Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Review
Is the Chase Freedom Unlimited card worth it?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® card is a solid choice if you’re looking for a flexible cash-back rewards card with no annual fee. It offers a great reward-earning structure, with a fallback rate of 1.5%— half of a percentage higher than many cards in the same bracket. On top of that, it earns generously on travel purchases through Chase Travel℠, drugstore purchases, and dining purchases.
Plus, this Chase credit card comes with a solid welcome offer: a one-year, 1.5% bump on earning rates, so you can accumulate rewards quickly (Note: this offer is available through LA Times Compare but may not be available through another site). It’s especially appealing for travelers, thanks to higher earning rates on restaurants and bookings through Chase’s travel portal.
▶︎ See our picks: Best no-annual-fee travel credit cards
Chase Freedom Unlimited: Highlights
- The Chase Freedom Unlimited card has no annual fee.
- Cardholders can enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After the first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
- The Freedom Unlimited welcome offer is unique, offering a 1.5% cash-back bump on all earning categories for the first $20,000 spent in the first year.
- This card comes with benefits such as 3 months of free Instacart+, a free 3-month DashPass subscription, and more.
- This card charges foreign transaction fees, making it a less-than-ideal credit card for international travel.
▶︎ Learn more: Chase Freedom Unlimited benefits
Pros and cons
Who is the Freedom Unlimited best for?
Chase Freedom Unlimited is best for those who prefer a simple, yet flexible rewards program. It’s perfect for people who want to earn cash back on everyday purchases without the need to track rotating categories or activate bonus rewards. The Chase Freedom Unlimited is a great card for restaurants as you can earn 3% cash back every time you dine out. This card would be ideal for individuals who can pair it with other Chase cards to maximize the value of their points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Rewards
Earning rewards
With the Chase Freedom Unlimited card, you’ll earn:
- 5% when you book travel in the Chase Travel portal
- 3% for eligible purchases at restaurants and drugstores
- 1.5% on all other purchases
In your first year, you can also earn an extra 1.5% back on your first $20,000 of charges, so you’d earn:
- 6.5% when you book travel in the Chase Travel portal
- 4.5% for eligible purchases at restaurants and drugstores
- 3% on all other purchases
Redeeming rewards
There are several ways to redeem the rewards you earn with the Chase Freedom Unlimited card. The easiest is to redeem them for cash — with this option, each point is worth 1 cent. If you accumulate 50,000 points, you’ll get $500 in cash back.
Frequent travelers can maximize point value by pairing the Freedom Unlimited card with another premium Chase credit card offering, such as Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, or Ink Business cards. Then, you can pool your points and redeem them for a higher value on bookings in the Chase Travel portal. With Sapphire Preferred and some of the Ink cards, you’ll get 1.25 cents per point; with the Sapphire Reserve card, points are worth 1.5 cents each.
There are plenty of ways to redeem your rewards:
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Direct deposit or statement credits. Chase will deposit your cash back into a bank account or apply them as a statement credit to reduce your Freedom Unlimited balance. This option has a redemption rate of 1 cent per point.
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Travel bookings in the Chase portal. Use your points to book trips in the Chase Travel portal for 1 cent per point.
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Purchases on Amazon or PayPal. Buy items using either service, but keep in mind that you’ll get just 0.8 cents for each point.
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Purchases at Apple. Use your points to buy products at Apple, and you’ll get 1 cent per point.
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Gift cards. You can buy gift cards via Chase; each point is worth 1 cent.
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Pay with points. Some merchants allow you to make purchases using Chase Travel points. The typical redemption rate is 0.8 cents per point.
Welcome offer
In your first year, you can get an extra 1.5% back on your first $20,000 of charges. That’s a significant bump, especially if you plan to book travel — all your purchases in the Chase Travel portal will earn 6.5%. For example, if you book a qualifying $2,000 vacation, you’ll get $130 in cash back.
Note: this offer is available through our site but may not be available if you apply through the Chase site or another website.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®: The fine print
Fees
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Annual fee: $0
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Balance transfer fee: If you transfer a balance from another card within 60 days of opening the account, you’ll pay 3% of the amount or $5, whichever is greater. After that, you’ll pay the greater of $5 or 5%.
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Cash advance fee: $10 or 5% of the advance — whichever is higher.
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Late payment fee: Up to $40
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Foreign transaction fee: 3%
Interest rates
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Regular APR: 20.49% - 29.24%
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Purchase intro APR: 0% for the first 15 months
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Balance Transfer APR: 0% APR for the first 15 months, 20.49% - 29.24% after that
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Cash advances: 29.99%
Credit limit
If you’re approved for the Visa Platinum version of the Chase Freedom Unlimited card, you’ll have a minimum credit limit of $500. The Visa Signature comes with a minimum limit of $5,000. Your actual credit limit may be higher, depending on your qualifications.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Benefits
Travel benefits
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Trip cancellation and interruption insurance. Book travel using your Freedom Unlimited card, and Chase will pay you back up to $1,500 per person (maximum of $6,000 for a trip) if you have to cancel your vacation or end it early. This benefit applies to cancellations and interruptions that happen because of severe weather and illness, among others.
