Chase Freedom Unlimited review: The best credit card for everyday spending?

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If you’re looking for a well-rounded cash back credit card, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a no-brainer. 

This card offers 1.5% cash back on every purchase, with no rotating categories to keep track of. Plus, this card has boosted rewards on certain categories, like dining and drugstore purchases.

But that’s not all — the lack of an annual fee and a solid introductory APR offer makes this card even more appealing to cost-conscious consumers. 

If you're in the market for a hassle-free card that rewards you for your daily purchases, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is worth a closer look. In this review, we'll dive into the card's features, benefits, and potential drawbacks to help you determine if it's the right fit for your wallet.

Chase Freedom Unlimited rewards 

One of the best features of the Chase Freedom Unlimited is its rewards structure. It’s a tiered cash back card, offering higher rates for specific categories. 

Earning rewards

With the Freedom Unlimited, you can earn:

• 5% cash back on Lyft purchases (through March 2025) 
• 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel 
• 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and
• eligible delivery services
• 3% cash back on drugstore purchases
• 1.5% cash back on all other purchases

This rewards structure ensures you earn at least 1.5% back on every purchase. The card’s bonus categories can really add value for those who spend regularly on travel, dining, and drugstore purchases.

This is a great option if you're looking for simplicity and consistency in your card rewards. Some cash back cards offer rotating categories that can be a hassle to track. Others have spending caps on how much elevated cash back you can earn. The Chase Freedom Unlimited doesn’t have either. To put the 

card's earning potential into perspective, let's say you spend $20,000 annually with the Freedom Unlimited. Here’s a breakdown of your spending and how much cash back you could stand to earn.

In total, you’d earn $547 in cash back for the year without worrying about rotating categories or spending caps. 
Compare this to the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, which offers a flat 2% cash rewards on all spending. With this card, you’d only earn $400 in cash rewards for the same annual spending amount. 

Redeeming cash back

Redeeming your cash back rewards with the Chase Freedom Unlimited is a breeze. You can opt for statement credits, direct deposits, gift cards, travel bookings through Chase, or even use your points to shop at Amazon. There's no minimum redemption amount, so you can cash your rewards whenever you like.

One key perk of the Freedom Unlimited is combining rewards with a premium Chase card, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®. If you have a Chase Sapphire card, you can transfer rewards to a Chase travel partner or redeem travel rewards (and receive a value boost of up to 50%). 

This flexibility allows you to use your cash back in a way that best fits your needs, whether it's lowering your credit card bill, shopping online, or booking a vacation.

Chase Freedom Unlimited benefits

Sign-up bonus 

While not the highest available, the welcome bonus is relatively attainable and provides a nice head start on earning rewards.

You can 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.

So, if you spent $20,000 in your first year, you’d earn $847 in cash back — $300 from the welcome offer and $547 from the regular rewards rates.

This sign-up bonus is structured differently than other cash back cards but can be worth the same value if you meet the spending limit.

Most cash back cards offer bonus cash back or a statement credit — typically between $200-$300 — after spending a certain amount in the first few months of opening the card. Most spending requirements are between $1,000-$2,000.

But, with the Chase Freedom Unlimited, you’d need to spend $20,000 in one year to earn the entire welcome bonus, which may not be attainable for everyone. 

Introductory 0% APR offer 

Another attractive feature of the Chase Freedom Unlimited is its introductory 0% APR offer for the first 15 months on purchases and balance transfers. This can be particularly helpful if you have high-interest credit card debt that you want to pay off without incurring additional interest charges.

Remember that after the introductory period ends, the variable APR will range from 20.49% to 29.24%, depending on your creditworthiness. Paying off your balance in full each month is crucial to avoid interest charges.

Additional perks 

While the Chase Freedom Unlimited is best known for its rewards, it also offers a few other benefits:

• Purchase protection: If an item you bought with your card is damaged or stolen within 120 days, you may be eligible for reimbursement of up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
• Extended warranty: Chase will extend the manufacturer's warranty by an additional year for eligible warranties of three years or less.
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance: If your trip is canceled or cut short due to covered situations like sickness or weather, you may be reimbursed up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for certain travel costs.
• Auto rental collision damage waiver: You may be covered for theft and collision damage when you rent a car using your Freedom Unlimited card.
• Credit score monitoring: Chase Credit Journey offers free access to your credit score and tools to help you track your credit.
• Chase Pay Over Time: This feature lets you break your purchases into manageable monthly payments. 

