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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...
Nick’s passion for points began as a hobby and became a career. He worked for over 5 years at The Points Guy and has contributed to Business Insider and CNN. He has 14 credit cards and continues to le...
Kellie’s professional experience has led her to a deep passion for compliance, data reporting, and process improvement. Kellie’s learned the ins and outs of the points and miles world and leads UP’s c...
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Chase stands out as a highly-respected card issuer that continually enhances its credit card products to reflect the demands and preferences of today’s consumers.
When shopping habits shifted to everyday purchases, for example, Chase responded by adding bonus categories for everyday purchases to a number of its products.
Additionally, to acknowledge the need for and encourage charitable giving, Chase added the ability to redeem points earned on several cards for statement credits for eligible charitable donations.
As the issuer’s portfolio of cards continues to evolve, so do your choices. You can select an everyday no-annual-fee card that still earns well on every purchase you make or a premium Chase card that comes with all the travel benefits you’ll ever need.
No 2 Chase cards illustrate your range of choices much better than the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. And, while you might feel you have to decide which card is better for you at this moment in time, keep your mind open to the possibility that these cards may work best in tandem.
Let’s take a look at these 2 popular Chase credit cards, how they earn rewards, redemption options you can expect, benefits and protections that come with each card, and how the cards can complement each other.
Freedom Unlimited Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve Card — Overview
Here’s an abbreviated comparison of the key features and benefits of both of our featured cards.
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Feature or Benefit
Freedom Unlimited Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
Welcome Offer
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.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Earning Potential
5% cash-back on travel via the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal and Lyft (through March 31, 2025)
3% cash-back on dining and drugstore purchases
1.5% cash-back on all other purchases
10x points per dollar spent on car rentals, hotels, and dining booked via the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal and Lyft (through March 31, 2025)
5x points for flights booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards
3x points on all other travel and dining
1x points on all other purchases
Redemption Options
Redeem for travel via Ultimate Rewards
Transfer points to premium Chase cards
Statement credits, Pay Yourself Back, Gift cards, shopping at select retailers
Redeem for travel via Ultimate Rewards
Transfer points to hotel and airline partners
Statement credits, Pay Yourself Back, Gift cards, shopping at select retailers
Immediately after approval for either the Freedom Unlimited card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you’ll have an opportunity to earn a welcome bonus.
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
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.
A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.
A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
60,000 points
$1,200
$550
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.
Excellent (740-850)
If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the best options out there.
The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options. Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.
Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!
Pros
10x points on car rentals, hotels, and dining booked via the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
10x points on Lyft purchases March 31, 2025
10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025
5x points on airfare booked via the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
3x points on all other travel and dining purchases; 1x point on all other purchases
$300 annual travel credit
Priority Pass airport lounge access
TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS credit
Access to Chase Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection
Rental car elite status with National and Avis
Cons
$550 annual fee
Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
$300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
Each of our featured cards earns rewards on every purchase you make and bonus earnings on specific category purchases. The Freedom Unlimited card earns rewards first as points that can be redeemed for cash-back. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card earns Ultimate Rewards points directly.
Here’s how the earning potential compares between our featured cards:
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Earnings Category
Freedom Unlimited Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
Flights Purchased via Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal
5% cash-back
5x points per dollar spent
Car Rentals, Hotels, and Dining Booked via Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal
5% cash-back
10x points per dollar spent
All Other Travel
1.5% cash-back
3x points per dollar spent
Restaurants Worldwide, Takeout, and Eligible Delivery Services
1.5% cash-back
3x points per dollar spent
Lyft Rides
5% cash-back
5x points per dollar spent
Select Peloton Purchases
1.5% cash-back
10x points per dollar spent
All Other Purchases
1.5% cash-back
1x points per dollar spent
A key strength of the Freedom Unlimited card is its elevated earnings on non-bonus category purchases, but you’ll also earn well when using the Ultimate Rewards portal to book travel. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card functions more as a premium travel rewards card, delivering strong earnings on travel purchases and restaurants worldwide.
Redemption Options
Transferring Ultimate Rewards points to airline partners may result in the best value for your rewards points. Image Credit: cottonbro via Pexels
Both the Freedom Unlimited card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve card earn points that can be redeemed in several ways. Here are the choices you’ll have at redemption time with each of our featured cards.
