Card comparison tool
Side-by-side comparison of every credit card reviewed on WeDoPoints — 12 cards across Chase, American Express, Capital One, and Citi. Sortable reference tables for annual fees, sign-up bonuses, earning rates, travel benefits, primary rental car CDW, and trip cancellation insurance. Use this to verify card claims, narrow your shortlist, and identify which card actually fits your spending pattern.
How to use this tool
Credit card review pages tell you what each card delivers in isolation — but choosing between cards requires direct side-by-side comparison. This tool aggregates the 12 cards we’ve reviewed into structured tables so you can verify specific claims and narrow your shortlist before reading individual reviews. Most readers should start by identifying their top spending categories (dining, groceries, gas, travel), then use the earning rate table to find cards optimizing those categories.
Three things to know before browsing: (1) Sign-up bonuses fluctuate — verified standard offers shown; elevated offers periodically reach 25-50% higher. Check current offers before applying. (2) Annual fees are real costs — multiply each card’s benefits by how reliably you’ll use them, not their face value. (3) Primary rental car CDW is rare — only Chase Sapphire products offer it on personal cards, making them disproportionately valuable for international rental scenarios.
Card overview & annual fees
Annual fees, points currency earned, and our editorial rating across all 12 cards. Cards rated 5.0 stars deliver category-leading value at their respective fee tiers; 4.5-star cards are excellent but face specific limitations (lower coverage, narrower benefits, weaker partner networks):
All 12 cards · overview
Rating · Annual fee · Points currency earned
| Card | Rating | Annual Fee | Currency | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire PreferredChase | ★ 5.0 | $95 | Chase UR | Starter portfolio anchor |
| Chase Sapphire ReserveChase | ★ 4.5 | $795 | Chase UR | Premium travel benefits + lounge access |
| Chase Freedom UnlimitedChase | ★ 5.0 | $0 | Chase UR | No-fee Trifecta companion · 1.5x baseline |
| Chase Ink Business PreferredChase · Business | ★ 5.0 | $95 | Chase UR | Best small business card · doesn’t count toward 5/24 |
| Amex PlatinumAmerican Express | ★ 4.5 | $895 | Amex MR | Centurion Lounge access + premium travel credits |
| Amex GoldAmerican Express | ★ 5.0 | $325 | Amex MR | Best dining + grocery earning |
| Amex Blue Cash PreferredAmerican Express | ★ 4.5 | $95 | Cash back | Best grocery cash back · 6% U.S. supermarkets |
| Capital One Venture XCapital One | ★ 5.0 | $395 | Capital One Miles | Best premium card value · Priority Pass + $300 credit |
| Capital One VentureCapital One | ★ 4.5 | $95 | Capital One Miles | Solid mid-tier · 2x everywhere |
| Citi Strata PremierCiti | ★ 4.5 | $95 | Citi TYP | AAdvantage transfers since July 2025 |
| Citi Double CashCiti | ★ 5.0 | $0 | Citi TYP / Cash | Flat 2% cash back baseline |
| Bilt MastercardCardless (Feb 2026+) | ★ 5.0 | $0 | Bilt Rewards | Earn points paying rent · unique benefit |
Sign-up bonuses
Standard sign-up bonuses verified as of May 2026. Elevated offers periodically reach 25-50% higher — always check current offers via DoctorOfCredit or specialized aggregators before applying. The bonus dollar value column uses our published average per-point valuations from the Points Valuation Tool:
Standard sign-up bonus values
Standard offer · Minimum spend requirement · Realistic dollar value
