No credit history required
Most rewards cards expect you to already have a credit track record -- which is the whole catch-22 when you're just starting out.
The Chase Freedom Rise® flips that expectation: it's built specifically for people with little or no credit history, so you don't need an existing score to get in the door.
Even better, you have a lever you can actually pull to boost your chances of getting it. Keeping at least $250 in a Chase checking or savings account increases your odds of approval. If you're already a Chase customer, great! If not, you can open an account, fund it, and then apply right away for the card.
It's a smart design choice, because it lets Chase say "yes" to people the credit-score-only model might normally reject -- without you needing a cosigner or a secured deposit locked away.
Real cash back, not training wheels
I've reviewed dozens of cash back cards. And let me tell you it's extremely rare to have a beginner credit card earn such a high cash back rate.
The Chase Freedom Rise® gives you 1.5% cash back on all purchases, with no categories to track and no minimum to redeem. Your rewards don't expire as long as the account is open.
Quick math: If you put $800/month of everyday spending through the card and pay it off in full each month, that's about $144 in cash back over a year. Not a bad payday while you're building up a stronger credit profile.
A nice little welcome perk
The card comes with a solid welcome offer for new cardholders:
Limited Time Offer - Earn 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeouts and eligible delivery services, on up to $6,000 spent in the first 6 months from account opening.
Most starter cards come with little to no perks at all, so this offer makes the Chase Freedom Rise® all the more valuable.
A built-in path to "graduate"
This is my favorite part and one of the reasons I have stuck with Chase so long. Their cards are designed to stay with you long term, and grow as your usage changes.
With the Chase Freedom Rise® card, you are automatically evaluated for a credit line increase in as little as six months. And over time you can be evaluated to upgrade to a Chase Freedom Unlimited® card once you've built solid habits (on-time payments, active use).
You also get free credit score tracking through Chase Credit Journey, so you can literally watch the number you're working on go up.
Earn a $25 statement credit
New cardmembers can earn a $25 statement credit after signing up for automatic payments within the first three months of opening your account.
Honestly, setting up auto-pay is something I recommend everyone doing anyway. So this is just a nice little bonus for building the single most important credit habit there is -- never missing a payment.
Purchase and travel protections
You don't usually see protections like these on a beginner card, but Chase Freedom Rise® includes a few worth knowing about on eligible purchases:
- Purchase protection for 120 days against damage or theft (up to $500 per item).
- Extended warranty protection that extends the time period of the U.S. manufacturer's warranty by an additional year, on eligible warranties of three years or less.
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance that reimburses up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for your prepaid, nonrefundable passenger fares, if your trip is canceled or cut short by sickness, severe weather, and other covered situations.
None of these are reasons to choose the card on their own, but together they're a nice signal that you're not getting a stripped-down product just because it's a starter card.