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Redemption Option
Freedom Unlimited Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
Redeem for Travel via Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal
Yes, at a value of 1 cent per point
Yes, at a value of 1.5 cents per point
Transfer Points to Hotel and Airline Partners
No, only when paired with a premium Ultimate Rewards-earning card
Yes
Pay Yourself Back
Yes, on select charity donations at a value of 1.25 cents per point
Yes, on various rotating categories at a value of 1.25 to 1.5 cents per point
Statement Credits/Cash
Yes, at a value of 1 cent per point
Gift Cards, Merchandise, Shopping at Select Retailers
Yes
Yes
Bottom Line: The Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers greater flexibility and better value at redemption time. One notable point, however, is that if you have both cards, you can transfer points earned on the Freedom Unlimited card to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card to take advantage of the higher value at redemption time and to have the ability to transfer to the Chase travel partners for even greater potential value.
Travel Benefits and Protections
Travel insurance benefits can deliver peace of mind during your journey. Image Credit: leungchopan via Adobe Stock
Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
Rental car insurance can be secondary (you must first file a claim with other applicable insurance) or primary insurance that kicks in right away at the time of loss. The Freedom Unlimited card comes with secondary car rental insurance while the Chase Sapphire Reserve card comes with primary car rental insurance.
With either card or coverage level, you must pay for the entire rental with your card and decline the rental agency’s CDW/LDW coverage. You’ll then be eligible for rental car coverage for damage, theft, loss of use, and towing. Terms and conditions apply.
Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, and Trip Delay
Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
If your covered trip needs to be canceled or is interrupted due to a covered reason, you could receive up to $10,000 per covered person, up to $20,000 per covered trip. If your trip is delayed more than 6 hours or results in an overnight stay, you could receive up to $500 per ticket for lodging and covered incidentals.
Freedom Unlimited Card
You could receive up to $1,500 per covered person, up to $6,000 per coverage trip, if your trip needs to be canceled or is interrupted due to a covered reason. The Freedom Unlimited card does not offer trip delay coverage.
Travel Emergency Assistance
Have access 24/7 to emergency assistance should something go wrong during your travels. Services include translator, legal, and medical referrals, assistance with emergency transportation, help with ticket replacement, lost luggage, and more.
Additional Travel Benefits and Protections — Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
In addition to the travel benefits and protections listed above, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers these additional benefits/protections:
Worldwide Lounge Access
With complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, you’ll have access to over 1,300 locations worldwide. You’ll also be able to bring 2 additional guests. This benefit also applies to authorized users on the card.
Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection Benefits
Enjoy elite-style benefits such as room upgrades, early check-in/late checkout when available, daily breakfast for 2, a special onsite amenity worth up to $100, and complimentary Wi-Fi with each Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection stay. Reservations and payment must be made with your eligible Chase card.
Relais & Chateaux Hotel Benefits
Receive a VIP welcome and complimentary breakfast each day for each member of your party, for up to 7 days. Offer valid at 180 Relais & Chateaux properties.
Car Rental Program Benefits
Enjoy National Emerald Club Executive membership with National, plus discounts and elite-style benefits with Avis and Audi on demand. Log in to your Chase card account and register to receive the benefits.
Emergency Evacuation and Transportation
Pay for your common carrier trip with your card and receive emergency evacuation services, up to $100,000.
Emergency Medical and Dental Coverage
Receive up to $2,500 in coverage for emergency medical or dental coverage and $75 per day for a hotel if recovery is needed (up to 5 days). There is a $50 deductible per claim.
Roadside Assistance
Never worry when you’re stranded roadside — help is on the way. You’ll receive up to 4 service calls each year, for a maximum of up to $50 each. Any remainder will be charged to your card. Services include limited towing, tire changing, lockout service, emergency fuel, and more.
Lost and Delayed Baggage Insurance
If your baggage is lost, you could receive up to $3,000 per covered person. For baggage that is delayed greater than 6 hours, you could receive up to $100 a day for up to 5 days for necessary incidentals.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
While the Freedom Unlimited card is perfect to use while traveling domestically, the card does charge a 3% fee on foreign transactions. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card does not charge these fees, making it the card you’ll want to take with you for international travel.
Bottom Line: While the Freedom Unlimited card does offer secondary rental car coverage, trip cancellation/interruption, and travel emergency services, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is superior with its long list of travel benefits and protections. The card does, however, come with a much higher annual fee.
Shopping Benefits and Protections
Save money and enjoy limited protection if something should go wrong with your eligible purchase. Image Credit: Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels
Shop through Chase and Chase Offers
Earn rewards faster and save money with both the Freedom Unlimited card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve card by making purchases via the Chase shopping portal and using Chase Offers.
The Shop through Chase shopping portal offers additional earnings at select retailers that are over and above what you’d normally earn by shopping with your card. Just log in to your Ultimate Rewards online account to see the list of hundreds of stores.
Chase Offers are located in your online card account. Log in to your Chase card account, add the offers to your eligible card, and make the associated purchase to receive the statement credit offer.
