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Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, deta...
Juan has been involved in credit cards, loyalty, travel, and personal finance for more than 10 years. He has worked for several outlets including The Points Guy and Forbes and was previously Editor-in...
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It’s difficult to argue that cash-back isn’t the most liquid form of credit card rewards you can earn. Additionally, many cash-back credit cards do not charge an annual fee. This combination can be appealing when you’re just starting out and looking for a rewards-earning card.
Keeping this desirable combination in mind, we’ve selected 2 popular credit cards for our comparison today. Both offer nice earning potential for everyday purchases, lack the expense of an annual fee, and have good-value redemption options and benefits you can use.
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® are similar in that both offer the ability to earn rewards via cash-back. When it comes time to redeem those rewards, however, you’ll find differences that could affect which card is more appropriate for your situation.
In our article today, we’ll cover all of the earning and redemption details, plus give you an overview of the benefits you can expect to receive on each card.
If you’re interested in the combination of a cash-back earning card that doesn’t charge an annual fee, you’ll find our comparison useful.
Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card vs. Freedom Unlimited Card — Overview
Need to pay back a large purchase over time? A 0% APR period for purchases can help you do that while not incurring interest charges. Image Credit: Sears
We will cover a lot of information on our featured cards, but before we do, we’ll briefly summarize and compare all the attributes of the cards, side-by-side.
Earn a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first 6 months.
SPECIAL OFFER: Unlimited Matched Cash Back. Chase will automatically match all the cash back you earned at the end of your first year! There is no limit to how much cash back you can earn.
Earnings
3% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets, up to $6,000 in purchases each year
3% cash-back at U.S. gas stations, up to $6,000 in purchases each year
3% cash-back at U.S. online retailers, up to $6,000 in purchases each year
1% cash-back on all other purchases
5% cash-back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards and Lyft purchases (until March 31, 2025)
3% cash-back on dining and drugstore purchases
1.5% cash-back on all other purchases
Redemption Options
Statement credits at 1 cent per point
Gift cards, shopping at Amazon, and merchandise
Transfer to premium Chase credit cards for potentially greater value with the option to transfer to hotel/airline partners
Statement credits, travel, cash back, gift cards, shopping at Amazon and Apple, experiences,
Travel Benefits and Protections
Secondary car rental insurance, with access to Premium Car Rental Protection
Secondary car rental insurance, travel emergency assistance, roadside dispatch
Shopping Benefits and Protections
Purchase protection
Complimentary ShopRunner membership, upon enrollment
Purchase protection, extended warranty
Complimentary 3-month DoorDash DashPass membership (activate by Dec. 31, 2024)
Complimentary 3-month Instacart+ membership and $10 quarterly credit (activate by July 31, 2024)
Bottom Line: While the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card may have the earning edge on everyday purchases, the Freedom Unlimited card offers greater redemption flexibility, especially if you have a premium Chase credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® to facilitate transferring Ultimate Rewards points and receiving greater potential value.
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.
This cash-back card offers a capped 3% at U.S. supermarkets, 3% at U.S. gas stations, and 3% on U.S. online retail purchases!
This cash-back card offers a capped 3% at U.S. supermarkets, 3% at U.S. gas stations, and 3% on U.S. online retail purchases!
Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
$200
$0
0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months; then 19.24%-29.99% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
This card is excellent at earning cash-back on your everyday purchases at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and on U.S. online retail purchases. So if you regularly spend money on everyday purchases, this could be the perfect card to add to your wallet.
Pros
3% back on purchases at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 in purchases each year, then 1% back after.
3% back on purchases at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 in purchases each year, then 1% back after.
3% back on purchases on online retail purchases on up to $6,000 in purchases each year, then 1% back after.
Monthly credit towards The Disney Bundle
Monthly credit towards Home Chef
Cons
Rewards are not flexible and can only be redeemed for cash-back. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
No Annual Fee.
Balance Transfer is back! Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. After that, 19.24% to 29.99% variable APR.
3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.
3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
Thinking about getting the Disney Bundle which can include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+? Your decision made easy with $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $9.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your Blue Cash Everyday® Card. Enrollment required.
Enjoy up to $15 back per month when you purchase a Home Chef meal kit subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your enrolled Blue Cash Everyday® Card.
Terms Apply.
Financial Snapshot
APR: 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months; then 19.24%-29.99% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to U.S. dollars
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.
This all-purpose cash-back card offers great bonus categories, including bonus points for every purchase you make!
This all-purpose cash-back card offers great bonus categories, including bonus points for every purchase you make!
