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Capital One Venture X Rewards vs Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Capital One Venture X Rewards leads 3 to 1 on the 4 rankable specs, but Chase Sapphire Preferred Card charges $300 a year less. Most of the 10 attributes tracked here are descriptive rather than numeric.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Not financial advice. Annual fees, APRs, bonuses and credits change. Confirm current terms with the issuer before you apply.

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Buying for

Every rankable spec counts once. Pick a lens to score only what matters for your credit card.

Straight answer

Overall: 3 to 1

Buy the Capital One Venture X Rewards.

  • Leads 3 of 4 rankable overall specs; Chase Sapphire Preferred Card takes 1.
  • Rewards rate: 10X hotels & rental cars via Capital One… vs 5X travel via Chase, 3X dining/online…
  • Regular APR: 19.99% – 29.99% Variable APR vs 21.49% – 28.49% Variable APR
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred Card charges $300 less a year. Pay the higher fee only if rewards rate matters to you.

Check first: the Capital One Venture X Rewards needs excellent credit (720+). Tick them under deal-breakers if that rules it out.

3 Capital One Venture X Rewards4 rankable of 10 specsChase Sapphire Preferred Card 1

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

  • row

    You pay before a single reward is earned.

    Trips:Capital One Venture X Rewards · $395Trips:Chase Sapphire Preferred Card · $95
  • row

    No free lounges; only matters if you fly often.

    Clear:Capital One Venture X Rewards · Yes (Capital One Lounges, Plaza Premium…Trips:Chase Sapphire Preferred Card · No
  • row

    Applications under 720 are usually declined.

    Trips:Capital One Venture X Rewards · ExcellentClear:Chase Sapphire Preferred Card · Good to Excellent
  • row

    Carrying a balance costs full interest from day one.

    Trips:Capital One Venture X Rewards · None (standard variable APR applies)Trips:Chase Sapphire Preferred Card · None (Variable APR applies from account…

At a glance

The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.

2 of 2 differ

Annual fee

Capital One

$395

Chase

$95

Rewards rate

Capital One

10X hotels & rental cars via Capital One Travel, 5X flights via portal, 2X all other purchases

Chase

5X travel via Chase, 3X dining/online grocery/select streaming, 2X other travel, 1X other

True 3-Year Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Upfront price + 3 years of consumables, fees & essential add-ons

Capital One Venture X Rewards

Upfront list price$0
3-Yr Annual card membership fee ($395 billed annually)+$1,185
3-Year Estimated Total$1,185

Cost over 3 years in annual fees before rewards or statement credits.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Upfront list price$0
3-Yr Annual card membership fee ($95 billed annually)+$285
3-Year Estimated Total$285

Cost over 3 years in annual fees before rewards or statement credits.

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.

Post-Purchase Truths

Capital One: What to watch for

  • Maintenance

    Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.

    Regular cleaning, firmware updates, and standard care are recommended to preserve longevity.

Chase: What to watch for

  • Maintenance

    Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.

    Regular cleaning, firmware updates, and standard care are recommended to preserve longevity.

Fees & Rates

2 differences
Fees & Rates specifications. Middle column is Capital One Venture X Rewards, right column is Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
Annual fee$395$95 (wins this row: lower)
Regular APR19.99% – 29.99% Variable APR (wins this row: lower)21.49% – 28.49% Variable APR
Foreign transaction feeNone (0%)None (0%)
Late feeUp to $40Up to $40

Rewards & Perks

leads 2-0
Rewards & Perks specifications. Middle column is Capital One Venture X Rewards, right column is Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
Rewards rate10X hotels & rental cars via Capital One Travel, 5X flights via portal, 2X all other purchases (wins this row: higher)5X travel via Chase, 3X dining/online grocery/select streaming, 2X other travel, 1X other
Sign-up bonus75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in first 3 months60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after $4,000 spend in first 3 months ($750 travel value)
Intro APR offerNone (standard variable APR applies)None (Variable APR applies from account opening)
Lounge accessYes (Capital One Lounges, Plaza Premium, and Priority Pass Select unlimited) (wins this row: has it)No

Card Details

2 differences
Card Details specifications. Middle column is Capital One Venture X Rewards, right column is Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
Credit neededOur summaryExcellent (720–850)Good to Excellent (690–850)
NetworkVisa InfiniteVisa Signature

Credit-card figures are from issuer materials and go stale. This is not an offer to lend, not financial advice, and not a recommendation to apply. Verify every fee, APR, bonus and credit on the issuer's site.

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

Capital One Venture X Rewards

Premium travel card with $300 annual portal credit, 10,000 anniversary bonus miles, and unlimited lounge access.

  • $300 annual Capital One Travel credit + 10,000 anniversary bonus miles offsets fee completely
  • Unlimited access to Capital One Lounges and Priority Pass network for cardholder and authorized users
  • Simple 2X miles on every purchase across all categories

What you give up

  • Redeeming the $300 credit requires booking via Capital One Travel portal
  • Strict credit score approval criteria

Pick this one if

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

The benchmark travel rewards card with 5X points on travel through Chase, 3X dining, and 1:1 point transfers.

  • Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel through Chase Travel
  • 1:1 point transfers to Hyatt, United, Southwest, and British Airways
  • Primary rental car collision damage waiver insurance

What you give up

  • No airport lounge access
  • $95 annual fee is not waived the first year

Best for each use

Travel

Flights, hotels and spending abroad: no foreign fees, lounges, a big bonus

For travel, buy the Capital One Venture X Rewards.

  • Leads 2 of 3 rankable travel specs; Chase Sapphire Preferred Card takes 1.
  • Rewards rate: 10X hotels & rental cars via Capital One… vs 5X travel via Chase, 3X dining/online…
  • Lounge access: Yes vs No
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred Card charges $300 less a year. Pay the higher fee only if rewards rate matters to you.

Everyday cash back

Simple rewards on groceries and gas with nothing to pay each year

For everyday cash back, buy the Capital One Venture X Rewards.

  • Leads 2 of 3 rankable everyday cash back specs; Chase Sapphire Preferred Card takes 1.
  • Rewards rate: 10X hotels & rental cars via Capital One… vs 5X travel via Chase, 3X dining/online…
  • Regular APR: 19.99% – 29.99% Variable APR vs 21.49% – 28.49% Variable APR
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred Card charges $300 less a year. Pay the higher fee only if rewards rate matters to you.

Carrying a balance

Paying over time or newer to credit: APR, intro offers, approval odds

Tied on carrying a balance. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card charges less a year.

  • The 2 rankable carrying a balance specs split 1 to 1.
  • Saves $300 a year in fees.

Every answer above is scored from published figures. A lens uses only the rows that matter for that use, including marked rows that are not on the official sheet. Switch lenses interactively in the panel above.

Done deciding?

Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.

Manufacturer pages: Capital One Venture X Rewards · Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Common questions

Which card has the lower annual fee, Capital One Venture X Rewards or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card?

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card charges $300 a year less.

What is the biggest catch with the Capital One Venture X Rewards or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card?

Both has this deal-breaker: annual fee. You pay before a single reward is earned.

Which is better for travel, the Capital One Venture X Rewards or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card?

For travel, buy the Capital One Venture X Rewards. Leads 2 of 3 rankable travel specs; Chase Sapphire Preferred Card takes 1. Rewards rate: 10X hotels & rental cars via Capital One… vs 5X travel via Chase, 3X dining/online…

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 10 specs tracked here, 6 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.

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