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Credit CardsUpdatedFeb 28, 2022   |  4-min read
Reviewed byJeff Gitlen, CEPF®
Reviewed byJeff Gitlen, CEPF®
Expertise:Student loans, personal loans, home loans, insurance, credit cards
Jeff Gitlen, CEPF®, is the director of content operations at LendEDU. He graduated from the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics at the University of Delaware.
Learn more about Jeff Gitlen, CEPF®
The Chase Freedom card is no longer available to new customers. For other cards, check out our picks for the best credit cards.
Chase Freedom Credit Card
on Chase’s secure website
Chase Freedom Credit Card
What we like:
Best for redemption flexibility
| Sign-Up Offer | $150 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in first 3 months from account opening 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers |
| Rewards Rate | 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate 1% cash back on all other purchases |
| Regular APR | 17.24% – 25.99% |
| Annual Fee | $0 |
See how this card stacks up to our top rated rewards credit cards
Card Details
Pros
- Bonus categories tend to be in line with most people’s regular spending habits
- The 0% APR for 15 months is competitive
- The sign-up bonus should be easy to reach
- High rewards rate in quarterly rotatingcategories
- No annual fee
- Option to maximize cash back through the ChaseUltimate Rewardsprogram
- Tap to Pay functionality
Cons
- You need to spend in specific categories to get a high rewards rate
- 5% cash back rate is only available on up to $1,500 in qualifying purchases each quarter
Recommended Credit Score
Good/Excellent
Chase Freedom Review: Our Thoughts on the Cash Back Card
TheChase Freedom Credit Card is a good rewards card for everyday spending. It works anywhere Visa is accepted, and the bonus rotating categories tend to be in line with typical household expenses, and redeeming rewards is flexible.
As with mostChasecredit cards, you’re most likely to be approved for the Chase Freedom card if you have at least a good credit score.
In this Review:
- Chase Freedom Benefits
- Downsides of theChase Freedom Credit Card
- How It Compares to Similar Cards
Chase Freedom Benefits
Intro APR
The Chase Freedom cash rewards credit card has some advantages. First, there is a 0% intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months after opening an account. This is a pretty solid intro period and can help you save if you’re currently paying off a balance or trying to finance a big purchase.
Sign-Up Bonus
The current welcome offer is a $150 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months after you open a new account. Some other cards offer larger sign-up bonuses, but you also need to spend more money to qualify for them, and most come with an annual fee.
Rewards
You’ll have the opportunity to earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in quarterly rotating bonus categories. You do have to activate these categories to be eligible.
On all other purchases, cardholders earn 1% cash back automatically.
Cash back rewards don’t expire, and there’s no minimum to redeem cash back. You can redeem your earned rewards as a statement credit, a direct deposit into a checking or savings account, or by booking travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. Additionally, you can link your Chase Freedom Card to your Amazon account to use your cash rewards to pay for Amazon orders at checkout.
Downsides of theChase Freedom Credit Card
Although the Chase Freedom card’s quarterly categories offer you the potential to earn great rewards, they do take a little more work to track and opt-in. If you don’t opt-in each quarter, you won’t be eligible for 5% cash back even when you make purchases in those categories. Instead, you’ll earn the automatic 1% cash back.
Additionally, if the quarter’s bonus category is in an area you don’t normally spend much money, you won’t be able to earn bonus rewards. In these cases, a flat-rate cash back card, such as the Chase Freedom Unlimited card, may offer higher rewards.
How It Compares to Similar Cards
Relative to other cash back credit cards, Chase Freedom performs well in a few important areas. The fact that the card’s bonus categories are usually in areas where people spend the most money puts the Freedom card ahead of many competitors. Also, the flexibility in the redemption of cash back is a big perk.
Bottom Line: Is the Chase Freedom Card Right for You?
The Chase Freedom Card is a fairly straightforward card for people who spend in common day-to-day categories such as at grocery stores and gas stations. The biggest downside is having to opt into bonus categories every quarter, but if you’re willing to do that, you can earn a 5% cash back on those purchases.
FAQs
Rewards rate: Boosted cash back rate in everyday categories
The Chase Freedom Unlimited stands out as one of the most valuable no-annual-fee cash back cards on the market, and it especially shines for its elevated rewards rates in popular categories.
