The Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card (see charges and charges) and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and charges) stay among the hottest journey rewards bank cards, even years after they first got here to market. That is partly due to the number of priceless perks they each supply, but it surely’s additionally as a result of Chase retains selling glorious welcome bonuses for each playing cards yr after yr.
The Sapphire Most well-liked is favored amongst price range, newbie and midrange vacationers because of its reasonably priced annual charge of simply $95.
In the meantime, the Sapphire Reserve is focused at extra premium clients because of upscale perks like a $300 annual journey credit score, Precedence Cross Choose lounge membership and a World Entry or TSA PreCheck utility assertion credit score each 4 years — all of which assist offset the cardboard’s $550 annual charge.
These further advantages is likely to be value it for some, however the Sapphire Reserve would not make sense for everybody. For those who’re making an attempt to determine between these two phenomenal playing cards (since you possibly can’t have each concurrently), listed below are 11 causes to decide on the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked as an alternative of the fancier Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Chase Sapphire Most well-liked vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve
First, he is a fast comparability of the 2 playing cards and their primary options:
| Card | Chase Sapphire Most well-liked | Chase Sapphire Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. | Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
| Annual charge | $95 | $550 |
| Incomes charges |
|
|
| Redemption price |
|
|
Now let’s dig into the main points to see simply why the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked excels because the extra entry-level of the 2 playing cards.
*Excludes Wait & Save, bike, and scooter rides. Most assertion credit score is as much as $120 yearly.
Decrease annual charge
Granted, the Chase Sapphire Reserve comes with many perks value a whole bunch, and even 1000’s, of {dollars} per yr (which we’ll get into under). However in the event you’re simply getting began, do not journey continuously or aren’t positive whether or not you will use the perks, you are higher off choosing the cardboard with the decrease annual charge.
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Associated: Chase Sapphire Most well-liked evaluation
Highest-ever welcome bonus
Now for what in all probability caught your eye: these welcome bonuses. New Sapphire Most well-liked cardholders can earn an unbelievable 100,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 throughout the first three months from account opening.
In the meantime, new Sapphire Reserve cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 throughout the first three months from account opening.
In line with TPG’s March 2025 valuation, Chase Final Rewards factors are value 2.05 cents every once you switch to resort and airline companions. That makes the Sapphire Most well-liked’s supply value a staggering $2,050, whereas the Sapphire Reserve’s supply is value $1,230 in preliminary worth.
Probably the greatest methods to maximise Chase Final Rewards is to switch them to this system’s 11 airline and three resort companions, together with United, British Airways, Southwest, Hyatt and Marriott, amongst others. Hyatt and United are unique switch companions of Chase, so in the event you get pleasure from these manufacturers, that is one more reason to get one in all these playing cards.
For those who plan to make use of your factors this fashion relatively than for direct redemptions via Chase, then the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked ought to suffice. That is as a result of regardless of which of those two playing cards you carry, your Final Rewards factors switch to every airline and resort associate at a 1:1 ratio.
Plus, you will get virtually twice the worth out of the Sapphire Most well-liked’s welcome bonus versus the Sapphire Reserve’s.
You do not spend tens of 1000’s every year on journey
Except for their welcome bonuses, the Sapphire Most well-liked and Sapphire Reserve have related incomes constructions and rack up further factors in related particular classes. Particularly, they share journey and eating.
It is true that the Sapphire Reserve earns as much as 10 factors per greenback on journey and as much as 10 factors per greenback on eating, however these charges are restricted to purchases via Chase.
Concerning basic journey purchases, the Sapphire Reserve has only a slight edge (after receiving the $300 journey credit score) — 3 factors per greenback as an alternative of two. And for normal eating (together with takeout and eligible supply providers), the playing cards are tied, as you earn 3 factors per greenback on every.
For those who spend tens of 1000’s of {dollars} a yr on journey, choosing the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked over the Chase Sapphire Reserve can imply shedding out on a big variety of bonus factors.
However in the event you solely spend a number of thousand {dollars} per yr on these purchases, getting one card as an alternative of the opposite will solely have a negligible impact. That is very true if you have already got different playing cards that earn bonuses in these classes.
Associated: Greatest bank cards for eating
The Sapphire Reserve’s journey advantages aren’t priceless to you
Because of its $550 annual charge, the Chase Sapphire Reserve affords many extra perks than the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked. However that does not essentially imply it is at all times value the next annual charge.
Among the many ones you are most certainly to make use of is the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s $300 annual journey assertion credit score, which is comparatively straightforward to burn via, given the broad vary of purchases which might be eligible for it.
Assuming you possibly can take full benefit of the $300, that brings the cardboard’s annual charge nearer to $250, which remains to be much more than $95.
Whereas that credit score makes it simpler to justify the Sapphire Reserve, we do not advocate spending extra in annual charges simply to get the $300 again in credit when you can spend that cash anyway with out getting hit with the next charge.
The Sapphire Reserve lacks the substantial credit that assist give different premium playing cards the next return on their annual charges. It affords lounge entry to assist in giving some extra worth to cardholders, however you may have already got this profit on one other card.
If that is the case, or in the event you do not journey greater than a few instances every year, the Sapphire Reserve’s lounge entry will not imply an excessive amount of. Those that do not place a whole lot of worth on the Reserve’s journey credit score and lounge entry are higher off with the Sapphire Most well-liked.
