Monthly spending. We rank on rewards minus the full annual fee, so statement credits and perks are listed separately and never counted for you.
Choosing between the Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card (no annual fee) and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card ($95/yr) comes down to where you spend most. Both cards can deliver real value. Let’s break it down, then run your numbers to find the winner.
2% first year, then 1.5% unlimited, up to 2.62% with Preferred Rewards. Earns a solid 1.5% on everything else.
Perfect if: You want solid rewards without paying an annual fee.
Apply NowStrongest in dining at 3%. 5x points on travel through Chase Travel, 3x on dining and online groceries, 2x on other travel.
Perfect if: You want a strong rewards rate with no spending caps to worry about.
Apply Now| Feature | Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $0 | $95 |
| Sign-Up Bonus | $200 after $1,000 spend in 90 days | 100,000 points after $5,000 spend in 3 months |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | 3% | 0% |
| Base Reward Rate | 1.5% | 1% |
| Travel Rewards | 1.5% | 2% |
| Dining Rewards | 1.5% | 3% |
| Groceries Rewards | 1.5% | 3% |
| Rates with conditions not counted in the rows above |
None |
5% through Chase Travel Earns 5% only on travel booked through Chase Travel, Chase's own booking site. Booking direct with an airline or hotel earns 2%. |
| Key Benefits | 2% first year, then 1.5% unlimited, up to 2.62% with Preferred Rewards. | 5x points on travel through Chase Travel, 3x on dining and online groceries, 2x on other travel. |
Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards pulls ahead for gas spending.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card wins on travel, dining, groceries.
The $95/year fee difference means Chase Sapphire Preferred Card needs to earn about that much more in rewards to justify its cost.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card carries $100/year in credits (mostly tied to specific merchants or bookings). Those only count if you’d actually use them. Worth checking against your own habits before treating them as a discount on the fee.
Not sure which fits your life? Enter your spending below and we’ll do the math. The calculator ranks purely on rewards minus the full annual fee, so credits and perks are yours to judge.