pointslip milestomorrow.com

Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Sapphire Reserve

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 Reserve 1.5% 1x base rate

Dining

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

Travel

  1. Sapphire Reserve · Chase Travel 12.0% 8x
  2. Freedom Unlimited · Chase Travel 5.0% 5%
  3. Freedom Unlimited 1.5% 1.5% base rate
  4. Sapphire Reserve 1.5% 1x base rate

Drugstores

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

Flights

  1. Sapphire Reserve · Chase Travel 12.0% 8x
  2. Sapphire Reserve 6.0% 4x
  3. Freedom Unlimited · Chase Travel 5.0% 5%
  4. Freedom Unlimited 1.5% 1.5% base rate

Hotels

  1. Sapphire Reserve · Chase Travel 12.0% 8x
  2. Sapphire Reserve 6.0% 4x
  3. Freedom Unlimited · Chase Travel 5.0% 5%
  4. Freedom Unlimited 1.5% 1.5% base rate

What the numbers are doing

Sapphire Reserve 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 Reserve $795 a year, so a thin lead in one category may not cover the difference.

Where they differ: Sapphire Reserve takes dining, travel, flights and hotels; Freedom Unlimited takes drugstores.

pointslipEveryday
Pass content preview
CategoryBest card
Everything elseFreedom Unlimited1.5%
DiningSapphire Reserve4.5%
TravelSapphire Reserve · Chase Travel12.0%
DrugstoresFreedom Unlimited3.0%
FlightsSapphire Reserve · Chase Travel12.0%
HotelsSapphire Reserve · Chase Travel12.0%

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

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

Dining

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

Travel

  1. Sapphire Reserve · Chase Travel — 12.0%
  2. Freedom Unlimited · Chase Travel — 5.0%
  3. Freedom Unlimited — 1.5%
  4. Sapphire Reserve — 1.5%

Drugstores

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

Flights

  1. Sapphire Reserve · Chase Travel — 12.0%
  2. Sapphire Reserve — 6.0%
  3. Freedom Unlimited · Chase Travel — 5.0%
  4. Freedom Unlimited — 1.5%

Hotels

  1. Sapphire Reserve · Chase Travel — 12.0%
  2. Sapphire Reserve — 6.0%
  3. Freedom Unlimited · Chase Travel — 5.0%
  4. Freedom Unlimited — 1.5%

The iPhone app is not available yet

Preview this set of cards. The web can add one card, or any of the combos on the free list; the app adds any set of cards for $9.99 once. See the free combos.

Open this ranking in the generator

A cheat sheet in your Wallet that tells you which card to use. No account, no bank linking, no subscription.