SPECIAL OFFER: Unlimited Matched Cash Back. Chase will automatically match all the cash back you earned at the end of your first year! There is no limit to how much cash back you can earn.
Matched Cash Back
$0
0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is easily one of the best cash-back credit cards on the market. There aren’t many no-annual-fee credit cards that offer multiple great bonus categories like 5% back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1.5% back on all other purchases.
When paired with other Chase cards in the Ultimate Rewards family, you can transfer that cash back into points if you wish – making it one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet.
Pros
0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
5% back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
3% back on dining and drugstore purchases
1.5% back on all other purchases
No annual fee
Earn big on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
Everyday bonus on dining and drugstores
Straightforward cash-back on all other purchases
Ability to pool points
Cons
3% foreign transaction fee
SPECIAL OFFER: Unlimited Matched Cash Back. Use your card for all your purchases and at the end of your first year, Chase will automatically match all the cash back you earned! There is no limit to how much you can earn. Every dollar in cash back rewards you earn is a dollar Chase will match.
Unlimited 1.5% cash back is just the beginning of what you can earn. You’ll enjoy 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services, 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
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 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!
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, real-time alerts, and more.
Member FDIC
Financial Snapshot
APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
Cash-back is earned on each of our featured cards first in the form of a specific rewards currency. The Amex Blue Cash Everyday card earns cash-back in the form of Reward Dollars and the Freedom Unlimited card in the form of Ultimate Rewards points.
The Amex Blue Cash Everyday card offers elevated earning on select bonus categories while the Freedom Unlimited card has a flat-rate earning structure (with a few exceptions) where every purchase earns a flat rate of cash-back. Here’s how the cards compare:
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Card
Earnings
Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card
3% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets, up to $6,000 in purchases each year
3% cash-back at U.S. gas stations, up to $6,000 in purchases each year
3% cash-back on U.S. online retail purchases, up to $6,000 in purchases each year
1% cash-back on all other purchases
Freedom Unlimited Card
5% cash-back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
5% cash-back on qualifying Lyft purchases (until March 2025)
3% cash-back on dining and drugstore purchases
1.5% cash-back on all other purchases
Let’s look at some spending examples to see which might be the better card when it comes to earnings.
Spending Scenario #1 — High Spending at U.S. Supermarkets
Spending Breakdown:
$12,000 at U.S. supermarkets
$2,000 at U.S. gas stations
$2,400 dining out
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Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card
Freedom Unlimited Card
U.S. Supermarkets — 3% on $6,000 and 1% on the remaining $6,000
U.S. Gas Stations — 3% on $2,000
Dining Out — 1% on $2,400
U.S. Supermarkets — 1.5% on $12,000
U.S. Gas Stations — 1.5% on $2,000
Dining Out — 3% on $2,400
$324 Total Earnings
$282 Total Earnings
Spending Scenario #2 — Moderate Spending at U.S. Supermarkets and Lyft Travel
Spending Breakdown:
$7,200 at U.S. supermarkets
$1,800 on Lyft rides
$3,000 for dining out
$1,200 on U.S. online retail purchases
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Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card
Freedom Unlimited Card
U.S. Supermarkets — 3% x $6,000 and 1% on the remaining $1,200
Lyft — 1% x $1,800
Dining Out — 1% x $3,000
Eligible U.S. Online Retailers — 3% x $1,200
U.S. Supermarkets — 1.5% x $7,200
Lyft — 5% x $1,800
Dining Out — 3% x $3,000
Eligible U.S. Online Retailers — 1.5% x $1,200
$276 Total Earnings
$306 Total Earnings
The Amex Blue Cash Everyday card offers elevated bonus earnings on purchases such as those at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. online retailers. If you spend heavily in these categories, the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card could offer better earnings.
The Freedom Unlimited card earns bonus cash-back on travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, dining and drugstore purchases, Lyft purchases, and a flat rate on every other purchase. The actual mix of your spending will determine the total earnings for each card.
Redeeming Rewards
Accumulate your Amex Reward Dollars or Chase Ultimate Rewards points to fund an annual family vacation. Image Credit: Disney
While reward-earning rates are important, the value of the rewards at redemption time is equally, if not more, important.
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Card
Redemption Options
Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card
Statement credits at 1 cent per point (minimum redemption is $25)
Gift cards, shopping at Amazon, and merchandise
Freedom Unlimited Card
Statement credits, travel, and cash at 1 cent per point
Transfer to premium Chase credit cards for potentially greater value with the option to transfer to hotel and airline partners
Gift cards, shopping at Amazon and Apple, experiences
The Amex Blue Cash Everyday card has higher earning potential on everyday spending, however, the ability to transfer Ultimate Rewards points earned on the Freedom Unlimited card to Chase premium cards results in Ultimate Rewards points having more potential value.
