fee	$695	Best: $150 $545/yr less
Ongoing annual value, after fee	$314	Best: $387 $73/yr more
First-year value	$834	Best: $1,111 $277/yr more
Authorized user fee	$0	—Unknown

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	United Club Chase	United Explorer Chase
Current offer	90K miles after $5K spend in first 3 months + 10K bonus miles after you add an authorized user in the first 3 months	70K miles after $3K spend in the first 3 months. Plus, earn an extra 10K miles after you add an authorized user to your account in the first 3 months your account is open, $0 introductory annual fee for the first year

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	United Club Chase	United Explorer Chase
Renowned Hotels (prepaid)	Best: 5X6.5%	—Unknown
Hotels	—Unknown	Best: 2X2.6%
Travel	Best: 2X2.6%	—Unknown
United Purchases	Best: 5X6.5%	3X3.9%

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	United Club Chase	United Explorer Chase
Statement credits	Renowned Hotels & Resorts: $200 (Annual Cardmember Year) Rideshare: $12 (Monthly) Avis/Budget: $100 (Annual Cardmember Year) Global Entry/TSA PreCheck: $120 (Every 4 Years) JSX: $200 (Annual Cardmember Year) Instacart: $20 (Monthly) DoorDash Grocery/Retail, monthly: $10 (Monthly)	United Hotels: $100 (Annual Cardmember Year) Rideshare: $5 (Monthly) Avis/Budget: $50 (Annual Cardmember Year) Global Entry/TSA PreCheck: $120 (Every 4 Years) Instacart: $10 (Monthly) JSX: $100 (Annual Cardmember Year) DoorDash Grocery/Retail, monthly: $10 (Monthly)
Lounge access	United Club (unlimited) United Club All Access (unlimited) United Club Passes (4/yr)	United Club (2/yr)
Elite status	IHG One Rewards Platinum United MileagePlus United MileagePlus Avis Preferred President's Club	United MileagePlus
Protections	10	8

The same on both cards (7)

Rows where both cards state the same figure or the same earning rate. Nothing is marked, because there is no stronger side.
Fact	United Club	United Explorer
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Issuer	Chase	Chase
Rewards currency	United MileagePlus	United MileagePlus
Card type	Personal	Personal
Network	Visa	Visa
All other purchases	1X1.3%	1X1.3%
Dining	2X2.6%	2X2.6%

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