First-year winner
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$92 Year 1 edge
$1,863 vs $1,771
Compare Cards
Stack up the better credit card
Compare two cards side by side with your real spend, credits, fees, and rewards.
Card A
Card B
Monthly spend
Start with spending categories
Monthly Total
$2,430/mo
Reward assumptions
Credits & benefits
Count the credits and perks you actually expect to use. Credit rows start with conservative default values; edit them for your own merchant, timing, or travel friction.
Card A
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Counted benefits
$918
Credits
$918
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Perk
Baggage Delay Insurance
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse essential purchases when baggage is delayed on a covered trip.
Credit
$300 Annual Travel Credit
Travel Credits · Listed $300/yr
Up to $300 in statement credits each account anniversary year for eligible travel purchases.
Perk
$500 Credit for Stays with The Edit
Travel Credits · No listed cash value
Up to $250 per prepaid booking, up to $500 annually, for eligible stays booked through The Edit by Chase Travel.
Perk
$250 Credit for Select Chase Travel Hotels
Travel Credits · No listed cash value
Up to $250 in statement credits through December 31, 2026 on eligible prepaid Chase Travel hotel bookings at select hotel groups.
Perk
Chase Sapphire Reserve Lounge Network
Lounge Access · No listed cash value
Access to Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club and Priority Pass airport lounges with permitted guests.
Credit
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS Fee Credit
Tsa Global Entry · Listed $30/yr
Receive one statement credit of up to the listed amount every four years for a qualifying application fee.
Credit
$300 Dining Credit
Dining Credits · Listed $300/yr
Up to $150 in statement credits from January through June and again from July through December at eligible Sapphire Exclusive Tables restaurants on OpenTable.
Credit
$288 in Apple TV and Apple Music Subscriptions
Streaming Credits · Listed $288/yr
Statement credits for Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions up to the issuer's stated annual limit.
Perk
$120 DashPass Membership
Other · No listed cash value
Cardholders can receive a complimentary DashPass membership window with DoorDash benefits.
Perk
$300 in DoorDash Promos
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible cardholders can receive a DoorDash promotional benefit during the active program window.
Perk
$300 in StubHub Credits
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible StubHub purchases can qualify for statement credits during the active program window.
Perk
$120 in Lyft Credits
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible Lyft purchases can receive statement credits during the active program window.
Perk
IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite Status
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible cardholders can enroll in hotel elite status benefits with IHG One Rewards.
Perk
Reserve Travel Designers
Other · No listed cash value
Cardholders can access travel planning assistance through the issuer's travel advisor program.
Perk
Primary Auto Rental Coverage
Rental Car · No listed cash value
Can provide primary coverage for theft and collision damage on eligible rental cars.
Perk
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse covered prepaid travel expenses when a qualifying trip is canceled or interrupted for a covered reason.
Perk
Trip Delay Reimbursement
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse eligible out-of-pocket expenses when a covered trip is delayed beyond the issuer's threshold.
Perk
Lost Luggage Reimbursement
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse eligible losses when baggage is lost or damaged on a covered trip.
Card B
American Express Gold Card
Counted benefits
$348
Credits
$348
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Credit
$100 Resy Credit
Dining Credits · Listed $100/yr
Up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and again from July through December for eligible U.S. Resy purchases.
Credit
$84 Dunkin' Credit
Dining Credits · Listed $84/yr
Up to $7 in monthly statement credits at eligible U.S. Dunkin' locations.
Credit
$120 Dining Credit
Dining Credits · Listed $120/yr
Up to $10 in monthly statement credits at eligible partners such as Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys.
Credit
$120 Uber Cash
Other · Listed $120/yr
Get $10 in Uber Cash each month for eligible Uber rides and orders in the U.S.
Perk
The Hotel Collection Benefit
Travel Credits · No listed cash value
Eligible bookings through Amex Travel include a property credit toward eligible charges at participating hotels.
Perk
Baggage Insurance Plan
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Coverage for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen baggage when covered travel is charged to the card.
Perk
Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance
Rental Car · No listed cash value
Coverage for eligible rental car damage or theft when the rental is reserved and paid for with the card.
Perk
Trip Delay Insurance
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse certain additional expenses when a covered trip is delayed beyond the stated threshold.
Perk
Global Assist Hotline
Other · No listed cash value
24/7 emergency coordination services when traveling more than 100 miles from home.
Perk
Extended Warranty
Extended Warranty · No listed cash value
Can extend the original manufacturer's warranty on eligible purchases.
