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The $0-annual-fee Chase Freedom Flex℠ is a great cash back card for rewards strategists. In addition to elevated rates on Chase Travel℠, dining and drugstore purchases, you can earn 5% cash back (on up to $1,500) on rotating bonus categories. However, you’ll need to manually activate the new categories each quarter; otherwise, you’ll only earn the standard 1% on those purchases. The effort is more than worth it, as you’ll earn an additional $75 per quarter if you max out the spending cap. Other benefits — such as intro APR periods, travel and purchase protections and a valuable sign-up bonus — only sweeten the deal.
However, if the card’s bonus categories don’t line up with your spending — or you simply want a low-maintenance approach to earning — you might want to look elsewhere. For example, the Citi Custom Cash® Card lets you automatically earn 5% cash back (on up to $500) on your top eligible spend category each month.
Intro Purchase APR
0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months
Regular Purchase APR
19.99% - 28.74% variable
Intro BT APR
0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months
Regular BT APR
19.99% - 28.74% variable
Annual Fee
$0
Cash Advance Fee
Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater.
Foreign Transaction Fee
3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
Balance Transfer Fee
Intro fee: $5 or 3%. After 60 days: $5 or 5%.
Generous rewards
The signature of the Chase Freedom Flex℠ is its generous cash back rate, which pairs tiered rewards with rotating 5% bonus categories. You’ll 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. Plus, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.
This cash back combo makes the Chase Freedom Flex℠ one of the highest-earning cards in its class, beating out several of its closest competitors. The table below shows how it compares to some of the best cash back credit cards:
| Rewards earned per $1 spent* | |
|---|---|
| Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | $0.026 |
| Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card | $0.025* |
| Chase Freedom Flex℠ | $0.022 |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® | $0.021 |
| Citi Custom Cash® Card | $0.021 |
| Discover it® Cash Back | $0.017 |
Easy-to-earn sign-up bonus
With the Chase Freedom Flex℠, you can earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. This is among the lowest spending requirements for any credit card sign-up bonus.
Flexible redemption options
While the Chase Freedom Flex℠ is billed as a cash back card, it actually earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. In addition to being the most valuable card currency around, Ultimate Reward points are known for their flexibility. You can redeem your points for any of the following:
According to our estimates, Chase Freedom Flex℠ points are worth 1 cent each when redeemed for cash back, gift cards, merchandise and travel. But if you have a premium Chase card (like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card), you can combine your points and double their value by transferring them to one of Chase’s 12-plus travel partners.
Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
If you’re planning a big purchase or trying to pay off credit card debt, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ can net you some serious savings. You’ll get a 15-month intro APR on purchases and balance transfers. In fact, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ tops our list of the best 0% APR credit cards. Check out the table below to see how much you could save:
| Purchases | Balance transfers | |
|---|---|---|
| Intro APR | 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months | 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months |
| Regular APR | 19.99% - 28.74% variable | 19.99% - 28.74% variable |
| Estimated savings | $1,261* | $1,082* |
World Elite Mastercard benefits
As a World Elite Mastercard, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers the following benefits, discounts and credits:
No annual fee
On top of its generous rewards rate and other numerous benefits, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ comes with a $0 annual fee. This means that, as long as you avoid interest charges and other fees, all the cash back you earn will stay in your wallet.
To get the most out of your Chase Freedom Flex℠ card, you’ll need to remember to activate the quarterly 5% bonus categories before the deadline. To keep track of everything, you can follow the Chase Freedom calendar, which publishes the new categories before each quarter begins.
The bonus categories for the second quarter of 2024 are hotels, restaurants and Amazon.com. Normally, these purchases would get you 5% cash back, but Chase has done things differently this time around. Instead, you’ll be able to stack your rewards for 9% total cash back on Chase Travel℠ hotel bookings and 7% total cash back on restaurants. Amazon.com purchases and hotel stays booked directly with the hotel will earn the typical bonus rate of 5% cash back.
| Quarter | Chase bonus categories | Activation deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Q1: January through March | Grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target) Fitness clubs and gym memberships Self-care and spa services | March 14 |
| Q2: April through June | Hotels Restaurants Amazon.com | June 14 |
| Q3: July through September | Announcing June 15 | September 14 |
| Q4: October through December | Announcing September 15 | December 14 |
Bonus categories require activation
To earn 5% on the Chase Freedom Flex℠ bonus categories, you’ll need to activate the new categories each quarter. If you forget to activate or miss the deadline, you’ll only earn the standard 1% on those purchases. The easiest ways to activate are online or via the Chase mobile app, but you can also activate by phone, in person at a Chase bank or while making a withdrawal at an ATM.
Spending cap for bonus categories
While standard among similar cards, it’s important to note that the Chase Freedom Flex℠ does have a spending cap on its quarterly bonus categories. You’ll only earn 5% cash back on the first $1,500 spent on eligible purchases. After that, the earning rate drops down to the standard 1%.
Foreign transaction fee
Frequent international travelers might want to consider another cash back card, as the Chase Freedom Flex℠ charges a foreign transaction fee of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars. There are plenty of no foreign transaction fee credit cards out there, including the comparable Discover it® Cash Back.
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Annual Fee | Welcome Offer | Rewards Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Chase Freedom Flex℠*
|
$0 | Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter. Plus, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases. | ||
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
 Apply Now
on Chase's secure site |
$0 | 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. | Enjoy 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; 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
on Chase's secure site |
|
Discover it® Cash Back*
|
$0 | Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300. | 5% cash back at different places each quarter up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically | ||
Citi Custom Cash® Card
Apply Now
on Citibank's secure site Rates & Fees |
$0 | Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. | Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2026. |
Apply Now
on Citibank's secure site Rates & Fees |
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® also comes with a 15-month intro APR on purchases and balance transfers, travel and purchase protections and a great sign-up bonus.
It also boasts a $0 annual fee, a generous sign-up bonus and a 15-month intro APR period on purchases and balance transfers. And while it can’t match the benefits of the Chase Freedom Flex℠, you won’t have to pay a foreign transaction fee when using it abroad.
But when it comes to ongoing rewards and overall value, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ has the edge. It earns an elevated rate of cash back on several useful categories (including dining) and then a flat 1% on everything else. In contrast, the Discover it® Cash Back earns the base 1% rate on all non-bonus purchases.
Eligible categories are similar to the Chase Freedom Flex℠ categories and include:
The Citi Custom Cash® Card also comes with a $0 annual fee, an intro APR on purchases and balance transfers and a valuable sign-up bonus. And since it earns flexible Citi ThankYou® points, rewards are easily redeemed for cash back, gift cards, travel and more.
Living up to its name, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ is a great option for anyone looking for a flexible cash back card with solid benefits and great earning potential. To get the most value from the card, though, you’ll need to keep up with the Chase Freedom cash back calendar and activate the rotating bonus categories each quarter. If you do, you could earn up to $300 in bonus cash back for the year.
However, if you like a more “automatic” approach to earning, you’ll be better off with another rewards card.
To see rates & fees for American Express cards mentioned on this page, visit the links provided below:
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by third parties such as Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as certain terms, conditions, and exclusions apply.
The information related to the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Discover it® Cash Back has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
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