Chase Freedom Unlimited Review: Huge Cash Back and Bonus?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a good option for those searching for an all-around workhorse card. This $0 annual fee card earns above-average returns on travel, dining at restaurants, and pharmacy purchases, as well as a decent 1.5 percent return on all other purchases. If you use this card in conjunction with another premium Chase card, you’ll get even more value from your rewards.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® card provides a compelling combination of significant rewards, flexible redemption possibilities, a long 0% introductory APR period, and a sign-up bonus that is considerably more useful than other cash-back cards.
Chase Freedom Unlimited® gets 3% cashback, 5% on travel booked via Chase, and 1.5 percent on all other expenditures on restaurant and pharmacy purchases. When you put all of this together, you’ve got a card that can rack up the cashback. It’s even more valuable if you have additional credit cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points.
This is why, among cash-back credit cards, this card makes a strong argument for being a one-card solution. If you want to earn the most out of your credit card spending, the Chase Freedom Unlimited, combined with at least one other Chase Ultimate Rewards®-earning card, may be a great strategy for maximizing your point potential. Let’s consider it in detail!
Overview: Chase Freedom Unlimited Review
What is Chase Freedom Unlimited?
The Chase Freedom has long been an important cash-back card, but it may now have even more appeal for rewards-savvy cardholders eager to get starting with Chase Rewards.
Last year, Chase redesigned the Unlimited card’s rewards program to include additional cashback on travel, dining, and pharmacy purchases made through the Rewards site. Meanwhile, for aspiring travelers and low-maintenance cash-back lovers alike, the card’s 1.5 percent cash-back return on general transactions, as well as important advantages like trip cancellation/interruption insurance and DoorDash DashPass, make it worth keeping.
Individuals who want to earn good rewards without paying an annual fee should consider Freedom Unlimited. The card’s huge welcome bonus and recurring benefits are difficult to top, especially considering that most cards that provide extra cashback in certain spending areas only offer 1% back on general purchases.
How does Chase Freedom Unlimited Card work?
The Chase Freedom card is a terrific choice to use regularly for any of your expenditures within the established bonus categories, with 5% back on travel through the Chase Travel Portal, 3% back on dining and pharmacy purchases, and 1.5x earning on all other spending or those that don’t fit into another of your cards’ higher bonus categories.
When you combine your earnings with another Rewards card and redeem for more than a cent per point, your earnings might be worth a lot more than 2%. Transferring your points to Chase’s airline and hotel partners is, as you well know, the greatest choice!
Furthermore, the advantages are superior to what you’d expect from a no-annual fees card. The trip cancellation/interruption insurance is standard among premium travel cards, giving the Unlimited card tremendous long-term value in addition to its exceptional first-year potential.
However, the card’s many reward rates make it more confusing than competitors that provide a flat 1.5 percent return on all purchases. Make the Chase Freedom Unlimited® a top-of-wallet card for all purchases, and you’ll be sure to get those additional points without even thinking about it. The cash advance fee is also not applicable.
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What are the Features of Chase Freedom Unlimited?
Let’s consider the features!
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Let’s take a detailed look at rewards!
Earning Rewards
Earn rewards at the following rates with Chase Freedom:
- 5% cashback on Chase Rewards® travel, 3% cashback on qualifying dining and pharmacy purchases, and 1.5 percent payment returned on all other transactions
- You’ll also get a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months after starting your account.
- In addition, on up to $12,000 spent in the first year, get 5% cashback on grocery store purchases (excluding Target® and Walmart® purchases).
Redeeming Rewards
The value of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points is usually one cent per point. On Chase Freedom, you may use your points to:
- A 1 cent per point statement credit or direct deposit
- 1 penny per point gift cards
- 1 cent per point travel booked through Chase
- 0.8 cents per point for Amazon items
- Purchases made using Pay With Points, which cost 0.8 cents each.
Customer experience
Chase has an excellent reputation for customer service among major issuers. The bank received an 807 in J.D. Power’s 2024 customer satisfaction survey, placing it fourth out of 11 card companies.
Customer service at Chase has improved since the bank added an online chat tool to its website, making it simpler to receive a rapid answer to a basic query.
Sign-up bonus
After you pay $500 on purchases in the first three months after opening your Chase Freedom account, you will get a $200 incentive. This is one of the best no-annual-fee credit card sign-up incentives you’ll discover.
