Citi Strata vs Chase Sapphire Preferred
Citi Strata costs nothing and earns 3× at supermarkets and gas stations, plus 3× in one category you choose. Sapphire Preferred costs $95 and earns 3× on dining, gas, and online groceries, and its points transfer to United, Southwest, and Hyatt at full value. The Strata’s points don’t, unless you pair it with a Strata Premier or Strata Elite.
Grocery-heavy households that won’t pay a fee lean Citi Strata. People who eat out, travel, and will transfer points lean Preferred. Put in your own spend below. If you already have a Strata Premier, see the Strata Premier vs Sapphire Preferred comparison instead.
Verdict: On a typical mix of spending, Preferred comes out ahead even after the $95 fee, because Chase points transfer at full value and it earns 3× on dining. Citi Strata wins if groceries are your biggest line by a lot, if you won’t pay an annual fee, or if you’ll pair it with a Strata Premier so its points transfer at full value.
The catch: no-fee Citi points transfer at a discount. On its own, Citi Strata sends ThankYou Points to most airline partners at 1,000:700, so 10,000 points become 7,000 miles. Move those points to a Strata Premier or Strata Elite in the same ThankYou account and they transfer 1:1. Sapphire Preferred transfers 1:1 to its airline partners, and to Hyatt at 4:3 since October 1, 2026. That’s why we value Citi Strata points at 1¢ and Preferred points at 1.5¢ here.
Which card earns more on your spending?
Enter what you spend in a typical month. We estimate a year of rewards on each card, after its annual fee.
Estimated rewards per year, after the annual fee
Citi Strata
3× supermarkets and gas, 2× dining
+$432
Rewards $432 · No annual fee
Sapphire Preferred Wins on your numbers
3× dining and gas, 2× other travel
+$490
Rewards $585 · Fee −$95
Credits if counted: $100 Chase Travel hotel credit
Sapphire Preferred comes out ahead by $58 a year on these numbers.
Break-even: about $830 a month on groceries, with your other amounts as entered. Above that, Citi Strata wins. Below it, Sapphire Preferred does.
How we estimate
- Transferable points (Amex, Chase Sapphire and Ink, Citi Strata, Capital One, Bilt) are valued at 1.5¢. Cash back is valued at 1¢, SkyMiles at 1.1¢, and Hilton points at 0.5¢.
- Net is a year of rewards minus the annual fee. Credits count only when you tick the box, and only the ones listed under each card.
- Welcome bonuses are left out so the numbers reflect an ordinary year.
- Citi Strata: 3× supermarkets and gas and EV charging, 2× restaurants, 5× hotels, cars, and attractions through Citi Travel, 1× else. We leave out its 3× self-select category and select transit. Points valued at 1¢ because on their own they transfer to most airlines at 1,000:700.
- Sapphire Preferred: 3× dining and gas, 2× travel, 5× Chase Travel, 1× in-store groceries and everything else. Points valued at 1.5¢.
- If you also hold a Citi Strata Premier or Strata Elite, your Strata points transfer at full value. Value them at 1.5¢ in your head and the comparison tilts toward Citi.
- Earn rates checked with issuers in October 2026. Offers change, so confirm terms with the issuer before you apply. Educational estimate, not financial advice.
Two cards are only part of the picture. Take these amounts to the full calculator to see which wallet wins across all your spending, including cards you already hold.
Compare every card on your spending →{"a":{"key":"citi-strata","name":"Citi Strata","fee":0,"cpp":0.01,"base":1,"earn":[{"inputs":["groceries","gas"],"rate":3},{"inputs":["dining"],"rate":2},{"inputs":["portal"],"rate":5}]},"b":{"key":"chase-sapphire-preferred","name":"Sapphire Preferred","fee":95,"cpp":0.015,"base":1,"earn":[{"inputs":["dining","gas"],"rate":3},{"inputs":["airfare","hotels","transit"],"rate":2},{"inputs":["portal"],"rate":5}],"credits":100},"focus":"","inputs":[{"key":"dining","prefill":"dining","noun":"dining"},{"key":"groceries","prefill":"groceries","noun":"groceries"},{"key":"gas","prefill":"gas","noun":"gas"},{"key":"airfare","prefill":"airfare","noun":"flights"},{"key":"hotels","prefill":"hotels","noun":"hotels"},{"key":"other","prefill":"other","noun":"everyday spending"}],"max":20000,"path":"/credit-card-rewards-calculator","pivot":"groceries","step":10}Which one should you get?