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Auto rental collision damage waiver. This waiver reimburses you for theft or damage to a rental car, towing charges and any loss-of-use fees the rental agency charges. To qualify, you must pay for the rental using your Freedom Unlimited card and decline the loss and damage waivers available through the rental company.
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Visa Signature travel benefits. If you’re approved for the Visa Signature version of the Chase Freedom Unlimited card, you’ll get benefits including special status at luxury hotels, extra car rental benefits and a concierge to help with bookings.
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Travel and emergency assistance services. If you’re traveling, you can use this service to get medical referrals, translations, legal referrals and help with emergency services such as transportation, ticket replacements and messages.
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Bonus points on Lyft. When you use your card to pay for Lyft rides, you’ll earn 5% back — an increase of 3.5%.
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Purchase protection. Chase will cover your purchases for 120 days. If they’re damaged or stolen, you can be reimbursed for up to $500 per item, with a $50,000 account maximum.
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Extended warranty protection. This perk gives you an extra year of protection beyond the manufacturer’s original warranty. Warranties up to three years qualify.
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Doordash membership. With Freedom Unlimited, you get a free three-month membership to Doordash DashPass, which comes with free delivery and lower service fees.
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Instacart. Buy an Instacart+ membership, and get three months free. This service includes discounted service fees and free delivery.
Card services
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Free access to your credit score. Keep an eye on your credit profile with the included Credit Journey service. It also includes tools to help you spot identity fraud and build credit.
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24/7 fraud monitoring. Chase monitors your card activity around the clock and lets you know about unusual purchases immediately.
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Zero liability protection. You’re not responsible for unauthorized purchases that happen if your information is stolen.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Drawbacks
Foreign transaction fees
If you enjoy traveling internationally, the Chase Freedom Unlimited card is not an ideal card to bring with you. It has a 3% foreign transaction fee, which may not seem like much but can add up quickly. If you spend $200 with this card while overseas, you’ll be charged $6, meaning you essentially have to pay $206 on that transaction. If you like to spend a lot of money when traveling, you probably don’t want to pay additional expenses on your purchases.
▶︎ See our picks for: The best credit cards with no foreign transaction fees
Limited reward categories
While the Freedom Unlimited card has some generous bonus categories, they may not be useful for everyone. For example, if you spend a lot of money on groceries, you’ll only be earning 1.5% back on those purchases. Other cards offer up to 6% back on grocery purchases, so they may be a better option for you. If you don’t travel much, the 5% back on travel through Chase Travel may not be appealing. If you don’t go out to eat, the 3% back at restaurants won’t do much for you. Make sure you choose a credit card with bonus categories that align with your spending habits.
▶︎ See our picks for: The best credit cards for groceries
How the Chase Freedom Unlimited card compares
Chase Freedom Unlimited® vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Both the Chase Freedom Unlimited and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points. While the Freedom Unlimited card has no annual fee and a welcome bonus of 20,000 points after spending $500 in three months, the Sapphire Preferred charges $95 per year and offers 60,000 bonus points if you spend $4,000 in three months. The Sapphire Preferred is the clear winner when it comes to travel cards — rewards are worth 25% more when you book through the Chase Travel portal.
▶︎ Read more: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited and Chase Sapphire Preferred Card review
Chase Freedom Unlimited® vs. Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
When comparing the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card and the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, both cards offer great cash back rewards but appeal to different spending habits and preferences. Both of these cards have no annual fee (see Amex rates and fees), but the Freedom Unlimited offers more rewards on dining, drugstore purchases, and travel. On the other hand, the Blue Cash Everyday offers more substantial rewards on purchases at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. online retailers. Neither is objectively better, as they’re both spectacular cards, but the best one for you depends on how you tend to spend your money.
▶︎ Read more: Blue Cash Everyday review
Chase Freedom Unlimited® vs. Chase Freedom Flex® card
Competition is tight when you compare Chase Freedom Unlimited vs. Freedom Flex. Both cards have a $0 annual fee, similar APRs (including intro offers) and a decent welcome offer.
The Flex, which is another Chase Freedom credit card, has a less attractive rewards package. Where Freedom Unlimited offers a 1.5% bonus on all purchases for the first year, Flex offers an extra 5% per quarter on $1,500 worth of purchases in gas stations and grocery stores. Travel, restaurants and drugstores earn the same rewards rate on both cards. For other purchases, the Flex earning rate is just 1%, compared to Freedom Unlimited’s 1.5% rate.
Note: The information for the Chase Freedom Flex® has been collected independently by LA Times Compare. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Should you get Chase Freedom Unlimited®?
If you’re in the market for a cash-back card with no annual fee, solid rewards on dining, travel, and drugstores, and you have a good credit score, the Chase Freedom Unlimited card could make a great addition to your repertoire. However, if you’re a serious traveler or your spending doesn’t align with Freedom Unlimited’s bonus categories, other cards may be a better fit.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited Card requires at least a good credit score for approval, so your chances are better if your FICO score is 670 or higher. If you have already established a good credit score, this would make a great beginner cash-back credit card and it’s one of our favorite credit cards for young adults.
