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Chase Freedom Unlimited Card — Full Review [2024]

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Jarrod West
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Jarrod West

Senior Content Contributor

437 Published Articles, 1 Edited Article

Countries Visited: 21U.S. States Visited: 24

Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 6 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year and his work has been featured in o...
Edited by: Jessica Merritt
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Jessica Merritt

Editor & Content Contributor

78 Published Articles, 446 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 4U.S. States Visited: 23

A long-time points and miles student, Jessica is the former Personal Finance Managing Editor at U.S. News and World Report and is passionate about helping consumers fund their travels for as little ca...
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Stella Shon

News Managing Editor

77 Published Articles, 545 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 25U.S. States Visited: 22

With a degree in media and journalism, Stella has been in the points and miles game for more than 6 years. She most recently worked as a Corporate Communications Analyst for JetBlue. Find her work in ...

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Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

U.P. Rating
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.
4.26
  • Up to $300 cash back

  • $0

  • Good to Excellent (670-850)

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

This all-purpose cash-back card offers great bonus categories, including bonus points for every purchase you make!

U.P. Rating
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.
4.26
Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

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.

Card Snapshot

Welcome Bonus & Info

  • INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
  • Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
  • After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
  • 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!
  • 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 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, alerts, and more.
  • Member FDIC

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

Great Card If

  • You want to earn flexible rewards
  • You want a card with multiple bonus categories
  • You prefer to avoid an annual fee

Don’t Get If

  • You want travel rewards, benefits, and perks

Freedom Unlimited Card — Is It Worth It?

If you’re in the market for a no-annual-fee cash-back card, it’s likely that the Freedom Unlimited card would be worth it for you.

With it, you’ll earn 5% cash-back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash-back on dining and drugstores, and 1.5% cash-back on all other purchases.

Since it earns an uncapped 1.5% cash-back on all non-bonused purchases, this is one of the best cards for monthly bills and utilities.

One of our favorite perks of the Freedom Unlimited card is that when you pair it with a premium Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning card, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you can redeem rewards for massive travel value for flights and hotels. Such a card combination can help make sure you’re maximizing every dollar you spend and that you have the best redemption options possible.

Personally, I always keep my Freedom Unlimited card in my wallet to use on every purchase that doesn’t fall within a bonus category on one of my other cards. Doing so ensures that I’m always earning as many points as I can on each purchase, which helps me earn enough points for my next trip even faster.

Freedom Unlimited Card Top Benefits

Travel and Purchase Protections

Here are the protections the Freedom Unlimited card offers to help keep you covered:

  • Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance — If you need to cancel a trip due to illness, severe weather, or any other covered circumstance, you’ll receive a reimbursement of up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for non-refundable travel expenses if you need to cancel your trip or end it early.
  • Secondary Rental Car Insurance — This covers damage or theft of your rental car but is secondary to your personal auto insurance.
  • Purchase Protection — This covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
  • Extended Warranty Protection — Warranty protection extends the time period of the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year on eligible warranties of 3 years or less.

DoorDash DashPass

Your Freedom Unlimited card gives you 3 free months of DoorDash DashPass, which provides unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees. After that, you can receive 50% off your DashPass subscription for the next 9 months. Note that this benefit must be activated by December 31, 2024.

Lyft 5% Cash-Back

When you use your Freedom Unlimited card as your payment method on Lyft, you’ll earn 5% cash-back, instead of 1.5%, on all rides through March 31, 2025.

Instacart+ and Credits

The Freedom Unlimited card also offers 3 free months of Instacart+, which provides unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders. Plus, you can earn up to $10 in statement credits each quarter through July 31, 2024, when you make eligible Instacart purchases with your card.

How To Earn and Redeem Your Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

When you earn cash-back with the Freedom Unlimited card, it comes in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Fortunately, there are tons of great ways to earn more Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

When it comes to redeeming your points, most often, your best option will be redeeming for cash-back. Not only is it the most flexible option, but most of the other redemption options offer identical value.

That said, if you pair your card with a premium Chase card such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred card or Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you’ll have access to the Chase airline and hotel partners, which can open up many of the best ways to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

Still not convinced? Upgraded Points’ Senior Content Contributor Katie Seemann says the Freedom Unlimited card is key to earning Chase Ultimate Rewards:

“Chase points are one of my favorite transferable currencies, and the Freedom Unlimited card is a big part of my Ultimate Rewards strategy. With no annual fee and the ability to earn at least 1.5% cash-back all purchases, it’s always in my wallet. I use this card in conjunction with my Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Sapphire Reserve card to earn tons of Ultimate Rewards points that I transfer to Hyatt for luxury hotel stays at places like Park Hyatt Zurich and Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos.”

