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Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Sapphire Preferred

Both are Chase cards. Here is every spend category, ranked by what each card actually returns.

Best card by category Card terms as of Sep 14

Everything else

  1. Freedom Unlimited 1.5% 1.5% base rate
  2. Sapphire Preferred 1.5% 1x base rate

Dining

  1. Sapphire Preferred 4.5% 3x
  2. Freedom Unlimited 3.0% 3%

Gas

  1. Sapphire Preferred 4.5% 3x
  2. Freedom Unlimited 1.5% 1.5% base rate

Travel

  1. Sapphire Preferred · Chase Travel 7.5% 5x
  2. Freedom Unlimited · Chase Travel 5.0% 5%
  3. Freedom Unlimited 1.5% 1.5% base rate
  4. Sapphire Preferred 1.5% 1x base rate

Drugstores

  1. Freedom Unlimited 3.0% 3%
  2. Sapphire Preferred 1.5% 1x base rate

Streaming

  1. Sapphire Preferred 4.5% 3x
  2. Freedom Unlimited 1.5% 1.5% base rate

Online grocery

  1. Sapphire Preferred 4.5% 3x
  2. Freedom Unlimited 1.5% 1.5% base rate

Flights

  1. Sapphire Preferred · Chase Travel 7.5% 5x
  2. Freedom Unlimited · Chase Travel 5.0% 5%
  3. Sapphire Preferred 3.0% 2x
  4. Freedom Unlimited 1.5% 1.5% base rate

Hotels

  1. Sapphire Preferred · Chase Travel 7.5% 5x
  2. Freedom Unlimited · Chase Travel 5.0% 5%
  3. Sapphire Preferred 3.0% 2x
  4. Freedom Unlimited 1.5% 1.5% base rate

What the numbers are doing

Sapphire Preferred tops dining at 4.5% only because this table values its points at 1.5 cents each. Value them at one cent and Freedom Unlimited wins that category instead.

The table is earn rate only — annual fees are not netted out of it. These cards charge Freedom Unlimited $0 and Sapphire Preferred $95 a year, so a thin lead in one category may not cover the difference.

Where they differ: Sapphire Preferred takes dining, gas, travel and streaming, plus 3 more; Freedom Unlimited takes drugstores.

pointslipEveryday
Pass content preview
CategoryBest card
Everything elseFreedom Unlimited1.5%
DiningSapphire Preferred4.5%
GasSapphire Preferred4.5%
TravelSapphire Preferred · Chase Travel7.5%
DrugstoresFreedom Unlimited3.0%
StreamingSapphire Preferred4.5%
Online grocerySapphire Preferred4.5%
FlightsSapphire Preferred · Chase Travel7.5%
HotelsSapphire Preferred · Chase Travel7.5%

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

  1. Freedom Unlimited — 1.5%
  2. Sapphire Preferred — 1.5%

Dining

  1. Sapphire Preferred — 4.5%
  2. Freedom Unlimited — 3.0%

Gas

  1. Sapphire Preferred — 4.5%
  2. Freedom Unlimited — 1.5%

Travel

  1. Sapphire Preferred · Chase Travel — 7.5%
  2. Freedom Unlimited · Chase Travel — 5.0%
  3. Freedom Unlimited — 1.5%
  4. Sapphire Preferred — 1.5%

Drugstores

  1. Freedom Unlimited — 3.0%
  2. Sapphire Preferred — 1.5%

Streaming

  1. Sapphire Preferred — 4.5%
  2. Freedom Unlimited — 1.5%

Online grocery

  1. Sapphire Preferred — 4.5%
  2. Freedom Unlimited — 1.5%

Flights

  1. Sapphire Preferred · Chase Travel — 7.5%
  2. Freedom Unlimited · Chase Travel — 5.0%
  3. Sapphire Preferred — 3.0%
  4. Freedom Unlimited — 1.5%

Hotels

  1. Sapphire Preferred · Chase Travel — 7.5%
  2. Freedom Unlimited · Chase Travel — 5.0%
  3. Sapphire Preferred — 3.0%
  4. Freedom Unlimited — 1.5%

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