Dedicated comparison page

Chase Freedom Flex vs Chase Sapphire Reserve

Chase Freedom Flex vs Chase Sapphire Reserve on Luminxo. Compare annual fees, rewards, welcome offers, credit requirements, and who each card is best for.

Lowest annual feeChase Freedom FlexNo annual fee
Highest reward rateChase Freedom Flex1.0%
Lowest starting credit rangeChase Freedom Flex670+

Quick Take

Chase Freedom Flex

by Chase

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Chase Freedom Flex is a cashback card from Chase with no annual fee, $200 bonus after $500 in 3 months, and fair to good credit.

Best for: People focused on cashback rewards who want to avoid an annual fee and who typically have fair to good credit.

  • 5% on Travel
  • $200 bonus after $500 in 3 months
  • Foreign transaction fee: 3%
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Chase Sapphire Reserve

by Chase

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Chase Sapphire Reserve is a travel card from Chase with a $550 annual fee, 60,000 points after $4,000 in 3 months, and good to excellent credit.

Best for: People focused on travel rewards who can justify a $550 annual fee and who typically have good to excellent credit.

  • 10% on Travel
  • 60,000 points after $4,000 in 3 months
  • No foreign transaction fee
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Side-by-Side Facts

MetricChase Freedom FlexChase Sapphire Reserve
Annual FeeNone$550
Reward Rate1.0%1.0%
Signup Bonus$200 bonus after $500 in 3 months60,000 points after $4,000 in 3 months
Foreign Transaction Fee3.0%None
Recommended CreditFair to good creditGood to excellent credit
Rewards SummaryEarn elevated rewards with 5% on Travel, 3% on Dining and 3% on Groceries, plus 1% on other purchases.Earn elevated rewards with 10% on Travel and 3% on Dining, plus 1% on other purchases.

Who Should Pick Which Card?

Chase Freedom Flex

Its strongest earning category is Travel at 5%, backed by 1% on general spending.

Best for: People focused on cashback rewards who want to avoid an annual fee and who typically have fair to good credit.

Pros

  • $200 bonus after $500 in 3 months
  • No annual fee to offset rewards
  • Earns 5% on Travel
  • Earns 3% on Dining

Tradeoffs

  • Foreign transaction fee of 3% can hurt value abroad
  • Base rewards on non-bonus spending are relatively modest

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Its strongest earning category is Travel at 10%, backed by 1% on general spending. It also avoids foreign transaction fees.

Best for: People focused on travel rewards who can justify a $550 annual fee and who typically have good to excellent credit.

Pros

  • 60,000 points after $4,000 in 3 months
  • Potentially worthwhile if you use the card enough to cover the $550 annual fee
  • Earns 10% on Travel
  • Earns 3% on Dining

Tradeoffs

  • Annual fee of $550 means you need ongoing value from the card
  • Typically requires good to excellent credit
  • Signup bonus requires $4000 in spending within 3 months
  • Base rewards on non-bonus spending are relatively modest

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Sapphire Reserve?

The biggest tradeoffs are annual fee, reward concentration, and the level of credit usually needed to qualify. This page compares those inputs directly so you can choose the card that fits your spending and tolerance for annual fees.

Which card is easier to qualify for?

Chase Freedom Flex has the lowest published starting credit range in this comparison at 670.

Which card has the lowest annual fee?

Chase Freedom Flex has the lowest annual fee in this comparison at no annual fee.