Here's How the Chase Freedom Unlimited® Could Earn You $820+ in a Year
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The Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees) just won our Best Overall Cash Back Card in Motley Fool Money's 2026 Awards, thanks to a killer combo of high rewards, flexible redemption options, and one of the biggest welcome offers we've seen in years.
Here's how much value this card can realistically deliver in your first year -- and how to make the most of it.
Why it won Best Cash Back Card for 2026
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a perfect fit for almost any spending profile. I've owned mine for over a decade, and since there's no annual fee, it will probably always stay in my wallet.
Here's a quick overview of main card features:
- 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
- Intro APR offer: 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months (a 18.49% - 27.99% Variable APR applies after)
- $0 annual fee
- Limited Time Offer: Earn $300 cash back after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
As the name suggests, the earning potential is unlimited, so the more you spend the more cash back you'll accumulate.
2026 Award Winner
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= PoorEarn a $300 bonus after spending $500 in the first 3 months -- the richest bonus this card has ever had. Ends at 9 AM EST on 1/15/26.
Good/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
18.49% - 27.99% 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 Limited Time Offer: Earn a $300 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
Earn $300 cash back
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The Chase Freedom Unlimited® delivers strong upfront value and everyday rewards. Earn a $300 bonus after spending $500 in the first 3 months -- the richest bonus this card has offered, and it’s only available through 9 AM EST on 1/15/26. You’ll also earn 3% on dining and drugstores, 5% on Chase Travel, and 1.5% back on everything else. With a 0% intro APR for 15 months, it’s an easy pick 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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- Limited Time Offer: Earn a $300 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 18.49% - 27.99%.
- 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 you could earn in a year
Here's what someone might earn in year one, using the Chase Freedom Unlimited® for regular spending.
Let's assume you spend:
- $2,000 in travel through the Chase portal = $100 back
- $2,000 on dining and drugstores = $60 back
- $24,000 in other purchases (about $2,000/month) at 1.5% = $360 back
- Welcome offer after spending $500 in 3 months = $300 back
That's $820 total -- all from rewards and the welcome offer. It's pretty rare to see a no-annual-fee card give this much value for regular spenders.
Want to see how your own numbers compare? Just calculate your monthly expenses and apply the same reward rates. The more you spend in those 3% and 5% categories, the more this card is worth it.
Offer ending soon: $300 cash back
Right now, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is offering a $300 cash back welcome offer after you spend just $500 in the first 3 months.
That's a very light lift, even for low spenders. Groceries, gas, a couple of bills, maybe a dinner out or two, and you're there.
And once you've unlocked the welcome offer, the card keeps paying you back with solid everyday rewards all year long.
This limited‑time offer ends soon. So if you've been thinking about adding a simple, high‑value rewards card to your wallet, this is a great moment to act.
Read our full Chase Freedom Unlimited® review to learn more and apply.
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.