Chase Freedom Unlimited® vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

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Two of Chase’s most popular credit cards are the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and the  Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Both offer a first-year bonus, great rewards, and travel benefits. Either one can be an excellent choice, but together, they also make a great pair.

Chase Freedom Unlimited® vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Side-By-Side Comparison

Welcome Offer Winner: Sapphire Preferred

Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Rewards Winner: It’s a Tie

With the Chase Freedom Unlimited® you’ll earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel(SM), 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining, and 1.5% on everything else. Plus, you’ll an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy in your first year with the welcome bonus.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card rewards you with points instead of cash back. You’ll earn 5x on travel purchases through Chase Travel(SM), 3x on dining, and 2x on all other travel purchases. Also, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card gives you 25% more value for your points when you redeem them through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.

Since the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a travel rewards card, you also get some other travel benefits, such as trip cancellation/interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, and trip delay reimbursement.

One card isn’t really better than the other. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a better choice if you’re after travel rewards and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a cash back credit card that rewards you for travel, but you also get cash back on dining and drugstore purchases.

Chase Freedom Unlimited® Rewards

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Rewards

Interest Rates Winner: Freedom Unlimited

The Freedom Unlimited has the 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, which is great if you’re financing a major purchase or transferring a balance. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is not offering a 0% APR promotion at this time. The regular interest rates are pretty similar, so we give the win to the Freedom Unlimited.

Fee Winner: Freedom Unlimited

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® has an annual fee of $0, whereas the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has an annual fee of $95, which isn’t bad at all considering all the rewards and benefits you get. Since it’s a travel card, there are no foreign transaction fees, so feel free to take it along with you on your safari to South Africa. It’s tough to call it one way or the other. If you don’t plan to travel internationally, it’s an easy win for Freedom Unlimited.

Features and Benefits: Sapphire Preferred

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has a lot of travel benefits, considering it’s a travel credit card. You’ll also get a $50 hotel credit and a 10% points boost every year on your account anniversary.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® actually has more travel benefits than you might think, but we give the win to the Sapphire Preferred.

Freedom Unlimited

Sapphire Preferred

Who the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is Best For

Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a great card for those who don’t want to pay an annual fee and want some cash back rewards. You also get that 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, which is great if you’re planning a major purchase or want to transfer other debt. 1.5% cash back on purchases that fall into the “other purchases” category is a step up from most other cards that only pay 1%. If you don’t travel a ton, this card is a fantastic choice.

Who the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is Best For

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a great option for those who want an excellent travel rewards card. You that 25% bonus value for your points when you purchase travel through Chase Travel(SM), and if you transfer them to Chase’s travel partners, your points can be worth even more. You get some valuable travel perks and there are no foreign transaction fees to slow you down. There is an annual fee, but it’s a fairly low fee, and the welcome bonus more than makes up for it.

Does it make sense to get both cards?

Yes, these cards complement each other very well. You can transfer the points you earn from the Chase Freedom Unlimited® to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to get the boost in travel points. Or, transfer points to Chase’s travel partners to possibly reap more value.

You can get excellent cash back rewards on almost all of your everyday purchases between both credit cards. Gas is the only category that neither card offers elevated rewards for. However, you can get 3% on gasoline purchases on your Chase Freedom Unlimited card during your first year since it falls under the “other purchases” category. After that, you can still get 1.5% cash back on those purchases which is still better than the 1% cash back that other cards offer for the “other purchases” category.

There is a caveat, though. Chase has an unwritten rule called the 5/24 rule. This means they won’t (generally) approve anyone for a credit card if you’ve opened five accounts or more within the past 24 months–any credit card, not just Chase cards. So, if you’ve opened four accounts in the last 24 months, you’ll need to think carefully about which card to apply for first. Then you might need to wait until you’re under the 5/24 guideline to get the other card.

Approval Odds

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Given that both cards are issued by the same lender, you’ll need excellent credit to be approved for either card. Credit score data is pretty similar, just keep the 5/24 rule in mind, and you’ll be good to go.

Bottom Line

Both the Freedom Unlimited and the Sapphire Preferred offer excellent value. The Sapphire card is a mid-tier travel rewards card, whereas the Unlimited is more of a daily driver. But both are great options.