Chase Freedom Credit Card Reviews

Chase Freedom gives cardholders the best of both worlds — bonus cash back for select rotating categories and a flat percentage cash back on everything else. Plus, the sign-up bonus gives new cardholders an extra $150.

Recommended Credit: Good

Chase Freedom $150 bonus if you spend $500 within 3 months 5% cash back on bonus categories $0 annual fee Learn more

You’ll get the most out of Chase Freedom when it’s combined with another points-earning Chase card (including Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Preferred cards).

The combination of Chase Freedom rewards and benefits make it a great card for everyday spending. Highlights of Chase Freedom card perks include an easy-to-hit signup bonus, low-rate balance transfers and travel insurance.

• Chase Freedom signup bonus: With your successful application, you’re eligible for a Chase Freedom bonus of $150 cash back if you spend $500 on new purchases within three months of opening the account.
• Chase Freedom cashback: Each quarter, a new bonus category earns 5% cash back, and all other purchases receive a flat 1% back. Chase Freedom categories include pharmacies, groceries and everyday services like internet or cable.
• Introductory 0% APR period: Get 15 months of 0% APR on new purchases and balance transfers. The balance transfer fee is 3% for the first 60 days, then 5% after that.
• Chase Freedom travel insurance: Travel insurance is a free benefit to Chase Freedom Visa Signature cardholders with a credit line above $5,000. This insurance covers eligible cardholders and their families up to $250,000 for accidental death or dismemberment while traveling. It also covers up to $5,000 for trip interruption or cancellation and up to $3,000 for lost luggage.
• Car rental insurance: The Chase Freedom car rental insurance provides cardholders with secondary car rental insurance, which is utilized after primary personal car insurance, and can help cover the cost of theft or damage to a rental vehicle.
• Purchase protection: Chase will reimburse, replace or repair eligible items purchased with a Chase Freedom credit card up to $500 if lost, stolen or damaged within 120 days of receipt. Chase Freedom purchase protection is limited to $50,000 per account per year.
• Chase Credit Journey: Chase Freedom credit cardholders get access to Chase Credit Journey, which includes VantageScore 3.0 credit scores from TransUnion with weekly updates, credit alerts to prevent identity fraud, and a credit simulator tool to help find out how different financial decisions could affect your overall credit score.

Bonus categories earn
5% on first $1,500 spent
in combined purchases

Chase Freedom earns limited 5% cash back on different rotating bonus categories each quarter and unlimited 1% back on all other purchases. Cardholders can earn the 5% bonus rewards on combined purchases up to $1,500 per quarter. After $1,500, continued spending on a rotating Chase Freedom bonus category will earn unlimited 1% cash back. The cardholder is responsible for opting into new categories before the deadline closes each quarter.

The Chase Freedom calendar of rotating bonus categories starts in January and is announced at the beginning of each quarter. Chase provides a convenient notification tool that is compatible with popular calendar apps, such as Outlook and Google Calendar, to help cardholders remember to opt into new bonus categories. Chase also allows you to view bonus categories for current and past quarters. Specific merchants may be included on the bonus calendar, though there may be some merchant exclusions from general categories as well.

You will get the most out of the Chase Freedom card if you also have another Chase card eligible for Ultimate Rewards — use the Chase Freedom card exclusively for Chase Freedom rotating categories for 5% cash back, and use another Chase card with a higher flat-rate, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, for everything else.

Chase Freedom cardholders can increase the value of rewards up to 50% by transferring cashback rewards into Ultimate Rewards points, which are especially valuable when redeemed for travel. For example, cash back rewards on a Chase Freedom card worth $150 could be converted to 15,000 Ultimate Rewards points. The Ultimate Rewards points may then be valued at up to $300.

While this can be slightly more complicated than some other points cards, the potential for greater rewards points is an excellent benefit and allows you to maximize your reward amount.

The Chase Freedom credit card is worth it because it’s easy to earn rewards through bonus categories and there’s no annual fee. Chase Freedom reward categories include many everyday places you'd use your card, such as drug stores, gas stations, home improvement stores and even tolls. Plus, the Chase Freedom credit card is eligible for Ultimate Rewards points. Cardholders can increase their cash back amount by using Chase’s shopping portal on eligible categories as well.