Advertiser disclosure: Cards and Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Cards and Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers. Compensation may affect how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies or all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to all credit card benefits.
December 9, 2024: The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a no-annual-fee credit card that at least 1.5% cash back rewards everywhere plus a list of benefits that best most comparable cards.
Here’s why the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is one of our favorite cards.
Our take on the Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Cards and Points Rating:
It’s hard to find fault in the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. The card offers solid rewards everywhere, bonus rewards in a handful of useful categories, a great welcome bonus, and benefits that are best-in-class among no annual fee cards.
Even as a purely cash back card, that Freedom Unlimited would get five stars, but what makes its rewards even more compelling is what happens if you go deep into the Ultimate Rewards® points ecosystem.
If you have a premium Ultimate Rewards® credit card, you can transfer the rewards you earn to that other card and take advantage of additional redemption opportunities. For example, the 1.5% cash back you earn with the Freedom Unlimited could be worth a total of 2.25% toward travel if transferred to a Chase Sapphire Reserve® card and redeemed for bookings through Chase Travel℠.
Frankly, there aren’t many reasonable requests that we could make to improve the Chase Freedom Unlimited®—it’s already offering much more value than it probably needs to. We just wish that the Ultimate Rewards® ecosystem would have a card that offered compelling rewards for gas or groceries.
Pros
- 1.5% cash back on every purchase, plus bonus categories.
- Extended warranty and purchase protection.
- No annual fee.
- Great pick if you want a single card to use everywhere.
- Earns Ultimate Rewards® points.
Cons
- New cardmember offers are different through different channels—you have to hunt around to get the best offer.
- Ultimate Rewards® ecosystem doesn’t have great options for gas or grocery rewards.
Welcome bonus: Get bonus cash back
Chase markets the Chase Freedom Unlimited® through several channels and several different bonus offers are typically available. Here are the best current sign-up bonuses on the Freedom Unlimited:
Annual fee: annual_fees
Online affiliate offer: bonus_miles_full
Learn how to apply for the “extra 1.5%” offer being promoted through affiliate channels.
Direct and referral offer: As of November 25, 2024, referral links are showing the following offer: Earn a $250 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Here’s a referral link from one of our newsletter subscribers where you can learn more and apply for this offer.
You’ll earn more points with the “extra 1.5%” offer if you spend more than about $17,000 on the card in your first year.
Rewards: 1.5% cash back on all purchases, plus bonus rewards on dining and drugstores
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® features “1.5% cash back on every purchase” but that doesn’t really tell the full story. In addition to 1.5% base cash back rewards, the card offers additional rewards in several bonus categories:
- 5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠.
- 3% on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services.
- 3% on drugstore purchases.
- 1.5% on all other purchases.
Chase markets the Chase Freedom Unlimited® as a cash back card, but the card earns Ultimate Rewards® points, which can be redeemed for cash back. For more on how to increase the value of the rewards you earn, see our guide to Ultimate Rewards®.
Benefits: Great benefits for a no-annual-fee card.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® has an incredible suite of benefits for being a card with no annual fee. Here are the most important terms of the card’s benefits, but see your card’s Guide to Benefits for details.
Chase updated the benefits on this card starting on October 1, 2024. This guide reflects the most current benefits.
Consumer insurance benefits
Extended Warranty Protection
Extended warranty extends the original manufacturer’s U.S. repair warranty by one additional year on eligible purchases.
- Applies if your cumulative warranty (manufacturer’s, plus service contracts or other purchased warranties) is three years or less.
- Coverage begins at the end of all cumulative warranties and purchased service contracts.
- You must charge all or a portion of the item to your card and/or use rewards associated with your account, but the maximum amount covered is the amount actually charged to your Chase card.
- Benefit limit is $10,000 per item, and $50,000 per account. (Note that the per-account limit is for the life of the account.)
- Some items, such as computer software, items for resale, medical equipment, and used items, are excluded.
How to start a claim: Visit chasecardbenefits.com or 1-800-349-2691.
Purchase Protection
Purchase protection provides coverage against theft, damage, or involuntary and accidental parting for 120 days from the date of purchase.
- Coverage is secondary to other applicable insurance policies.
- You must charge all or a portion of the item to your card and/or use rewards associated with your account, but the maximum amount covered is the amount actually charged to your Chase card.
- Benefit limit is $500 per item, and $50,000 per account. (Note that the limit is for the life of the account, rather than per year.)
- Some items, such as food, animals, collectibles, computer software, and items being shipped by common carrier, are excluded.
How to start a claim: Visit chasecardbenefits.com or 1-800-349-2691.
Travel insurance benefits
Auto Rental Coverage
Chase auto rental coverage provides reimbursement for damages caused by theft or collision of a rental vehicle.
- You must initiate and complete the entire rental transaction with your card.
- Covers theft, damage, damage, loss-of-use charges, administrative fees, and towing charges only. Does not cover liability or any other charge.
- Covers the cardmember and and any additional drivers permitted by the rental car agreement.
- Secondary coverage within the United States. Primary coverage outside of the United States with no stated country exclusions.
- Covers rentals up to 31 days.
- Coverage limit of $60,000 per claim applies.
- Some types of vehicles are excluded, including exotic cars, vehicles with a MSRP over $125,000, industrial vehicles, and antique cars.
For questions on if a vehicle is covered: Call 1-800-349-2691
How to start a claim: Visit chasecardbenefits.com or 1-800-349-2691.
Roadside Assistance
Chase roadside assistance provides a single number to call for pre-negotiated per-service fees on certain roadside assistance services.