Is it hard to get a Chase Freedom card? ›
It's not hard to get a Chase Freedom card. If you're building credit, you could qualify for the Chase Freedom Rise℠ Credit Card, even if you don't have a credit score yet. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Chase Freedom Flex℠ are more difficult to get, as they generally require a good credit score of 670 or higher.
Is Chase Freedom Unlimited a good credit card to start? ›
May be a good first credit card
First-time credit card users may find the Chase Freedom Unlimited® credit card useful thanks to a low annual fee and low intro APR period of 15 months. In addition, the rewards program is easy to manage and redeem for experiences and services that are important to you.
What is the average credit limit for Chase Freedom? ›
What is the credit limit for the Chase Freedom Flex℠? The Chase Freedom Flex℠ has a minimum credit limit of $500, but it's possible to get a much larger amount, including over $20,000. Chase determines your credit limit based on many factors, with your income and credit history being most important.
Which Chase card is hardest to get? ›
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
A rating of 5 is the best a card can receive. Why it's one of the hardest credit cards to get: Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the hardest credit cards to get approved for by virtue of the fact that it is one of the best rewards cards on the market.
Which is better Chase Freedom or Capital One? ›
Winner: Chase Freedom Unlimited®
The Chase Freedom Unlimited®'s elevated earning rates give it an edge over the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. Cardholders earn bonus rewards on travel, drugstore and restaurant purchases, in addition to 1.5% cash back on general purchases.
Is Chase Freedom for beginners? ›
Good first credit card for people who are new to credit
Chase offers one called the Freedom Rise℠ credit card. If approved for this card, you could earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase.
Is Chase Freedom being discontinued? ›
No, Chase Freedom Unlimited® is not being discontinued. You can still apply for both the Chase Freedom Unlimited card and the Chase Freedom Flex℠ card, but the original Chase Freedom card was discontinued in September 2020. Below, you can see what Chase Freedom Unlimited has to offer new applicants.
Does Chase Freedom give high credit limits? ›
Chip Lupo, Credit Card Writer
The minimum credit limit is $500, and some cardholders report having limits as high as $14,000. Keep in mind that the starting credit limit you get on the Chase Freedom Unlimited card won't necessarily be the credit limit you have forever, as you can get credit limit increases.
What's the easiest Chase card to get? ›
The easiest Chase credit card to get is the Chase Freedom Rise℠, as applicants can get approved for this card with limited credit. This means the odds of approval are good even for people who are new to credit, making the Chase Freedom Rise℠ much easier to get than other Chase credit cards.
Detailed Review. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers a compelling combination of valuable rewards, flexible redemption options, a lengthy 0% introductory APR period and a sign-up bonus that's worth more than most cash-back cards offer — all for an annual fee of $0.
How often does Chase Freedom increase credit limit? ›
Chase will increase your credit limit no more than once every six months if you ask for an increase yourself. You can also wait to see if Chase will offer you an automatic credit limit increase. This may happen as often as every six to 12 months.
What is an impressive credit limit? ›
A good credit limit is above $30,000, as that is the average credit card limit, according to Experian. To get a credit limit this high, you typically need an excellent credit score, a high income and little to no existing debt. What qualifies as a good credit limit differs from person to person, though.
What is a respectable credit limit? ›
If you're just starting out, a good credit limit for your first card might be around $1,000. If you have built up a solid credit history, a steady income and a good credit score, your credit limit may increase to $5,000 or $10,000 or more — plenty of credit to ensure you can purchase big ticket items.
What is Chase highest credit limit? ›
The highest reported credit limit for Chase is $100,000, on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®. A limit this high is naturally only available to people with excellent credit and a high income.
What is Chase Freedom good for? ›
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® credit card awards 1.5% cash back for every $1 spent on all purchases. You also earn 5% cash back on travel purchases made through Chase Travel SM and 3% cash back on dining purchases at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services, and drugstores.
Which one is the best Chase card? ›
NerdWallet's Best Chase Credit Cards of May 2024
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Best for Cash back: High ongoing rate.
- Chase Freedom Flex℠: Best for Cash back: Quarterly 5% categories.
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for Travel rewards.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Best for Premium travel rewards.
Good first credit card for people who are new to credit
You could think of them as a credit card for beginners. Chase offers one called the Freedom Rise℠ credit card. If approved for this card, you could earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase.