Katie Seemann, senior content contributor

Many team members at Upgraded Points consider using Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book World of Hyatt stays a fan favorite. You can read about some of these top-notch stays using points at properties such as Hyatt Regency Maui, Park Hyatt Dubai, Park Hyatt Mendoza, Park Hyatt Sydney, and more.

Alternatives Cards to the Freedom Unlimited Card

Citi Double Cash® Card

If you’re after a standard cash-back card, the Citi Double Cash card could be a great fit. The card earns 2% cash-back: 1% when you buy and an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases, all for no annual fee.

Read our full comparison of these 2 cards: Freedom Unlimited card vs. Citi Double Cash card.

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

If you’re looking for a cash-back card that offers bonus categories for what you spend the most on, consider a card like the Capital One Savor card. The Capital One Savor card earns 10% cash-back on Uber and Uber Eats, 4% cash-back on dining, entertainment, and streaming services, 3% cash-back at grocery stores, and 1% cash-back on all other purchases.


We’ve also compared the Freedom Unlimited card to other popular cards:


UP’s Card Review Methodology

Every card we review is assigned a “U.P. Rating” – our star-based system that encompasses all the key details to showcase a card’s standout features, where it falls short, and how it stacks up for travelers to maximize rewards.

These ratings range from 0 to 5 stars and are determined by carefully weighing crucial factors like:

  • Bonus categories
  • Benefits and perks
  • Quality of associated loyalty programs
  • Annual fees and other costs
  • Size of the welcome bonus (and relative to the annual fee)
  • And several more

You can learn more about how Upgraded Points reviews and rates credit cards.

The information regarding the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. 
The information regarding the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Chase Freedom Flex℠ was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Freedom Unlimited card a good credit card?

The Freedom Unlimited card could be perfect if you’re looking for a strong cash-back card and will utilize other Chase cards to optimize your rewards points.

Does the Freedom Unlimited card give cash-back?

Yes, the card is a cash-back card. You will earn 5% cash-back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash-back on restaurant and drugstore dining, and 1.5% cash-back on all other purchases, usable as a statement credit.

Does the Chase 5/24 rule apply to the Freedom Unlimited card?

Yes, the Freedom Unlimited card is subject to the Chase 5/24 rule. If you have opened 5 or more new accounts in the last 24 months, you will not be eligible for the card.

Does the Freedom Unlimited card have an annual fee?

No, the Freedom Unlimited card does not charge an annual fee.

How do I activate 5% cash-back on the Freedom Unlimited card?

The Freedom Unlimited card does not earn 5% cash-back on quarterly rotating bonus categories. That benefit exclusively applies to the Freedom Flex card.

How much income do you need for the Freedom Unlimited card?

There is no minimum income limit in order to be approved for the Freedom Unlimited card, but the higher your income is, the more likely you are to be approved.

Keep in mind that the Freedom Unlimited card’s minimum credit limit is $500, so even if you have a lower-than-average income, you might still have good approval odds, provided you have a good credit score.

What credit limit will I get for the Freedom Unlimited card?

If approved for the Freedom Unlimited card, you will receive a credit limit of at least $500. That said, many approved applicants receive a credit limit much higher than this, which is determined by your income, credit score, history with Chase, and other factors.

Is the Freedom Unlimited card hard to get?

No, the Freedom Unlimited card is not hard to get, provided you have a decent credit score and income showing you can pay your charges off each month. In fact, the Freedom Unlimited card is a popular first credit card for those who have just gotten their first job and are beginning to build their credit.

Is the Freedom Unlimited card good for beginners?

Yes, the Freedom Unlimited card is great for beginners thanks to its simple earning structure, no annual fee, and relatively easy approval process.

What are the cons of the Freedom Unlimited card?

The biggest con of the Freedom Unlimited card is that it charges a 3% foreign transaction fee. Given that, if you travel overseas, you won’t want to use your Freedom Unlimited card for any purchases during your travels.

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About Jarrod West

Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 6 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year and his work has been featured in outlets like The New York Times.

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