Chase Freedom Unlimited® vs Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant®
Side-by-side comparison
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | $650 |
| Welcome offer | $200 cash bonus | |
| Dining | 3x | 3x |
| Groceries | 1.5x | 1x |
| Gas | 1.5x | 1x |
| Travel | 1.5x | 3x |
| Streaming | 1.5x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1.5x | 2x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $490 | $544 |
| Points type | Pools with Chase → transferable | Locked to Marriott Bonvoy |
| Network | Visa | Amex |
*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 Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns about $490 a year in rewards and the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® about $544, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® charges $650, but carries about $335 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® delivers more total value, about $428 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on groceries and gas. The bigger difference is the ceiling: the Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns points you can move to travel partners for outsized value, while the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® stays locked to a single airline or hotel program. Favor the Chase Freedom Unlimited® if you will use travel transfers, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® currently has the larger welcome offer (a limited-time offer above its usual amount, so treat it as a one-time boost). A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Chase Freedom Unlimited® if your spending leans toward groceries, gas, streaming. Pick the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® if your spending leans toward travel, everything else.