- All services are provided on a per-service fee basis. Cardmember is responsible for the cost of service.
- Coverage is provided in the United States and Canada
How to get roadside assistance: Call 1-800-349-2691.
Travel and Emergency Assistance
When traveling away from home, you can use travel and emergency assistance to coordinate services like medical referrals, legal assistance, emergency translation services, and document delivery.
- Services are referral only.
- Cardmember is responsible for the costs of all services provided.
How to use this service: Call 1-800-349-2691. You can also call collect internationally to +1-214-503-2951.
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance
Chase trip cancellation and interruption insurance provides reimbursement when a trip needs to be canceled or interrupted for a covered reason.
- You must charge your common carrier fare (such as airfare) to the card.
- Coverage limit is $1,500 per covered traveler and $6,000 per trip for all covered travelers.
- Coverage provided to the cardmember, plus family members.
- Covered reasons include death or bodily injury, severe weather, named storm warning, change in military orders, organized strike, terrorist incident, and U.S. Department of State travel warning,
- Only covers non-refundable pre-paid travel expenses charged by a common carrier, change fees and redeposit fees, not including a difference in fare.
- Does not cover any other travel expenses like prepaid tours, hotel rooms, or car rentals.
How to start a claim: Visit chasecardbenefits.com or 1-800-349-2691.
Who is Chase Freedom Unlimited® best for?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a card that almost anyone can benefit from having in their wallet, thanks to its combination of good rewards everywhere, good consumer benefits, and no annual fee. But these types of people will benefit most from the Freedom Unlimited:
- Someone who wants simplicity. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a good choice if you want a single no-annual-fee card to use everywhere. Yes, you can get cards that earn 2% everywhere, but most of those cards do not include the extended warranty and purchase protections offered by the Freedom Unlimited.
- Travelers collecting Chase Ultimate Rewards®. If you hold a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® adding the Freedom Unlimited to your wallet can increase the rewards you earn “everywhere else” by 50%. Ultimate Rewards can be transferred between cards, so you can use the points you earn on your Freedom Unlimited for the enhanced redemption options on your premium cards.
- Frequent diners. The Freedom Unlimited isn’t marketed as a dining card, but it earns 3% rewards on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery services. If you’re currently earning less on dining out, you should pick up this card.
Cards that complement the Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Because the Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns Ultimate Rewards® points, there are a handful of other Chase cards that can make the rewards you earn more valuable and increase the total amount of rewards you earn. Here are some other cards you should consider.
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® earn more rewards on travel and open up opportunities to get more value from your points through travel redemptions. Since you can transfer your Ultimate Rewards points between cards, you can move your points to either card and get more value when you redeem points through Chase Travel℠.
- The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers bonus rewards in its 5% rotating quarterly bonus categories. Historically, rotating categories have included useful categories like grocery stores, Target, Amazon.com, gas stations, PayPal, wholesale clubs, and home improvement stores. The card also has a cell phone protection benefit, with the Freedom Unlimited lacks.
- Small business owners can add a Ink Business Cash® Credit Card or a Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card to their wallet. The Ink Cash earns additional rewards in business-related categories and the Ink Preferred earns more rewards on travel while enabling redemptions through Chase Travel℠ for 25% more value and transfers to travel partners.
- For more rewards on gas and groceries, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express fills in where the Freedom Unlimited earns only 1.5%. The Blue Cash Preferred earns 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%) and 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit. You’ll also earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services and 1% cash back elsewhere.
Alternatives to the Chase Freedom Unlimited®
If you are looking for a single card that earns good rewards everywhere, here are a few alternatives to consider:
- The TD Double Up Credit Card earns 2% cash back on all of your eligible purchases. You’ll also receive Visa benefits like cell phone protection, purchase security and extended warranty. Unfortunately, the card is only available if you are within TD Bank’s U.S. footprint—which includes only a handful of states on the east coast.
- If you are not averse to paying an annual fee, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® card can get you 3% cash back or 4.5% travel rewards anywhere you use a mobile wallet to check out. The card has a $400 annual fee, but that can be largely offset by $325 in annual credits that apply toward eligible travel and dining purchases.
- Small business owners might want to consider the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card for its 1.5% cash back (also earned as Ultimate Rewards®). If you spend a lot month-to-month, keeping the spending on a business card can help you keep high balances off your personal credit report. Plus the card almost always has one of the best Ultimate Rewards new cardmember welcome bonuses.
Bottom line: An excellent card on its own, and an Ultimate Rewards® powerhouse
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a card that almost everyone should consider getting. Between its great rewards everywhere and its suite of benefits, you’re almost certainly going to better your wallet by picking up the card. And if you have other cards in the Chase Ultimate Rewards ecosystem, the card is a must-have.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Chase Freedom Unlimited® offer cell phone protection?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® does not offer cell phone protection. That benefit is available on the Chase Freedom Flex card.
Is the Chase Freedom Unlimited a Visa or Mastercard?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is issued as a Visa card. The similarly-name 5% rotating category card, the Chase Freedom Flex, is issued as a Mastercard.
Can the Chase Freedom Unlimited®’s points be transferred to airlines?
If you also hold a premium Ultimate Rewards® credit card, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you can transfer the points you earn with the Chase Freedom to airline and hotel partners.
Am I automatically enrolled in the DashPass membership on the Chase Freedom Unlimited card?
No. You must enroll in the complimentary DashPass membership.
Advertiser disclosure: Cards and Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Cards and Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers. Compensation may affect how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies or all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to all credit card benefits.
