Chase has the best portfolio of credit cards overall but for everyday spending the Freedom card really stands out. Freedom cards we have talked about on our site since it first came out and they can earn Ultimate Rewards points without the annual fee.
The Freedom cards from Chase are more rewarding than ever before. Both cards are currently offering improved welcome bonuses that are among the best we’ve seen.
Both Freedom Cards are Similar but Chase Freedom Flex is Our Pick
The cards have most things in common. Identical sign-up bonuses & eligibility requirements, Both the Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited offer excellent bonuses for no annual fee cards, which were recently improved. Each card currently offers:
20,000 points or $200 BONUS after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months
Additionally, earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases including Target (not Walmart purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year
Furthermore, both cards have identical eligibility requirements:
Each card is only available to those who don’t currently have that specific card, and those who haven’t received a new cardmember bonus on that specific card in the past 24 months Both cards are subjected to Chase’s typical eligibility restrictions, including the 5/24 rule Overlapping bonus categories Both the Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited offer the following overlapping bonus categories on spending:
5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
3x points on dining, takeout, and eligible delivery services
3x points on drugstores
Flexibility to earn cash back or Ultimate Rewards points
Both the Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited accrue the same types of rewards:
Each point earned on either card can be redeemed for one cent cash back If you have either card in conjunction with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, or Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, then points can also be transferred to the Ultimate Rewards program; Ultimate Rewards points have a value around ~1.7 cents each, so to me that increases the value of these points by 70%
Earn Ultimate Rewards points with Chase Freedom cards
Differences between Chase Freedom cards
There is one primary area where the Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Unlimited differ, and that’s one aspect of the bonus categories. Both cards offer:
5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
3x points on dining, takeout, and eligible delivery services
3x points on drugstores
But each card has one unique bonus category:
The Freedom Flex offers 5x points in rotating quarterly categories, on up to $1,500 of spending per quarter The Freedom Unlimited offers 1.5x points on everyday spending, making it one of the best cards for non-bonused categories, and beating the Freedom Flex in that regard by 50%
The Freedom Unlimited offers a better return on everyday spending
Which Chase Freedom card is better?
Deciding whether the Chase Freedom Flex or Chase Freedom Unlimited makes more sense comes down to one very simple question — would you rather earn 1.5x points on all purchases (with the Freedom Unlimited), or would you rather earn 5x points in rotating quarterly categories and 1x points on non-bonused purchases?
Everyday spending will work out differently for everyone, but here are a few general considerations:
What card do you otherwise use for non-bonused spending, and how much do you spend in categories that don’t otherwise qualify for bonus categories? If you don’t have a great card and you spend a lot in non-bonused categories, then the Freedom Unlimited is the obvious choice Do you have another great card for non-bonused spending but think you could get value from the 5x points categories on the Freedom Flex? Then the Freedom Flex is the obvious choice The good thing is that you don’t have to choose — you can get both the Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited, and that’s a great way to maximize your rewards, especially since neither card has an annual fee. Personally, that’s my approach, but I also get that lots of people want a simpler credit card strategy than that.
Bottom line Both the Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Unlimited are great no annual fee cards that can help you maximize the Ultimate Rewards points that you earn. For savvy consumers they’re an essential complement to a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Which Freedom card makes more sense depends on your circumstances. The Freedom Unlimited is the all-around more rewarding card, given that it offers one of the best returns of any card for non-bonused spending. But some may get more value out of the Freedom Flex’s 5x points categories.
One great thing is that you don’t have to choose, as you can always pick up both cards at the same time or upgrade from another card if you change your mind by calling Chase.
Food delivery service DoorDash has a new credit card that has been getting some buzz. The DoorDash Rewards Mastercard Credit Card offers a free year of DashPass ($96 value), a $100 bonus when you spend $500 in the first 3 months, and 4% cash back on DoorDash and Caviar orders with no annual fee.
