Chase Freedom Flex vs Sapphire Preferred
Both are Chase cards. Here is every spend category, ranked by what each card actually returns.
Everything else
- Sapphire Preferred 1.5% 1x base rate
- Freedom Flex 1.0% 1% base rate
Dining
- Sapphire Preferred 4.5% 3x
- Freedom Flex 3.0% 3%
Gas
- Freedom Flex 5.0% 5%, rotating this quarter
- Sapphire Preferred 4.5% 3x
Travel
- Sapphire Preferred · Chase Travel 7.5% 5x
- Freedom Flex · Chase Travel 5.0% 5%
- Sapphire Preferred 1.5% 1x base rate
- Freedom Flex 1.0% 1% base rate
Drugstores
- Freedom Flex 3.0% 3%
- Sapphire Preferred 1.5% 1x base rate
Streaming
- Sapphire Preferred 4.5% 3x
- Freedom Flex 1.0% 1% base rate
Online grocery
- Sapphire Preferred 4.5% 3x
- Freedom Flex 1.0% 1% base rate
Flights
- Sapphire Preferred · Chase Travel 7.5% 5x
- Freedom Flex · Chase Travel 5.0% 5%
- Sapphire Preferred 3.0% 2x
- Freedom Flex 1.0% 1% base rate
Hotels
- Sapphire Preferred · Chase Travel 7.5% 5x
- Freedom Flex · Chase Travel 5.0% 5%
- Sapphire Preferred 3.0% 2x
- Freedom Flex 1.0% 1% base rate
Public transit
- Freedom Flex 5.0% 5%, rotating this quarter
- Sapphire Preferred 1.5% 1x base rate
Live events
- Freedom Flex 5.0% 5%, rotating this quarter
- Sapphire Preferred 1.5% 1x base rate
What the numbers are doing
Freedom Flex wins gas, public transit and live events at 5% only because the rotating calendar is on them this quarter. The quarter ends September 30, 2026; after it the card earns 1% there, and no later quarter in the published calendar brings it back.
Sapphire Preferred tops everything else at 1.5% only because this table values its points at 1.5 cents each. Value them at one cent and Freedom Flex wins that category instead.
The table is earn rate only — annual fees are not netted out of it. These cards charge Freedom Flex $0 and Sapphire Preferred $95 a year, so a thin lead in one category may not cover the difference.
| Category | Best card |
|---|---|
| Everything else | Sapphire Preferred1.5% |
| Dining | Sapphire Preferred4.5% |
| Gas | Freedom Flex5.0% |
| Travel | Sapphire Preferred · Chase Travel7.5% |
| Drugstores | Freedom Flex3.0% |
| Streaming | Sapphire Preferred4.5% |
| Online grocery | Sapphire Preferred4.5% |
| Flights | Sapphire Preferred · Chase Travel7.5% |
| Hotels | Sapphire Preferred · Chase Travel7.5% |
| Public transit | Freedom Flex5.0% |
| Live events | Freedom Flex5.0% |
Content preview. Apple Wallet controls the layout; visible categories vary by device. Categories that rank the same as Everything else are left off; every other category is in pass details.
Every category, every card
Everything else
- Sapphire Preferred — 1.5%
- Freedom Flex — 1.0%
Dining
- Sapphire Preferred — 4.5%
- Freedom Flex — 3.0%
Gas
- Freedom Flex — 5.0%
- Sapphire Preferred — 4.5%
Travel
- Sapphire Preferred · Chase Travel — 7.5%
- Freedom Flex · Chase Travel — 5.0%
- Sapphire Preferred — 1.5%
- Freedom Flex — 1.0%
Drugstores
- Freedom Flex — 3.0%
- Sapphire Preferred — 1.5%
Streaming
- Sapphire Preferred — 4.5%
- Freedom Flex — 1.0%
Online grocery
- Sapphire Preferred — 4.5%
- Freedom Flex — 1.0%
Flights
- Sapphire Preferred · Chase Travel — 7.5%
- Freedom Flex · Chase Travel — 5.0%
- Sapphire Preferred — 3.0%
- Freedom Flex — 1.0%
Hotels
- Sapphire Preferred · Chase Travel — 7.5%
- Freedom Flex · Chase Travel — 5.0%
- Sapphire Preferred — 3.0%
- Freedom Flex — 1.0%
Public transit
- Freedom Flex — 5.0%
- Sapphire Preferred — 1.5%
Live events
- Freedom Flex — 5.0%
- Sapphire Preferred — 1.5%
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