American Express Green Card vs Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Annual fees: American Express Green Card $150/yr, Chase Sapphire Preferred Card $95/yr. Strongest bonus categories: American Express Green Card on travel, Chase Sapphire Preferred Card on travel.
Card data as of November 13, 2026.
American Express Green CardAmerican Express · $150/yr
Chase Sapphire Preferred CardChase · $95/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- American Express Green Card$150Chase Sapphire Preferred Card$95Lowest
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- American Express Green Card40,000 pointsChase Sapphire Preferred Card75,000 points
- Rewards
- American Express Green CardAmerican Express Membership RewardsChase Sapphire Preferred CardChase Ultimate Rewards
- Foreign transaction fee
- American Express Green CardNoneChase Sapphire Preferred CardNone
- Network
- American Express Green CardAmerican ExpressChase Sapphire Preferred CardVisa Signature
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- American Express Green Card3xChase Sapphire Preferred Card3x
- Electric Vehicle Charging
- American Express Green Card1xChase Sapphire Preferred Card3xHighest
- Gas Stations
- American Express Green Card1xChase Sapphire Preferred Card3xHighest
- Grocery Stores
- American Express Green Card1xChase Sapphire Preferred Card3xHighest
- Ridesharing
- American Express Green Card3xHighestChase Sapphire Preferred Card1x
- Streaming
- American Express Green Card1xChase Sapphire Preferred Card3xHighest
- Transit
- American Express Green Card3xHighestChase Sapphire Preferred Card1x
- Travel
- American Express Green Card3xHighestChase Sapphire Preferred Card2x
- Vacation Rentals
- American Express Green Card1xChase Sapphire Preferred Card3xHighest
- Everything else
- American Express Green Card1xChase Sapphire Preferred Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- American Express Green Card
- $100 LoungeBuddy credit
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS credit · $120 every 4 years
- $100 hotel credit
- Entertainment & streaming
- American Express Green Card—Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- A year of Apple TV, valued at $180 · $180 one-time
Perks & access— means none on record
- Other perks
- American Express Green Card
- Amex Offers
- Early access to concerts and events
- 24/7 global travel assistance
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card- Complimentary DashPass after activation
- Up to $10 monthly on a non-restaurant DoorDash order
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- American Express Green Card
- Trip delay coverage up to $300 per trip after 12 hours
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card- Travel Accident Insurance up to $500,000
- $10,000 Trip Cancellation Insurance per person
- $500 Trip Delay Reimbursement per traveler
- Baggage
- American Express Green Card
- Baggage insurance up to $1,250 for carry-on, $500 checked
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card- $500 Baggage Delay Insurance ($100 per day)
- $3,000 Lost Luggage Reimbursement per traveler
- Rental car
- American Express Green Card
- Car rental insurance up to $50,000 for theft or damage
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card- Auto Rental Coverage
- Purchase & returns
- American Express Green Card
- Purchase protection up to $1,000 per item for 90 days
- Return protection up to $300 per item within 90 days
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card- 120-day Purchase Protection up to $500 per item
- Extended warranty
- American Express Green Card
- Extended warranty adds 1 year to eligible purchases · up to $10,000
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card- Extended Warranty Protection adds 1 extra year
- Other protections
- American Express Green Card
- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card- Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
Pros & cons
- Pros
- American Express Green Card
- 3X on travel, transit, and dining worldwide covers most everyday spending
- CLEAR Plus statement credit helps offset the $150 annual fee for CLEAR users
- $100 LoungeBuddy credit provides flexible airport lounge access
- No foreign transaction fees for international travel
- Made from reclaimed ocean plastic (environmentally friendly)
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card- 75,000 point welcome bonus after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months
- $95 annual fee partly offset by a $100 Chase Travel hotel credit each account anniversary year
- Transfers to 14 airline and hotel partners, 13 at 1:1 and Hyatt at 4:3
- 5X on Chase Travel, 3X dining, streaming, online groceries
- Trip cancellation, delay, and lost luggage insurance included
- Cons
- American Express Green Card
- $150 annual fee is not waived first year
- No direct lounge network membership (LoungeBuddy is pay-per-use)
- CLEAR credit has limited value outside major airports
- Lower-tier welcome bonus compared to Gold or Platinum
- $35 authorized user fee adds up for multi-card households
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card- $95 annual fee vs $0 Freedom cards
- No lounge access included
- 5/24 rule restricts applicants with 5+ cards in 24 months
- No 0% intro APR offer
Expert Analysis
The American Express Green Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred Card are two of the most popular cards in their category, and choosing between them comes down to which rewards structure better matches your spending. Both deliver strong value, but in meaningfully different ways.
The American Express Green Card's strongest category is Travel at 3X, while the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card leads with 3X on Dining. Overall, the American Express Green Card wins in more bonus categories (4 vs 3) — so the better choice depends on where you spend the most.
At $95/yr vs $150/yr, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is the more accessible option. The American Express Green Card needs to deliver at least $55 in annual value through its premium benefits to justify the gap. It offers airport lounge access, which can cover that gap for active users.
