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The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a great choice for consumers who want to keep their points and miles earning game simple with a single credit card in their wallet. This no-annual-fee card comes with generous bonus categories that are practical for anyone while offering benefits that beat many higher-tier credit cards without having to pay an annual fee. Here’s why we think the Freedom Unlimited deserves a slot in everyone’s wallet.
Chase Freedom Unlimited: At a Glance
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Annual fee |
$0 |
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Intro APR |
0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, |
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Rewards currency |
Chase Ultimate Rewards |
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Sign-Up Bonus |
SPECIAL OFFER: Unlimited Matched Cash Back. Chase will automatically match all the cash back you earned at the end of your first year! There is no limit to how much cash back you can earn. |
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Reward Rates |
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Included Benefits |
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Card Drawbacks |
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If your curiosity has been piqued, read our Chase Freedom Unlimited review to learn more about whether this card is right for you.
Why the Freedom Unlimited Is the Best Daily Credit Card
If you want to earn travel rewards from a single credit card with no annual fee, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is the one for you. These are our top considerations for this claim:
1. Generous Flat-Rate Rewards on Every Dollar With Practical Bonus Categories
Pexels
If you have a big bill coming up, consider putting tuition, property taxes or similar large expenses on this card, especially during your first year as a cardholder. During your first year, you'll earn an extra 1.5% cash back on all purchases, up to $20,000 spent.
Here are the card's regular bonus categories:
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM
- 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases
- 1.5% cash back on all other purchases
Looking at the rewards categories, all of these are practical, everyday expenses that you don't have to go out of your way to spend. If you dine out weekly or make drugstore purchases frequently, you'll get a lot of value out of the Freedom Unlimited card.
Related Article
Chase Travel Rewards: Guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards
2. Purchase FSA-Eligible Items for 3x Points at Drugstores
The Freedom Unlimited stands out among other Chase Freedom credit cards because it offers a flat 3x points per dollar spent on drugstore purchases. Keeping this card in your wallet means you’ll maximize your rewards on all those cough drops, Band-aid products, COVID tests, prescriptions and allergy medications.
This card even helps you maximize your Slickdeals habit: If you find a good deal at CVS or Walgreens, make sure to pay with your Freedom Unlimited. Bonus savings and extra rewards—who doesn’t love that?
Quick Tip
Pay with your Freedom Unlimited card, then reimburse yourself through your FSA account. That way, you’ll earn the cash back but also benefit from the tax savings from your FSA funds.
To play the points and miles game on expert mode, you may even be able to pay for flexible savings account (FSA)-eligible purchases with your Freedom Unlimited for 3x points per dollar, then pay yourself back from your FSA account funds.
As of 2023, the IRS allows an annual FSA contribution of $3,050 per employee. If you max out your FSA contribution and spend the full limit on eligible purchases at drugstores using the Freedom Unlimited, you could earn 9,150 Ultimate Rewards points every year.
Just remember to submit all of your FSA-eligible purchase receipts to your FSA account administrator for reimbursement.
3. Enjoy Premium Credit Card Benefits Without an Annual Fee
The Freedom Unlimited is designed to help you maximize the money you spend. You’ll get premium credit card perks without having to pay an annual fee:
- 3 months of complimentary DashPass membership (from DoorDash).
- Earn 5x points per dollar spent on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025, as long as you pay the fare using the Freedom Unlimited.
- Access to Chase’s famous purchase protection, extended warranty protection, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, and rental car benefits.
The “little credit card that could” does have a couple of drawbacks. You’ll incur a 3% foreign transaction fee for any purchase outside of the U.S., so don’t use this card for overseas travel.
And while this card earns Ultimate Rewards points, you cannot transfer those points to airlines and hotels to book directly. Instead, you’ll have to hold one of Chase's Travel cards and transfer your Freedom Unlimited points to that card to transfer those points in turn to the travel partner of your choice.
Ready to Get Started?
Tip: Level Up to the Chase “Duo” or “Trifecta”
The Freedom Unlimited is a strong contender for consumers who only want a single credit card with no fees or fuss. But if you’re interested in leveling up your game, consider pairing this card with one of the strongest travel cards in the market: the Chase Sapphire Preferred, which has a $95 annual fee.
Slickdeals calls this combo the “perfect duo” because the Freedom Unlimited helps you earn bonus points on everyday expenses, which can be transferred to the Sapphire Preferred for a 25% value boost if booking travel through the Chase portal.
| Card | Intro Bonus | Annual Fee | Rewards Rate | Learn More |
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1.5%Extra Cash Back
Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That’s 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. |
$0 |
1.5% - 5%Cashback
Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases |
Apply Now |
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60,000Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $1,380 (60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points * 0.023 base) |
$95 |
1x- 5xPoints
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. |
Apply Now |
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60,000Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $1,380 (60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points * 0.023 base) |
$550 |
1x - 10xPoints
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. |
Apply Now |
And if you’re shooting for the stars on maximizing your rewards, consider the “Chase Trifecta”. This triple threat—which usually includes the premium Chase Sapphire Reserve, the no-annual-fee Chase Freedom Unlimited and the Chase Ink Business Preferred credit cards (though the combo may vary)—links three of the most powerful cards in the Chase portfolio to maximize every single dollar you spend.
You’ll also get airport lounge access, cellphone insurance and many other premium benefits by adding these two cards to your wallet. They do come with annual fees: $550 for the Sapphire Reserve and $95 for the Ink Business Preferred.
Is the Chase Freedom Unlimited Worth It?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is a clear win for consumers who value Chase Ultimate Rewards points, and is one of the best cash-back credit cards out there. This no-annual-fee card earns a minimum return of 1.5% on every dollar spent, with higher rewards for everyday spending categories, including dining and takeout, drugstore purchases and travel. It also pairs well with other premium Chase credit cards, allowing you to level up your travel rewards game with every dollar spent.
Katherine Fan
Katherine Fan is a Personal Finance writer, travel journalist, and small business owner with over 6 years of experience writing for the top rewards travel and personal finance publications. Katherine has written more than 1,500 articles on personal finance and travel for media publications such as NerdWallet, The Points Guy, CreditCards.com, LendingTree, Forbes Advisor, USA TODAY and Upgraded Points in addition to Slickdeals.
