Chase Freedom Flex's 5% Bonus Categories Are Now Better Than Ever
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If you've been using credit cards long enough, you know how rare it is to find a no-annual-fee card that actually feels like a keeper. The Chase Freedom Flex® (see rates and fees) is one of those rare gems. This card is simple, rewarding, and it just keeps getting better.
This isn't some flashy travel card with a $700 fee. It's a cash back workhorse that can quietly earn you hundreds of dollars every year without costing you a dime to carry. And in 2025, Chase has made it even harder to ignore.
Why the Chase Freedom Flex stands out
The biggest draw is the 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Every quarter, Chase picks different popular spending areas, and you'll earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in purchases. Grocery stores, gas stations, online shopping, streaming services; these are categories most of us already spend plenty in. It feels almost like free money when you hit the max.
You'll also earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, every quarter, all year long.
Then there's the built-in 3% cash back on dining and drugstores. That means your Friday night takeout and even your Walgreens run earn you more. Everything else earns 1%, which is solid for a card with a $0 anual fee.
And don't forget: new cardholders earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
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Intro APR 0% Intro APR on Purchases
Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months
Regular APR
18.99% - 28.49% Variable
Rewards 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 Travel℠, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.
5% cash back offer
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening!
$200 bonus
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This Chase card is one of our favorites, and with good reason. You earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate, alongside other standout perks (and at least 1% on all purchases). Plus, this one comes without an annual fee and with a generous welcome bonus.
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- Big sign-up bonus
- Lucrative cash back program
- Long 0% intro APR
- No annual fee
- Purchase and travel protections
- Foreign transaction fee
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- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your 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!
- 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 unlimited 1% cash back 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!
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.99%-28.49%.
- No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Flex® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health - Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
The 2025 updates
So what's new this year? Chase has leaned into flexibility (pun intended). The rotating 5% cash back calendar has expanded to cover even more digital services and everyday categories that line up with how people actually spend today. If you're paying for multiple streaming platforms or constantly shopping online, that adds up fast.
Plus, Chase has improved how the card integrates with Chase Ultimate Rewards®. You can pool your Chase Freedom Flex® earnings with premium Chase cards like those in the Sapphire lineup. That means your cash back can instantly become travel points worth more when redeemed for select flights or hotels with Points Boost.
How much you could realistically earn
Let's say you max out the 5% cash back category each quarter ($1,500 in spend) -- that's $75 back per quarter, or $300 a year. Add in $4,000 a year in dining and drugstore purchases at 3% ($120 back), and you're already at $420.
Toss in the $200 welcome bonus, and you're sitting at over $600 in year one. And again, this is with a card that doesn't charge an annual fee.
A card that keeps proving its value
The Chase Freedom Flex® has a way of staying relevant. Between the rotating 5% cash back categories and $0 annual fee, it's one of those rare cards that keeps delivering year after year.
For 2025, the new bonus categories make it even easier to rack up cash back on the stuff people already spend money on. Read our full review and apply for the Chase Freedom Flex® to start finally earning real cash back.
Our Research Expert
Jake FitzGerald is a full-time Editorial Strategist and Personal Finance Writer at Motley Fool Money, leading content production and distribution while also writing about credit cards, bank accounts, and other financial products. He has more than a decade of experience editing and shaping financial content to give readers clear, trustworthy money advice. His work focuses on delivering practical insights that empower people to make smarter financial decisions. Off the clock, he’s a fan of college football tailgates and still loyal to his favorite putter -- despite what his short game suggests.