Wise card vs Chase Sapphire: what's the right one for you?

Looking for a card to make spending overseas simple and safe? If you’re in the market for an international debit card you might be considering the Wise card. Or if you want a credit card, Chase® offers the Chase Sapphire®¹ series of credit cards which have no foreign transaction fee and premium travel rewards.

But which is right for you: Wise card vs Chase Sapphire? Or maybe having both in your wallet will give you more options and flexibility to spend while you’re away from home? This guide will help you decide.

Wise card vs Chase Sapphire: quick overview

Before we get into the details, let’s look at an overview. Chase offers 2 Sapphire cards - here we’ve focused on the Chase Sapphire Preferred² which has a lower annual fee compared to the other option - the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

	Wise card	Chase Sapphire Preferred
Card type	Debit card from a non-bank provider	Credit card issued by a major bank
Key features	Spend in 150+ countries with the mid-market exchange rate and no foreign transaction fee Hold and exchange 40+ currencies in a digital account Send payments to 160+ countries Personal and business services	Spend internationally with no foreign transaction fee Earn rewards as you spend Credit scoring required Repay your bill in full and on time to avoid penalties
Main fees	9 USD card order fee* Currency conversion from 0.42%* No monthly or annual maintenance fees	95 USD annual fee4 10 USD or 5% cash advance fee, whichever is higher Variable interest rates, plus penalty fees, depending on how you use your account
Great for	Low cost debit card linked to a flexible international account with options to send, spend, hold and exchange 40+ currencies	Credit card with no foreign transaction fee which allows you to earn rewards as you spend, and spread your costs over a few months if you want to
Accepted in	150+ countries globally, wherever the network is supported	More or less globally, wherever the network is supported
Exchange rate	Mid-market rate	Network rate, which may include a markup

Note: Information correct at the time of writing (7th March 2024)

Wise card vs Chase Sapphire: key features and rewards

Both the Wise card and the Chase Sapphire card can be great choices if you spend overseas. However, they’re pretty different in how they work, and what features you’ll get. Let’s take a look.

Wise card

Wise is not a bank, it’s a money service business. It’s regulated and licensed to provide some financial services, such as money transmission or multi currency accounts in the US, and is safe to use - but the way Wise works won’t necessarily be the same as a bank.

Wise has a focus on supporting people who need to manage multiple currencies - travelers, expats, international students, and anyone who needs to hold, send, spend and receive foreign currencies.

The Wise card is linked to a digital multi-currency account that can hold and exchange 40+ currencies and send payments to 160+ countries, plus you’ll be able to receive money from others in major currencies easily.

Here are some features of the Wise card:

Spend in 150+ countries wherever the network is supported Free to spend in currencies you hold - if you don’t have the currency required, the card will convert for you with low fees from 0.42%* Cards can be frozen, unfrozen and managed online or in-app Currency exchange uses the mid-market exchange rate Add money to your account by card, with Apple Pay, using ACH or wire, or have someone send you a payment Debit card - so there are no credit checks, and there’s no interest to pay Personal and business services available - terms and conditions vary

Chase Sapphire

Chase offers plenty of different credit cards - but if you’re planning on using a credit card to pay for travel, or to buy things while you’re away, it makes sense to have a card which is optimized for travel use.

The Chase Sapphire credit card series has no foreign transaction fee and lets you earn rewards faster when you’re spending on travel and leisure. You may also unlock extra protections when you pay for travel and services with your card, such as insurance if anything goes wrong on your trip.

Here are a few of the features you’ll get from Chase Sapphire Preferred:

No foreign transaction fee when you spend overseas Foreign spending is converted to USD using the network exchange rate Earn up to 5x rewards on travel spending Redeem rewards for travel and get 25% extra value from them Some complimentary travel insurance included including baggage delay and trip cancellation insurance Global acceptance - credit cards can also be used as a payment guarantee when checking into a hotel or hiring a car

Wise card vs Chase Sapphire: fees and costs

The way the Chase Sapphire card works on fees and costs is different compared to the Wise card. The Wise card is a debit card which means you need to add money in advance, but there’s no credit check and no interest to pay.

Chase Sapphire cards are credit cards, which have annual fees and may incur interest if you don’t clear your bills in time. Here’s a quick comparison on the fees of both:

Service	Wise card cost*	Chase Sapphire Preferred card cost
Card order fee	9 USD	Not applicable
Annual fee	Not applicable	95 USD
Exchange rate	Mid-market rate	Network exchange rate
Make ATM withdrawals in the US and abroad	Up to 2 withdrawals to the value of 100 USD/month for free 1.5 USD + 2% after that	10 USD or 5%, whichever is higher
Interest	Not applicable	Variable based on credit score and card policies: 21.49% - 28.49%
Penalty fees	Not applicable	Up to 40 USD

Note: Information correct at the time of writing (7th March 2024)

Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information_

Wise card vs Chase Sapphire comparison

Still not sure which will work for you - here are a few more pros and cons to consider:

Wise card: advantages and disadvantages

Pros	Cons
Spend in 150+ countries No exchange rate markups No annual fee No credit check to get a card	You need to add money in advance before you can spend 9 USD card order fee* Currency conversion costs apply - from 0.42%*

Chase Sapphire benefits and disadvantages

Pros	Cons
Earn travel rewards as you spend Redeem your rewards for travel in future and get even better value from your points Spread the costs of your spending over months if you want to Credit cards can be used as a payment guarantee	95 USD annual fee and a 10 USD or 5% cash advance fee Interest and penalties may apply No option to hold a foreign currency

Wise card vs Chase Sapphire: what's the right one for you?

The Wise card is a debit card with a linked digital account which has options to hold and exchange 40+ currencies, get paid by others with local account details in major currencies, and send payments to 160+ countries.

The card itself is accepted in 150+ countries, with no fee to spend any currency you hold. This makes it a good choice if you want a flexible multi-currency account and you’re happy to add money in advance of spending to get low cost international features.

The Chase Sapphire card is a credit card which has no foreign transaction fees. When you spend overseas your purchase costs are converted back to USD with the network exchange rate to be added to your monthly bill.

Credit cards have a few advantages - they can be used as a payment guarantee when checking into a hotel or renting a car, and you can spread your costs out over months if you choose to. However, they tend to come with higher fees compared to debit cards, including annual charges which are unavoidable even if you repay your bill monthly to skip interest charges.

Whether the Wise card or the Chase Sapphire card is right for you will depend on your personal preferences and how you like to spend.

For many customers, having both a low cost international debit card to use for some spending and for cheap or free ATM withdrawals - and a travel focused credit card for high value purchases or as a payment guarantee - can work well.

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Use this guide to compare them both and pick the one which best suits your own unique needs, or get both so you’ll always have the right way to pay in your pocket.

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Sources:

1. Chase Sapphire
2. Chase Sapphire Preferred
3. Chase Sapphire Preferred pricing

Sources checked on 03.19.2024