Grocery incentives during the first year
Beyond the sign-up incentive, the Chase card offers an extra first-year benefit. On up to $12,000 paid in the first year, you can receive 5% cashback on grocery shop purchases. Purchases made at Target® and Walmart® are not covered.
Program for getting money back
The Chase Freedom card offers a substantial cashback scheme, as follows:
- Chase Ultimate offers 5% back on travel purchases.
- Up to 5% back on Lyft rides till March 2024
- 3% cashback at restaurants and pharmacies
- 5% cashback on all other qualified purchases
Overall, the card’s generous cash-back program rivals those of the finest cash-back cards. Frequently, the rewards take the lead.
No annual fee
This card is a fantastic choice if you want to save as many card fees as possible. Because the Chase Freedom card has no annual fee, it’s a great deal whether you’re a big spender or don’t use your card very often.
0% intro APR
For an astounding 15 months, the card offers a 0% initial APR on purchases.
No minimum redemptions:
You may get a statement credit on your card account for as low as $0.01 in cashback. Some rewards credit cards have you wait until you’ve spent a certain amount, such as $25 before you can cash in your points.
DoorDash benefits:
You can obtain the first three months free of DashPass as a cardholder, a subscription service from DoorDash that offers free restaurant takeaway delivery on orders over $12. (Other service fees may apply). To take the real benefit of this promotion, you must activate it by December 31, 2024.
You’ll be automatically enrolled in DashPass for another nine months at 50% off the standard fee of $9.99 per month after three months. If you wish, you can cancel your membership before then.
How much does Chase Freedom Unlimited Cost?
Let’s consider in detail the costing scheme offered by Chase Freedom Unlimited! The Card comes with an annual fee of 0 and a balance transfer fee of 5% on the total amount of transfer. What about the foreign transaction fees? It will cost 3% of every transaction and in US dollars.
The card involves a cash advanced fee of 5% of the entire transaction amount but it can be greater.
There is a late payment fee of almost $40. The card has no over-the-credit-limit fee and that’s a significantly valuable advantage.
Besides this, Chase Unlimited will not charge any return check fee from customers. But there is a return payment fee of up to $40. That’s how the costing works!
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Who is Chase Freedom Unlimited Best For?
Chase Freedom Unlimited is for consumers who desire a straightforward rewards program with good returns and exciting new bonus earning opportunities.
This card should now be on your radar if you are searching for a top-of-wallet credit card that won’t need you to do any extra research to optimize its worth.
It’s especially worthwhile to think about if you have other Chase Ultimate Rewards cards because you can combine your points from all of them to get more value out of them. For example, when you redeem your points for travel through Chase, you’ll gain 25% greater value with the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred Credit Cards. Plus, with the Chase Sapphire Reserves, you’ll get a 50% bonus.
Chase Freedom Unlimited Pros and Cons
Let’s consider the pros and cons in detail!
Chase Freedom Unlimited Compared to other Cards
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Chase Freedom Unlimited vs. Capital One Quicksilver Rewards
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® includes a broacher reward structure with richer rewards than Capital One Quicksilver Cash credit card. The Chase Freedom card includes a flat rate on different non-bonus purchases with elevated rewards in different categories. However, the Capital One Quicksilver includes a flexible redemption option with eligible delivery services.
Chase Freedom Unlimited Card includes a 5% cash-back on different travel purchased through Chase with a balance transfer fee and ultimate rewards portal. But wait! The Capital One Quicksilver is not the same and doesn’t offer ultimate rewards points or purchase protection. Chase Freedom includes a 1.5 cash-back feature with effective credit rating and bonus categories.
Let’s dig a little deeper! The Cash Freedom Unlimited benefits people with a sign-up bonus of $200 after spending $500 on other purchases. The statement credit needs to be beneficial in the first months from account opening. However, Capital One Quicksilver offers a sign-up bonus of the same amount as Chase Freedom Unlimited Rewards.
Both platforms offer target or Walmart purchases with a cash-back on grocery stores and direct deposits. Chase Ultimate rewards include a 0% intro APR for more than 15 months on target or Walmart purchases with a variable APR of 14.99%-24.74%. In contrast, Capital One Quicksilver includes a 0% APR for 15 months on rotating bonus categories and drugstore purchases.