Key Differences
- American Express Green Card earns 3X on Travel vs 2X for the other
- American Express Green Card earns 3X on Transit vs 1X for the other
- American Express Green Card earns 3X on Ridesharing vs 1X for the other
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card costs $95/yr vs $150/yr — a $55 annual gap
- Only the American Express Green Card offers airport lounge access
- Different networks: American Express Green Card is AMEX, Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is VISA
Spending Scenarios
Which card wins in real-world spending situations?
$300/month on travel
American Express Green CardAmerican Express Green Card earns 3X vs 2X. Over a year, that's 10,800 vs 7,200 points — a 3,600-point advantage.
$100/month on transit
American Express Green CardAmerican Express Green Card earns 3X vs 1X. Over a year, that's 3,600 vs 1,200 points — a 2,400-point advantage.
$50/month on streaming
Chase Sapphire Preferred CardChase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 1X. Over a year, that's 1,800 vs 600 points — a 1,200-point advantage.
$200/month on online groceries
Chase Sapphire Preferred CardChase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 1X. Over a year, that's 7,200 vs 2,400 points — a 4,800-point advantage.
Mixed everyday spending, 2 trips/year
Chase Sapphire Preferred CardWithout heavy spending in the American Express Green Card's premium categories, the $55 fee difference is hard to recover. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card delivers better overall value for moderate spenders.
Who Should Get Which?
Get the American Express Green Card if:
The American Express Green Card is ideal for cardholders who prioritize spending heavily on travel and transit and maximizing premium travel perks. At $150/yr, it delivers solid return on the annual fee investment for its target audience.
Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card if:
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is ideal for cardholders who prioritize spending heavily on streaming and online groceries and keeping annual costs low. At $95/yr, it delivers solid return on the annual fee investment for its target audience.
Upgrade & Downgrade Path
These cards are from different issuers, so switching between them requires a new application. Many rewards enthusiasts hold both to maximize earn rates across different spending categories — the annual fee total may be worth it if you're actively using both cards' bonus categories.
Consider which card's rewards ecosystem better fits your redemption goals. Transferable points programs offer more flexibility for travel redemptions.
Category-by-Category Winner
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card wins in 4 of 6 categories. The American Express Green Card leads in 2. 5 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.
Travel
Depends: via Chase Travel portal
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 5X when conditions are met; American Express Green Card earns 3X (3X without restrictions)
Transit
American Express Green Card earns 3X vs 1X
Ridesharing
American Express Green Card earns 3X vs 1X
Hotels
Depends: via Chase Travel portal - the Chase Travel travel rate restated per bookable subcategory, as Capital One and Citi portal rates are recorded
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 5X when conditions are met; American Express Green Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Flights
Depends: via Chase Travel portal - the Chase Travel travel rate restated per bookable subcategory, as Capital One and Citi portal rates are recorded
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 5X when conditions are met; American Express Green Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Car Rentals
Depends: via Chase Travel portal - the Chase Travel travel rate restated per bookable subcategory, as Capital One and Citi portal rates are recorded
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 5X when conditions are met; American Express Green Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Gas Stations
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 1X
Electric Vehicle Charging
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 1X
Vacation Rentals
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 1X
Streaming
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 1X
Grocery Stores
Depends: Online purchases only. Excludes Target, Walmart, Wholesale Clubs. Grocery pickup or delivery must be ordered online and qualify under Chase's online grocery category. Excludes membership and subscription fees, supermarket pharmacies, gift cards and gift baskets.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X when conditions are met; American Express Green Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Year One vs Ongoing Value
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Both scenarios favor the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | American Express Green Card | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $270 Credits (our usable estimate): $60 − Annual fee ($150) Ongoing: $180 Year one: $780 | Rewards: $346 Credits (our usable estimate): $75 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $326 Year one: $1,784 | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $1,080 Credits (our usable estimate): $60 − Annual fee ($150) Ongoing: $990 Year one: $1,590 | Rewards: $1,382 Credits (our usable estimate): $75 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $1,362 Year one: $2,820 | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The American Express Green Card costs $150/yr — that's $55 more than the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card ($95/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $55 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The American Express Green Card includes lounge access. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $55 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $55 fee gap means the American Express Green Card needs roughly $55 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on travel and transit and everyday spend.
What You Give Up
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Chase Sapphire Preferred Card means losing:
- -Airport lounge access
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the American Express Green Card if you:
- +Fly frequently and value airport lounge access
Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card if you:
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Published annual fees: American Express Green Card $150/yr, Chase Sapphire Preferred Card $95/yr — a $55 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the American Express Green Card worth the higher annual fee?
- The American Express Green Card costs $150/yr vs $95/yr for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $55 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the American Express Green Card also lists lounge access).
- Which card earns more rewards, the American Express Green Card or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card?
- Both cards earn 1X on everyday purchases. The difference is in bonus categories — check the earn rate comparison above for a full breakdown.
- What benefits does the American Express Green Card have that the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card doesn't?
- The American Express Green Card offers lounge access. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card focuses more on earn rates than premium perks.
- Should I get the American Express Green Card or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has a lower $95/yr fee; the American Express Green Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $150/yr.
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published November 13, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.