Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve worth the higher annual fee?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve costs $795/yr vs $95/yr for the Bilt Obsidian Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $700 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the Chase Sapphire Reserve also lists lounge access, travel credits, dining credits).

Which card earns more rewards, the Bilt Obsidian Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve?

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 Bilt Obsidian Card have that the Chase Sapphire Reserve doesn't?

The Bilt Obsidian Card offers cell phone protection. The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers lounge access, travel credits, dining credits.

Should I get the Bilt Obsidian Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve?

Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Bilt Obsidian Card has a lower $95/yr fee; the Chase Sapphire Reserve must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $795/yr.

Bilt Obsidian Card vs Chase Sapphire Reserve

Annual fees: Bilt Obsidian Card $95/yr, Chase Sapphire Reserve $795/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Bilt Obsidian Card on rent and dining, Chase Sapphire Reserve on travel.

Card data as of October 12, 2026.

Credit card comparison
Overview
	Bilt Obsidian Card Cardless · $95/yr	Chase Sapphire Reserve Chase · $795/yr
Annual fee	$95 Lowest	$795
Welcome offerCurrent public offer	$200 in rewards	100,000 points
Rewards	Bilt Points	Chase Ultimate Rewards
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Network	Mastercard World Elite	Visa Infinite
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
Flights	1x	4x Highest
Hotels	1x	4x Highest
Dining	3x	3x
Grocery Stores	3x Highest	1x
Travel	2x Highest	1x
Mortgage	1.25x Highest	1x
Rent	1.25x Highest	1x
Everything else	1x	1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
Travel	$100 hotel credit	$300 travel credit $500 hotel credit $250 select hotels · $250 one-time $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck · $120 every 4 years
Rideshare & transit	—	$10/mo Lyft credit · $10 monthly
Dining & delivery	—	$300 dining at 275+ restaurants $35/mo DoorDash + DashPass · $35 monthly
Entertainment & streaming	—	$300 event tickets StubHub $27/mo Apple TV & Music · $27 monthly
Shopping & wellness	—	$10/mo Peloton credits · $10 monthly
Perks & access— means none on record
Lounges	—	Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge on Star Alliance (1 guest) 1,300+ Priority Pass lounges with 2 free guests 8 Chase Sapphire Lounges with 2 free guests
Hotel status & programs	—	IHG Platinum Elite with 60% bonus points, no stays
Other perks	10% intro APR for 12 months 0% foreign transaction fees	$750 in credits plus elite status at $75k spend Dedicated Customer Support with 24/7 priority service No foreign transaction fees on international purchases Roadside Assistance with $50 reimbursement per incident Sapphire Reserve Experiences and Venue Benefits Travel and Emergency Assistance Services 24/7 Show 1 more Reserve Travel Designer complimentary planning service
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
Trip insurance	Trip cancellation up to $2,000/trip Trip Delay	Emergency Evacuation up to $100,000 coverage Emergency Medical and Dental up to $2,500 Travel Accident Insurance up to $1,000,000 Trip cancellation insurance up to $10,000 per person Trip delay coverage up to $500 per ticket after 6 hours
Baggage	Luggage insurance up to $1,500	Baggage insurance up to $3,000 for lost luggage
Rental car	MasterRental Coverage	Primary rental car insurance up to $75,000
Purchase & returns	Purchase Assurance	Purchase protection up to $10,000 per claim for 120 days Return protection up to $500 per item within 90 days
Extended warranty	Extended warranty up to $10,000/claim	Extended warranty adds 1 year to manufacturer coverage
Cell phone	Cellular Wireless Telephone Protection	—
Pros & cons
Pros	3x points on your choice of dining or grocery (up to $25K/year on grocery) 2x points on travel Earn up to 1.25X points on rent and mortgage with no transaction fees $200 Bilt Cash welcome bonus upon approval (no spending required) $100 annual Bilt Travel hotel credit ($50 semiannually)	Up to $2,060 in annual credits and promos can more than cover the $795 fee Priority Pass Select with 2 guests included Exclusive Chase Sapphire Lounge access Primary rental car coverage saves $15-30/day Points Boost values points at up to 2 cents each on select flights and hotels through Chase Travel
Cons	$95 annual fee plus $50 per authorized user Complex earning structure for housing rewards (requires spending tiers or Bilt Cash redemption) Bilt Cash expires at year-end with only $100 rollover Grocery bonus category capped at $25K/year spending Hotel credit requires 2-night minimum via Bilt Travel portal	$795 annual fee is substantial commitment 5/24 rule restricts applicants with recent cards Credits require specific spending patterns to use $195 authorized user fee with no free users No 0% intro APR offer
	Card details	Card details