When you apply for a new DoorDash Rewards Credit Card, you will receive DashPass free for the first year, which provides a $96 value and includes $0 delivery fees, reduced service fees, 5% back in credits on pickup orders, and exclusive members-only benefits on eligible orders.
Every anniversary year that you spend $10,000 on your DoorDash Rewards Mastercard, you’ll continue to get another complimentary DashPass membership ($96 value), but your membership auto-renews if you don’t qualify.
In addition, you will get a $100 limited-time bonus when you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. This is a small spend requirement for a bonus but you can get a way better bonus with the Discover IT with Double Cashback the first year and $100 sign-up and 5x back (10x back first year) on Restaurants starting in April.
On top of that, you’ll earn 4% cash back on DoorDash and Caviar orders, which means you’ll earn 4% when you order from restaurants, grocery stores, pet supply stores, and much more through the DoorDash platform. Go here to get the current promo codes for cheaper DoorDash deliveries.
You’ll also get 3% cash back on dining purchases that you make directly from a restaurant, 2% cash back from grocery stores purchased online and in-store, and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
There are also some exclusive DoorDash Rewards cardmember benefits, including 10% off 1 grocery, DashMart, convenience, or alcohol order on DoorDash every month (maximum discount of $15, ends 8/31/2023), plus you’ll get $25 off your first 2 DoorDash Shipping orders of at least $100 (ends 12/31/2023).
Your cash back rewards don’t expire as long as your account is open, there are no foreign transaction fees, and you can use your cash back to pay for DoorDash orders and more.
If you frequently order from DoorDash, you may wish to consider the DoorDash Rewards Mastercard Credit Card to maximize your savings and rewards, and you can also get a DoorDash Discount off your first order if you are new to the DoorDash service. Keep in mind you can get this with all of the Chase Credit Cards including the Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Rise MasterCard.
Cards Recommended Instead of the DoorDash Rewards Mastercard
The DoorDash Rewards Mastercard is far from the only card that earns bonus rewards on food purchases. You may want to consider a different card if you dine or order food beyond DoorDash:
If you want to earn more cash back on all your purchases: The Chase Freedom Unlimited earns the same as the DoorDash card on dining (3% cash back), plus 1.5% on all other purchases, so you may earn more cash back overall with this card. It also offers 5% back on Dining / Restaurants during various quarters and does 10% back on DoorDash using Chase Offers at times.
If you want to earn travel rewards on your dining purchases: The American Express Gold Card earns 4 points per dollar at restaurants (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases each year, then 1 point per dollar). AMEX Membership Rewards at 2 cents each, this is an effective 8% return on all your food purchases, double what you’ll earn for DoorDash purchases on the DoorDash card.
If you want to earn cash back on your dining and entertainment purchases: The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card has no annual fee and allows you to earn more on your everyday spending with a wider range of bonus categories. It earns 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and grocery store purchases. You’ll also earn 10% cash back on Ubereats purchases through Nov. 14, 2024.
The no annual fee Chase Freedom Unlimited, which is one of the all around best cards for everyday spending, has an improved welcome bonus. This reflects the way that consumer spending is evolving, as Americans are shifting a lot of spending from restaurants to grocery stores.
Earn 20K points plus 5x points on groceries and groceries
20,000 points after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months
5x points on groceries for the first 12 months, on up to $12,000 of spending (Target and Walmart are not excluded)
5x points on GAS for the Summer of 2022
hilThe offer for 20,000 points is the same as before, while the 5x points on groceries is the new addition here. This makes the Freedom Unlimited one of the all around best credit cards for grocery store spending.
Why the Chase Freedom Unlimited is worth having
Beyond the current bonus, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is the best Chase personal credit card for everyday, non-bonused spending. The card offers 1.5x points per dollar spent with no caps:
Those points can be redeemed for one cent each, essentially making this a 1.5% cash back card
Those points can also be converted into Chase Ultimate Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio, assuming you have this card in conjunction with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is offering the following, based on my valuation of Ultimate Rewards points:
Up to 8.5% back on groceries for the first year
Up to 2.55% back on all other purchases
Bottom line
If you don’t yet have the Chase Freedom Unlimited, this is a fantastic time to pick it up. In addition to a bonus of 20K points with a reasonable spending requirement, the card is also offering 5x points on groceries for the first year, for up to $12,000 of spending. That’s a huge points earning opportunity, especially for a no annual fee card.
