IHG One Rewards Credit Card vs Imagine Visa Credit Card

The IHG One Rewards Credit Card leads on dining; the Imagine Visa Credit Card leads on gas stations. See category winners and spend scenarios below.

Card data as of November 13, 2026.

Overview

Annual fee
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
$0
Imagine Visa Credit Card
$99 or $125 or $175
$99 ($400 initial limit (first year)) or $125 ($500 initial limit (first year)) or $175 ($700 or $1,000 initial limit (first year)), set at approval
Welcome offerCurrent public offer
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
125,000 points
Imagine Visa Credit Card
—
Rewards
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
IHG One Rewards
Imagine Visa Credit Card
—
Foreign transaction fee
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
None
Lowest
Imagine Visa Credit Card
3%
Network
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
Mastercard World Elite
Imagine Visa Credit Card
Visa

Earn ratesPer $1 spent

Dining
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
3x
Highest
Imagine Visa Credit Card
1x
Gas Stations
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
3x
Imagine Visa Credit Card
3x
Grocery Stores
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
3x
Imagine Visa Credit Card
3x
Utilities
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
2x
Imagine Visa Credit Card
3x
Highest
Everything else
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
2x
Highest
Imagine Visa Credit Card
1x

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

Dining & delivery
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
  • DoorDash DashPass
  • $10/mo Instacart+
Imagine Visa Credit Card
—

Perks & access— means none on record

Hotel status & programs
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
Imagine Visa Credit Card
—
Other perks
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
  • $0 Foreign Transaction Fees
  • 30% off reward points
Imagine Visa Credit Card
  • Easy account management online and mobile
  • Unsecured card—no deposit needed

Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record

Trip insurance
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
  • Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance · up to $5,000
Imagine Visa Credit Card
—
Baggage
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
  • Baggage Delay Insurance · up to $100
  • Lost Luggage Reimbursement · up to $3,000
Imagine Visa Credit Card
—
Purchase & returns
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
  • Purchase Protection · up to $500
Imagine Visa Credit Card
—
Other protections
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
—
Imagine Visa Credit Card
  • 3-bureau credit reporting
  • $0 fraud liability—you're protected

Pros & cons

Pros
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
Imagine Visa Credit Card
  • No security deposit required (unsecured card)
  • Reports to all three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion)
  • Available to consumers with poor or limited credit
  • Earns 3% cash back on gas, grocery, and utility purchases, 1% elsewhere
Cons
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
Imagine Visa Credit Card
  • High annual fee ($99 to $175 in the first year depending on initial credit limit, then $49 a year)
  • Additional monthly maintenance fee ($15/month after the first 12 months) and a $2 monthly paper statement fee
  • Very high APR (36%)
  • Cash back redeems only as an automatic annual statement credit
  • Low initial credit limit (typically $300)
Add a 3rd or 4th card to this comparison →

Category-by-Category Winner

The IHG One Rewards Credit Card wins in 2 of 3 categories. The Imagine Visa Credit Card leads in 1.

W

Dining

IHG One Rewards Credit Card earns 3X vs 1X

W

Utilities

Imagine Visa Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

W

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.

ScenarioIHG One Rewards Credit CardImagine Visa Credit CardOngoing winnerYear-one winner
Light spender: $1,000/month
Rewards: $173
Credits (our usable estimate): $15
− Annual fee ($0)
Ongoing: $188
Year one: $938
Rewards: $180
Credits (our usable estimate): $0
Annual fee $99 ($400 initial limit (first year)) or $125 ($500 initial limit (first year)) or $175 ($700 or $1,000 initial limit (first year)), set at approval; net est. $81 ($400 initial limit (first year)) or $55 ($500 initial limit (first year)) or $5 ($700 or $1,000 initial limit (first year))
Ongoing: —
Year one: —
——
Heavy spender: $4,000/month
Rewards: $691
Credits (our usable estimate): $15
− Annual fee ($0)
Ongoing: $706
Year one: $1,456
Rewards: $720
Credits (our usable estimate): $0
Annual fee $99 ($400 initial limit (first year)) or $125 ($500 initial limit (first year)) or $175 ($700 or $1,000 initial limit (first year)), set at approval; net est. $621 ($400 initial limit (first year)) or $595 ($500 initial limit (first year)) or $545 ($700 or $1,000 initial limit (first year))
Ongoing: —
Year one: —
——

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

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 IHG One Rewards Credit Card or Imagine Visa 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.
Should I get the IHG One Rewards Credit Card or the Imagine Visa Credit Card?
Choose based on which bonus categories and benefits 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.

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.