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Chase Prime Visa vs United Explorer Card

Both are Chase cards. Here is every spend category, ranked by what each card actually returns.

Best card by category Card terms as of Oct 29

Everything else

  1. United Explorer Card 1.2% 1x base rate
  2. Prime Visa 1.0% 1% base rate

Dining

  1. United Explorer Card 2.4% 2x
  2. Prime Visa 2.0% 2%

Gas

  1. Prime Visa 2.0% 2%
  2. United Explorer Card 1.2% 1x base rate

Travel · portal

  1. Prime Visa · Chase Travel 5.0% 5%

Amazon

  1. Prime Visa 5.0% 5%
  2. United Explorer Card 1.2% 1x base rate

Whole Foods Market

  1. Prime Visa 5.0% 5%
  2. United Explorer Card 1.2% 1x base rate

Flights

  1. United Explorer Card 3.6% 3x
  2. Prime Visa 1.0% 1% base rate

Hotels

  1. United Explorer Card 2.4% 2x
  2. Prime Visa 1.0% 1% base rate

Public transit

  1. Prime Visa 2.0% 2%
  2. United Explorer Card 1.2% 1x base rate

Rideshare & taxis

  1. Prime Visa 2.0% 2%
  2. United Explorer Card 1.2% 1x base rate

What the numbers are doing

United Explorer Card tops everything else at 1.2% only because this table values its points at 1.2 cents each. Value them at one cent and Prime Visa wins that category instead.

The table is earn rate only — annual fees are not netted out of it. These cards charge Prime Visa $0 and United Explorer Card $150 a year, so a thin lead in one category may not cover the difference.

Where they differ: United Explorer Card takes everything else, dining, flights and hotels; Prime Visa takes gas, amazon, whole foods market and public transit, plus 1 more.

pointslipEveryday
Pass content preview
CategoryBest card
Everything elseUnited Explorer Card1.2%
DiningUnited Explorer Card2.4%
GasPrime Visa2.0%
Travel · portalPrime Visa · Chase Travel5.0%
AmazonPrime Visa5.0%
Whole Foods MarketPrime Visa5.0%
FlightsUnited Explorer Card3.6%
HotelsUnited Explorer Card2.4%
Public transitPrime Visa2.0%
Rideshare & taxisPrime Visa2.0%

Content preview. Apple Wallet controls the layout; visible categories vary by device. Categories that rank the same as Everything else are left off; every other category is in pass details.

Every category, every card

Everything else

  1. United Explorer Card — 1.2%
  2. Prime Visa — 1.0%

Dining

  1. United Explorer Card — 2.4%
  2. Prime Visa — 2.0%

Gas

  1. Prime Visa — 2.0%
  2. United Explorer Card — 1.2%

Travel · portal

  1. Prime Visa · Chase Travel — 5.0%

Amazon

  1. Prime Visa — 5.0%
  2. United Explorer Card — 1.2%

Whole Foods Market

  1. Prime Visa — 5.0%
  2. United Explorer Card — 1.2%

Flights

  1. United Explorer Card — 3.6%
  2. Prime Visa — 1.0%

Hotels

  1. United Explorer Card — 2.4%
  2. Prime Visa — 1.0%

Public transit

  1. Prime Visa — 2.0%
  2. United Explorer Card — 1.2%

Rideshare & taxis

  1. Prime Visa — 2.0%
  2. United Explorer Card — 1.2%
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