First-year winner
Citi Strata Premier Card
$88 Year 1 edge
$1,359 vs $1,271
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
Citi Strata Premier Card
Counted benefits
$100
Credits
$100
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Credit
$100 Annual Hotel Benefit
Travel Credits · Listed $100/yr
Eligible hotel stays booked through Citi Travel can receive a $100 benefit once per calendar year.
Perk
Citi Entertainment
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible cardholders can access select tickets, experiences, and presales through Citi Entertainment.
Perk
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection
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 Protection
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
Baggage Delay Protection
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse essential purchases when baggage is delayed on a covered trip.
Perk
Car Rental Protection
Rental Car · No listed cash value
Can provide coverage for eligible rental car damage or theft on qualifying rentals.
Card B
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Counted benefits
$30
Credits
$30
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Credit
$50 Annual Hotel Credit
Travel Credits · Listed $50/yr
Receive up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for eligible hotel stays booked through Chase Travel.
Perk
DashPass Membership
Other · No listed cash value
Cardholders can receive a complimentary DashPass membership window with DoorDash benefits.
Perk
DoorDash Monthly Promo
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible cardholders can receive a monthly DoorDash promotional benefit during the active program window.
Perk
10% Anniversary Points Boost
Other · No listed cash value
Each account anniversary, you can receive bonus points equal to 10% of the total purchases made during the prior year.
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
Baggage Delay Insurance
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse essential purchases when baggage is delayed on a covered trip.
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
Purchase Protection
Purchase Protection · No listed cash value
Can help protect eligible new purchases against damage or theft for a limited period after purchase.
Perk
Extended Warranty Protection
Extended Warranty · No listed cash value
Can extend the original U.S. manufacturer's warranty on eligible purchases.
Verdict
Citi Strata Premier wins year 1 and long term.
Winner after year 1
Citi Strata Premier Card
$138 ongoing edge
$659 vs $521
Long-term breakeven: the higher-reward option needs roughly $0 per year in this spend mix to overcome the fee and benefit gap.
Citi
Citi Strata Premier Card
Year One
$1,359
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$659
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$654
2.24% effective return
Welcome Offer
$700
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
$100
$100 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$4,000
3 mo window · $1,333/mo pace · Comfortable
Why it wins
- • Still delivers meaningful first-year upside from the 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.
Chase
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Year One
$1,271
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$521
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$586
2.01% effective return
Welcome Offer
$750
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
$30
$30 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$5,000
3 mo window · $1,667/mo pace · Doable
Why it wins
- • Still delivers meaningful first-year upside from the welcome offer.
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The annual fee is harder to justify if you do not use the credits and perks consistently.
- • 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
Citi Strata Premier
$162
3.00%
Chase Sapphire Preferred
$162
3.00%
Groceries
3x
$7,800
Citi Strata Premier
$234
3.00%
Chase Sapphire Preferred
$234
3.00%
Travel
3x
$3,000
Citi Strata Premier
$90
3.00%
Chase Sapphire Preferred
$60
2.00%
Gas
3x
$1,920
Citi Strata Premier
$58
3.00%
Chase Sapphire Preferred
$19
1.00%
General
1x
$11,040
Citi Strata Premier
$110
1.00%
Chase Sapphire Preferred
$110
1.00%
Total annual spend
$29,160 across this mix
Citi Strata Premier$654
Chase Sapphire Preferred$586
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 | Citi Strata Premier Card | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card |
|---|---|---|
| Costs | ||
| Annual fee | $95 | $95 |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Rewards | ||
| Dining rewards | 3x 3 ThankYou Points per $1 at restaurants. | 3x 3X points on dining at restaurants, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out. |
| Gas rewards | 3x 3 ThankYou Points per $1 at gas and EV charging stations. | — |
| Groceries rewards | 3x 3 ThankYou Points per $1 at supermarkets. | 3x 3X points on select online grocery purchases, excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs. |
| Streaming rewards | — | 3x 3X points on select streaming services. |
| Travel rewards | 10x 10 ThankYou Points per $1 on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel. | 5x 5X total points on travel purchased through Chase Travel, excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit. |
| All rewards | 1x | 1x |
| Offer | ||
| Welcome offer | 70,000 bonus points Earn 70,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening. | 75,000 bonus points Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. |
| Benefits | ||
| Estimated benefits | ~$100/yr | ~$50/yr |
| Benefit highlights | $100 Annual Hotel Benefit · Citi Entertainment · Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection · +3 more | $50 Annual Hotel Credit · DashPass Membership · DoorDash Monthly Promo · +7 more |
| Profile | ||
| Credit needed | Good | Good |
| Network | mastercard | visa |
| Reward type | Points | Points |
Costs
Annual fee
Citi Strata Premier Card
$95
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
$95
Foreign transaction fee
Citi Strata Premier Card
None
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
None
Rewards
Dining rewards
Citi Strata Premier Card
3x
3 ThankYou Points per $1 at restaurants.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
3x
3X points on dining at restaurants, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out.
Gas rewards
Citi Strata Premier Card
3x
3 ThankYou Points per $1 at gas and EV charging stations.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
—
Groceries rewards
Citi Strata Premier Card
3x
3 ThankYou Points per $1 at supermarkets.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
3x
3X points on select online grocery purchases, excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs.
Streaming rewards
Citi Strata Premier Card
—
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
3x
3X points on select streaming services.
Travel rewards
Citi Strata Premier Card
10x
10 ThankYou Points per $1 on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
5x
5X total points on travel purchased through Chase Travel, excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit.
All rewards
Citi Strata Premier Card
1x
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
1x
Offer
Welcome offer
Citi Strata Premier Card
70,000 bonus points
Earn 70,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
75,000 bonus points
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Benefits
Estimated benefits
Citi Strata Premier Card
~$100/yr
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
~$50/yr
Benefit highlights
Citi Strata Premier Card
$100 Annual Hotel Benefit · Citi Entertainment · Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection · +3 more
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
$50 Annual Hotel Credit · DashPass Membership · DoorDash Monthly Promo · +7 more
Profile
Credit needed
Citi Strata Premier Card
Good
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Good
Network
Citi Strata Premier Card
mastercard
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
visa
Reward type
Citi Strata Premier Card
Points
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Points