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If you're looking for a no-annual-fee credit card that offers a solid return for your everyday spending, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is an excellent pick. You'll earn at least 1.5% back on your purchases with no spending caps, and the card's useful bonus categories can give your rewards earning a big boost. That's one of the main reasons we include it as a great choice for everyday spending in our best credit cards guide.
Chase Freedom Unlimited Fees
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® has no annual fee, but you will pay foreign transaction fees, so it's not a good choice for international purchases. As with most other cards, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® charges fees for late and returned payments, cash advances, and balance transfers.
- Annual fee: $0
- APR: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable
- Intro APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months
- Balance transfer fee: Intro fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, on transfers made within 60 days of account opening. After that: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Foreign transaction fee: 3% of the amount of each transaction in US dollars
- Cash advance fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater
Chase Freedom Unlimited: Is It Worth It for You?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited offers a welcome bonus of 1.5% cash back in addition to regular earning on everything you buy up to $20,000 spent in the first year (worth up to $300 cash back).
While it's marketed as a cash-back credit card, it actually earns rewards in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which are worth 1 cent apiece when you redeem them for cash back. So earning 3% back is the same as earning 3 points per dollar.
Beyond redeeming points for cash back, you can also use them to book travel through the Chase portal, trade them in for gift cards, or pay with points at Amazon and other participating merchants.
In terms of benefits, the card comes with an impressive range of perks, some of which you don't usually see on no-annual-fee cards. These include travel insurance, purchase protections, and statement credits. Plus, new cardholders receive a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months (followed by a 20.49% - 29.24% Variable APR), making this card a good choice if you want to save money on interest and one of the best balance transfer cards.
We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Freedom Unlimited Rewards
Chase Freedom Unlimited bonus
The Chase Freedom Unlimited welcome bonus offer of 1.5% cash back in addition to regular earning on everything you buy up to $20,000 spent in the first year (worth up to $300 cash back) means you'll receive at least 3% back on purchases during your first cardmember year.
Here's what this bonus 1.5% bonus means for your return rate:
- 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- 4.5% cash back on dining and drugstore purchases
- 3% cash back on all other eligible purchases
How to earn rewards with the Chase Freedom Unlimited
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® has a straightforward earning structure, and no matter the category, you'll earn at least 1.5% back (1.5x points) on every purchase.
Cardholders earn:
- 5% back (5x points) on travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal (including airfare, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and activities)
- 3% back (3x points) on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services)
- 3% back (3x points) at drugstores
- 1.5% back (1.5x points) on everything else
But new cardholders will receive a 1.5% supercharge on all purchases (for up to $20,000 in spend per year), meaning you'll receive between 3% and 6.5% for spending.
How to redeem rewards from the Chase Freedom Unlimited
One of the reasons the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is so popular is because the rewards it earns are so flexible. Chase Ultimate Rewards redemption options include:
- Cash back (1 cent per point)
- Gift cards (1 cent per point)
- Airfare, hotels, car rentals, and more through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal (1 cent per point)
- Apple purchases (1 cent per point)
- Pay Yourself Back (1.25 cents per point toward eligible charities through December 31, 2023)
- PayPal and Amazon purchases (0.8 cents per point)
The last option should be avoided — you're better off paying for an Amazon or PayPal purchase with your card and using points at 1 cent apiece for a statement credit. Otherwise, you'll get an inferior value.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is a great card on its own, but you can actually boost the value of your rewards when you pair it with certain other Chase cards, including the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. Chase allows you to transfer Ultimate Rewards points between accounts, and by moving your points to one of these cards, you'll unlock more valuable redemption options — including the ability to transfer points to Chase's airline and hotel partners. You'll also have more ways to redeem points through Chase's Pay Yourself Back program.
For example, with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, your points are worth 1.5 cents apiece when you book travel through the Chase travel portal. Pairing a Chase Freedom card with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the best ways to get the most from your Chase Ultimate Rewards points, especially if you like to use points for travel.
Chase Freedom Unlimited Benefits and Features
Introductory 0% APR
The Chase Freedom Unlimited ranks as one of the best-zero interest credit cards thanks to its generous 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months (then a 20.49% - 29.24% Variable APR).