Pick Citi Strata if…
- Groceries are your biggest line. Citi Strata earns 3× at supermarkets; Preferred earns 3× only on online grocery orders and 1× in store.
- You want no annual fee and still earn 3× on gas and a category you pick, like streaming.
- You plan to add a Strata Premier later, which makes these points transfer at full value.
Pick Sapphire Preferred if…
- You eat out a lot. Preferred earns 3× on dining; Citi Strata earns 2×.
- You’ll transfer to United, Southwest, or Hyatt, or redeem through Chase Travel.
- You travel abroad or rent cars. Preferred has no foreign transaction fee and includes primary rental car coverage.
What actually differs
Checked with the issuers in October 2026. Terms change, so confirm with the issuer before you apply.
Annual fee
Citi Strata
$0
Sapphire Preferred
$95
Earning
Citi Strata
3× supermarkets, gas and EV, select transit, and one self-select category; 2× restaurants; 5× Citi Travel hotels, cars, and attractions; 1× else
Sapphire Preferred
3× dining, gas, streaming, online groceries; 2× other travel; 5× Chase Travel; 1× else
Credits
Citi Strata
None
Sapphire Preferred
$100 Chase Travel hotel credit each anniversary
Transfers
Citi Strata
Most airlines at 1,000:700 on its own; full value if pooled with Strata Premier or Elite
Sapphire Preferred
1:1 to United, Southwest, and other partners; Hyatt at 4:3
Foreign transaction fee
Citi Strata
3%
Sapphire Preferred
None
| Feature | Citi Strata | Sapphire Preferred |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $95 |
| Earning | 3× supermarkets, gas and EV, select transit, and one self-select category; 2× restaurants; 5× Citi Travel hotels, cars, and attractions; 1× else | 3× dining, gas, streaming, online groceries; 2× other travel; 5× Chase Travel; 1× else |
| Credits | None | $100 Chase Travel hotel credit each anniversary |
| Transfers | Most airlines at 1,000:700 on its own; full value if pooled with Strata Premier or Elite | 1:1 to United, Southwest, and other partners; Hyatt at 4:3 |
| Foreign transaction fee | 3% | None |
FAQ
The Sapphire Preferred costs $95 and earns 3× on dining, gas, and online groceries, with points that transfer at full value. Citi Strata costs nothing and earns 3× at supermarkets, on gas, and in a category you choose, but on its own its points transfer at 1,000:700. If you meant the $795 Sapphire Reserve, compare it with the Citi Strata Elite instead.
Only if groceries dominate your spending or you won’t pay a fee. On our default spending, Preferred comes out about $58 a year ahead after its fee, and more if you use its $100 hotel credit. Pair Citi Strata with a Strata Premier and its points transfer at full value, which flips the math for many households.
Yes, but at a reduced ratio on their own: 1,000 points to 700 miles with most partners. Combine them with a Strata Premier or Strata Elite in the same ThankYou account and they transfer at the full ratio. Don’t count on American AAdvantage from a no-fee Citi card alone; check your ThankYou account before planning around it.
If you use the $100 Chase Travel hotel credit, the fee more than pays for itself before any points. If you don’t, you need about $6,300 a year of spending at 1.5¢ per point in its 1× categories to cover $95, and far less in its 3× categories. See Is Chase Sapphire Preferred worth it?.
Yes, 3% of each purchase made abroad. Sapphire Preferred has none, so it’s the one to take on a trip.