Paying hundreds of dollars in annual fees for premium credit cards is not for everyone, especially when you’re new to points and miles.
The good news is that there are plenty of travel credit cards on the market with annual fees of less than $100. These cards still earn lucrative rewards that can unlock dream trips.
Among the top cards in this category are the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. Both come with manageable annual fees for beginners and experts and a recommended credit score of 670 or higher.
Let’s compare these two cards to help you determine which is best for your wallet.
Sapphire Preferred vs. Venture Rewards comparison
Here are the basics of each of these two cards in the major categories:
| Card name | Chase Sapphire Preferred | Capital One Venture Rewards |
|---|---|---|
|
Annual fee |
$95 |
$95 |
|
Welcome bonus |
Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. |
Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. |
|
Bonus categories |
|
|
|
TPG July 2026 valuation of rewards currency |
2.05 cents per point |
1.85 cents per mile |
|
Foreign transaction fees |
None |
None |
|
Travel protections |
|
|
|
Other benefits |
|
|
^Select brands are: Airbnb, Vrbo, Plum Guide, HomeAway, Homestay.com and Vacasa.
*Benefits are only available to accounts approved for the World Elite Mastercard. Terms apply.
Sapphire Preferred vs. Venture Rewards welcome offer
Both cards are currently offering solid welcome bonuses that can provide a ton of value to new cardholders.
The Sapphire Preferred is currently offering 100,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
TPG’s July 2026 valuations place Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 2.05 cents each, meaning this welcome offer is worth $2,050. It’s a return of the highest offer we’ve seen in the card’s history.
The Venture Rewards offers new cardholders 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
The Venture Rewards could be worth up to $1,388 if you transfer your miles to Capital One’s airline and hotel transfer partners, per TPG’s July 2026 valuation of Capital One miles at 1.85 cents each.
Winner: Sapphire Preferred. Its current offer is more valuable than the Venture Rewards.
Sapphire Preferred vs. Venture Rewards benefits
Both cards offer an array of benefits that add even more value.
The Venture Rewards‘ benefits include no foreign transaction fees, extended warranty protection and travel benefits such as secondary rental car insurance and travel accident insurance.
You’ll also get up to a $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit every four years. This perk is generally seen on cards with higher annual fees, and it can make a huge difference in speeding up your journey through the airport.
The Sapphire Preferred is a Visa Signature card and offers similar benefits but kicked up a notch. Most notably, it includes primary rental car coverage rather than secondary, meaning you can submit claims directly to your card’s benefits provider without involving your personal insurance policy.
Similarly to the Venture Rewards, the Sapphire Preferred also offers a $120 statement credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or Nexus every four years. It charges no foreign transaction fees as well.
The Sapphire Preferred’s travel benefits are also superior — up to $500 per covered traveler in trip delay reimbursement if you’re delayed more than 12 hours or overnight, up to $10,000 in trip cancellation and interruption insurance per person (up to $20,000 per trip) and up to $100 per day for up to five days in baggage delay reimbursement if your bag is delayed more than six hours.
On top of that, the card offers an annual $100 statement credit on hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel, which completely offsets the card’s $95 annual fee.
Finally, Sapphire Preferred Card holders receive a one-year complimentary Apple TV subscription (activate by Dec. 31). You’ll also get a complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership (valued at $120 each year; through Dec. 31, 2027; activation required) and a $10 DoorDash promo each month for nonrestaurant orders (alcohol orders may be exempt; through Dec. 31, 2027).
Winner: Sapphire Preferred. You’ll enjoy more benefits with the Chase offering here.
Earning rewards on the Sapphire Preferred vs. Venture Rewards
With the Venture Rewards, you’ll earn 5 miles per dollar spent on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per dollar spent on all other purchases.