Whether you have a large purchase looming that you want to pay off over an extended period, or have high-interest credit card balances you'd like to consolidate with a balance transfer, this card can save you money on interest and give you a little breathing room as you pay off debt.
Purchase protection
When you pay for an eligible new purchase with your Chase Freedom Unlimited®, the card's purchase protection can cover you for damage or theft for 120 days, up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
Extended warranty
Eligible items you purchase with the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, with a manufacturer's warranty of three years or less, can receive an additional year of extended warranty coverage.
Car rental insurance
When you decline the rental company's collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your card, you're covered for theft and collision damage on most cars. In the US, coverage is secondary to your personal insurance — otherwise, it's primary rental car insurance.
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
If you pay for your travel with the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, you're covered for up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip if your trip is canceled or shortened because of illness, severe weather, or other eligible events.
Bonus points on Lyft purchases
You'll earn 5% cash back (5x points) on purchases made with Lyft through March 2025.
Complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership
Chase Freedom Unlimited® cardholders receive a complimentary three months of DashPass, which gets you $0 food delivery fees and reduced service fees on orders of $12 or more with DoorDash and Caviar. After that, you'll receive a 50% discount on your DashPass membership for the next nine months. Activation is required by December 31, 2024.
Instacart benefits
Through July 31, 2024, Chase Freedom Unlimited® cardholders can activate a complimentary three-month Instacart+ membership, which comes with reduced service fees and free delivery on orders of $35 or more. Be sure to set a calendar reminder to cancel if you don't plan to keep the membership after three months, otherwise, you'll be charged for a full year ($99) once the three-month trial period expires.
You can also receive up to $10 per quarter in statement credits toward Instacart purchases once you activate the benefit. If you maximize this perk each quarter, it's worth up to $40 per year — a nice deal for a card with no annual fee.
Travel and emergency assistance services
If you're away from home and run into trouble, you'll have access to a travel and emergency assistance hotline to help arrange things like legal and medical referrals, prescriptions, translation services, and more. Keep in mind any third-party costs are your responsibility.
Monthly Gopuff credits
Through December 31, 2023, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers $10 per month in Gopuff credits when you add your card as the default payment method to your Gopuff app. Gopuff is a service that offers fast delivery of everyday items like food, alcohol, electronics, and medicine.
You'll receive the credit automatically when you make a qualifying purchase with Gopuff. There's a minimum order amount of $10 and a flat $3.95 delivery fee per order.
How the Chase Freedom Unlimited Compares
Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Freedom Flex
The Chase Freedom Unlimited and Chase Freedom Flex℠ , while similarly named, have some significant differences in their welcome bonus offers, rewards earning, and benefits.
With the Chase Freedom Flex, new cardholders can earn $200 cash bonus (received as 20,000 bonus points) after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, plus earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (excluding Target and Walmart) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year. While you can potentially get a higher value from the Chase Freedom Unlimited's welcome bonus offer, it requires a lot of spending — and many folks would prefer to earn a bonus in a lump sum with a smaller minimum spending requirement.
On the earning side of the equation, the Chase Freedom Flex is potentially more lucrative (albeit more hands-on), earning 5% cash back (5x points) on up to $1,500 in combined spending in categories that rotate every quarter when you activate the bonus. Plus, it earns 5% cash back (5x points) on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal, 3% back (3x points) on drugstore and dining purchases (including takeout and eligible delivery services), and 1% back (1x points) on everything else.
If you don't mind keeping track of and activating bonus categories, the Chase Freedom Flex could earn you more rewards. In addition, because it's a World Elite Mastercard, the Flex comes with a benefit you won't find on the Unlimited: When you use the card to pay your monthly wireless bill, you're eligible for cell phone protection against covered theft or damage, up to $800 per claim and $1,000 per year, with a $50 deductible per claim and a maximum of two claims per 12-month period.
Here's our comparison of the Chase Freedom Flex vs Chase Freedom Unlimited for a closer look at the differences between these cards.
Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Capital One Quicksilver
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is a strong competitor to the Chase Freedom Unlimited, earning 1.5% cash back on just about everything (except for 5% cash back on hotel and car rental bookings made through Capital One Travel). It has a good welcome offer: one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within three months of account opening, which is again more appealing for folks who don't plan to spend a ton on the card.
The Quicksilver also comes with a strong intro APR offer (0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months), followed by a 19.99% - 29.99% Variable APR) and similar travel and shopping benefits to the Chase Freedom Unlimited.
