Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. AmEx Green: Sapphire Comes Out Ahead

With a makeover that added more value to the , it emerges as the winner in a head-to-head lineup against , although the latter will still appeal to AmEx loyalists.

Why does the come out ahead?

In addition to having a lower annual fee and larger sign-up bonus, it also earns more rewards across a greater number of categories. Still, offers some additional benefits that warrant a closer look.

Here’s how they stack up in major categories.

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The 's annual fee: .

's annual fee: $150.

The lower fee on the  makes it more appealing to the casual card user, especially since it doesn't correlate with lower value.

The 's welcome offer: 

's welcome offer: Earn 45,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $2,000 on purchases on your new card in your first 6 months. Terms Apply.

While the has a higher spending requirement, it also offers greater value. Points are worth 1.25 cents each when redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. AmEx Membership Rewards® points are generally worth from 0.7 cent to 1 cent each, depending on how you redeem them. Terms Apply.

The 's rewards:

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's rewards:

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The comes out on top for its earning potential, but  has some additional benefits that the doesn’t offer. See below for more details.

These benefits are specific to certain brands, meaning they could be highly useful if you’re interested in using the service and would pay for it anyway. Otherwise, they’re worthless.

The 's benefits:

's benefits:

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The offers limited-time offers for a couple of branded services. Overall, its branded service benefits are less valuable for most people. By contrast, branded service benefits are where the shines — especially if you want to use the $100 statement credit for making life at the airport more tolerable. Terms Apply.

Both cards have midlevel travel perks, and both can transfer points to travel partners, such as airlines and hotel companies.

Neither card is a clear winner here because it depends on which travel partners you prefer. For example, both cards transfer points to Marriott hotels. But among large domestic airlines, Delta accepts AmEx Membership Rewards points, while United Airlines and Southwest Airlines accept Chase Ultimate Rewards® points.

Both cards also have travel perks, such as trip-delay and baggage insurance. The offers a $50 annual credit on hotel stays purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.  We especially like the primary offered by the , too. The offers secondary coverage, meaning your own car insurance company pays first in the event of an accident.

Though , Visa is still more widely accepted, giving the the edge. Neither card charges foreign transaction fees.

The is a nice travel card with competitive rewards and perks. But unless you can fully use its statement credits for Clear and LoungeBuddy over several years, you’re likely to get more value from the .