Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ Worth the $795 Annual Fee?
It depends. Rewards alone (about $666 a year) fall $129 short of the $795 fee, so the card only makes sense if you use its credits. With $435 in credits applied, you come out $306 ahead. Skip it if those credits do not fit your life.
Every credit, broken down
The Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ offsets its fee with statement credits and benefits. Here is every one, with the most you can get from each per year. Remember that credits only count if you would have spent that money anyway, and some renew on a monthly or semi-annual schedule you have to use or lose.
| Credit or benefit | Up to |
|---|---|
| $300 annual travel credit (auto-applied to travel purchases) | $300 |
| Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit (~$100) | $100 |
| Priority Pass Select lounge access (10 free visits/yr, then $35/visit) | $35 |
| Total stated value | $435 |
If you use all of it, that is $435 back against a $795 fee, leaving $360 of the fee for your rewards to make up.
What you earn on spending
Credits are only half the story; the card also earns rewards every time you swipe. On $45,000 of annual business spending, the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ earns about $666 a year at a flat 1 cent per point. Because this is a business card, the rate below reflects a representative small-business budget. See the full category breakdown in our Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ review, or run your own numbers in the rewards calculator.
The break-even
Add it up. The Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ costs $795 a year. Its credits return up to $435, and everyday rewards add about $666. That is a net of $306 in your favor every year you hold it, before any welcome bonus. First-year holders also collect a welcome bonus worth about $2,000, pushing the first-year total to roughly $2,306.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ worth the annual fee?
- It depends. Rewards alone (about $666 a year) fall $129 short of the $795 fee, so the card only makes sense if you use its credits. With $435 in credits applied, you come out $306 ahead. Skip it if those credits do not fit your life.
- How do you offset the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ annual fee?
- Use the statement credits first: the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ offers up to $435 a year, which knocks the effective cost down to about $360. Everyday rewards add roughly $666 more on a typical budget.
- Is there a no-annual-fee alternative to the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠?
- Yes. If you cannot clear the $795 fee, a no-fee card keeps every dollar of rewards as profit. See our ranked no-fee picks to compare.