| Card | Standard Bonus | Min Spend | Dollar Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | 60K UR | $4K / 3mo | $1,200 | Elevated offers reach 80-100K UR (~$1,600-2,000) |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | 75K UR | $5K / 3mo | $1,500 | Elevated offers reach 100K UR. 48-mo rule with Preferred |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited | $200 | $500 / 3mo | $200 | Sometimes elevated to $300 or 20K UR |
| Chase Ink Business Preferred | 90K UR | $8K / 3mo | $1,800 | Sometimes elevated to 100-120K UR. Business doesn’t count toward 5/24 |
| Amex Platinum | 80K MR | $8K / 6mo | $1,440 | Elevated reaches 150-175K MR. Once-per-lifetime rule |
| Amex Gold | 60K MR | $6K / 6mo | $1,080 | Elevated reaches 90-100K MR. Once-per-lifetime rule |
| Amex Blue Cash Preferred | $250 | $3K / 6mo | $250 | Cash back, no transferable value. Once-per-lifetime rule |
| Capital One Venture X | 75K | $4K / 3mo | $1,275 | Plus 10K anniversary points + $300 travel credit |
| Capital One Venture | 75K | $4K / 3mo | $1,275 | Same bonus as Venture X at lower fee |
| Citi Strata Premier | 75K TYP | $4K / 3mo | $1,350 | Elevated reaches 80-90K TYP. AAdvantage transfers added July 2025 |
| Citi Double Cash | $200 | $1.5K / 6mo | $200 | Standard cash back bonus, low minimum spend |
| Bilt Mastercard | No bonus | N/A | $0 | Bilt doesn’t offer traditional sign-up bonuses |
Dollar values calculated using our average per-point valuations (Chase UR: 2.0¢, Amex MR: 1.8¢, Citi TYP: 1.8¢, Capital One Miles: 1.7¢). Sweet spot redemptions can deliver 2-3x these values; floor redemptions deliver about 50% of these values. See the Points Valuation Tool for methodology details. The Bilt Mastercard’s lack of a sign-up bonus is offset by its unique rent-paying earning structure — rent-paying households can earn $300-1,500+ in Bilt points annually from rent alone.
Earning rates by category
The points-per-dollar earned in major spending categories. This table is the most actionable comparison for matching cards to your actual spending — pull last 12 months of credit card statements, identify your top 4-5 categories, and find the cards optimizing each. Empty cells indicate the card doesn’t have category bonus earning (defaults to 1x):
Earning rates per dollar spent
Points or cash back per dollar · Excludes promotional rotating bonuses
| Card | Dining | Groceries | Gas | Travel | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | 3x | 1x | 1x | 2x | 1x |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | 3x | 1x | 1x | 3x | 1x |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited | 3x | 1.5x | 1.5x | 5x portal | 1.5x |
| Chase Ink Business Preferred | 1x | 1x | 1x | 3x | 1x · 3x business |
| Amex Platinum | 1x | 1x | 1x | 5x air/hotel | 1x |
| Amex Gold | 4x | 4x | 1x | 3x airfare | 1x |
| Amex Blue Cash Preferred | 1% | 6% US | 3% | 3% transit | 1% |
| Capital One Venture X | 2x | 2x | 2x | 10x hotels CO | 2x |
| Capital One Venture | 2x | 2x | 2x | 5x hotels CO | 2x |
| Citi Strata Premier | 3x | 3x | 3x | 3x air/hotel | 1x |
| Citi Double Cash | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| Bilt Mastercard | 3x rent day | 2x rent day | 1x | 2x | 1x · rent earns |
Reading the table: A “3x” rate on dining at the Sapphire Preferred means each $1 spent on dining earns 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards points. At our 2.0¢ average UR valuation, that’s 6¢ per dollar in dining — among the highest dining earning available. The “Other” column is your effective baseline for non-categorized spending; cards with high “Other” rates (Venture X at 2x, Citi Double Cash at 2%, Freedom Unlimited at 1.5x) are excellent for unallocated spend.
Travel benefits & insurance
The 7 most-claimed travel benefits across all 12 cards. Primary rental car CDW is rare and disproportionately valuable — only Chase Sapphire products offer it on personal cards, making them strong choices for international rental scenarios where personal auto insurance often doesn’t apply. Trip cancellation coverage above $5K/person becomes meaningful for international or high-cost trips:
Travel benefits matrix
Lounge access · Travel insurance · Premium benefits · Verified 2026
| Card | Priority Pass | Primary CDW | Trip Cancel | Trip Delay | No FX Fee | TSA / Global Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | — | ✓ | $10K/pp | 12h+ | ✓ | — |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | ✓ Full | ✓ | $10K/pp | 6h+ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited | — | — | — | — | 3% FX | — |
| Chase Ink Business Preferred | — | ✓ | $5K/pp | 12h+ | ✓ | — |
| Amex Platinum | ✓ + Centurion | Secondary | $10K/trip | 6h+ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Amex Gold | — | Secondary | — | — | ✓ | — |
| Amex Blue Cash Preferred | — | — | — | — | 2.7% FX | — |
| Capital One Venture X | ✓ Full | Secondary | $2K/pp | 6h+ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Capital One Venture | — | Secondary | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Citi Strata Premier | — | Secondary | $5K/trip | 6h+ | ✓ | — |
| Citi Double Cash | — | — | — | — | 3% FX | — |
| Bilt Mastercard | — | Secondary | $5K/pp | 6h+ | ✓ | — |
The primary rental car CDW standout
Only two personal credit cards in the U.S. market offer primary rental car coverage: Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve. Primary coverage means your personal auto insurance is never involved in a rental car claim — eliminating premium increases and deductibles. For international rentals where personal auto often doesn’t apply, secondary coverage effectively functions as primary; for U.S. domestic rentals, primary coverage is genuinely valuable.
This single benefit makes the Sapphire Preferred at $95/year disproportionately valuable for any traveler renting cars 2+ times per year — saving potential thousands in premium increases over a multi-year horizon.
Best card by use case
Card choice depends on your specific situation, not theoretical “best card” rankings. The recommendations below match cards to the most common reader scenarios — pick the use case that matches yours, then read the linked review for full details:
First credit card for points-and-miles
You’re new to points-and-miles and want one card that delivers the foundational benefits: transferable points to airline and hotel partners, primary rental car CDW, trip cancellation insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and access to the most valuable single transferable currency.
Chase Sapphire Preferred at $95/year. The unanimous starter recommendation across points-and-miles strategists. Single card, single fee, delivers transferable Chase UR, primary CDW, $10K/person trip cancellation, transfer access to 14 partners including Hyatt (the strongest hotel transfer in the ecosystem).
Maximum dining earning
You spend $400+ monthly on dining and want to maximize point earning in this category. You’re either already in the Chase ecosystem or building toward a multi-card strategy with both Chase UR and Amex MR.
Amex Gold at $325/year. 4x MR on dining + 4x on U.S. supermarket groceries delivers ~7.2¢ per dollar in earned value across both categories. The $120 dining credit ($10/month at qualifying restaurants) effectively reduces the annual fee to $205 for active diners. Pair with a Chase Sapphire Preferred for the two-currency portfolio strategy.
Premium travel benefits on a budget
You want lounge access, premium travel benefits, and annual travel credits — but the Sapphire Reserve at $795 or Amex Platinum at $895 feels like too much annual fee for your travel volume.
Capital One Venture X at $395/year. The cheapest premium travel card with comprehensive Priority Pass, $300 annual Capital One Travel credit, 10K anniversary bonus points, and TSA PreCheck/Global Entry reimbursement. The math: $300 + 10K × 1.7¢ = $470 in nearly-guaranteed value before any spending — exceeds the $395 fee even with zero category bonus usage.
Small business spending
You have legitimate small business activity (freelancing, eBay reselling, Etsy, rideshare, real estate, side hustles) and want a business card that earns transferable points without consuming your 5/24 slots.
Chase Ink Business Preferred at $95/year. Business card doesn’t count toward Chase’s 5/24 rule. 90K UR sign-up bonus, 3x earning on shipping/internet/phone/advertising/travel/social media advertising (up to $150K/year combined). Points pool with personal Chase UR cards for transfer to all 14 partners. The highest-ROI business card available in 2026.
Renter earning on rent
You pay $1,500+ monthly in rent and want credit card points on that spending without paying credit card processing fees (typically 2.5-2.9% on services like Plastiq).
Bilt Mastercard at $0/year. Earn 1 Bilt point per dollar of rent paid (up to 100K points/year cap) with no processing fees. For renters paying $2,000+ monthly, this delivers $400+/year in Bilt point earning that was previously impossible. Bilt transfers 1:1 to 16+ airline and hotel partners. Transitioning to Cardless issuance February 2026 — existing Wells Fargo Bilt cardholders should review transition implications.
Grocery-heavy household
You spend $800+ monthly on groceries at U.S. supermarkets and want maximum return on this category. You’re not primarily focused on transferable points; cash back works fine.
Amex Blue Cash Preferred at $95/year. 6% cash back on U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000/year, then 1%) is the highest grocery category bonus in the U.S. credit card market. A household spending $500/month on groceries earns $360/year in cash back from this category alone — significantly exceeding the $95 annual fee. Also includes 6% on streaming services and 3% on gas/transit.
Head-to-head matchups
The three most-asked card comparison questions in points-and-miles. These matchups represent the recurring decision points that shape most readers’ portfolios:
Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve
Sapphire Preferred
- $10K/person trip cancellation
- Primary rental car CDW
- $500/person trip delay (12h)
- 14 transfer partners
- 3x dining + 2x travel
Sapphire Reserve
- $10K/person trip cancellation
- Primary rental car CDW
- $500/person trip delay (6h faster)
- Priority Pass + Sapphire Lounges
- 3x dining + 3x travel
- $300 travel credit + Global Entry
Preferred wins for 80% of readers. The $700 annual fee difference between Reserve and Preferred buys lounge access (worth $0-700/year depending on usage), faster trip delay threshold (6h vs 12h matters occasionally), and Global Entry/TSA reimbursement. Unless you’ll use lounge access 8+ times/year, the Preferred delivers 95% of the practical value at 12% of the cost. Most readers should start with Preferred and upgrade to Reserve only if travel volume genuinely justifies the premium tier.
Amex Gold vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred
Amex Gold
- 4x dining + 4x groceries
- $120 dining + $120 Uber credits
- Amex MR (22 transfer partners)
- ANA 1:1 transfer exclusive
- Once-per-lifetime bonus
Sapphire Preferred
- 3x dining + 2x travel
- $10K/person trip cancellation
- Primary rental car CDW
- Chase UR (14 partners + Hyatt exclusive)
- 48-month Sapphire family rule
Different cards for different purposes — hold both. Amex Gold optimizes dining + grocery earning (the highest-volume household spending categories). Sapphire Preferred optimizes travel protection and Hyatt transfer access. The two-currency strategy (Chase UR + Amex MR) reaches more transfer partners than either currency alone — Chase UR for Hyatt and United, Amex MR for ANA and Singapore. Active travelers benefit from holding both cards. Choose Sapphire Preferred first (5/24 priority); add Amex Gold within 6-12 months.
Venture X vs. Amex Platinum
Capital One Venture X
- Priority Pass (full + guests)
- $300 Capital One Travel credit
- 10K anniversary bonus points
- 2x miles on all spending
- TSA PreCheck/Global Entry
Amex Platinum
- Centurion Lounge + Priority Pass
- $200 airline incidental credit
- $200 Uber + $200 hotel + $300 Equinox
- 5x air/hotel via portal
- Marriott + Hilton Gold status
Venture X wins for most readers. Annual fee math: Venture X delivers $470+ in nearly-automatic value ($300 + 10K × 1.7¢) before any category spending — easily exceeds $395 fee. Platinum requires you to actively use $1,200+ in fragmented credits (airline incidentals, Uber, hotels, Equinox) to break even on $895 fee. If you’ll genuinely use Centurion Lounges 8+ times/year, Platinum wins on lounge experience. Otherwise Venture X delivers premium travel benefits at half the fee with simpler value capture.
Frequently asked questions
Why aren’t [specific card] included in this tool?
The Card Comparison Tool covers the 12 cards we’ve reviewed in depth. Other cards exist in the market that aren’t yet reviewed — typically because they’re outside our editorial priority tiers or because their value isn’t competitive with the cards above. As we add new reviews (the Bilt Mastercard transitioned issuers Feb 2026; new product launches happen regularly), the tool expands. If a specific card isn’t here, it’s not necessarily a recommendation against — it’s simply not yet covered.