Transferring Ultimate Rewards points to cards such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers redemption values of up to 1.5 cents per point for travel and the additional option to transfer to Chase airline and hotel partners for even greater potential value.
Additionally, Ultimate Rewards points are also more flexible in that you can redeem them for cash at 1 cent per point.
Bottom Line: If your priority is to use your points for statement credits, both featured cards offer the same 1-cent value per point. However, if you have a premium Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning card, you’ll receive far better value by transferring your points to one of those cards and redeeming them for travel. You can receive up to 1.5 cents per point for travel via the Chase travel portal or even greater potential value through travel transfer partners.
Statement Credits
Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card
The Amex Blue Cash Everyday card outshines the Freedom Unlimited card in the area of statement credits. You’ll find the following statement credits on the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card:
The Disney Bundle: Get a $7 monthly statement credit each month you spend at least $9.99 on an eligible subscription to The Disney Bundle which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. Enrollment is required.
Home Chef: Earn up to $15 back monthly (up to $180 annually) when you order from Home Chef. Enrollment is required.
Annual Fees and Authorized Users
Neither card charges an annual fee and there is no cost to add authorized users.
Travel Benefits and Protections
While each of our featured cards comes with several of its own travel benefits and protections, both cards share some common perks.
The following benefits come on both the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card and the Freedom Unlimited card:
Secondary Car Rental Insurance — Pay for the entire car rental with your card, decline the rental car agency’s CDW or LDW coverage, and receive secondary car rental coverage for damage and theft. Secondary car rental coverage means that you must file a claim with your own insurance company before coverage kicks in.
Emergency Travel Assistance
The Amex Blue Cash Everyday card provides assistance while traveling with its Global Assist Hotline.
The Freedom Unlimited card also provides services with its Travel and Emergency Assistance Services dedicated line.
Both cards provide access to assistance 24/7 when you’re traveling, including medical and legal referrals, help with a stolen or lost passport, emergency transportation assistance, and more. Cardholders are responsible for the cost of actual services received but referrals are complimentary.
Each card also offers an additional set of unique benefits.
Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card
Access to Premium Car Rental Protection — For 1 low fee that covers the entire car rental period, you’ll have premium car rental coverage that will be primary coverage with no need to file a claim with your own insurance. Rates for Premium Car Rental Protection range from $12.95 to $24.95 per rental period.
Best Rate Hotel Guarantee — Book your prepaid hotel room via Amex Travel and pay with your card. If you find the same room advertised online, you could receive the difference in price.
Freedom Unlimited Card
Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance — Purchase your trip with your eligible card or rewards earned on your eligible card and if a covered loss disrupts your trip, you could receive up to $1,500 per person, $6,000 per trip.
Roadside Dispatch — Receive roadside assistance with just 1 call 24/7. The cardholder is responsible for the pre-negotiated service rate of $69.95 per instance.
Shopping protections such as purchase protection can provide coverage if a qualifying item is damaged or stolen. Image Credit: TimeStopper via Adobe Stock
Both of our featured cards offer an introductory 0% APR on purchases for 15 months from the date of card approval. After that, regular APR as listed in the tables above will apply.
Additional shopping benefits and protections offered by each card include the following:
Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card
Amex Offers — Enjoy offers that provide statement credits for specific merchant purchases which can save you hundreds of dollars each year.
American Express Car Purchasing Program — Receive discounted pricing on your new car purchase and have the option to charge at least $2,000 of the purchase price to your eligible card.
Purchase Protection — Pay for the eligible item with your card and receive 90 days of coverage from the date of purchase if the item is stolen or damaged. Coverage limits are $1,000 per item, up to $50,000 per calendar year.
ShopRunner Membership — Enjoy free 2-day shipping and returns with select retailers with your complimentary membership that normally would cost $79 per year.
Freedom Unlimited Card
Chase Offers — Similar to Amex Offers, cardholders can view and activate a variety of offers to earn statement credits for their purchases.
Shop through Chase — Earn more cash-back when you utilize the shopping portal to purchase with your card.
Purchase Protection — Receive coverage up to 120 days from the date of purchase for eligible items purchased with your card. Coverage is provided for damage or theft, up to $500 per claim, up to $50,000 per calendar year.
Extended Warranty— This coverage extends the manufacturer’s warranty of 3 years or less, on an eligible item, for 1 additional year. Coverage limits are $10,000 per item, up to $50,000 per card account.
