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Chase Freedom Unlimited vs. Freedom Flex: Cash-back cards with plenty of perks

Kendall Little
·Senior writer, credit cards
13 min read

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Chase Freedom Flex®️ are two cash-back credit cards that can both offer tremendous value on the purchases you make most often.

With rewards in everyday categories, no annual fee, and access to the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, the Chase Freedom cards have many features in common. But they do have some distinct differences that can help you maximize perks for your own spending.

Here’s what to know about the Chase Freedom Unlimited, which offers both flat cash back on every purchase and added bonus categories.

This cash-back card has no annual fee.

Instead of a one-time cash bonus, the Freedom Unlimited has an ongoing first-year welcome offer. You’ll earn an extra 1.5% cash back on every purchase, up to the first $20,000 you spend in the first year. If you max out that $20,000 limit, you’ll get a total $300 extra cash back.

This means that each rewards category will get a 1.5% boost — and the minimum you’ll earn on your spending is 3% cash back.

Save on new purchase interest charges and pay off any existing debt with this card’s intro 0% APR offer, which lasts for 15 months after account opening.

If you transfer your debt balance within the first 60 days, you’ll pay a balance transfer fee of 3% or $5, whichever is greater. For any remaining balances after the 15 months ends, there’s an ongoing 20.49% to 29.24% variable APR.

If you’re looking for an everyday spending card, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is a solid choice. Here are all the rewards categories to know:

  • 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase

  • 3% cash back on dining

  • 3% cash back at drugstores

  • 1.5% cash back on everything else

The most lucrative of these may be the 1.5% flat cash back on standard spending, which guarantees at least 1.5% back on every purchase you make. In fact, there are other great cash-back cards today that offer that as a maximum return — without the added bonus categories you’ll get with Freedom Unlimited.

The Freedom Unlimited card’s value is mainly in its rewards rather than any extensive benefits. But you can get some added value from specific partners:

  • Lyft: Get 5% cash back on rides through March 31, 2025.

  • DoorDash: Three months of complimentary DashPass membership with activation by Dec. 31, 2024. After that, you’ll be automatically enrolled in DashPass for another nine months at half price.

  • Instacart: Complimentary Instacart+ membership for three months with enrollment by July 31, 2024. Once you’re enrolled, you’ll also get $10 in quarterly statement credits for eligible Instacart purchases, also through July 31. You’ll be automatically enrolled in Instacart+ membership after the complimentary period unless you cancel.

Plus, get instant access to your card after approval (with a digital wallet), credit score access, purchase protection, extended warranty, travel protections, and more.

If you’re on the fence about the type of cash-back card you prefer, the Chase Freedom Unlimited card may just be your solution.

With a minimum 1.5% on every purchase, it’s a solid flat cash-back option. That alone gives it a similar value as some of our other favorite rewards credit cards today. But on top of that, you’ll earn bonus rewards with 3% on purchases that are likely already within your regular budget.

The Freedom Unlimited can also be a good choice for dipping your toe into travel rewards, with 5% back on travel purchased through Chase, which can include everything from flights to hotels, rental cars, and more. Plus, you can choose to redeem the rewards you earn for travel, too.

All of these options combined make up what we like best about the Chase Freedom Unlimited: flexibility. You can use it as a straightforward flat cash-back card, strategize to maximize bonus categories, and even rack up travel rewards on your spending to put toward a future trip. Maybe you’ll even choose all of the above.

  • 1.5% minimum cash back: This alone is a solid rewards rate. Say, for example, you put $1,000 in non-bonus spending on your card per month. After a year, you would earn $180 in cash back at this rate.

  • Great intro APR offer: The long 0% intro APR on both Freedom cards is a big benefit for anyone looking to make a large upcoming purchase. And thanks to this card’s first-year rewards boost, you could get a solid cash-back return and avoid interest for several months.

  • Maximizing other categories: Make sure you check your budget to see where you spend most before applying to this card. If your highest spending categories fall outside of dining or drugstore purchases, you may want to consider a card with different bonus categories.