Bilt Obsidian Card
Cardless · $95/yr
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Chase · $795/yr

Overview

Annual fee: Bilt Obsidian Card
$95
Lowest
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$795
Welcome offerCurrent public offer: Bilt Obsidian Card
$200 in rewards
Chase Sapphire Reserve
100,000 points
Rewards: Bilt Obsidian Card
Bilt Points
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Foreign transaction fee: Bilt Obsidian Card
None
Chase Sapphire Reserve
None
Network: Bilt Obsidian Card
Mastercard World Elite
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Visa Infinite

Earn ratesPer $1 spent

Flights: Bilt Obsidian Card
1x
Chase Sapphire Reserve
4x
Highest
Hotels: Bilt Obsidian Card
1x
Chase Sapphire Reserve
4x
Highest
Dining: Bilt Obsidian Card
3x
Chase Sapphire Reserve
3x
Grocery Stores: Bilt Obsidian Card
3x
Highest
Chase Sapphire Reserve
1x
Travel: Bilt Obsidian Card
2x
Highest
Chase Sapphire Reserve
1x
Mortgage: Bilt Obsidian Card
1.25x
Highest
Chase Sapphire Reserve
1x
Rent: Bilt Obsidian Card
1.25x
Highest
Chase Sapphire Reserve
1x
Everything else: Bilt Obsidian Card
1x
Chase Sapphire Reserve
1x

Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record

Travel: Bilt Obsidian Card
$100 hotel credit
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$300 travel credit
$500 hotel credit
$250 select hotels · $250 one-time
$120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck · $120 every 4 years
Rideshare & transit: Bilt Obsidian Card
—
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$10/mo Lyft credit · $10 monthly
Dining & delivery: Bilt Obsidian Card
—
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$300 dining at 275+ restaurants
$35/mo DoorDash + DashPass · $35 monthly
Entertainment & streaming: Bilt Obsidian Card
—
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$300 event tickets StubHub
$27/mo Apple TV & Music · $27 monthly
Shopping & wellness: Bilt Obsidian Card
—
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$10/mo Peloton credits · $10 monthly

Perks & access— means none on record

Lounges: Bilt Obsidian Card
—
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge on Star Alliance (1 guest)
1,300+ Priority Pass lounges with 2 free guests
8 Chase Sapphire Lounges with 2 free guests
Hotel status & programs: Bilt Obsidian Card
—
Chase Sapphire Reserve
IHG Platinum Elite with 60% bonus points, no stays
Other perks: Bilt Obsidian Card
10% intro APR for 12 months
0% foreign transaction fees
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$750 in credits plus elite status at $75k spend
Dedicated Customer Support with 24/7 priority service
No foreign transaction fees on international purchases
Roadside Assistance with $50 reimbursement per incident
Sapphire Reserve Experiences and Venue Benefits
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services 24/7
Show 1 more
Reserve Travel Designer complimentary planning service

Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record

Trip insurance: Bilt Obsidian Card
Trip cancellation up to $2,000/trip
Trip Delay
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Emergency Evacuation up to $100,000 coverage
Emergency Medical and Dental up to $2,500
Travel Accident Insurance up to $1,000,000
Trip cancellation insurance up to $10,000 per person
Trip delay coverage up to $500 per ticket after 6 hours
Baggage: Bilt Obsidian Card
Luggage insurance up to $1,500
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Baggage insurance up to $3,000 for lost luggage
Rental car: Bilt Obsidian Card
MasterRental Coverage
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Primary rental car insurance up to $75,000
Purchase & returns: Bilt Obsidian Card
Purchase Assurance
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Purchase protection up to $10,000 per claim for 120 days
Return protection up to $500 per item within 90 days
Extended warranty: Bilt Obsidian Card
Extended warranty up to $10,000/claim
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Extended warranty adds 1 year to manufacturer coverage
Cell phone: Bilt Obsidian Card
Cellular Wireless Telephone Protection
Chase Sapphire Reserve
—

