Choice Privileges Mastercard vs Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
Annual fees: Choice Privileges Mastercard $0/yr, Choice Privileges Select Mastercard $95/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Choice Privileges Mastercard on gas stations, Choice Privileges Select Mastercard on gas stations.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Choice Privileges MastercardWells Fargo · No annual fee
Choice Privileges Select MastercardWells Fargo · $95/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Choice Privileges Mastercard$0LowestChoice Privileges Select Mastercard$95
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Choice Privileges Mastercard60,000 pointsChoice Privileges Select Mastercard60,000 points
- Rewards
- Choice Privileges MastercardChoice Privileges PointsChoice Privileges Select MastercardChoice Privileges Points
- Foreign transaction fee
- Choice Privileges MastercardNoneChoice Privileges Select MastercardNone
- Network
- Choice Privileges MastercardMastercard World EliteChoice Privileges Select MastercardMastercard World Elite
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Gas Stations
- Choice Privileges Mastercard3xChoice Privileges Select Mastercard5xHighest
- Grocery Stores
- Choice Privileges Mastercard3xChoice Privileges Select Mastercard5xHighest
- Home Improvement
- Choice Privileges Mastercard3xChoice Privileges Select Mastercard5xHighest
- Telecom
- Choice Privileges Mastercard3xChoice Privileges Select Mastercard5xHighest
- Everything else
- Choice Privileges Mastercard1xChoice Privileges Select Mastercard1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Choice Privileges Mastercard—Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit · $120 every 4 years
Perks & access— means none on record
- Hotel status & programs
- Choice Privileges Mastercard
- Automatic Gold Elite status with 10% bonus
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard- Automatic Platinum Elite status
- Other perks
- Choice Privileges Mastercard
- No foreign transaction fees
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard- No foreign transaction fees
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Purchase & returns
- Choice Privileges Mastercard—Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- Zero Liability on unauthorized transactions
- Cell phone
- Choice Privileges Mastercard
- Up to $800 cell phone protection
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard- Up to $800 cell phone protection
- Other protections
- Choice Privileges Mastercard—Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- 24/7 lost/stolen card assistance worldwide
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Choice Privileges Mastercard
- No annual fee with automatic Gold Elite status
- Strong 3x earning on gas, grocery, home improvement, and phone plans
- 5x earning at participating Choice Hotels
- 10 elite night credits annually
- No foreign transaction fees
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard- Automatic Platinum Elite status with meaningful benefits
- Industry-leading 10x earning at Choice Hotels
- Strong 5x earning on gas, grocery, home improvement, and phone plans
- 30,000 anniversary bonus points (worth ~$180 in stays)
- 20 elite night credits annually
- Cons
- Choice Privileges Mastercard
- Gold Elite status provides limited benefits compared to Platinum
- Lower earning rates than the Select card across all categories
- No anniversary bonus points
- No Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
- Choice Hotels lacks luxury properties
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard- $95 annual fee that may be hard to justify for occasional guests
- Higher $3,000 spend requirement for welcome bonus vs no-fee card
- Choice Hotels limited to economy and midscale properties
- Points value relatively low compared to premium hotel programs
- No lounge access or premium travel benefits
Category-by-Category Winner
The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard wins in 4 of 4 categories. The Choice Privileges Mastercard leads in 0.
Gas Stations
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 3X
Grocery Stores
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 3X
Home Improvement
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 3X
Telecom
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 3X
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.
The better card depends on how much you spend.
| Scenario | Choice Privileges Mastercard | Choice Privileges Select Mastercard | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $144 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $144 Year one: $624 | Rewards: $192 Credits (our usable estimate): $30 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $127 Year one: $607 | Choice Privileges Mastercard | Choice Privileges Mastercard |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $576 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $576 Year one: $1,056 | Rewards: $768 Credits (our usable estimate): $30 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $703 Year one: $1,183 | Choice Privileges Select Mastercard | Choice Privileges Select Mastercard |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard costs $95/yr — that's $95 more than the Choice Privileges Mastercard (no annual fee). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $95 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard includes Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $95 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $95 fee gap means the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard needs roughly $95 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on gas stations and grocery stores and everyday spend.
What You Give Up
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Choice Privileges Mastercard means losing:
- -Global Entry credit
The Bottom Line
The better card depends on how much you spend.
Published annual fees: Choice Privileges Mastercard $0/yr, Choice Privileges Select Mastercard $95/yr — a $95 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard worth the higher annual fee?
- The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard costs $95/yr vs $0/yr for the Choice Privileges Mastercard. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $95 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use.
- Which card earns more rewards, the Choice Privileges Mastercard or Choice Privileges Select Mastercard?
- 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 Choice Privileges Mastercard have that the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard doesn't?
- The Choice Privileges Mastercard offers cell phone protection. The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard offers cell phone protection.
- Should I get the Choice Privileges Mastercard or the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Choice Privileges Mastercard has a lower $0/yr fee; the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $95/yr.
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.