Choice Privileges Mastercard vs IHG One Rewards Credit Card
Both cards cost $0/yr. The Choice Privileges Mastercard leads on gas stations; the IHG One Rewards Credit Card on dining.
Card data as of November 13, 2026.
- Choice Privileges Mastercard
Wells Fargo · No annual fee
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card
Chase · No annual fee
Overview
- Annual fee
- Choice Privileges Mastercard$0IHG One Rewards Credit Card$0
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Choice Privileges Mastercard40,000 pointsIHG One Rewards Credit Card125,000 points
- Rewards
- Choice Privileges MastercardChoice Privileges PointsIHG One Rewards Credit CardIHG One Rewards
- Foreign transaction fee
- Choice Privileges MastercardNoneIHG One Rewards Credit CardNone
- Network
- Choice Privileges MastercardMastercard World EliteIHG One Rewards Credit CardMastercard World Elite
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- Choice Privileges Mastercard1xIHG One Rewards Credit Card3xHighest
- Gas Stations
- Choice Privileges Mastercard3xIHG One Rewards Credit Card3x
- Grocery Stores
- Choice Privileges Mastercard3xIHG One Rewards Credit Card3x
- Home Improvement
- Choice Privileges Mastercard3xHighestIHG One Rewards Credit Card2x
- Telecom
- Choice Privileges Mastercard3xHighestIHG One Rewards Credit Card2x
- Everything else
- Choice Privileges Mastercard1xIHG One Rewards Credit Card2xHighest
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Dining & delivery
- Choice Privileges Mastercard—IHG One Rewards Credit Card
- DoorDash DashPass
- $10/mo Instacart+
Perks & access— means none on record
- Hotel status & programs
- Choice Privileges Mastercard
- Automatic Gold Elite status with 10% bonus
IHG One Rewards Credit Card- Gold Elite after $15,000 in calendar-year purchases
- IHG Silver Elite status
- 4th Reward Night Free on Points Stays
- Other perks
- Choice Privileges Mastercard
- No foreign transaction fees
IHG One Rewards Credit Card- $0 Foreign Transaction Fees
- 30% off reward points
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- Choice Privileges Mastercard—IHG One Rewards Credit Card
- Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance · up to $5,000
- Baggage
- Choice Privileges Mastercard—IHG One Rewards Credit Card
- Baggage Delay Insurance · up to $100
- Lost Luggage Reimbursement · up to $3,000
- Purchase & returns
- Choice Privileges Mastercard—IHG One Rewards Credit Card
- Purchase Protection · up to $500
- Cell phone
- Choice Privileges Mastercard
- Up to $800 cell phone protection
IHG One Rewards Credit Card—
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
IHG One Rewards Credit Card- No annual fee with automatic Silver Elite status
- Fourth night free on reward stays of 4+ nights (from 2027, after $5,000 of annual spend)
- 3x earning on dining, grocery stores and gas stations
- 2x earning on all other purchases (above-average base rate)
- Path to Gold Elite with $15,000 annual spend
- 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
IHG One Rewards Credit Card- Silver Elite status provides minimal benefits
- Lower earning rate at IHG properties (5x vs 10x on Premier)
- Only 5 Elite Night Credits a year
- No annual free night certificate
- $15,000 spend requirement for Gold status is steep
Category-by-Category Winner
Both cards win in 2 categories each — it comes down to which categories matter most to you.
Home Improvement
Choice Privileges Mastercard earns 3X vs 2X
Telecom
Choice Privileges Mastercard earns 3X vs 2X
Dining
IHG One Rewards Credit Card earns 3X vs 1X
Everyday purchases
IHG One Rewards Credit Card earns 2X on all other spending 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.
Both scenarios favor the IHG One Rewards Credit Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | Choice Privileges Mastercard | IHG One Rewards Credit Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $144 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $144 Year one: $464 | Rewards: $173 Credits (our usable estimate): $15 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $188 Year one: $938 | IHG One Rewards Credit Card | IHG One Rewards Credit Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $576 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $576 Year one: $896 | Rewards: $691 Credits (our usable estimate): $15 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $706 Year one: $1,456 | IHG One Rewards Credit Card | IHG One Rewards Credit Card |
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the IHG One Rewards Credit Card if you:
- +Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
- +Prefer a high flat rate across all spending
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the IHG One Rewards Credit Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 2X on the IHG One Rewards Credit Card vs 1X on the other card.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which card earns more rewards, the Choice Privileges Mastercard or IHG One Rewards Credit Card?
- The IHG One Rewards Credit Card has a higher base earn rate (2X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
- What benefits does the Choice Privileges Mastercard have that the IHG One Rewards Credit Card doesn't?
- The Choice Privileges Mastercard offers cell phone protection. The IHG One Rewards Credit Card focuses more on earn rates than premium perks.
- Should I get the Choice Privileges Mastercard or the IHG One Rewards Credit Card?
- Both cards have the same $0/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.
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.