DoorDash DashPass Membership — Receive 3 months of complimentary DoorDash membership and 9 months at a 50% discount. Members receive free delivery and discounted fees.
Instacart Benefits — Cardholders are eligible for a free 3-month Instacart+ membership plus a $10 quarterly credit. Activate by July 31, 2024.
Our list is not a fully inclusive list of every benefit, and the descriptions have been abbreviated. You’ll want to access each card’s guide to benefits for full information and terms and conditions.
Bottom Line: While neither of our featured cards charges an annual fee, the cards still offer plenty of travel and shopping benefits and protections. To explore alternative credit cards that do not charge annual fees, check out our list of recommendations.
Additional Benefits
If you currently have credit cards with high-interest balances, the introductory 0% APR on balance transfers that comes on both cards could save you money.
Transferring high-interest balances to either of our featured cards allows you to pay back the balance over time without incurring interest charges. Here’s how the cards compare in providing this benefit.
Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card
Balance transfers to the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card qualify for the 0% APR period which extends for 15 months from the date of card approval. After that, regular APR as listed in the tables above applies (rates & fees).
Freedom Unlimited Card
Balance transfers to the Freedom Unlimited card qualify for the 0% APR period which extends for 15 months from the date of card approval. After that, regular APR as listed in the tables above applies.
For balance transfers that are made within the first 60 days after card approval, a 3% fee based on the total transfer amount or $5 (whichever is greater) will apply. For balance transfers made after 60 days from card approval, the fee will be the greater of 5%, or $5.
Bottom Line: A 0% APR period for balance transfers can save you money. High-interest credit card balances transferred to either of our featured cards can be paid back over time while no interest charges are incurred.
Final Thoughts
For those consumers who spend mostly at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. online retailers, the better choice for this spending mix may be the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card with its bonus earning categories that align with those purchases.
If you spend a lot on travel, and categories other than supermarkets, gas, and online retailers, you may find greater potential in leveraging Freedom Unlimited card rewards with a premium Chase partner card such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. Doing so allows you to redeem for up to 1.5 cents per point on travel and to transfer points to travel partner loyalty programs.
Additionally, with both of our featured cards lacking annual fees, you can keep either card indefinitely and add to the longevity of your credit history.
For the car rental collision damage coverage benefit of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. For the purchase protection benefit of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. For the Global Assist Hotline benefit of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, you can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations Apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® from American Express, click here.
Featured Image Credit: Upgraded Points
Frequently Asked Questions
Which card is better, the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card or the Freedom Unlimited card?
If you spend a lot on everyday purchases such as shopping at supermarkets, gas, and online retailers, the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card has the edge on earnings in those categories.
If you spend more on travel, dining, drugstores, and non-bonused purchases, or if your preference is to use your rewards for travel, the Freedom Unlimited card may be a better fit.
If you currently have a premium Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning card, the Freedom Unlimited card is a wise choice to leverage the rewards earned on the card by using the transfer option for greater potential value.
How does cash-back work?
Every purchase you make on our featured cards earns cash-back first in the form of an associated rewards currency. For example, the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card earns cash-back in the form of Reward Dollars and the Freedom Unlimited card earns cash-back as Ultimate Rewards points.
Each statement period, the Dollars or Points you earned are deposited into your rewards account and can then be redeemed for cash-back statement credits and more. Terms and conditions apply to each rewards program.
How does the introductory 0% APR period for purchases work?
An introductory 0% APR period is a specific length of time from the date of your card approval during which you can purchase items using your applicable card, carry a balance between statement periods for those purchases, and pay back the purchase over time without incurring interest charges.
Once the 0% APR period expires, however, you will be charged the normal APR charges. The interest rate charged at that time is based on your creditworthiness as determined by the card issuer — normally variable and quite high.
It’s therefore prudent to be sure to pay off any purchases prior to the expiration of the 0% APR period.
How does the introductory 0% APR period for balance transfers work?
If you have balances on credit cards that are charging high interest rates, a 0% APR period for balance transfers allows you to transfer those balances to either of our featured cards and then pay back those balances over time without interest charges.
There is normally a fee of 3% to 5% of the amount of the transfer (or a minimum of $5, whichever is greater) for the transfer transaction. Even with the fee, the savings can be significant since you will not be charged interest for the entire 0% APR period.
Some cards require that the balance transfer be made within the first 60 days after card approval. Additionally, when the 0% APR period ends, normal interest rates apply.
For that reason, you should be sure your transferred balance is paid off prior to the expiration of the 0% APR period.
Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, detailed content for UP.
This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.