Apple Card vs Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Apple Card
VS
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
The short answer: The Chase Sapphire Reserve® delivers a bit more value for most spenders, but choose the Apple Card if you spend more on groceries, gas.

Side-by-side comparison

Apple CardChase Sapphire Reserve®
Annual feeNo annual fee$795
Welcome offerNo current offer100,000 Ultimate Rewards® Points
Dining2x3x
Groceries2x1x
Gas2x1x
Travel2x4x
Streaming2x1x
Everything else2x1x
Est. yearly rewards*$583$406
Points typeCash back onlyTransfers to airlines & hotels
NetworkMastercardVisa

*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.

The verdict

On a typical year of household spending, the Apple Card earns about $583 a year in rewards and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® about $406, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Apple Card has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® charges $795, but carries about $2,108 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® delivers more total value, about $81 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on travel and dining. The bigger difference is the ceiling: the Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns points you can move to travel partners for outsized value, while the Apple Card pays plain cash back. Favor the Chase Sapphire Reserve® if you will use travel transfers, the Apple Card if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.

Pick the Apple Card if your spending leans toward groceries, gas, streaming. Pick the Chase Sapphire Reserve® if your spending leans toward dining, travel.

Read the full reviews

Frequently asked questions

Is the Apple Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® better?
On typical household spending, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes out ahead after its annual fee, by roughly $81 a year with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. But the Apple Card can be the better fit if your spending lines up with its stronger categories. Run both through the Cardocrat calculator to see your own numbers.
Can I have both the Apple Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve®?
In most cases yes, as long as you meet each issuer's approval rules (for example Chase's 5/24 rule). Many people hold complementary cards to cover more bonus categories, then pool or redeem the rewards together where the program allows.
Which has the better welcome bonus, the Apple Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve®?
As of June 2026, the Apple Card offers no current offer and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers 100,000 Ultimate Rewards® Points. Welcome offers change often, so confirm the current offer on each card's page before applying.