Pros & cons

Pros: Bilt Obsidian Card
3x points on your choice of dining or grocery (up to $25K/year on grocery)
2x points on travel
Earn up to 1.25X points on rent and mortgage with no transaction fees
$200 Bilt Cash welcome bonus upon approval (no spending required)
$100 annual Bilt Travel hotel credit ($50 semiannually)
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Up to $2,060 in annual credits and promos can more than cover the $795 fee
Priority Pass Select with 2 guests included
Exclusive Chase Sapphire Lounge access
Primary rental car coverage saves $15-30/day
Points Boost values points at up to 2 cents each on select flights and hotels through Chase Travel
Cons: Bilt Obsidian Card
$95 annual fee plus $50 per authorized user
Complex earning structure for housing rewards (requires spending tiers or Bilt Cash redemption)
Bilt Cash expires at year-end with only $100 rollover
Grocery bonus category capped at $25K/year spending
Hotel credit requires 2-night minimum via Bilt Travel portal
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$795 annual fee is substantial commitment
5/24 rule restricts applicants with recent cards
Credits require specific spending patterns to use
$195 authorized user fee with no free users
No 0% intro APR offer

Card details

Add a 3rd or 4th card to this comparison →

Category-by-Category Winner

Both cards win in 2 categories each — it comes down to which categories matter most to you. 2 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.

Rent

Bilt Obsidian Card earns 1.25X vs 1X

1.25X via tiered option or up to 1X via Bilt Cash option; no transaction fee; no annual cap on housing payments

Mortgage

Bilt Obsidian Card earns 1.25X vs 1X

1.25X via tiered option or up to 1X via Bilt Cash option; no transaction fee

Travel

Depends: via Chase Travel portal

Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 8X when conditions are met; Bilt Obsidian Card earns 2X (2X without restrictions)

Grocery Stores

Depends: up to $25,000/yr; 3X applies only if grocery replaces the default dining as the elected 3X category (switch within 30 days of opening or each January); grocery 3X is limited to $25,000 a year.

Bilt Obsidian Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 1X (1X without restrictions)

Hotels

Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 4X vs 1X

Flights

Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 4X vs 1X

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.

Close — depends on how much of the credits you use

Scenario	Bilt Obsidian Card	Chase Sapphire Reserve	Ongoing winner	Year-one winner
Light spender: $1,000/month	Rewards: $264 Credits (our usable estimate): $20 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $189 Year one: $389	Rewards: $281 Credits (our usable estimate): $995 − Annual fee ($795) Ongoing: $481 Year one: $2,406	Close — depends on how much of the credits you use	Chase Sapphire Reserve
Heavy spender: $4,000/month	Rewards: $1,056 Credits (our usable estimate): $20 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $981 Year one: $1,181	Rewards: $1,123 Credits (our usable estimate): $995 − Annual fee ($795) Ongoing: $1,323 Year one: $3,248	Close — depends on how much of the credits you use	Chase Sapphire Reserve

Is the Fee Difference Worth It?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve costs $795/yr — that's $700 more than the Bilt Obsidian Card ($95/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $700 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve includes travel credits, dining credits, lounge access, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $700 fee gap for your own usage.

Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $700 fee gap means the Chase Sapphire Reserve needs roughly $700 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on travel and hotels and everyday spend.

What You Give Up

Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.

Choosing Bilt Obsidian Card means losing:

-Airport lounge access
-Global Entry credit

Which Card Is Right for You?

Get the Bilt Obsidian Card if you:

+Do most of your spending at grocery stores

Get the Chase Sapphire Reserve if you:

+Fly frequently and value airport lounge access

The Bottom Line

Close — depends on how much of the credits you use

Published annual fees: Bilt Obsidian Card $95/yr, Chase Sapphire Reserve $795/yr — a $700 difference before welcome offers and credits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve worth the higher annual fee?: The Chase Sapphire Reserve costs $795/yr vs $95/yr for the Bilt Obsidian Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $700 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the Chase Sapphire Reserve also lists lounge access, travel credits, dining credits).
Which card earns more rewards, the Bilt Obsidian Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve?: 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 Bilt Obsidian Card have that the Chase Sapphire Reserve doesn't?: The Bilt Obsidian Card offers cell phone protection. The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers lounge access, travel credits, dining credits.
Should I get the Bilt Obsidian Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve?: Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Bilt Obsidian Card has a lower $95/yr fee; the Chase Sapphire Reserve must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $795/yr.

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Official issuer pages: Cardless cards · Chase cards

Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published October 12, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.