  • Welcome offer spending: An extra 1.5% back on all purchases can put a nice sum back into your pocket. But the $20,000 in purchases required to max out this bonus (and get the full $300 value) may be out of reach for some cardholders.

You’ll find a lot of similar card details from the Chase Freedom Flex, but this rotating cash-back card has some unique features to know, too.

You won’t pay any annual fee to use this card.

Like many cash-back credit cards, the Chase Freedom Flex has a welcome bonus tied to your spending. You’ll earn $200 cash when you spend at least $500 within the first three months.

The intro offer for these cards is identical. Get an introductory 0% APR on both new purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months, with an ongoing 20.49% to 29.24% variable APR thereafter.

If you plan to make a balance transfer, you’ll pay a fee worth the greater of 3% of your balance or $5. You’ll also want to make your transfer within 60 days of account opening — the fee increases if you wait longer than that.

This card has a few bonus rewards categories:

  • 5% cash back in quarterly rotating categories

  • 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase

  • 3% cash back on dining

  • 3% cash back at drugstores

  • 1% cash back on everything else

The biggest potential value is in the Freedom Flex rotating bonus categories. Each quarter, you’ll earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined spending across the bonus categories as long as you activate by the quarterly deadline.

For the most part, these categories are focused on everyday spending and can range from broad categories to specific retailers. Chase releases information about new categories (there are usually two or three) a few weeks before the start of a new quarter. Here are a few past categories to give you an idea of what to expect:

  • Grocery stores

  • Amazon.com

  • Fitness clubs and gym memberships

  • Select streaming services

  • PayPal

  • Walmart

  • Gas stations

  • Wholesale clubs

The Chase Freedom Flex offers generally the same benefits as the Freedom Unlimited and a few other Chase credit cards, including the following partner offers:

  • Lyft: 5% cash-back rate on rides through March 31, 2025.

  • DoorDash: Three months of complimentary DashPass membership with activation by Dec. 31, 2024. After that, you’ll be automatically enrolled in DashPass for another nine months at half price.

  • Instacart: Complimentary Instacart+ membership for three months with enrollment by July 31, 2024. Once you’re enrolled, you’ll also get $10 in quarterly statement credits for eligible Instacart purchases, also through July 31. You’ll be automatically enrolled in Instacart+ membership after the complimentary period unless you cancel.

The rotating 5% quarterly bonus categories are the primary feature that set apart the Chase Freedom Flex — and it's why we like it for cash-back users who want to really make the most of their spending.

With 5% back on up to $1,500 spent in bonus categories, you could earn an annual $300 back on these rotating categories alone.

As long as you’re willing to track categories and don’t mind switching up where you shop, this card can offer a lot of long-term value. Take grocery shopping, for example. You may get 5% back on general grocery shopping in Q1, 5% at Target in Q2, and 5% at wholesale clubs in Q3. Flexing where you do your regular shopping is necessary to best maximize the highest rewards.

To make the most of these categories, you’ll also need to check your account regularly. Chase only announces the upcoming quarter’s new categories a few weeks before it starts, so you won’t be able to plan your spending for the year in advance.

Most importantly, though, you must activate your bonus each quarter before the deadline to earn the 5% on your eligible spending. There is some flexibility, though. Even if you don’t activate until later in the quarter, your prior eligible spending will still earn the 5%. You can also sign up for reminders from Chase if you’re worried about forgetting the quarterly deadline.

  • Rotating everyday categories: 5% cash back is among the highest rewards rates you’ll find today, and this card’s rotating categories help ensure you’ll save most on regular purchases.

  • Easy-to-earn welcome bonus: With the Freedom Flex’s welcome offer, you only need to spend $500 within the first three months to qualify. That spending minimum is on the low end for similar welcome offers.

  • Need to keep up with bonus rewards: This isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it card. If you’re looking to maximize rewards, you should be prepared to check your account and strategize the rewards categories regularly.