DoorDash DashPass
With the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you’ll receive at least 1 full year of complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership when you activate your membership by December 31, 2024. You’ll receive a $5 monthly DoorDash credit, free delivery, and reduced service fees with your free membership.
Freedom Unlimited cardholders receive the same free delivery and reduced service fees with a complimentary 3-month membership but do not receive the $5 monthly credit. After the 3-month membership, cardholders can continue membership for 50% off for the next 9 months, then at full price.
Purchase Protection
If an eligible item purchased with your card is damaged or stolen within the first 120 days after the purchase date, you could receive up to $500 per claim with the Freedom Unlimited card or up to $10,000 per claim with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. Each card has a limit of $50,000 per account.
Extended Warranty
Eligible items with manufacturer’s warranties of 3 years or less will receive 1 additional year of coverage.
Additional Shopping Benefits and Protections
Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
Return Protection — If a merchant will not accept the return of an eligible item purchased with your card within 90 days from the date of purchase, you could receive up to $500 per item, up to $1,000 per year.
Instacart Benefits — Cardholders are eligible for a free 12-month Instacart+ membership plus a $15 monthly credit.
Freedom Unlimited Card
Instacart Benefits — Cardholders are eligible for a free 3-month Instacart+ membership plus a $10 quarterly credit. Activate by July 31, 2024.
Bottom Line: The Freedom Unlimited card and Chase Sapphire Reserve card offer similar shopping benefits and protections. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card, however, offers a broader DoorDash benefit, increased limits for purchase protection, and return protection. If you have a large upcoming purchase or need to transfer a high-interest credit card balance, the Freedom Unlimited card could save you money with the introductory 0% APR period.
Annual Fees and Adding Authorized Users
The Freedom Unlimited card does not charge an annual fee. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card charges an annual fee of $550.
You can add authorized users to the Freedom Unlimited card for no additional charge. There is a fee of $75 for each authorized user added to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.
Bottom Line: While the Chase Sapphire Reserve card does come with a high annual fee and a charge to add each authorized user, the card offers a long list of premium travel benefits for the primary cardholder and authorized users. Worldwide lounge access is an example of the added value offered with the card.
Final Thoughts
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card comes with far more benefits than the Freedom Unlimited card but it also has a higher annual fee. If you’re not ready — or comfortable with — paying a higher annual fee, or you won’t use enough of the benefits on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card to validate the expense, the Freedom Unlimited card can still deliver plenty of value.
We mentioned at the beginning of this article that it wasn’t necessary to select from either of these 2 cards because the cards can work very well in tandem. If you can utilize the benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card (and don’t mind the annual fee) but still want to earn at least 1.5% on every purchase, there’s value in having both cards.
For example, you can use the Freedom Unlimited card for purchases that don’t fall within the bonus categories on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. You can then transfer those points to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card and redeem them for travel for 50% more in value. You’ll also be able to then take advantage of the ability to transfer points to hotel and airline partners for potentially even greater value.
Before considering any Chase credit card, however, you should be aware of Chase’s (unwritten) rule that affects whether you can be approved for any of the issuer’s credit cards. Chase’s 5/24 rule states that you can only have a maximum of 5 credit cards issued from any source in the past 24 months to qualify for approval.
Featured Image Credit: Upgraded Points
Frequently Asked Questions
Which card is better, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card or the Freedom Unlimited card?
If you travel frequently, value premium travel benefits, and don’t mind paying an annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card could offer better value.
However, the Freedom Unlimited card works well as an everyday card and has no annual fee.
The better card for you will depend on the mix of your spending, which redemption options work best for you, and whether you value premium travel benefits.
How do Ultimate Rewards Points work?
Both the Freedom Unlimited card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve card earn rewards in the form of points, on each eligible purchase. Rewards earned on the Freedom Unlimited card can be redeemed directly for cash-back, so the card is marketed as a cash-back card.
Rewards earned on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card are earned as Ultimate Rewards points that offer greater options and value at redemption time compared to the Freedom Unlimited card.
Points, however, can be transferred between the 2 cards (with limitations), allowing you to take advantage of the greater value offered on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card at redemption time.
Can I transfer points from the Freedom Unlimited card to airlines?
You can redeem points earned on the Freedom Unlimited card for flights via the Ultimate Rewards travel portal, but you cannot transfer points to airline (or hotel) programs.
To do so, you must first transfer points to a Chase premium card that has the ability to transfer to travel partners.
How does Chase cash-back work on the Freedom Unlimited card?
Each purchase you make on the Freedom Unlimited card earns a percentage of the purchase price back in the form of points. These points can then be redeemed in several ways, including cash-back.
The points can also be transferred to Chase premium cards to be redeemed for potentially even greater value.
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.
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