Chase Freedom Unlimited® Credit Card Review

Chase Freedom Unlimited® Credit Card Review

Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a high-value no-annual-fee cash-back credit card. It comes with bonus cashback for travel purchases booked with Chase Ultimate Rewards, restaurant and drugstore purchases, grocery store purchases within the first year, and flat-rate cashback on all other purchases. With a sign-up bonus of $200 (after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months) and 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 15 months (20.49% - 29.24% Variable after that) this is one of the best credit cards for everyday use.

Chase Freedom Unlimited®: pros and cons

Rewards system in a nutshell

Rewards are earned at the following rates with the Chase Freedom Unlimited® Card:

• When you book travel with Chase Freedom Unlimited®, you earn a 5% cashback.
• You get 5% cashback for grocery stores purchases up to $12,000 spent within the first year.
• You earn 5% cashback on Lyft rides till March 2022.
• You can earn 3% on purchases at drugstores, restaurants, cafes, including takeout and delivery services.
• For all other purchases, you earn 1.5%.

The cashback you earn never expires as long as your account is active.

Moreover, if you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months after account opening, you'll get a $200 bonus.

You can earn more rewards by shopping at participating merchants using the Shop through Chase program. The list of merchants and offers is changing; you can search and unlock offers at www.chase.com/ultimaterewards or by logging into Chase Mobile App.

Redeeming Rewards with Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Ultimate Rewards points are usually worth 1 cent each. With Chase Freedom Unlimited®, you can redeem your points in various ways:

• A statement credit or a direct deposit at the rate of 1 cent per point, there’s no minimum amount to redeem.
• Gift cards at the rate of 1 cent per point.
• Purchase travel via Chase Ultimate Rewards portal at a rate of 1 cent per point.
• Amazon purchases at the rate of 0.8 cents per point.
• Purchases made with Pay With Points at the rate of 0.8 cents per point.

While Chase Freedom Unlimited doesn’t provide an option to transfer points to airline and hotel partners, you can transfer points to another Chase card that has such an option, for example Chase Sapphire Preferred®. From Chase Sapphire Preferred® card points can be transferred to partner airlines, and potentially can bring more than 1 cent per point value.

Who can benefit from getting the Chase Freedom Unlimited® Credit Card?

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a fantastic card for everyday use for people who don’t want to spend much time deciding which card to use at a given point in time. With 1.5% cashback, it’s good enough to be used anywhere. Its bonus categories are useful and can earn even more points. The cash value of the points is standard 1 cent per 1 point but can be increased if partnered with other Chase credit cards.

Additionally, 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months (20.49% - 29.24% Variable after that) can be helpful in financing a large purchase.

If you want to increase your approval odds, keep in mind that Chase Freedom Unlimited® is subject to Chase's 5/24 rule, which states that applicants who have opened five or more cards in the previous 24 months will be rejected.

Are there any other benefits?

Many standard benefits are available for Chase Freedom Unlimited®. For example, if a recently bought product was stolen or destroyed, purchase protection will reimburse you up to $500 per claim.

Apart from all the bonuses and incentives explained above, cardholders also get the following benefits as well:

• DashPass: You can get a free DashPass for the first three months and 50% off for the next nine months of DoorDash subscription.
• Purchase Protection: Protects the new purchases for up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per card for 120 days against damage or theft.
• Extended Warranty Protection: On qualifying warranties of three years or less, Extended Warranty Protection extends the time of the manufacturer's warranty in the United States by an additional year.
• Accident Damage Waiver for Auto Rentals: Get compensation for damage caused by a collision or burglary while renting an automobile. Just pay for your rental with your eligible Chase Freedom Unlimited® card and reject the rental company's insurance. The coverage is secondary.
• MyChase Plan: You can break payments for purchases above $100 into fixed monthly payments at no interest through the My Chase Plan. A monthly fee of 1.72% will be charged based on the amount of the purchase.
• Tap To Pay: card allows fast and easy contactless checkouts.

Additionally, you can also get a referral bonus of $100 cashback by inviting your friends. You can invite up to 5 friends.

Conclusion

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a wise choice if you want to have a worry-free credit card. It doesn’t have an annual fee, offers a great 1.5% flat-rate cashback on all purchases as well as some bonus cashback on travel (through Chase Ultimate Rewards portal), dining and drugstores, and even groceries for the first year.

The card's attractive welcome bonus is a definite plus, along with 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 15 months from account opening (20.49% - 29.24% Variable after that). It can come in handy if you are planning a big purchase.

If you want to get the most of your reward points, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® combined with other Ultimate Rewards-earning cards can be a strong tool for maximizing your point potential. Even if strategic use of several cards doesn't appeal to you, Chase Freedom Unlimited®’s attractive rewards structure makes it a card worth keeping in your wallet.