  • Limited notice before each quarter: Unlike some other rotating category cards, Chase doesn’t announce new bonus categories until a few weeks before the quarter begins. That can make it difficult to plan for your rewards earnings ahead of time.

Between these two cards, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is the better option if you like the simplicity of flat cash-back rewards but want some extra earning power. Its minimum 1.5% cash back on standard spending can help guarantee you a solid earning rate, even before considering the added bonus categories.

We calculated the value of cash-back credit cards available today using average American consumer spending data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Based on an average annual spend of $22,992 distributed across several key categories, the Chase Freedom Unlimited could earn you a potential $399.47 each year.

The Chase Freedom Flex, on the other hand, could be a better option if you don’t mind the extra work of strategizing to maximize your rewards earnings. It can also be a bigger risk; if there are a few quarters with categories that aren’t relevant to you, you could sacrifice your earning potential.

Still, there are always a few different options and a focus on everyday spending. If you’re able to max out rotating categories each quarter without going over your budget, you can get major value from this card.

Based on our calculations of average consumer spending and cash-back rewards, the Chase Freedom Flex just slightly edges out the Freedom Unlimited, with a potential annual value of $402.22.

You probably don’t need to get both of these credit cards. Because their rewards are so similar, you’ll find redundancies that can limit your value. Instead, both the Chase Freedom Unlimited and Freedom Flex can make great solo options or pair well with other cards.

For maximum rewards value, you may want to consider pairing either of these cards with a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®. The points you earn with your Freedom card can transfer to a Sapphire card, so you can pool points within one account. Even though you can’t access transfer travel partners with a Freedom card alone, you can use the points you earn with a Freedom card with Chase’s travel partners when you combine them with your Sapphire card.

Learn more: Chase Sapphire Reserve review

Best of all, Sapphire cards earn a boosted redemption rate when you use points to book travel through Chase. This automatically increases the value of your rewards. Here’s an example:

Say you earn 20,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points (equal to $200 cash back) with your Chase Freedom Unlimited over the course of a year, and 40,000 points with a Chase Sapphire Preferred. The Preferred card’s points are worth 1.25 cents per point when you redeem them for travel through Chase. So, if you pool the points from both cards under your Chase Sapphire Preferred account and redeem them for an upcoming trip, your combined 60,000 points may be worth up to $750 in travel.

Here are a few more rewards credit cards we also recommend for everyday spending:

Why we like it: The Chase Sapphire Preferred can make a great pair with either the Freedom Unlimited or Freedom Flex, if you want to pool points for bonus travel redemptions. But it’s also a great rewards card on its own.

For a $99 annual fee, you’ll get 5x points when booking through Chase Travel (if you book hotels this way, you’ll first get a $50 credit for Chase hotel spending, then start earning the 5x). Also earn 3x on dining, online grocery purchases (not including Target and Walmart), and select streaming; 2x on other travel; and 1x on everything else. The welcome bonus is worth 60,000 points if you spend $4,000 within the first three months.

Unlike the Freedom cards, the Sapphire Preferred gives you access to Chase’s travel partners: more than a dozen hotels and airlines you can transfer points to 1:1. Or you can choose to book travel with your points through Chase for a value of 1.25 cents per point.

Why we like it: The Quicksilver card is another great no-annual-fee option if simplicity is your priority. It earns 1.5% back on every purchase, with a boosted 5% rate on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. The cash welcome bonus is the same as the Freedom Flex: $200 when you spend at least $500 within the first three months. It even has a 0% introductory APR offer on new purchases and balance transfers, too.

Why we like it: Blue Cash Everyday is a cash-back card with a range of great bonus categories. You can earn 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. online retailers, and U.S. gas stations (on up to $6,000 spent per year in each category, then 1%). Also, get 1% back on everything else. If you can max out each 3% category annually, that would net you $540 in bonus cash back alone.

With the Blue Cash Everyday card’s cash welcome bonus, you can earn $200 if you spend $2,000 within the first six months. Plus, there’s a solid 0% introductory APR offer on both new purchases and balance transfers. (See rates and fees. Terms apply.)

Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn't include all currently available offers.