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 Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card ($95/yr) and the Sam's Club Mastercard® (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 NowStrongest in gas at 5% (up to $6,000/yr). 5% on gas and EV charging (first $6,000/yr), 3% on dining and takeout, 1% elsewhere. Warehouse purchases earn 1% unless you hold a Plus membership.
Perfect if: You want solid rewards without paying an annual fee.
Apply Now| Feature | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | Sam's Club Mastercard |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $95 | $0 |
| Sign-Up Bonus | 100,000 points after $5,000 spend in 3 months | $30 after $30 spend in 1 months |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | 0% | 0% |
| Base Reward Rate | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| Travel Rewards | 2% | 1% |
| Dining Rewards | 3% | 3% |
| Groceries Rewards | 3% | 1% |
| Gas Rewards | 1% | 5% (up to $6,000/yr) |
| 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%. |
3% at Sam's Club with Plus Earns 3% on Sam's Club purchases only with a Plus membership, which costs more than the base Club tier. Club members earn 1% there, and groceries bought anywhere else earn 1%. |
| Key Benefits | 5x points on travel through Chase Travel, 3x on dining and online groceries, 2x on other travel. | 5% on gas and EV charging (first $6,000/yr), 3% on dining and takeout, 1% elsewhere. Warehouse purchases earn 1% unless you hold a Plus membership. |
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card pulls ahead for travel, groceries spending.
Sam's Club Mastercard 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.