Chase Freedom® vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited® – Which is Best?

If you’re looking for a solid rewards credit card, Chase offers some of the best options on the market today. But with so many strong cards available, it can be difficult to decide on which is best for you.

If you’re torn between the Chase Freedom® (Expired Offer) and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® cards, here’s what you need to know to make an informed choice.

About the Chase Freedom® card (Expired Offer)

If you want to earn rewards on your routine purchases, it’s hard to beat the Chase Freedom® card. Allowing you to earn a high rate of return on your purchases, you can quickly rack up rewards.

Rewards

The Chase Freedom® card (Expired Offer) allows you to earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter! From October through December 2019, you can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases at eligible department stores and purchases made using PayPal or ChasePay®. That means you can earn up to $75 a quarter in cash back rewards.

However, you have to manually activate the category each quarter, otherwise you’re not eligible for the 5% cash back. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back.

Benefits

The Chase Freedom® card (Expired Offer) has some nice benefits, including:

• Extended Warranty Protection
• Zero Liability Protection
• Purchase Protection
• Credit Journey^SM - gives you unlimited access to your credit score and more. It's free, even if you are not a Chase customer. Checking your score does not affect your credit.

Terms and Fees

The Chase Freedom® card has no annual fee. (Expired Offer)

If you’re interested in getting an introductory APR for new purchases or balance transfers, the Chase Freedom® card offers 15 months (from account opening) at 0% intro APR. After the promotional period ends, the APR is 19.49% - 28.24% Variable. This card comes with a 3% intro balance transfer fee when you transfer a balance during the first 60 days your account is open, with a minimum of $5. After that 60-day period ends, the balance transfer fee is either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

About the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card

If you hate the idea of remembering quarterly spending categories, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card might be a better choice for you than the Chase Freedom® card.

Rewards

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® card offers unlimited 1.5% cash back is just the beginning of what you can earn. You'll enjoy 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services, 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

As an added perk, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card offers a free credit score, updated weekly with Chase Credit Journey℠.

Benefits

Like the Chase Freedom® card, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card offers several benefits, including:

• Zero Liability Protection
• Purchase Protection
• Extended Warranty Protection

Terms and Fees

Like the Chase Freedom® card, there is no annual fee. And, you’ll get 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on new purchases and balance transfers. After that 15-month period ends, the APR ranges from 20.49% - 29.24% variable. The balance transfer fee is either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

The Bottom Line

If you spend a lot of money within the usual spending categories and don’t mind keeping track of the calendar, opting for the Chase Freedom® card to take advantage of the 5% cash back makes a lot of sense.

However, if you don’t want the hassle of remembering spending categories, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card is a much better choice. You can earn unlimited 1.5% cash back is just the beginning of what you can earn. Since the cash back rewards are unlimited, there’s no cap to how much you can earn. For most card users, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card is a better choice than the Chase Freedom® card.

But that doesn’t mean you have to pick just one. If you have good credit and want to maximize your rewards, one strategy you can use to earn more cash back is to sign up for both cards. Use the Chase Freedom® card for purchases within the rotating spending categories, and use the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card for all other purchases. This approach will allow you to earn more cash back more quickly.

Looking for a new rewards credit card? Check out the best rewards card of 2019.