Your credit limit will be at least $500 if approved for the Visa Platinum version of the card. If you’re approved for a Visa Signature account, your credit limit will be at least $5,000.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Looking for a great flat-rate cash back card but don’t want to give up bonus categories entirely? You can enjoy the best of both worlds with the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. It’s an excellent choice for most situations, offering a minimum 1.5% rewards rate on purchases, with the potential to earn additional points in a few select categories, including dining and drugstores. The combination of elevated flat-rate cash back plus limited bonus categories makes it one of the highest-earning no-annual-fee cards on the market.
Besides its earning potential, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® comes with decent travel and purchase protections, plus the ability to combine with other Ultimate Rewards-earning cards to increase its rewards value. To top things off, the card offers a generous sign-up bonus and competitive introductory APR on both purchases and balance transfers.
On the downside, this card only earns 1.5% cash back on general purchases, so it may not be the best companion to other rewards credit cards. The card also charges a foreign transaction fee of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars, which makes it a less ideal option for travel.
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Rewards Rate | Welcome Offer | Regular APR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
 Apply Now
on Chase's secure site Rates & Fees |
1.5% - 5% cash back
| $200 cash back
Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
| 18.99% - 28.49% Variable |
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site Rates & Fees |
|
Chase Freedom Flex℠*
|
1% - 5% cash back
| $200 cash bonus
Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
| 18.99% - 28.49% variable | ||
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
|
1% - 8% cash back
| $200 Cash Back
$200 Cash Back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
| 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) | ||
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card*
|
2% cash rewards on purchases
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
| $200 cash rewards
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
| 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR |
Earns at least 1.5% on purchases
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® combines solid flat-rate rewards with some select bonus categories, allowing it to earn you a great overall return. Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases. There are no spending caps for the 5% and 3% earning rates, and unlike most cash back cards that only give 1% on purchases outside of bonus categories, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers 1.5%.
With all these categories combined, the card has the potential to beat the earnings on 2% cards like the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. It’s a great option for those looking for a standalone cash back card:
| Rewards earned per $1 spent* | |
|---|---|
| Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card | $0.023 |
| Chase Freedom Flex℠ | $0.022 |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® | $0.021 |
| Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card | $0.020 |
| Discover it® Cash Back | $0.017 |
| Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card | $0.016 |
I personally get the most value from this card when it comes to dining. My husband and I love going out to eat or picking up takeout on the weekends, so earning 3% cash back on those purchases is a nice perk. I also take advantage of the elevated cash back rate at drugstores. While I also have the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, which offers 2% cash back on purchases, it’s reassuring to know that the Chase Freedom Unlimited® gives me at least 1.5% back no matter where I use it.
With the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, you can also earn extra cash back through the Chase Offers Program. Just activate offers in the app or online before you shop. They’re personalized based on your spending and are available for a limited time.
Learn more about the Chase Offers Program.
Points are flexible and easy to redeem
While the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is billed as a cash back card, it earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which are extraordinarily flexible and valuable. Not only can you redeem your points for cash back at a rate of $0.01 per 1 point, but you can also redeem points for a variety of other rewards, including gift cards and travel.
I’ve used several redemption options with my Chase Freedom Unlimited®, including gift cards and statement credits. The Chase platform is really user-friendly, so it’s easy to apply rewards to my balance or choose from a variety of gift cards, which I’ve even used to help furnish my home. I also like having the option to redeem points for travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal. I often check there for deals on things like rental cars to see if I can save with my card.
You can transfer points to some Ultimate Rewards cards
If you have multiple Chase credit cards that earn Ultimate Rewards points, you can potentially get even more value out of the rewards you earn with the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. By transferring points to cards such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates & fees) or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (see rates & fees), you can unlock even more value by using the points at 1.25 cents each by booking with Chase TravelSM. Alternatively, you can transfer points to one of several travel partners.
