Chase Freedom Unlimited Card Review: A Versatile Cash Back Card for Everyone
If you’re looking for a simple and rewarding cash back credit card, you might want to consider the Chase Freedom Unlimited® Card. This card offers a lot of benefits, such as a $200 welcome bonus, a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase. Plus, you can earn even more cash back on travel, dining, and drugstore purchases.
In this article, we’ll review the Chase Freedom Unlimited card and explain why it’s a great option for anyone who wants to earn cash back rewards without paying an annual fee.
Table of Contents
Benefits of the Chase Freedom Unlimited Card
The Chase Freedom Unlimited card has several benefits that make it a versatile and valuable cash back card. Here are some of the more important ones:
- Welcome bonus: You can earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. This is a generous offer that can boost your rewards balance right away.
- Cash back rewards: You can earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, with no categories to track or activate. This means you can earn rewards on everything you buy, from groceries to gas to online shopping. In addition, you may earn 5% cash back on travel booked via Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% cash back on dining out (including delivery and qualified takeout), and 3% cash back on dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services), and 3% cash back on drugstore purchases. These bonus categories can help you earn even more rewards on some of your most common expenses.
- 0% intro APR: You can enjoy a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers. This can help you save money on interest if you need to finance a large purchase or pay off existing debt. After the intro period, the variable APR will be 20.49%–29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
- No annual fee: You don’t have to pay an annual fee to use this card, which means you can keep more of your rewards in your pocket.
- Purchase protection: You can get peace of mind when you shop with this card, as it offers purchase protection for 120 days against damage or theft, up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Travel insurance: You can also travel with confidence with this card, as it offers trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance that can reimburse you up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable passenger fares if your trip is cancelled or cut short by sickness, severe weather, or other covered situations.
- Contactless payment: You can pay with ease and security with this card, as it supports contactless payment technology that lets you tap to pay at checkout terminals that accept it.
Who is the Chase Freedom Unlimited Card best for?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited card is best for anyone who wants to earn cash back rewards without paying an annual fee or worrying about rotating categories. This card is especially suitable for people who spend a lot on travel, dining, and drugstores, as they can earn extra cash back on those purchases.
This card is also a good choice for people who want to take advantage of the 0% intro APR offer, either to make a large purchase or to transfer a balance from another card. However, keep in mind that there is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Furthermore, this card is ideal for people who have other Chase credit cards that earn Ultimate Rewards points, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Chase Ink Business Preferred. That’s because you can combine your cash back rewards with your Ultimate Rewards points and redeem them for travel, gift cards, merchandise, or even cash back at a higher value.
How does the Chase Freedom Unlimited card compare to other cash back cards?
One of the finest cash back credit cards available is the Chase Freedom Unlimited card, but it’s not the only one. Here are some other popular cash back cards that you might want to compare it with:
- Citi Double Cash Card: This card offers a flat 2% cash back on every purchase: 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay. This means you can earn more cash back than the Chase Freedom Unlimited card on most purchases, except for travel, dining, and drugstores. However, this card doesn’t have a welcome bonus or a 0% intro APR offer, and it charges a 3% foreign transaction fee.
- Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card: This card offers a flat 1.5% cash back on every purchase, just like the Chase Freedom Unlimited card. It also has a $200 welcome bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months, and a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. However, it doesn’t have any bonus categories, and it has a lower balance transfer fee of 3%.
- Discover it Cash Back: This card offers 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter in rotating categories that you activate, such as gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, and Amazon.com. It also offers 1% cash back on all other purchases. Plus, it matches all the cash back you earn in your first year, effectively doubling your rewards. However, this card requires more planning and tracking to maximize your rewards, and it doesn’t have a 0% intro APR offer on balance transfers.
Pros and Cons of the Chase Freedom Unlimited card
Pros:
- No annual fee
- 0% introductory APR on purchases for 15 months
- 1.5% cash back on all purchases
- 3% cash back on dining and drugstores
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Flexible redemption options
Cons:
- Variable APR of 16.49%-25.24%
- Foreign transaction fees of 3%
- Cash back rewards do not expire
Overall, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is a great choice for people who are looking for a no-annual-fee cash back card with a variety of bonus categories. It’s also a good option for people who are new to credit cards, as it has a relatively low credit score requirement.
If you’re considering applying for the Chase Freedom Unlimited card, be sure to read the terms and conditions carefully before you apply. You can also check your eligibility online.
I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any questions. Please read our other articles about credit cards.
FAQs
How do I apply for the Chase Freedom Unlimited card?
You can apply for the Chase Freedom Unlimited card online at the Chase website. You’ll need to provide some personal and financial information, such as your name, address, income, and Social Security number. You’ll also need to have a good to excellent credit score to qualify for this card.
How do I redeem my cash back rewards with the Chase Freedom Unlimited card?
You can redeem your cash back rewards with the Chase Freedom Unlimited card in several ways. You can choose to receive a statement credit or a direct deposit into your bank account. You can also use your rewards to shop at Amazon.com or pay with points at checkout with Chase Pay. Alternatively, you can transfer your rewards to another Chase card that earns Ultimate Rewards points and redeem them for travel, gift cards, merchandise, or even cash back at a higher value.
Is there a limit to the cashback I can earn?
No, there’s no limit to the cashback you can earn. You’ll continue to earn cashback on every eligible purchase you make.
A seasoned blogger with over a decade of experience, Eric has been sharing his thoughts and ideas online for as long as he can remember. From tech tips to travel tales, he loves connecting with people through his words. Join Eric on this journey as he explores the digital world together.