New Chase Freedom card members can get a $200 bonus after $500 in purchases, a $25 bonus for adding an authorized user, and a $50 bonus for each new card member that you refer for up to an extra $500 cashback in referrals.
The Chase Freedom card is available directly on the Chase Bank website, in Chase branches, and through our application link here for the up to $200 in bonuses offer.
Chase Freedom Card $200 Bonus Details The Chase Freedom credit card is offering a $200 bonus after $500 in spending within 3 months. Plus, you can also earn an extra $25 bonus when you add your first authorized user to your account and make a purchase within the same 3-month period. SIGN UP HERE!.
Chase Freedom is a cash rebate credit card that provides new applicants with cash bonus promotions and excellent card features. The Chase Freedom card has no annual fees, so you’ll never pay an annual fee with this cash rebate card from Chase Bank.
Chase Freedom 5% Quarterly Rebates for 2022
Chase Freedom 5% past cash back categories include:
The credit cards below offer up to 5% cash back on specific categories that rotate each quarter. It takes a little memory of which card to use, but it can add up to hundreds of dollars in additional rewards per year without changing your spending habits. New cardmembers may also get an upfront sign-up bonus in addition to the 5% cash back each quarter.
From January 1st through March 31st, you can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent in the following categories:
Gas Stations
Internet, Cable & Phone Services. Internet, cable, satellite television and radio, cellular, wireless data, and landline services will qualify.
Select Streaming Services. The full list is Disney+, Netflix, Hulu, Sling, Vudu, Fubo TV, Apple Music, SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube TV, and ESPN+.
Enroll each quarter at ChaseBonus.com. As long as you activate by the end of the quarter the rewards are retroactive. All other purchases earn 1% back, with no tiers or expiration of rewards.
Chase Freedom card is offering $200 bonus cash back if you sign up and make $500 in purchases in your first three months. No annual fee.
From January 1st through March 31st, you can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent in the following categories:
Grocery Stores
Walgreens
CVS
Enroll after logging into your online account (look on the right-hand side). 5% rewards won’t apply until after you activate your rewards, so it is best to activate now before you forget. No annual fee.
New cardmember bonus details. If you are a new applicant and sign up via my Discover Card referral link, you will get a $50 Cashback Bonus after your first purchase within 3 months of being approved. You will also get Cashback Match for an entire year – a dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year, automatically.
During those 12 months, your $50 Cashback Bonus becomes $100, your 5% cash back rewards becomes 10% cash back, and your 1% cash back rewards become 2% cash back. You can verify this on the application by clicking on “See rates, rewards and other info” and searching for “cashback match” and “statement credit offer”:
Cashback Match: No purchase minimums. After the first 12 consecutive billing periods that your new account is open, we will match all of the cash back rewards you’ve earned and apply them to your account in the following one or two billing periods. If your account is closed or no longer in the cash back reward program at the time we calculate your potential award, your cash back will not be matched. You’ve earned cash back rewards when they have posted to your account by the end of the 12th consecutive billing period. This promotional offer may not be offered in the future. This exclusive offer is available only to new cardmembers.
TERMS OF STATEMENT CREDIT OFFER: Get a $50 Statement Credit after you make your first purchase within 3 months of being approved. Promotional award will be applied within 8 weeks. The promotional award is in addition to the Cashback Bonus earned on all purchases.
Chase earlier announced that the Chase Marriott cards would earn 6x points per $1 spent at grocery stores until July 31st (maximum $5,000 in spend). Other Chase cards are offering the following bonuses from May 1st until June 30th, with a cap of $1,500 per month in spend on grocery store purchases:
