Chase Sapphire Reserve® vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Which one should you pick?

Written by: Ben Luthi
• Updated •1 min read
This date may not reflect recent changes in individual terms.
Young woman backpacker standing on a rural bridge and smiling because she finally decided which one, chase sapphire preferred card vs chase sapphire reserve, is better for her.Image: Young woman backpacker standing on a rural bridge and smiling because she finally decided which one, chase sapphire preferred card vs chase sapphire reserve, is better for her.
Editorial Note: Intuit Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our third-party advertisers don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. Information about financial products not offered on Credit Karma is collected independently. Our content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted.

Chase Sapphire Reserve® vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

When it comes down to the Chase Sapphire Reserve® vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, there’s a big difference in annual fees — but there’s an even greater distinction between the value you can get with each card. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card isn’t a bad card — the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is just that good.

Of course, it can still be difficult to stomach the high annual fee, especially considering you’re charged for it upfront. If you don’t have that kind of money in your budget, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® can be a tough sell.

In that case, it may be worth considering getting the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card first and then upgrading later. But keep in mind that you won’t get the second card’s sign-up bonus through an upgrade.

About the author: Ben Luthi is a personal finance freelance writer and credit cards expert. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and finance from Brigham Young University. In addition to Credit Karma, you can find his wo… Read more.