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The Chase Freedom Unlimited® card remains one of Chase’s best no-annual-fee offerings for earning Chase Ultimate Rewards®. The Freedom Unlimited offers a stack of other valuable benefits and some of the best value in a no-annual-fee card available.
Chase Freedom Unlimited Welcome Offer
Those who receive a shiny new Chase Freedom Unlimited card can earn an additional 1.5% cash back on up to $20,000 spent in the first year, worth up to $300 cash back. Note that Chase sometimes switches up the welcome bonus or offers different ones through different channels, so be sure you check to see which is best for you.
Keep in mind the welcome offer is only available to people who don’t already have the Freedom Unlimited card or haven’t earned the same new cardmember bonus in the past 24 months. Chase’s 5/24 rules also typically prohibit those who’ve opened five or more personal card accounts with any issuer in the past 24 months from receiving an approval.
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Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase Bank USA, NA's Website
4.4
Forbes Advisor created additional star ratings so that you can see the best card for specific needs. This card shines for this use, but overall the star ratings may differ when compared to other cards.
On Chase Bank USA, NA's Website
Up to 6.5X Reward Rate
Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on up to $20,000 spent in the first year, after that 5% cash backRead More
Welcome Bonus
Up to $300 cash back
Annual Fee
$0
Regular APR
20.49% - 29.24% Variable
Credit Score
Excellent, Good(700 - 749)
Editorial Review
A good overall spending card that allows you to hold a balance on new purchases with a low introductory APR, pay no annual fee, and still earn at least 1.5% cashback on all purchases
Pros & Cons
- Generous welcome offer for a no annual fee card
- Unlimited 1.5% minimum earn rate for cash-back rewards
- No minimum redemption amount
- Foreign transaction fee
- Ongoing balance transfer fee is high
- Requires a companion card to transfer points to travel partners
Card Details
- INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) – worth up to $300 cash back!
- Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program thatlets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 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 your 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 unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back.You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expireas long as your account is open!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% – 29.24%.
- No annual fee –You won’t have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
0% Introductory APR
Cardholders can also take advantage of a 0% introductory APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24% applies. An intro transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies in the first 60 days of account opening. After that, a fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer applies.
If you plan to finance a purchase or move a balance from another card using the Chase Freedom Unlimited, ensure you have a plan to pay down the balance before the end of the introductory APR period to avoid accruing interest. Forbes Advisor recommends consumers never carry a balance. Those seeking a balance transfer should calculate the cost to make sure it’s feasible.
No Annual Fee
Many Chase cards charge hefty annual fees; though some are as low as $49, others range as high as $550. The benefits packed into these cards may make them worthwhile, but the Freedom Unlimited card has no annual fee, making it an excellent choice for those who don’t want to worry if the rewards or benefits they’re enjoying will offset the cost of the annual fee.
Chase Freedom Unlimited Earning Rate for Cash Back
Chase Freedom Unlimited® cardholders earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on eligible dining and drugstores and 1.5% on all other purchases, plus an additional 1.5% cash back on the first $20,000 in purchases the first year.
For example, if you spend $200 at a restaurant, you’ll earn back 3% of your total purchase or 600 Chase Ultimate Rewards points—redeemable for $6 in cash back.
Rewards earned with the Freedom Unlimited don’t expire and there’s no minimum to redeem for cash back. Every dollar earned can be redeemed via Chase Travel℠ to pay for travel or purchase eligible products or services.
Cardholders are awarded points at the end of each monthly billing cycle and are totalled minus any returns or refunds. Keep in mind only purchases of eligible products and services earn points—other transactions including balance transfers, cash advances or interest payments don’t qualify for earning cash back.
Redeeming Points With Chase Freedom Unlimited
A significant advantage to earning rewards with the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card is the access to the Chase Ultimate Rewards program the card provides. We often recommend pairing the Chase Freedom Unlimited with another Ultimate Rewards-earning card to maximize reward potential in the Chase rewards system.
Chase Travel Portal
When redeeming points for purchases with Chase Travel, the value of points to dollars uses a similar conversion: 1 point is worth 1 cent. So a $300 flight found in the Travel Portal would require 30,000 points.
The Chase Travel Portal offers more than just flights—cardholders can also book hotel stays, car rentals and activities including golfing or cruises. Cardholders can book travel using points through the online portal or by calling the number on the back of the card.
Cash-back earnings can also be redeemed for cash, a statement credit, gift cards and products or services available in the Ultimate Rewards program. Even Amazon shoppers can redeem cash back for purchases after linking a Freedom Unlimited card to an Amazon account. Beware not all redemption methods are created equal; the value of a point changes with its redemption. Redeeming points for purchases may not be as valuable as for cold, hard cash and cash may not be as valuable as a travel redemption.
Transferring Points to Another Chase Card
Cardholders with another Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning card can transfer points to and from the other card. This is an appealing option for those looking to maximize rewards, especially since some cards offer elevated redemptions.
Not only can you earn points with the Freedom Unlimited card, you can increase their worth by transferring them to a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card where a point is worth 1.25 cents in the Chase Travel Portal. This means the $300 flight requiring 30,000 points via the Unlimited Freedom card will now only require 24,000 points. Those with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card can achieve a value of 1.5 cents per point.
Other Valuable Benefits
In addition to its lucrative rewards, especially for a no-annual-fee card, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card packs in an impressive amount of benefits.
Purchase-Related Protections
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® card offers purchase protection against damage or theft up to $500 per claim for the first 120 days after the purchase is made. Cardholders can also qualify for extended warranty protections to extend an eligible manufacturer’s warranty by one extra year.
Trip Protection and Collision Damage Waiver
Cardholders paying for trips on the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card can benefit from trip cancellation/interruption insurance when an eligible trip is canceled or cut short by sickness, severe weather or other qualifying situations.
If cardholders use the Freedom Unlimited to cover the entire cost of a car rental and waive the rental company’s collision insurance, they can also qualify for secondary auto rental theft and collision damage insurance.
Card Services
Like many other major credit cards, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card includes card services and convenience benefits including 24/7 fraud protection, fraud alerts and zero liability protection. Remember to report fraudulent charges immediately to be covered for unauthorized purchases. Fraud alerts will notify you of any unusual activity and you should respond to those promptly.
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Bottom Line
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® card can be an ideal everyday card for those looking to earn cash back or an attractive welcome offer. The card also offers the opportunity to finance large purchases or make a balance transfer with a low introductory APR, plus it has several extra travel and purchase benefits.
Cardholders with another eligible Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning card can earn more value for their points by transferring points earned from the Freedom Unlimited to a card with better redemption rate, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.
Those seeking to maximize rewards within the Chase system should consider pairing two Chase cards to earn the most bonus reward on as much spending as possible. Remember, your credit card account must be in good standing to qualify for all benefits.
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On Chase Bank USA, NA's Website
