An Easy $200 Bonus and up to 5% Cash Back: This Chase Card Just Won Best Cash Back Card for 2026
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The Chase Freedom Unlimited® card (see rates and fees) just earned our award for Best Cash Back Card of 2026. This card earns a solid cash back rate on every purchase, plus bonus rewards for travel and dining. It also pairs beautifully with other Chase cards.
Here's why this cash back card is an excellent choice for almost any type of spender.
Why the Chase Freedom Unlimited stands out
$0 annual fee
You don't have to pay to keep this card open. Every cent of cash back you earn is pure profit.
Strong everyday rewards
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel
- 3% cash back on drugstores, restaurants, takeout, and eligible food delivery
- 1.5% cash back on all other purchases
$200 welcome bonus
Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Compared to most welcome offers, that's extremely easy to earn.
Intro APR offer
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® could help you finance a big purchase or wipe out existing debt. It offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers. After the intro period, a 18.74% - 28.24% Variable APR applies.
Insurance and protections
- Purchase protection -- up to $500 per item in the event of damage or theft
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
- Rental car coverage
Extra value with Chase travel cards
If you have a Chase Sapphire card, for example, you can pool your points and redeem them for more value through Chase's airline and hotel partners.
2026 Award Winner
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= PoorGood/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months
Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months
Regular APR
18.74% - 28.24% Variable
Rewards 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
1.5% - 5% cash back
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
Earn $200 cash back
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The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is the ideal all-in-one card, offering both big upfront value and long-term rewards. New cardholders can earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 in the first 3 months. Plus, enjoy unlimited 3% back on dining and drugstores, 5% on travel booked through Chase Travel, and 1.5% on all other purchases. With the added benefit of 0% intro APR for 15 months, this card is perfect for a one-card wallet.
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- Innovative sign-up bonus
- Purchase and travel protections
- Robust rewards program
- Great intro APR
- No annual fee
- Limited bonus opportunities on everyday spending
- Foreign transaction fee
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- Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- 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.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.74% - 28.24%.
- No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
How it compares to other cash back cards
Most no-annual-fee cards fall into one of two camps:
- Flat-rate cards that pay up to 2% back on everything -- but no more
- Rotating category cards that pay up to 5% in spending categories that change every few months and have spending caps
Cards like these can be great for the right type of person. For example, if you rarely travel or dine out, then you might be better off with something like the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (rates and fees), which pays unlimited 2% cash rewards on every purchase.
If that sounds like a better deal to you -- and you want to earn an easy $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in the first 3 months -- then click here to learn more and apply for the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card.
| Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Our Rating |
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Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
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5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= PoorBest for cash rewards on everyday spending
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$200 cash rewards Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. | 2% cash rewards Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases. |
Intro: 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers Purchases: 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers Regular: 18.74%, 24.74%, or 28.74% Variable APR |
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= PoorBest for cash rewards on everyday spending
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But the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is in a sweet spot between flat-rate cards and rotating-category cards:
- High catch-all rate of 1.5%
- Higher rates on popular spending categories
- No rotating categories to track
Who should get this card?
This card is a great choice if you:
- Want a single, no-annual-fee rewards card you can use for every purchase.
- Travel at least a few times a year and don't mind booking flights and hotels through Chase's travel portal.
- Dine out at least a few times a month.
- Have (or plan to get) a Chase travel card.
- Want help paying off debt or financing a purchase with a generous intro APR offer.
- Want Chase's famous purchase and travel protections.
For an easy-to-earn welcome bonus and up to 5% cash back on your spending, check out our full Chase Freedom Unlimited® review to learn more and apply today.
For award licensing inquiries, email [email protected].
Our Research Expert
James McClenathen is a full-time Managing Editor and Personal Finance Writer at Motley Fool Money, overseeing the production and quality of editorial content while also writing about credit cards, investing, and everyday money management. He has worked at The Motley Fool since 2012 and brings extensive experience as an editor, reporter, and finance expert. A graduate of the University of Michigan, James has spent more than a decade of his career helping readers make smarter financial decisions.