Cash Back Is My Love Language -- Here's the Card I Use
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I've had the Chase Freedom Unlimited® credit card (see rates and fees) for the better part of a decade. And honestly, it's not going anywhere soon.
I like to joke that cash back is my love language, but I'm kinda serious. If I can earn great rewards on purchases I'm already making day to day, that's my favorite kind of financial win.
There's a lot to like about this card. It's simple, flexible, and has high rewards rates.
And I'm not the only one who thinks so -- our Motley Fool Money team just named it the Best Cash Back Credit Card of 2026.
Why this card stays in my wallet
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a cash back workhorse -- with boosted rewards on dining, travel, and drugstores, plus a strong flat rate on everything else.
Here's why it's staying in my wallet probably forever:
- Flat-rate 1.5% cash back on all other purchases outside its bonus categories. That's 50% more than the standard 1% you'll find on most cash back cards.
- Bonus categories that hit real-life spending. You'll earn 3% cash back at drugstores, restaurants, takeout, and eligible food delivery, plus 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel.
- $0 annual fee. The rewards are all upside.
- Easy welcome offer: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
- intro APR offer: 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers; an ongoing 18.74% - 28.24% Variable APR applies after. Handy if you've got a big expense coming up or transferring a balance.
The hybrid earning structure -- bonus categories and a boosted flat rate -- is pretty rare. Most cards make you pick one or the other.
And that's why I love the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. It gives you the best of both worlds. Read our full Chase Freedom Unlimited® review to learn more and apply today.
2026 Award Winner
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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.
Read Full Review -
- 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 much can you earn? Let's do the math
To be honest, I use multiple credit cards because I'm a total points nerd.
But let's say you're more of a one-card kind of person. If you ran all your monthly spending through the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, here's a rough idea of what you could be earning:
| Category | Monthly Spend | Cash Back Rate | Annual Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries & Gas | $1,500 | 1.5% | $270.00 |
| Dining & Takeout | $500 | 3% | $180.00 |
| Travel via Chase | $200 | 5% | $120.00 |
| Drugstores | $100 | 3% | $36.00 |
| Other Purchases | $500 | 1.5% | $90.00 |
| Total | $2,800 | $696.00 |
That's almost $700 per year, without really trying too hard.
Heavy travelers and folks that eat out more will benefit way more because of the bonus categories. But for ordinary people buying ordinary stuff, it's still an amazing reward earner.
Should you get the Chase Freedom Unlimited?
If you're looking for a card that's easy to use with no annual fee, this is it.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® hits a sweet spot for people who:
- Don't want to juggle multiple cards
- Spend regularly on food, travel, or pharmacy runs
- Want more than 1% back but don't want to keep track of rotating categories
- Prefer $0 annual fee cards
The 0% intro APR is also a powerful perk and rivals even the best 0% intro APR cards. It won't solve long-term debt problems, but it can give you time to pay things off interest-free.
Bottom line: this is a "set it and forget it" kind of card. And I love that.
Other 2026 category winners worth checking out
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® just won Best Cash Back Card in our 2026 Credit Card Awards -- but there are other stand out cards that deserve mentions.
If you're looking for other perks or spending categories, here are a few more award winners to consider:
- Best for groceries -- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- Best no annual fee card -- Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Best for business owners -- Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
- Best for balance transfers -- Citi Simplicity® Card
- Best for flat-rate rewards -- Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Choosing the right credit card really comes down to matching its perks to your spending profile.
If you can find all the benefits you need in a single card, awesome. But for many folks (myself included), it's worth carrying a small handful of cards that each shine in different situations.
Want to explore the full leaderboard and find the one that fits your wallet best? See all our top credit cards by category here.
Our Research Expert
Joel O’Leary is a full-time Personal Finance Writer at Motley Fool Money, covering credit cards, bank accounts, investing, mortgages, and other personal finance topics. Joel has been writing about personal finance since 2018, previously leading editorial content for the How To Money podcast and serving as a resident writer at Budgets Are Sexy. He bought his first rental property at age 18, funding the down payment with savings from his high school job at McDonald’s -- a testament to his lifelong passion for smart money decisions. His work aims to make personal finance accessible and actionable for everyday readers. When he’s not writing, Joel enjoys surfing and spending time with his family.
For rates and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, click here