Choosing between the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card ($95/yr) and the Citi Double Cash Card (no annual fee) 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.
Strongest 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 NowUnlimited 2% cash back on all purchases. Earns a solid 2.0% on everything else.
Perfect if: You're comfortable booking through the issuer's own site for the best rate.
Apply Now| Feature | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | Citi Double Cash Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $95 | $0 |
| Sign-Up Bonus | 100,000 points after $5,000 spend in 3 months | $200 after $1,500 spend in 6 months |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | 0% | 3% |
| Base Reward Rate | 1.0% | 2.0% |
| Travel Rewards | 2% | 2% |
| Dining Rewards | 3% | 2% |
| Groceries Rewards | 3% | 2% |
| Rates with conditions not counted in the rows above |
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%. |
5% through Citi Travel Earns 5% only on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through Citi Travel, Citi's own booking site. Travel booked anywhere else earns the flat 2%. |
| Key Benefits | 5x points on travel through Chase Travel, 3x on dining and online groceries, 2x on other travel. | Unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases. |
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card pulls ahead for dining, groceries spending.
Citi Double Cash Card wins on gas.
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.
Enter your typical monthly spending and we’ll show you exactly which card earns more, including fees and bonuses.