However, the Quicksilver Cash Rewards Card is the clear winner if you plan to use the card overseas, because it doesn't charge foreign transaction fees. You can check out our showdown between the Capital One Quicksilver vs Chase Freedom Unlimited to find out which card is a better fit for you.
Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Discover it Miles
Discover credit cards also have the advantage of not charging foreign transaction fees. On the surface, the Discover it® Miles seems to be a weaker choice compared to the Chase Freedom Unlimited because it doesn't come with a traditional welcome bonus. And it earns 1.5x miles on all purchases (worth 1.5% back), with no bonus categories like the Freedom Unlimited offers.
However, the Discover it® Miles has a superpower that makes it much more rewarding for big spenders. Discover's Cashback Match program (called Unlimited Bonus on this card) will automatically match all the miles you've earned at the end of your first year, with no limits. That means you're effectively earning 3 miles per dollar (3% back) on everything you buy in the first year.
That said, the Discover it® Miles is very light on benefits, with no travel insurance or purchase protections to speak of. If these perks are important to you, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is the better choice. Our Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Discover it Miles credit card comparison explores all the angles to help you decide between these cards.
Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Citi Double Cash
The Citi® Double Cash Card is one of the best 2% cash back credit cards and is a popular choice for those who don't want to fuss with bonus categories or earning caps. It earns 1 point per dollar when you make a purchase, and 1 point per dollar when you pay your bill (worth a total of 2% cash back). That's a better deal than the Chase Freedom Unlimited if most of your spending is outside of bonus categories.
It's also one of the best balance transfer credit cards for its generous 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months (followed by a 19.24% - 29.24% Variable APR). The downside is that the Citi Double Cash Card doesn't offer a welcome bonus, nor does it come with any notable benefits. But if you're looking for a straightforward flat-rate cash-back card with a long intro APR on balance transfers, it's a worthy competitor.
Chase Freedom Unlimited Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
To be considered for the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, you'll need at least a good credit score, meaning a FICO score of 670 or more.
If you're still working on improving your score, you might want to look at one of the best credit cards for fair or average credit instead. There's also a student version of the Freedom card — Chase Freedom® Student credit card — which is easier to qualify for if you're a college student.
As with other Chase cards, you won't be approved for the Chase Freedom Unlimited® if you've opened five or more credit cards (from any bank) in the past 24 months. This restriction is known as the Chase 5/24 rule.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a good choice if you're looking for a card that earns generous, straightforward rewards, without having to keep track of rotating categories or spending limits. It's also got a decent set of benefits, which puts it high on our list of top no-annual-fee credit cards.
It's also got an excellent welcome bonus offer that can really pay off if you're a big spender. If that's not you, you may want to look at alternate offers.
Yes, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® adds foreign transaction fees of 3% of the amount of each transaction in US dollars. If you're traveling abroad, pack one of the best credit cards without foreign transaction fees instead to save money.
The best card for you really depends on your spending habits and how hands-on you want to get with earning rewards. If you don't want to fuss with rotating bonuses, or do most of your spending in non-bonus categories, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is the more practical choice.
However, if you think you'll spend a fair amount in the Chase Freedom Flex℠ rotating bonus categories, and you're willing to activate the bonus every quarter, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ is potentially the more rewarding option. It earns 5x points on up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter in rotating bonus categories when you activate (then 1x), 3x points on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
Methodology: How we reviewed the Chase Freedom Unlimited
Insider's credit card experts reviewed the Chase Freedom Unlimited® by comparing it to similar no-annual-fee cash-back credit cards. We evaluated several factors that included:
- Ease of use — Does the card offer an easy-to-navigate rewards program with respect to earning and redeeming cash back? Are there any hoops to jump through or restrictions as to who can apply?
- Rewards earning potential — Are the card's earning rates competitive with similar cards, and if there are bonus categories, are they useful to most users? Are any categories capped at a maximum amount of spending?
- Benefits — Although you won't typically find a lot of frills on no-annual-fee cards, does the card come with unique perks that can save you money, protect your travel and purchases, or make your life easier?
- Fees — Does the card tack on extra charges like foreign transaction fees or late fees?
You can read more about how we rate credit cards for a deeper dive into our methodology.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
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