Chase Freedom Flex vs. Freedom Unlimited 2024: Pros, cons and comparative overview

Two of the best no annual fee credit cards ever forged from plastic are the Chase Freedom Flex? * The information for the Chase Freedom Flex? has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. and the Chase Freedom Unlimited?. They are elite cash back earners, and they’ve got a handful of other neat features.

They’re so good that I have both of them. And I have no intention of canceling either. If you’re comparing the Chase Freedom Flex vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited, you might find that holding both cards is an option for you, too — though many consumers will settle on one or the other.

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Featured Offer

Chase Freedom Unlimited?

Welcome Bonus

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 Travel?, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.

up to $300 cash back

Regular APR

19.99% - 28.74% Variable

Annual Fee

$0

Credit Score

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO? credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Excellent, Good

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Chase Freedom Flex vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited at a glance

These two comparable cards have some notable differences. They diverge in their welcome bonuses and ongoing rewards structures but largely overlap in fees, annual percentage rates (APRs) and other benefits.

Welcome bonus

The Chase Freedom Unlimited has a higher potential bonus value with an additional 1.5% cash back on up to $20,000 spent in the first year, worth up to $300 cash back.

But you’ll need to do a lot of spending on the card to get its full value. In comparison, the Freedom Flex offers a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first three months from account opening.

So, the maximum value of the Freedom Flex’s offer is $100 lower, but the spending requirement to unlock the bonus’s full value is $15,000 lower.

Rewards rates

The Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Unlimited have two key differences in their rewards earning.

First, Freedom Flex earns 5% back in rotating bonus categories when you activate (on up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter, then 1%). Chase Freedom Unlimited doesn’t have a rotating bonus category.

Second, the Chase Freedom Unlimited has a higher base rewards rate: 1.5% back outside of bonus categories to the Freedom Flex’s 1%.

Otherwise, both cards earn:

• 5% back on travel reserved through Chase Travel?
• 3% back on drugstore purchases
• 3% back on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery

Rewards redemption

Both cards are marketed as cash back credit cards, but they actually earn Chase Ultimate Rewards? points. This is Chase’s proprietary rewards program. Holders of the Chase Freedom Flex or Chase Freedom Unlimited can cash out these points at a rate of 1 cent each.

But if you also have one of three eligible Chase cards, you can also transfer these points to travel programs such as Southwest Rapid Rewards, World of Hyatt, United MileagePlus and British Airways Executive Club for a potentially higher value. You’ll need to have one of the following cards to do this:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred? Card ($95 annual fee)
• Chase Sapphire Reserve? ($550 annual fee)
• Ink Business Preferred? Credit Card ($95 annual fee)

Other perks

The Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Unlimited aren’t benefits-rich. But you wouldn’t expect no annual fee credit cards to be terribly flashy.

Both credit cards come with a couple of partner benefits, including free DoorDash DashPass for three months — and 50% off the next nine months — when you activate by Jan. 31, 2025. You’ll also get up to $10 off each quarter on non-restaurant DoorDash orders. Plus, you’ll earn 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025.

Other than that, each card offers some purchase and travel benefits:

• Purchase protection: If you buy something and it gets stolen or damaged within 120 days of purchase, you could get up to $500 per claim (and $50,000 per account).
• Extended warranty protection: You can get an extra year of protection on eligible manufacturer’s warranties of up to three years.
• Secondary rental car insurance: You can get coverage for expenses your personal car insurance doesn’t pay for if your rental car gets damaged or stolen. Your coverage is primary if you’re renting abroad.
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance: If your travel plans go awry because of covered circumstances such as illness or bad weather, you could get up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip to reimburse qualified expenses.
• Travel and emergency assistance services: This is a hotline that you can call for assistance in coordinating things like emergency flights, legal assistance and medical consultations. In other words, it’s a friendly voice that can help you to solve complicated situations when you’re in a frazzle. You’ll have to cover the cost of any services you arrange.

The Chase Freedom Flex also offers a banger of a benefit that the Chase Freedom Unlimited Chase doesn’t: cell phone insurance. You’ll get up to $800 in coverage per claim (up to $1,000 per year, and up to two claims per year with a $50 deductible) when you use your Freedom Flex to pay your monthly cell phone bill.

Select fees and APR

Neither card charges an annual fee.

Each offers a 0% introductory APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.99% - 28.74% applies. An intro transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies in the first 60 days of account opening. After that, a fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer applies.

They also both charge a 3% foreign transaction fee, so they’re not ideal for international purchases.

When to opt for the Chase Freedom Flex

The crown jewel of the Chase Freedom Flex is its quarterly 5% cash back category on up to $1,500 spent (then 1%) after activation. Categories are typically broadly useful (think supermarkets, gas stations, Amazon and Walmart). If you think you can organically maximize these categories, you could earn up to $300 in bonus cash per year.

This card is also better if you pay for cell phone insurance, as it offers strong coverage simply for using it to pay your monthly phone bill. The Chase Freedom Unlimited doesn’t come with this feature.

When to opt for the Chase Freedom Unlimited

If you prefer a simple approach to earning rewards, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is your best bet.

The card still offers common bonus categories, just like the Chase Freedom Flex, but instead of potentially confusing (and difficult to remember) rotating bonus categories, it offers a simple 1.5% earning rate on all spending outside of bonus categories. That’s higher than the 1% base earning rate with the Freedom Flex.

Again, I hold both of these cards. Neither charges an annual fee, so they’re pain-free to keep year after year. I use my Chase Freedom Flex for any spending that falls into its rotating 5% bonus categories, and I use the Chase Freedom Unlimited? for spending that doesn’t conform to any bonus categories. It’s a great way to ensure I’m getting a solid return for every dollar.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)