Chase Freedom Flex® vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited®
The Chase Freedom Flex® and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® are two of our favorite no-annual-fee starter cards, and they look nearly identical until you dig into how they earn. This guide compares them side by side so you can pick the one that fits how you actually spend. Both also pair perfectly with a premium Chase card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, which is where their points really take off.
If you’re counting the reasons why we love Chase credit cards, that list is very long! We all love Chase because of its impressive line of personal and business credit cards and the offers that these cards give to their cardholders. Not to mention, all of these cards play well with the Chase Ultimate Rewards program.
However, choosing a card that works best for you out of the many options available may prove to be difficult. Because of Chase’s 5/24 rule, having a carefully planned credit card strategy for your Chase cards is a must.
The Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Unlimited may appear identical but are actually not. The similarities between these two cards include zero annual fees and 3x earning on dining and drugstores. Apart from these, many features vary. Important Note: These cards are marketed as cash back cards, but you actually earn Chase points. Then, you can elect to use the points or get cash back. For that reason, I will use the earning in the form of “3x” for points earned instead of “3%” for cash back.
Points Earning Structure
When it comes to earning points, the Chase Freedom Unlimited structure is very straightforward at 1.5% cash back (or 1.5x points) on all non-category purchases.
Both the Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Unlimited offer 3x on dining and 3x on drugstores. Both cards also earn 5x on travel booked through Chase Travel℠.
The Chase Freedom Flex earning structure is more complicated with 5% cash back (or 5x points) on your first $1,500 spent on different bonus categories every quarter, and then 1x back on everything else. For instance, past categories have included grocery stores, Walmart, Paypal, and select streaming services. Because of this rotating nature, Chase Freedom Flex users have to register their card every quarter to be entitled to the 5x points. Don’t worry though, the registration process is relatively simple and Chase sends out notifications beforehand to make sure you’re in the loop.
Sign-Up Bonuses
Current offers are listed here:
Points Redemption
Redeeming points with the Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Unlimited is nearly identical. Cash back is issued as points, and each point is worth 1 cent. However, you have the opportunity to get even more value from these points when you own rewards-earning cards such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Chase Ink Business Cards.
When you own any of the cards mentioned, you can move your Freedom points over to that card and tap into Chase’s transfer partners, hotels and airlines included, where points can be worth more. This means that your benefits don’t only lie on the cash back, but even more so on rewards.
Check out our Chase Ultimate Rewards Guide here for more details on how you can maximize your points.
When to get the Chase Freedom Unlimited
If you want a card that’s straightforward and earns more (1.5x) on every purchase you make, then the Chase Freedom Unlimited is the better choice for you. This is my personal preference. I can pay insurance premiums, car repairs, and other large bills with this card and get 1.5x. This straightforward earning is easier for me than wondering what spending categories there are each quarter. This card fits budgeters as it offers flat rates and predictable features. You also don’t need to tailor your budget and spending habits to accommodate certain categories just to get the rewards you need, which could prevent you from overspending.
This card is low maintenance and won’t require you to register your card every quarter for rotating cash back features. This is definitely the card to have if you’re accustomed to sticking to a strict spending schedule, and don’t have the time to google spending categories every now and then.
When to get the Chase Freedom Flex
If you love the idea of maximizing rewards and are up to the challenge to do so, then the Chase Freedom Flex is your card. This card is great for rewards maximizers or those who are keen to squeeze out every available point from a card!
The Chase Freedom Flex shines at its 5x points for quarterly rotating categories (up to $1,500 per quarter, activation required), and this may just be what you need. What’s great with these categories is that they’re broad and can include grocery stores and gas stations.
Bottom line
| Chase Freedom Flex | Chase Freedom Unlimited | |
|---|---|---|
| Sign-up bonus | $250 when you spend $500 in the first 3 months | $200 when you spend $500 in the first 3 months |
| Base Earning | 5x (up to $1,500 per quarter), for rotating categories 1x other purchases | 1.5x on everything not listed below |
| Extra Earning | 3x dining, 3x drugstores, 5x travel (via Chase Travel℠ portal) | 3x dining, 3x drugstores, 5x travel (via Chase Travel℠ portal) |
| Points Redemption Value | 1 cent per point or up to 2 cents when you transfer to Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve or Ink Preferred | 1 cent per point or up to 2 cents when you transfer to Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve or Ink Preferred |
| Foreign Transaction Fees? | No | Yes |
| Network | World Mastercard | Visa |
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 |
The Chase Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited both offer great value for their owners.
- No annual fee
- Maximum flexibility for cash back or free travel
- Great spending category multipliers, especially 3x dining
- Great overall value when combined with a Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, or Ink Business Preferred card
- May be a good fit for those new to Chase.
If you’re in it for the travel rewards and you really want to maximize every spend you make, make sure you have one of the more premium Ultimate Rewards cards such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred, the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the Ink Business Preferred card. These cards can maximize the spending you do on a Freedom card while also giving you no foreign transaction fees when you travel abroad. The Chase Freedom Flex no longer charges a foreign transaction fee, so it is now a solid option for international spending too. The Chase Freedom Unlimited, however, still adds a foreign transaction fee on purchases made abroad, so lean on one of the premium cards above for those.
