Last updated on September 20th, 2023
Advertiser Disclosure – BestCards is an independent, Florida-based credit card comparison platform. Many of the card offers that appear on this site are from companies from which BestCards receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). BestCards does not include all card companies or all card offers available in the marketplace.
Editorial Disclosure – The opinions expressed on BestCards’ reviews, blogs, and all other content on or relating to the website are solely those of the content’s author. They are not reflective of any card issuer or financial institution and have not been reviewed or approved by these entities unless otherwise noted. Further, BestCards lists credit card offers that are updated daily with information believed to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Chase Freedom Unlimited
- 20.49% to 29.24% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate Regular Purchase APR
- 20.49% to 29.24% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate Balance Transfer APR
- 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate Cash Advance APR
- 0% for 15 months from account opening date Intro Purchase APR
At a Glance
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® credit card is a reliable option for customers looking to pair an attractive cash back rewards program with generous introductory interest rates. Cardholders can redeem for cash, travel, and more.
- Best Benefits
- Rates & Fees
- Why Should You Apply?
- Earn 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Earn 3% on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- Earn 3% on drugstore purchases
- Earn 1.5% on all other purchases
- No annual fee
- Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn 5% Cash back on gas station purchases on up to $6,000 spent in the first year
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR
- Intro Purchase APR: 0% for 15 months from account opening date
- Regular Purchase APR: 20.49% to 29.24% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
- Intro Balance Transfer APR: 0% for 15 months from account opening date
- Balance Transfer APR: 20.49% to 29.24% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
- Balance Transfer Transaction Fee: Intro fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, on transfers made within 60 days of account opening. After that: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- Cash Advance APR: 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate
- Cash Advance Transaction Fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater
- Penalty APR: Up to 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate
- Foreign Transaction Fee: 3% of the transaction amount in U.S. dollars
- Late Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $40
- Return Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $40
- You are looking for a low-rate credit card to perform a balance transfer
- You prefer straightforward rewards earnings rather than quarterly categories requiring activation
- You'll make at least $500 in purchases in the first 90 days
- You do't want to pay an annual fee
Chase Freedom Unlimited® Review
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® credit card earns an enhanced amount of rewards that make it the perfect option for those who want an everyday earner with quality perks and bonuses.
Introductory Offers
The Freedom Unlimited enjoys the same introductory bonus as the Chase Freedom Flex. New accounts can earn a $200 statement credit after making $500 in purchases within the first three months. This bonus only applies to those who have not received a signup bonus for the Chase Freedom Unlimited within the last 24 months.
The card also comes with the same 0% introductory APR as the Freedom Flex, with a variable APR after that. That 0% intro APR period lasts for 15 months, making the card an a excellent option for those who want to make a large purchase, such as buying a new iPhone. The bonus works equally well for those with an existing balance they want to pay down over 15 months, however.
How to Earn Rewards
Unlike the Chase Freedom Flex Card, the Chase Freedom Unlimited Card earned a fixed rate of rewards with every purchase: 1.5% back with every purchase. That 1.5% back isn’t as impressive as the up to 5% back that comes with the Flex, or the Discover It Cash Back. That said, however, earning 1.5% back is an exceptional value.
Now, however, the Freedom Unlimited offers much more than 1.5% back on all purchases. The card, like the Freedom Flex, earns 5% back on travel purchases made through the Ultimate Rewards portal, including vacation and car rentals.
The card also earns 3% back on bonus categories dining and restaurant purchases, which also include take-out orders and deliveries through eligible delivery services, like Grub Hub and UberEATS. That 3% back also applies to drugstore purchases. All other purchases earn the usual 1.5% back that Freedom cardholders know and love.
The enhanced 1.5% back is ideal for those who want a cash back credit card to use every day, but don’t spend enough on the rotating 5% reward points categories to warrant that type of credit card. And for those individuals, the Chase Unlimited is one of the best on the market today.
How to Redeem Rewards
The value with Chase credit cards comes from the versatility of the rewards they offer. Chase Freedom Unlimited cardholders can use their points (Chase tallies cash back as points – 1X points per 1% back) for statement credits or deposits into existing Chase banking accounts.
Additionally, cardholders can use points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal. Redemption options include:
- Gift cards
- Amazon and Apple purchases
- Products and travel through Ultimate Rewards
Keep in mind that using points through Amazon causes a 20% reduction in points value, so 100 points translate to $.80 rather than $1. Other offers, like travel, however, may provide a higher value than one cent per point.
Points never expire if the Chase account is open and in good standing. This means cardholders can move points from one Chase credit card to another for the best value. Even better, Chase has no minimum amount required for redeeming points.
Choose Cash Back or Ultimate Rewards
One of the great features of the Chase Freedom family of credit cards is how well they pair with other Chase proprietary cards. While the Chase Freedom Unlimited is known as a cash back juggernaut, that is the only way to redeem rewards with Chase.
Chase Ultimate Rewards is the points-based loyalty program from JP Morgan Chase – and one of the most popular credit card rewards programs in existence. Chase Ultimate Rewards and cash back might not seem like a good fit, but did you know that the Chase Freedom family of cards can actually earn Ultimate Rewards points?
Chase Freedom Unlimited cardmembers can opt to redeem their rewards through Ultimate Rewards at a rate of 1% cash back to one Ultimate Rewards point. Cardmembers that choose to earn points instead of cash back can enjoy even more rewards when pairing their Chase Freedom Unlimited with a Sapphire Reserve or Preferred Card – both of which enjoy enhanced redemption rates through Ultimate Rewards.
Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmembers enjoy 50% more value in travel redemption at the Ultimate Rewards portal. In comparison, Sapphire Preferred cardmembers enjoy 25% more value from points at the same outlet. Using points for partner transfers with Chase is an excellent value – especially as Chase currently partners with the following loyalty programs, many at 1:1 transfer ratios:
| Aer Lingus (AerClub) | Air France/KLM (Flying Blue) | Emirates (Skywards) |
| Air Canada (Aeroplan) | British Airways (Executive Club) | Iberia Plus |
| JetBlue (TrueBlue) | Southwest (Rapid Rewards) | Singapore Airlines (KrisFlyer) |
| Virgin Atlantic (Flying Club) | United Airlines (MileagePlus) | IHG Rewards |
| Marriott Bonvoy | World of Hyatt |
Other Card Features
The Freedom Unlimited Card earns additional incentives from Chase partners. These benefits include 5% back on Lyft rides through March 2022. New accounts also qualify for three complimentary months of DoorDash DashPass. DashPass provides free delivery on all DoorDash orders over $12
Since Chase cards are Visa products, they come with typical Visa benefits and protections. These benefits include:
| Zero Fraud Liability | Cardholder Inquiry Services | Emergency Card Replacement |
| Roadside Dispatch and Auto Collision Damage Waiver | Lost/Stolen Card Reporting | ID Navigator from Norton |
Chase Freedom Unlimited® vs. Chase Freedom Flex℠ vs. Chase Freedom
Because of the similar names you might think the Chase Freedom Flex, Freedom Unlimited, and regular Chase Freedom are one and the same, but you’d be mistaken. The cards differ greatly, and not just because the Freedom (not the Flex) is currently not available to new applicants. Here’s how the two Freedom Cards compare:
|
|
 |
 |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited | Chase Freedom Flex | Chase Freedom |
| No annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Earn 5% back on Chase travel, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on everything else | Earn 5% on up to $1,500 on combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate | Earn 5% on up to $1,500 on combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate |
| 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers | 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers | N/A |
FAQs About the Chase Freedom Unlimited
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions regarding the Chase Freedom Unlimited, along with the answers:
- Chase credit cards require a good or excellent credit score to qualify. This means you will likely need a credit score of around 680/690 or higher to qualify for any of the Freedom credit cards – including the Chase Freedom Unlimited.
- Yes. Chase customer can hold both the Chase Freedom (no longer available to new applicants), Freedom Unlimited, and the Freedom Flex Card at the same time.
- Chase’s 5/24 rule means that you can’t be approved for most Chase cards if you’ve opened five or more personal credit cards (from any card issuer) within the past 24 months.
- Chase will often automatically increase your credit limit about every 12 months, but an increase is never guaranteed.
- Chase Bank uses Experian for checking credit scores and gauging applications.
- Chase doesn’t publicly disclose a maximum credit limit for the Chase Freedom Unlimited, but anecdotal evidence from readers places the upper end of the credit limit as $20,000 or higher.
JP Morgan Chase and Freedom Unlimited Card Ratings
How does Chase Freedom Unlimited stack up to users and reviewers? Here is a selection of expert reviews for the card, as well as an overview of JP Morgan Chase as a bank:
| BestCards | Better Business Bureau | TrustPilot |
|
4.5/5 |
3.5/5 |
2/5 |
