A Guide to Chase Freedom Credit Cards

Quick insights

• Chase Freedom provides a suite of rewards credit cards.
• Choose from three cards designed to complement different spending habits.
• To make the most of your cash back card, it can be helpful to know how to earn and redeem rewards.

Chase Freedom offers you three popular rewards credit cards to choose from: Chase Freedom Unlimited^®, Chase Freedom Flex^® and Chase Freedom Rise^®. If you’re looking for a card with a low annual fee, that earns you cash back on every purchase and gives you more freedom with redeeming rewards, then Chase Freedom might be right for you.

But which card should you pick? That all depends on your spendings habits. Here's your guide to choosing the Chase Freedom card that works for you.

What are the differences between Chase Freedom cards?

Each Chase Freedom card comes with unique features. If your credit history is limited, consider Chase Freedom Rise. It’s a great card to help you build credit. For those with a more established credit history, Chase Freedom Unlimited and Chase Freedom Flex could be a good choice. Chase Freedom Unlimited makes it easy to earn cash back on everyday purchases, and Chase Freedom Flex can be perfect for savvy shoppers who want to maximize their rewards.

In all cases, it’s important that you read the Rewards Program Agreement of each individual card for more details.

Chase Freedom Unlimited

Do you prefer an effortless approach to credit card management? Chase Freedom Unlimited may have terms you like. It offers you a generous cash back reward of 1.5 percent on every purchase. You may find it simple and uncomplicated to get rewarded for your normal spending habits. You’ll get even higher rewards when you make eligible travel purchases through Chase, dining and drugstore purchases.

Here are the cash back rewards Chase Freedom Unlimited cardmembers enjoy:

• 1.5% on every purchase
• 5% on purchases through Chase Travel
• 3% on dining
• 3% on drugstores

The card has a low APR for the first 15 months from account opening, so it can be great if you’ve got a major purchase coming up.

In short, if you like rewards but don’t want to give them too much thought, this card might be for you.

Chase Freedom Flex

Willing to be strategic about maximizing your rewards earning potential? Chase Freedom Flex might be right for you. If you don’t mind paying a bit more attention to how to earn rewards with your spending. One of the main ways this dynamic card differs from Chase Freedom Unlimited is the quarterly rotating bonus categories. These categories change with each financial quarter and allow you to earn five percent cash back on up to $1,500 in purchases that fall within those categories.

Please note that these categories must be activated to earn rewards. It may be a good choice if you’re a strategic shopper who loves the satisfaction of knowing you boosted your rewards.

Here are the card’s cash back reward categories:

• 1% on every purchase
• 5% on quarterly rotating bonus categories ($1,500 quarterly spend limit)
• 5% on purchases through Chase Travel
• 3% on dining
• 3% on drugstores

Chase Freedom Rise

Ready for your first credit card? Chase Freedom Rise could be it. The card is designed for those who are looking to build credit.

You may be able to increase your chances of approval when you have a Chase checking account with a balance of $250 or more. The money has to be deposited into the account within 96 hours of applying for the card, according to the disclosure. Visit the Chase Freedom Rise webpage for more details.

You’ll get 1.5 percent cash back on every purchase. If you’re new to credit card rewards, you can check out this guide on how to get cash back from credit cards.

Guide to Chase Freedom rewards categories

If you’re new to rewards cards, it can be important to understand how to get cash back so that you can get the most out of your card. It is also important that you read the terms and conditions of the card you choose. Here’s how to take advantage of your card’s rewards platform.

Quarterly Freedom Flex cash back categories

Quarterly cash back bonus categories are relevant to Freedom Flex cardmembers. These categories change every quarter and must be activated. A good way to get up-to-date information on the current categories is to visit the Chase Freedom Flex credit card page. Here are just a few categories that have been offered in the past:

• Grocery stores
• Fitness clubs
• Spa services
• Gas stations
• Wholesale clubs

Typically, two to three categories are offered every quarter. There’s a good chance you’ll find at least one category that aligns with your lifestyle and spending habits.

Earning and redeeming Chase Freedom rewards

You earn points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards^® portal by using your Chase Freedom cards to make eligible purchases. The amount of the rewards will depend on your card’s terms. All three Freedom cards pay between 1 to 1.5 percent cash back on every purchase, and Chase Freedom Unlimited and Chase Freedom Flex allow you to earn bigger rewards in categories like travel, dining and drugstores. View the card’s terms to see what counts as an eligible purchase within these categories.

Chase Freedom Flex cardmembers can earn rewards through quarterly bonus categories. You need to activate the quarterly bonus rewards before you earn, which you can do via website, phone, email, app or in person.

You can see how many points you’ve earned broken down by category in the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal within the Chase mobile app or logged in on the website. These points never expire, so feel free to save them up for big redemption opportunities. See your Rewards Program Agreement for more details.

If you’re ready to redeem your rewards, navigate to the Chase Ultimate Rewards home page. After you’ve logged in, you’ll hover your cursor over the “earn/use” tab and choose from options in the drop-down menu, such as:

• Cash back (in the form of a deposit or statement credit)
• Gift cards
• Travel
• Transfer points to a partner

Follow the instructions to redeem your points for your selected option. Note that there are a variety of options for how to use Chase Ultimate Rewards for travel.

Guide to Freedom card benefits

Aside from the fact that you earn cash back on every purchase and rewards never expire, Freedom cards have so many other benefits. Here are some of the benefits all three cards offer:

• Purchase Protection
• 24/7 fraud monitoring
• Auto Rental Coverage
• Travel Cancellation and Interruption Insurance
• Extended Warranty Protection

Freedom Flex credit cards also offer Cell Phone Protection. Check your card’s Guide to Benefits for the most current information on cardmember benefits and remember to read all terms and conditions in your card agreement.

In summary

Chase Freedom cards can give you the freedom to earn and redeem points. Whether you choose Chase Freedom Unlimited, Chase Freedom Flex or Chase Freedom Rise, you get a card that can work for the way you spend.