Associated: Find out how to use the Chase Sapphire Reserve $300 annual journey credit score to save lots of on journey
You’ve got left Lyft behind
Whereas these advantages will help you earn extra rewards whereas additionally saving you cash on rides, they are not value an entire lot in the event you do not truly use this particular ride-hailing service fairly often.
For those who’re a frequent Lyft rider, the Sapphire Reserve’s Lyft credit will help make a considerable dent in its annual charge. In any other case, you might be higher off with the Sapphire Most well-liked.
Associated: A information to Lyft advantages as a Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholder
You are positive with fundamental DoorDash advantages
Each playing cards supply the possibility to register by Dec. 31, 2027, for no less than a yr of complimentary DoorDash DashPass, which entitles you to $0 supply and lowered service charges on eligible orders over $12.
So you do not get forward by selecting one card over the opposite so far as a DashPass membership is anxious.
The place they differ is within the credit they provide DashPass members.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve affords two $10 credit every month at checkout on grocery, comfort or different non-restaurant orders on DoorDash and $5 off restaurant orders as soon as monthly.
Sapphire Most well-liked cardholders who’ve an activated DashPass membership obtain one promo of $10 off every month at checkout on one grocery, comfort or different non-restaurant order on DoorDash.
For those who use DoorDash on a regular basis, you might need to benefit from the additional credit supplied by the Sapphire Reserve. In any other case, the Sapphire Most well-liked nonetheless affords stable advantages for DoorDash followers.
TPG bank cards editor Olivia Mittak is a frequent DoorDash person, but she feels the Sapphire Most well-liked’s DoorDash advantages are greater than enough.
Comparable journey and buy protections
Each supply journey interruption and cancellation protection of as much as $10,000 per lined traveler and $20,000 per journey, misplaced baggage reimbursement and baggage delay insurance coverage for delays of six hours or extra, protecting as much as $100 per day for as many as 5 days to switch issues like garments and toiletries.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve has journey delay protection — say, in the event you miss a connection and have to in a single day someplace — that kicks in at six hours. The Chase Sapphire Most well-liked’s model would not come into play till 12 hours, so that you might need to hang around a bit longer earlier than you possibly can invoke it.
Although each playing cards supply major automobile rental insurance coverage in opposition to injury or theft, the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked will cowl as much as $60,000 on most automobiles with an MSRP of $125,000 or much less, whereas the Chase Sapphire Reserve covers as much as $75,000 for many rental automobiles. That might come into play in the event you lease an costly car, but it surely’s in all probability not a dealbreaker for many leases.
As well as, the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s journey accident insurance coverage maxes out at 1,000,000 {dollars}, whereas the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked tops out at $500,000. Let’s file this one below: “Hope you by no means want it.”
Lastly, the Sapphire Reserve consists of as much as $2,500 in journey medical and dental protection (topic to a $50 deductible) in case you need assistance whereas on the street whilst you’re 100 miles or extra from house on a visit. The Sapphire Most well-liked would not supply this in any respect.
As for buy protections, the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked solely covers as much as $500 per declare if an merchandise you’ve got used the cardboard to buy is stolen or broken inside 120 days.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve covers them in opposition to injury and theft as much as $10,000 per declare, so it is a significantly better selection for big purchases.
Total, you ought to be simply positive with the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked’s journey protection. However in the event you do make massive purchases recurrently, the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s buy safety protection restrict is far greater.
You get World Entry or TSA PreCheck via one other card
Enrollment is required for choose playing cards; phrases apply.
For those who already carry a number of of these, you won’t want the Chase Sapphire Reserve for this particular perk. That mentioned, you can at all times use your card to pay for another person’s World Entry or TSA PreCheck utility, which is useful in the event you journey with an entire household.
You do not need to pay further for approved customers
Including a licensed person to a bank card has a number of advantages. Amongst them, it may possibly assist the secondary person construct their credit score historical past, which is an effective way to get younger individuals began with credit score.
The factors earned by way of approved customers’ spending go to the first cardholder. Assuming everyone seems to be spending responsibly and paying statements off on time, this may be an effective way to rake in much more rewards.
You possibly can add approved customers and get extra Chase Sapphire Most well-liked playing cards in your account for no annual charge.
If in case you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve, although, it prices $75 per approved person and the one further profit they get is the flexibility to register for Precedence Cross Choose lounge entry on their very own.
It might be simpler to be authorised for the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked
Bank card issuers, together with Chase, don’t publish details about how they approve or deny potential candidates. Nevertheless, it is broadly believed that you will want to qualify for a credit score line of no less than $10,000 for the Chase Sapphire Reserve since it is a high-end Visa Infinite product, versus simply $5,000 for the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked, which is a Visa Signature card.
Many different elements will decide your credit score restrict, and the financial institution will have a look at your general monetary image. However on the whole, it needs to be simpler to get authorised for the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked than the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Associated: Received glorious credit score? These are the most effective bank cards for you
Backside line
You possibly can’t go unsuitable with both the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked. Although, there are many causes to decide on the Sapphire Most well-liked over the fancier Sapphire Reserve.
The Sapphire Most well-liked has a decrease annual charge and considerably greater welcome bonus, plus comparable advantages and redemption choices.
Lastly, you can at all times apply for the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked now. Then, in the event you determine you’d wish to check out the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s premium perks, you possibly can ask Chase to improve to that card later.
For a extra in-depth breakdown, try our full comparability of the Sapphire Most well-liked vs. Sapphire Reserve.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Most well-liked
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
