Chase Freedom vs Chase Freedom Unlimited Cards Comparison

By now, you’ve probably heard of the Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Unlimited credit cards. Both cards are extremely popular and are leaders in a number of categories in the world of rewards credit cards. Because both the Freedom and Freedom Unlimited come packed with perks and benefits, you might find it difficult choosing between the two. Here is a comparison of the features with both cards to help give you a better idea of which card is best for you.

The Chase Freedom Card

Chase Freedom

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intro purchase APR 0% for 15 months	regular APR15.49 - 24.24% (V)
intro BT APR 0% for 15 months	3% BT fee $5 min
rewards 1% or 5% on every $1	+$100

• 5% cashback on quarterly categories ($1,500 quarterly limit, then 1%)
• get $100 bonus after spending $500 on the card in the first 3 months
• get $25 on first added authorized card user

 

fair credit required

no annual fee

0% intro APR

5% cash back on quarterly categories

$100 intro bonus

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The Chase Freedom card awards 5% cash back on purchases in quarterly rotating categories, up to a limit of $1,500 in purchases. Purchase after the cap and in other categories earn an unlimited 1% cash back. You do have to activate the quarterly categories, but if your spending falls into some of the popular categories of the past like groceries, drug stores, and gas, you could earn quite a bit back in cash back.

You can redeem your rewards as a statement credit or electronic deposit into a checking or savings account. You can also redeem for gift cards, travel, and products or services, or you can transfer your rewards to other Chase cards in the Ultimate Rewards program. You can earn an unlimited amount of cash back, which does not expire as long as your account is open.

Sign-Up Bonuses

For new cardholders, the extra bonuses include a $150 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. You can earn an additional $25 bonus after you add your first authorized user and make your first purchase within the same 3-month period. You also get a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers. After that, a variable APR of 15.74% - 24.49% applies.

Other Benefits

This card includes other card benefits such as the following:

• Zero liability protection
• Purchase protection
• Price protection
• Auto rental collision damage waiver

The Chase Freedom Unlimited Card

With the Chase Freedom Unlimited card, you automatically earn a flat rate of 1.5% cash back on all your purchases with no limits. This means you earn cash back whenever you use the card, without worrying about signing up for specific purchase categories.

You can redeem for a statement credit or electronic deposit into a checking or savings account, or for gift cards, travel, or products or services. You can also transfer your rewards from this card to other Chase cards in the Ultimate Rewards program. Your cash back does not expire as long as your account is open and there are no limits to the amount of cash back you can earn.

Sign-Up Bonuses

For new cardholders, the sign-up bonus with the Chase Freedom Unlimited is the same as the Freedom. You can earn a $150 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening, plus an additional $25 bonus after you add your first authorized user and make your first purchase within the same 3-month period. You get a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers. After that, a variable APR of 15.74% - 24.49% applies.

Other Benefits

This card includes card benefits similar to the Chase Freedom, which include:

• Zero liability protection
• Purchase protection
• Price protection
• Auto rental collision damage waiver

What They Have in Common

Although two different cards, you can see that the Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Unlimited have quite a bit in common. Both cards offer a cash back rewards program for earning on your purchases. For new cardholders, it’s a little easier to choose between the two if you are looking at sign-up bonuses because they are the same. You can earn a total of $175 in cash back if you meet the requirements, with either card. Plus, if you need to make a large purchase or transfer a bonus, you get the same 0% intro APR for 15 months on both cards.

The redemption options are also the same. You don’t have to worry about reaching a particular threshold to redeem your rewards, and you can redeem for cash back, statement credit, gift cards, and many other options. Plus, both cards are part of the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, which means you can transfer your rewards among Chase cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve. This means you can get more value out of your points — as much as 25% or 50% — by converting your cash back to points and then redeeming them for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

In addition, both cards come with card benefits like zero liability protection in the event your card is lost or stolen, as well as purchase and price protection.

Similarities at a Glance

• Earn cash back
• Total $175 sign-up bonus
• 0% Intro APR for purchases and balance transfers for 15 months

The Differences Between the Chase Freedom Cards

The most significant difference between the Chase Freedom and Freedom Unlimited cards, and likely the difference that will play a part in determining which card is best for you, is the rewards program.

Although you can earn more with the Chase Freedom’s rotating categories, if you don’t activate the categories or your spending is outside those categories, you’ll only earn 1% cash back. In cases like this, you earn more with the Chase Freedom Unlimited, which just gives you a flat rate of 1.5% cash back without any rotating categories. For people who don’t want to be bothered with rotating categories, the Chase Freedom Unlimited could be more valuable simply because there’s less hassle.

Differences at a Glance

• Chase Freedom — 5% cash back in quarterly rotating categories you active; 1% cash back all other purchases.
• Chase Freedom — Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.

Which Card is Best For You?

When you look at what you get with the Chase Freedom and the Chase Freedom Unlimited, making the decision between the two is really based on your individual spending. If you don’t mind activating quarterly categories and spend in those categories, you can earn as much as 5% cash back on those purchases, which is among the highest cash back rates available.

However, if you rarely spend in those categories and don’t think you’ll want to be bothered with checking and activating categories every quarter, you could do better with the flat rate of 1.5% you get with the Chase Freedom Unlimited. Plus, don’t forget you can get significantly more value out of your cash back if you transfer to a Chase Sapphire or Sapphire Reserve card.

Consider Maximizing Your Rewards with Both

If you still can’t decide between the two cards and have room for two more, you might want to consider getting both. If you have both cards, you can take advantage of the 5% cash back in rotating categories and then earn 1.5% cash back on all your other purchases. 

Christina Majaski More than 10 years experience covering credit cards and personal finance

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