Chase Freedom Unlimited vs. Citi Double Cash
Chase Unlimited offers excellent cash-back rewards compared to Citi Double Cash. Chase Unlimited offers 5% cash-back on grocery store purchases and 1.5% on everything else. However, Citi Double Cash gives 2% back on everything months from account opening. Both include an annual fee of $0.
Besides this, Chase Unlimited offers different benefits such as purchase protection, extended warranty, and trip cancellation reassurance making it effective than Citi Double Cash Card. The plus point is that Chase Unlimited offers a $200 sign-up bonus whereas the Citi Double Cash card includes no bonuses.
Undoubtedly, Chase Unlimited has the potential to earn higher with less foreign transaction fees than Citi Double Cash Card. Therefore, Chase Unlimited also offers different purchases, not including Target or Walmart with an annual fee $0.
Chase Freedom Unlimited vs. American Express Blue Cash Preferred
Lastly, let’s compare Chase Unlimited to American Express Blue Cash Preferred! Chase Unlimited includes no annual fee whereas American Express Cash Preferred comes with $95 annual fee after account opening.
Chase Unlimited is a VISA/Master card whereas American express doesn’t include this feature. The plus point is that Chase Unlimited offers a $200 sign-up bonus than Blue Cash Preferred making it a better option. Anything purchased through Chase Ultimate includes multiple perks and an effective 0% intro APR with a credit report.
Other than this, Chase Unlimited is an excellent choice for approval odds and everyday purchases. But wait! American Express Blue Cash Preferred is a top-notch choice for families.
>> Related Topic: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Review: Best Travel Credit
Conclusion: Is Chase Freedom Unlimited Worth it?
Chase Freedom Unlimited offers new purchases and a big sign-up bonus after you spend a specific amount. It provides different bonus rewards categories to credit card issuers with its own proprietary website rules and Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. It’s an effortless way to earn cashback on credit card bills, dining, and drugstore purchases.
Chase credit cards are an effective pair with rewards credit cards to enhance the rewards potential and transfer points. When purchased through Chase Ultimate, it enables you to transfer points between cards earn. That’s why the Chase Ultimate Rewards card is a cornerstone for a strategy to maximize value on each dollar you spend.
Chase Freedom Unlimited benefits in providing lost luggage reimbursement, balance transfers, eligible delivery services, rotating bonus categories, and store purchases not including credit rating. You can even get more points by splitting the spendings between Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Unlimited. Chase Freedom offers 5% bonus categories.
With a broad range of bonus rewards on store purchases not including the target annual fee, Chase Freedom offers a 1.5 cash-back option. There is no foreign transaction fee on other purchases or ultimate rewards points. If you desire to stick to one card, Freedom Unlimited Chase is a great option for variable APR and 1.5 Cash-back rates on everyday purchases.
>> Related Topic: Best Chase Credit Cards • Compare Top Chase Credit Card of 2024
Chase Freedom Unlimited FAQs
What are the advantages of Chase Freedom Unlimited in grocery store purchases?
Anything purchased through Chase Ultimate offers 5% cash-back on grocery store purchases not including Target or Walmart purchases. This cash-back on grocery store purchases is a great option once $12,000 is spent in the first year. It also includes a 0% intro APR on balance transfers and travel purchased through Chase.
Moreover, you can get 5% on travel purchased through Chase and 3% on other drugstore purchases. If you have big purchases, it’s time to get benefits from this card as it offers a variable APR with 0% intro APR.
Is Chase Freedom Unlimited hard to get?
Do you know it becomes daunting to get this Chase Freedom card if you have a low credit score? YES! But wait! It doesn’t mean that people with low credit scores cannot get approval. Many people can get secured approvals with a low credit score within the mid-600s. Still, having excellent credit is a plus point.
Credit scores matter a lot during an approval decision but many factors contribute to final results. Therefore, the consideration you can make before applying is the number of credit cards you have in the last 24 months.
Is Chase Freedom Unlimited a good beginner card?
The card is perfect for beginners as it’s a combination of solid base and cash-back rates with multiple bonus categories. It also makes it reliable with no annual fee and excellent entry points for different travelers mainly those who desire to start using credit card rewards.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited card offers an excellent 1.5% cash-back rate with a sign-up bonus for reliability making it a great starter card for beginners to collect Chase Ultimate Rewards.