How do you calculate dollar values for sign-up bonuses?
Bonus value = bonus points × average per-point value from our Points Valuation Tool. For example: 60K Chase UR × 2.0¢ = $1,200. We use AVERAGE realistic per-point values, not optimistic sweet spot values that overestimate typical user experience. Real-world sweet spot redemptions can deliver 2-3x these dollar values; floor redemptions through portals deliver about 50%. The dollar values reflect what typical users actually achieve, not what’s theoretically possible.
Should I get the card with the biggest sign-up bonus?
No. Sign-up bonus size is one factor among many. Match cards to your situation, not bonus size. Specific considerations: (1) Are you under 5/24? If yes, Chase cards take priority regardless of bonus size. (2) Can you hit the minimum spend within 90 days? (3) Will you actually use the card’s benefits long-term? (4) Does the card fit a clear role in your portfolio? A 150K Amex Platinum bonus is worth nothing if you can’t justify the $895 annual fee in year 2. A 60K Sapphire Preferred bonus is worth a lot if you’ll keep the card 5+ years for travel protection.
Which card has the best primary rental car coverage?
The two Chase Sapphire products — Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve — both offer primary rental car CDW coverage. This is genuinely rare in the U.S. credit card market. Most premium cards (Amex Platinum, Capital One Venture X, Citi Strata Premier) offer SECONDARY coverage, which requires you to file with personal auto insurance first. For U.S. domestic rentals, primary coverage is meaningfully better. For international rentals where personal auto doesn’t apply, secondary coverage effectively functions as primary. If primary CDW matters to you specifically, the Sapphire Preferred at $95 is a remarkable value — pairs the protection with transferable points and trip cancellation insurance.
What’s the difference between Chase Sapphire Preferred and Reserve travel insurance?
Less than most readers expect. Both cards offer: $10K/person trip cancellation, primary rental car CDW, $500/person trip delay, lost baggage coverage, baggage delay coverage. Reserve adds: faster trip delay threshold (6 hours vs. 12 hours on Preferred), higher emergency medical evacuation limits ($100K vs. $0 on Preferred), travel accident insurance up to $1M (vs. $500K on Preferred). For most travelers, the 6-hour trip delay threshold is the only practical difference — Reserve catches more flight delays than Preferred. Preferred delivers 95%+ of travel insurance value at 12% of Reserve’s annual fee.
Is the Capital One Venture X really the best premium card value?
For most readers, yes — based on the explicit math. Venture X mechanical value before any spending: $300 Capital One Travel credit + 10,000 anniversary bonus points (worth $170 at 1.7¢) = $470 nearly-automatic value. Annual fee: $395. Net positive value before any category bonus earning. Compare to Amex Platinum: $895 fee requires using $1,200+ in fragmented credits (airline, Uber, hotels, Equinox) that many cardholders don’t fully capture. Venture X’s value capture is simpler — making it more reliably positive ROI for typical users. The exception: if you’ll specifically use Centurion Lounges 8+ times/year, Amex Platinum’s lounge experience exceeds Priority Pass meaningfully.
How often do you update this comparison?
Reviewed quarterly with major updates pushed when significant events occur. Recent material changes: Citi TYP gained AAdvantage transfer access July 2025, elevating Citi Strata Premier’s value. Bilt Mastercard transitioned to Cardless issuance February 2026, affecting which Bilt card to apply for. Hyatt’s May 20, 2026 devaluation changed the per-point value calculations used in dollar value columns. As issuers change products, fees, benefits, or transfer relationships, the tool updates. Last comprehensive review: May 2026.
Should I close cards I’m not using?
Usually no — product change instead. See our Cancel vs. Product Change guide for the full framework. Quick summary: Canceling reduces total credit limit (potentially raising utilization), removes account from active credit profile, eliminates issuer relationship for future retention offers. Product changing preserves all of these while eliminating the annual fee. Default to product change; cancel only when no product change path exists or makes sense. Cards in this comparison with clean downgrade paths: Chase Sapphire Reserve → Freedom Unlimited, Capital One Venture X → VentureOne, Amex Gold → Amex Green.