Chase Freedom Unlimited fees 

One of the most significant advantages of the Chase Freedom Unlimited is its lack of an annual fee. This means you can earn cash back without worrying about a yearly cost eating into your earnings.

However, there are a few other fees to be aware of:

• Foreign transaction fee: 3% 
• Balance transfer fee: Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater in the first 60 days. After that, it increases to $5 or 5% of the amount, whichever is greater.
• Cash advance fee: Either $10 or 5% of each transaction, whichever is greater
• Late payment fee: Up to $40

Alternatives to the Chase Freedom Unlimited 

When considering the Chase Freedom Unlimited, comparing it to other popular cash back cards on the market is helpful. Two popular alternatives are the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card and the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express.

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%) and on select U.S. streaming services, 3% cash back on transit and U.S. gas station purchases, and 1% on all other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or on Amazon.com at checkout.

It has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. See rates and fees. But, its high rewards rates can more than make up for it if you spend heavily in its bonus categories.

The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offers a flat 2% cash rewards on all purchases, with no bonus categories or annual fee. This makes it a strong contender for those who want simplicity and a higher flat earning rate.

Is the Chase Freedom Unlimited right for you? 

The Chase Freedom Unlimited is an excellent cash back card that offers a simple way to earn rewards on your daily spending. This card is a perfect fit if you prefer straightforward cash back without the hassle of tracking rotating categories.

It's also best for those who spend a lot on dining, drugstore purchases and travel booked through Chase, as these categories offer higher cash back rates. Combining the Chase Freedom Unlimited with other Chase credit cards allows you to maximize your rewards and get even greater flexibility in redemptions.

While the high regular APR and foreign transaction fees may be drawbacks for some, these factors are less of a concern for those who pay their balances in full each month and use the card for domestic spending.

How we rated this card 

Every credit card review we publish has undergone a rigorous editorial process to ensure accuracy and objectivity.

We rate all credit cards on a 10-point system, with 10 being the highest possible score and 1 being the lowest possible score. We assess each card across several key factors, weighted based on what our research shows matters most to readers like you. Learn more about our methodology here.

Here are some of the factors that influenced this card’s overall score:

• Rewards: The Chase Freedom Unlimited offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on everyday purchases. You can also earn 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase Travel and 3% cash back on dining and drugstore purchases. This combination of a solid base earning rate and bonus categories makes the card's rewards program attractive to a wide range of consumers.
• Redemption flexibility: Cardholders redeem rewards for statement credits, direct deposit, gift cards, travel, and shopping at Amazon. There's no minimum amount needed to redeem rewards, giving users the flexibility to use their cash back as they see fit. Cardholders with a Chase business card or Chase Sapphire card can pool points to transfer rewards to travel partners.
• Annual fee: The Chase Freedom Unlimited has no annual fee, making it affordable for earning cash back. The lack of an annual fee allows you to keep the card long-term without worrying about whether you're getting enough value to justify paying a yearly cost.
• Benefits: Chase Freedom Unlimited offers a few benefits, including purchase protection, extended warranty, trip cancellation insurance, and free credit score monitoring. This is similar to most other cash back cards. 
• Welcome bonus: 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. This bonus provides a nice boost, but it can be difficult to earn the entire offer if you don’t spend enough annually on the card. 
• Rates & other fees: The card offers a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months, on par with other cash back cards. After the intro period, this card has a 20.49%-29.24% variable APR. Additionally, the card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, which can be a drawback for travelers.

The bottom line 

The Chase Freedom Unlimited is a top-tier cash back credit card offering a perfect blend of simplicity and rewards. With unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases and elevated rewards on select categories, this no-annual-fee card offers excellent value for everyday spending.

If you're looking for a reliable card to add to your wallet, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is definitely worth considering. 

Editorial disclosure: Opinions expressed are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.