Perk
Purchase Protection
Purchase Protection · No listed cash value
Can help protect eligible purchases against accidental damage, theft, or loss for a limited period after purchase.
Verdict
Chase Sapphire Reserve wins year 1. American Express Gold wins long term.
Winner after year 1
American Express Gold Card
$158 ongoing edge
$771 vs $613
Long-term breakeven: the higher-reward option needs roughly $11,280 per year in this spend mix to overcome the fee and benefit gap.
Chase
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Year One
$1,863
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$613
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$490
1.68% effective return
Welcome Offer
$1,250
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
$918
$918 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$6,000
3 mo window · $2,000/mo pace · Doable
Why it wins
- • Comes with a particularly strong welcome offer.
- • Your expected credit usage offsets most of the annual fee.
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
American Express
American Express Gold Card
Year One
$1,771
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$771
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$748
2.56% effective return
Welcome Offer
$1,000
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
$348
$348 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$8,000
6 mo window · $1,333/mo pace · Comfortable
Why it wins
- • Comes with a particularly strong welcome offer.
- • Earns well on the spend mix you entered.
- • Your expected credit usage offsets most of the annual fee.
Watch for
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
Spend Mix Math
Where the value actually comes from
Category returns are based on the spend mix you entered, your point-value assumption, and the benefits you chose to count.
Dining
3x
$5,400
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$162
3.00%
American Express Gold
$216
4.00%
Groceries
1x
$7,800
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$78
1.00%
American Express Gold
$312
4.00%
Travel
4x
$3,000
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$120
4.00%
American Express Gold
$90
3.00%
Gas
1x
$1,920
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$19
1.00%
American Express Gold
$19
1.00%
General
1x
$11,040
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$110
1.00%
American Express Gold
$110
1.00%
Total annual spend
$29,160 across this mix
Chase Sapphire Reserve$490
American Express Gold$748
Raw Breakdown
Full side-by-side details
Use the spec table below when you want the literal field-by-field differences in rewards, benefits, transfer partners, fees, and approval profile.
| Metric | Chase Sapphire Reserve | American Express Gold Card |
|---|---|---|
| Costs | ||
| Annual fee | $795 | $325 |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Rewards | ||
| Dining rewards | 3x 3X points on dining worldwide. | 4x 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X. |
| Groceries rewards | — | 4x 4X Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X. |
| Travel rewards | 8x 8X points on all purchases through Chase Travel, including The Edit. | 3x 3X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| All rewards | 1x | 1x |
| Offer | ||
| Welcome offer | 125,000 points Earn 125,000 points after you spend $6,000 in purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | Up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points Welcome offers vary. You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. |
| Benefits | ||
| Estimated benefits | ~$918/yr | ~$424/yr |
| Benefit highlights | Baggage Delay Insurance · $300 Annual Travel Credit · $500 Credit for Stays with The Edit · +15 more | $100 Resy Credit · $84 Dunkin' Credit · $120 Dining Credit · +8 more |
| Profile | ||
| Credit needed | Excellent | Good |
| Network | visa | amex |
| Reward type | Points | Points |
Costs
Annual fee
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$795
American Express Gold Card
$325
Foreign transaction fee
Chase Sapphire Reserve
None
American Express Gold Card
None
Rewards
Dining rewards
Chase Sapphire Reserve
3x
3X points on dining worldwide.
American Express Gold Card
4x
4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X.
Groceries rewards
Chase Sapphire Reserve
—
American Express Gold Card
4x
4X Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X.
Travel rewards
Chase Sapphire Reserve
8x
8X points on all purchases through Chase Travel, including The Edit.
American Express Gold Card
3x
3X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
All rewards
Chase Sapphire Reserve
1x
American Express Gold Card
1x
Offer
Welcome offer
Chase Sapphire Reserve
125,000 points
Earn 125,000 points after you spend $6,000 in purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
American Express Gold Card
Up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points
Welcome offers vary. You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership.
Benefits
Estimated benefits
Chase Sapphire Reserve
~$918/yr
American Express Gold Card
~$424/yr
Benefit highlights
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Baggage Delay Insurance · $300 Annual Travel Credit · $500 Credit for Stays with The Edit · +15 more
American Express Gold Card
$100 Resy Credit · $84 Dunkin' Credit · $120 Dining Credit · +8 more
Profile
Credit needed
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Excellent
American Express Gold Card
Good
Network
Chase Sapphire Reserve
visa
American Express Gold Card
amex
Reward type
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Points
American Express Gold Card
Points