The ability to combine points with other cards to open up better redemption options makes the Chase Freedom Unlimited® a great complement to premium Chase credit cards.
Solid travel and purchase protections
For a no-annual-fee card, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® benefits are solid. You’ll enjoy a nice set of both purchase protections and travel perks. These benefits aren’t as strong as those of a more premium travel card, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, but they’re sufficient for many situations.
Easy-to-earn sign-up bonus
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers a sign-up bonus that’s simple to earn: Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. This is similar to what you’ll find with other top cash back credit cards. For example, with the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card, you can earn $200 Cash Back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.
Good intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
If you’re planning to carry a balance or make a large purchase with your card, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers an above-average introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers. You’ll get a 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months and a 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months. After the intro period, an 18.99% - 28.49% Variable APR will apply.
While there are cards that offer an even longer intro APR, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers the best value among intro APR credit cards. For example, the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card has a 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases (followed by a 17.24%, 23.74%, or 28.99% Variable APR), but there’s no rewards program.
See all of the top 0% APR credit cards and top balance transfer credit cards.
Foreign transaction fees
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a poor choice for using outside the country, as you’ll be hit with a foreign transaction fee of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars on purchases made outside the U.S. When traveling abroad, it’s best to use a card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, such as the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card (see rates & fees).
Other cards have a higher flat rate
While the Chase Freedom Unlimited® has several rewards categories, general purchases will only earn 1.5% cash back. This is lower compared to other flat-rate cash back credit cards. For example, the Citi Double Cash® Card and Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card both offer a higher 2% flat-rate cash back on general purchases. So if you’re looking for the best flat-rate cash back card to pair with other cards, you should consider one of these.
Because the Chase Freedom Unlimited® only earns 1.5% on general purchases, I typically use it for the bonus categories. I use the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card for everything else, thanks to its 2% cash back on every purchase.
Requires Good / Excellent credit
Chase requires good / excellent credit (typically a 660 or higher FICO Score) to be approved for the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. If you have a lower credit score, consider the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card or any of our other top credit cards for bad credit.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ retains the same elevated earning in select spending categories as the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, including dining and drugstore purchases and Chase TravelSM. It also features a valuable sign-up bonus offer. The main downside is that you’ll have to remember to activate the categories each quarter. Otherwise, you’ll earn just 1% on these categories.
The card also lets you earn $200 Cash Back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. Additionally, there are no foreign transaction fees, so this is a better card to take with you abroad.
The card also offers a decent intro APR on purchases and balance transfers: 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers (followed by a 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR). You can also earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a great option if you want to collect Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. It’s also a top choice if you want a single cash back card to put all of your spending on, especially if dining is one of your top spending categories. But if you’re looking for a flat-rate cash back card to pair well with other rewards credit cards, look for a card that offers a higher flat rate, like the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card.
Or, if you want the opportunity to earn an elevated rewards rate in categories that rotate quarterly, and don’t mind activating bonus categories or keeping track of spending limits each quarter, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ may be a better fit. For broader bonus categories, the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card is worth considering.
Apply Now
Your credit limit will be at least $500 if approved for the Visa Platinum version of the card. If you’re approved for a Visa Signature account, your credit limit will be at least $5,000.
Yes, you can have both the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Freedom Unlimited® cards at the same time. While they’re often seen as competitors, they actually complement each other well. You can use the Chase Freedom Flex℠ for its rotating 5% categories and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® to earn more than 1% on other purchases. Plus, you’re able to transfer rewards between the two cards.
No, as long as your account remains open. If your account is closed, you will immediately lose all Ultimate Rewards points for that card account.
The Chase 5/24 rule prevents you from being approved for a new Chase credit card if you’ve opened five or more accounts with any bank in the last 24 months. This is something to be aware of before applying for the Chase Freedom Unlimited®.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
The information related to the Chase Freedom Flex℠, Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card and Wells Fargo Reflect® Card has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.