Chase Freedom Flex℠ vs Sam's Club® Mastercard®
Side-by-side comparison
| Chase Freedom Flex℠ | Sam's Club® Mastercard® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | $200 cash bonus | $30 statement credit |
| Dining | 3x | 3x |
| Groceries | 1x | 1x |
| Gas | 1x | 5x |
| Travel | 1x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $361 | $438 |
| Points type | Pools with Chase → transferable | Cash back only |
| Network | Mastercard | Mastercard |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified August 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Chase Freedom Flex℠ | Sam's Club® Mastercard® |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | $200 cash bonus | $30 statement credit |
| To earn it | $500 in 3 months | $30 same day |
| Est. first-year value* | $561 | $468 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $361 | $438 |
This one splits by time horizon. In year one the Chase Freedom Flex℠ is ahead by roughly $93, thanks largely to its welcome offer. But the Sam's Club® Mastercard® earns more every year after, so if you keep it, it overtakes the Chase Freedom Flex℠ after about 2 years. Chasing the sign-up bonus and open to canceling before the second annual fee? Take the Chase Freedom Flex℠. Planning to keep it for years? The Sam's Club® Mastercard® pulls ahead.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | Chase Freedom Flex℠ | Sam's Club® Mastercard® |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Annual credits | None | None |
| Points & redemptions | Transferable (paired with a premium card) | Cash back only |
On perks and redemptions, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ earns transferable points with a higher redemption ceiling, while the other is capped nearer a flat cent. Weigh those against the fee, since credits and lounge access only count if you will actually use them.
Transfer partners and point value
Only the Chase Freedom Flex℠ earns transferable points. Its Chase Ultimate Rewards move to World of Hyatt, United, Air Canada, Southwest, and British Airways Avios, where a point can be worth several cents on a premium-cabin redemption, far above its cash value. The Sam's Club® Mastercard® pays flat cash back, worth about a cent, so its ceiling is nearer a penny per point no matter how you redeem.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ earns about $361 a year in rewards and the Sam's Club® Mastercard® about $438, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Chase Freedom Flex℠ has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Sam's Club® Mastercard® has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards and any credits, the Sam's Club® Mastercard® delivers more total value, about $77 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on gas. The bigger difference is the ceiling: the Chase Freedom Flex℠ earns points you can move to travel partners for outsized value, while the Sam's Club® Mastercard® pays plain cash back. Favor the Chase Freedom Flex℠ if you will use travel transfers, the Sam's Club® Mastercard® if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Sam's Club® Mastercard® if your spending leans toward gas.