With the Sapphire Preferred, you’ll get:
- 5 points per dollar spent on all travel purchased through Chase Travel
- 3 points per dollar spent on dining, gas, EV charging, select streaming services, online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs) and vacation homes booked with select brands^
- 2 points per dollar spent on all other travel
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Travel is defined quite broadly with the Sapphire Preferred and includes some everyday expenses, such as tolls, parking and subway tickets. The dining category is also broad, including standard restaurants, bars and coffee shops, food delivery services and even most vending machines.
The Venture Rewards is a simpler option, but the Sapphire Preferred wins out for pure earning potential. Its categories cover a variety of everyday spending.
Winner: Sapphire Preferred. The Venture Rewards offers elevated earnings on all purchases, but it falls behind in bonus categories for everyday spending.
Redeeming rewards on the Sapphire Preferred vs. Venture Rewards
Both cards allow you to redeem rewards for many purchases. However, travel redemptions always provide the best value.
If you prefer a simple redemption option, you can redeem Capital One miles at a fixed value of 1 cent each toward travel bookings made through Capital One Travel or use them to offset any recent travel purchase.
If you’re not seeking travel rewards, you can redeem your miles for gift cards, cash back or Amazon and PayPal purchases, but the redemption rates will be subpar.
Similarly, you can redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points toward travel at a fixed value or transfer them to partners. If you book travel reservations through Chase Travel, you can redeem points at a value of up to 1.75 cents per point, thanks to Points Boost. (The exact value varies by redemption; see your rewards program agreement for details.)
Winner: Sapphire Preferred. Points Boost gives you greater potential value with the Chase card.
Transferring rewards on the Sapphire Preferred vs. Venture Rewards
You can squeeze more value from your Capital One miles by transferring them to Capital One’s 15-plus airline and hotel transfer partners. Most transfers are at a 1:1 ratio. Noteworthy partners include Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles.
I’ve transferred 15,000 Capital One miles to Air France-KLM Flying Blue to book two one-way domestic Delta Air Lines flights.
Similarly, the best way to get top value from your Chase Ultimate Rewards points is to transfer them to Chase’s airline and hotel partners. Chase’s valuable options include United MileagePlus, World of Hyatt and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
TPG’s managing editor for credit cards, Giselle Gomez, transferred 25,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (and paid $618 in taxes and fees) for two adults and one lap infant to fly Air France Economy Comfort from Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) to Miami International Airport (MIA) during Roland Garros, one of Paris’ busiest travel periods.
It’s important to note the one negative change that came with the Sapphire Preferred’s recent refresh: The transfer ratio for World of Hyatt is dropping from 1:1 to 4:3. For existing cardholders, this change will go into effect on Oct. 1, while new cardholders who applied on or after June 15 will see it take effect immediately.
Winner: Sapphire Preferred. While many transfer partners are shared between Chase and Capital One, Ultimate Rewards edges out the competition because it offers more lucrative transfer options (namely, United and Hyatt, despite the transfer ratio change for the latter).
Should I get the Sapphire Preferred or the Venture Rewards?
While the value you can get from the cards depends heavily on your spending habits, most cardholders will be better off with the Sapphire Preferred. However, if a simple earning rate and easy access to flat-rate redemptions matter most to you, the Venture Rewards may take the cake.
In most cases, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are more valuable than Capital One miles. Plus, the Sapphire Preferred earns more in bonus spending categories and offers better travel protections.
Related: How to choose the best credit card for you
Bottom line
Overall, either of these cards could work well in your wallet — but one stands out for most.
The Capital One Venture Rewards is one of the best Capital One credit cards currently available, and the Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the best Chase credit cards on the market. They could complement each other well if you own both.
If sheer simplicity is more your speed, you may be happier with the Venture Rewards. That being said, the Sapphire Preferred generally provides more value. If you’re truly stuck between the two, we generally recommend choosing the Sapphire Preferred for its higher benefits and earning rates.
To learn more, read our full reviews of the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Capital One Venture Rewards.
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Learn more: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
