Chase Freedom Flex Vs. Freedom Unlimited

The Freedom Flex offers a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn 5% cash back on combined gas station and grocery store purchases (excluding Target and Walmart) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.

The Freedom Unlimited, not to be overshadowed, offers an additional 1.5% cash back on up to $20,000 spent in the first year, worth up to $300 cash back.

Just keep in mind that in both cases, purchases made at superstores like Target and Walmart and warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam’s Club aren’t eligible in the grocery bonus category.

Both cards charge no annual fee, so you don’t have to worry about getting enough value to make up for a yearly cost.

While these two cards are nearly identical in many ways, there’s a big difference in how you can earn rewards with each one.

With the Chase Freedom Flex℠*, you’ll earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in categories that rotate quarterly (requires activation), 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on dining and drugstores and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

In contrast, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers 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.

Ultimately, the better card for you depends on your rewards preferences. If you prioritize simplicity, the Freedom Unlimited doesn’t require you to keep track of rotating categories or to activate its bonus rates.

However, the Freedom Flex can be a fit if you want to maximize your rewards on everyday spending categories, which have included merchants like gas stations, grocery stores, Amazon.com, PayPal, Walmart and wholesale clubs. The card’s main weakness is the 1% base rewards rate, but you can manage that by pairing it with a card like the Freedom Unlimited that offers a higher base rate.

In both cases, you can get special perks with a handful of partners, though the Freedom Flex offers a bit more value as a Mastercard World Elite card. Both cards offer the following perks:

• DoorDash: Get a complimentary three month DashPass membership, plus 50% off a DashPass subscription for the next nine months, when you activate by December 31, 2024
• Lyft: Earn 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025
• Instacart: Get a complimentary three month Instacart+ membership, plus up to $10 in statement credits each quarter on Instacart purchases through July 31, 2024

In addition to those benefits, the Freedom Flex offers the following:

• Lyft: Get a $5 Lyft credit for each month in which you take at least three rides
• Fandango: Get a $5 Fandango Reward for each $20 you spend at Fandango or Fandango’s streaming service
• ShopRunner: Get a one-year complimentary membership to ShopRunner, which offers two-day free shipping and free returns at dozens of online retailers

While the additional Mastercard World Elite perks tip the scale in the Freedom Flex’s favor, consider whether you’d actually use the benefits before picking it over the Freedom Unlimited.

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3.4

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.

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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 that lets 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 expire as 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.

Both the Freedom Flex card and the Freedom Unlimited offer the same redemption options and rates, making it easier to determine the better fit for you based on other features.

Regardless of which one you choose, you’ll get 1 cent per point when you redeem points for:

• Cash back in the form of a statement credit or deposit into a bank account
• Travel reservations through Chase Travel℠
• Gift cards to major retailers and restaurants
• Takeout and culinary experiences with Chase Dining
• Apple products

You can also use your points to pay for purchases at Amazon.com and through PayPal, but they’ll only net you 0.8 cents per point.

Again, both cards have a lot of ancillary benefits in common, but the Freedom Flex gets a slight edge. In both cases, cardholders will get the following perks:

• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Auto rental collision damage waiver
• Travel and emergency assistance services
• Purchase protection
• Extended warranty protection

In addition to those benefits, the Freedom Flex also offers cellphone protection when you use your card to pay your phone bill.

Both cards offer an introductory 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers. With the Freedom Flex, you’ll get a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24% applies. Balance transfer fee of up to 5% (min. $5) of the amount of each transfer applies. With the Freedom Unlimited, the offer is 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.

Additionally, both cards charge a foreign transaction fee of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars, making them less attractive for frequent international travelers.

While both cards offer solid rewards and other benefits, they aren’t the best fit for all situations. Here’s where it might make sense to consider other options.

You Want Travel Rewards and Perks

You can use your rewards earned with both cards to book travel through Chase. But beyond a few travel protections, you won’t get any travel-related benefits such as travel credits, transfers to travel partners or airport lounge access.

If you want to earn rewards for travel and get perks to enhance your travel experience, consider some of the top travel credit cards that are available.

You’re Looking for a Big Welcome Bonus

If you want a quicker injection of cash back, points or miles, expand your search to credit cards that offer larger welcome bonuses. Just be sure to check the minimum spending requirement, which can be much higher with larger welcome offers.

Your Spending Doesn’t Align

The Freedom Flex’s rotating bonus categories allow you to earn a solid rewards rate in a lot of areas of your budget, and the Freedom Unlimited’s high base rewards rate allows you to earn a decent rate on everything.

But if you spend a lot in one or two areas of your budget—say, groceries or gas—you may want to consider cards that offer bonus rewards on those purchases all year round. And while a 1.5% rewards rate is decent, there are plenty of 2% cash-back credit cards that you could pair with the Freedom Flex instead.

Both the Freedom Flex and the Freedom Unlimited provide cardholders with ample opportunities to rack up cash-back rewards. If you like the idea of earning 5% cash back on categories that change every few months and don’t mind the added complication of that setup, the Freedom Flex can be a great choice.

That said, you may want to consider pairing it with a card that offers a higher base rewards rate to ensure you’re always maximizing your rewards. The Freedom Unlimited can technically be a fit for that, but unless you want to go all-in on Ultimate Rewards points, you can get a higher rewards rate elsewhere.

On its own, the Freedom Unlimited offers value, providing you with a high base rewards rate and bonus rewards on select categories. However, if you want a higher rewards rate on everything or bonus rewards on different spending categories, keep shopping around.