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The Chase Freedom lineup includes some of the most popular Chase credit cards. All the Chase Freedom cards have similar sets of features, but there are also some differences. In this guide to Chase Freedom benefits, you'll learn about every important perk that can help when you're comparing credit cards to decide which one is right for you.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® was originally known for its unlimited 1.5% on every purchase. Chase has since upgraded the card to include bonus categories, but the credit card company kept that 1.5% cash back rate for all non-bonus category spending. Here's the full list of what you get with this rewards card.
$200 sign-up bonus
After you spend $500 on purchases within the first three months after opening an account, Chase gives you a welcome bonus of $200 cash back. You'll receive 20,000 bonus rewards points with this offer, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
Up to 5% back
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns:
- 5% back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 5% back on Lyft rides through March 2022
- 3% back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- 3% back at drugstores
- 1.5% back on all other purchases
0% intro APR
This introductory 0% APR offer applies to purchases and lasts for 15 months after opening the account. Be aware that if you want to make a balance transfer, the 0% rate will not apply.
No annual fee
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® won't cost you anything extra because Chase doesn't charge an annual fee for it.
Complimentary DashPass membership
DashPass is a subscription service available through DoorDash. Members can get unlimited free delivery on eligible orders over $12. Other service fees may apply.
As a Chase Freedom Unlimited® cardholder, you're eligible for a complimentary three months of DashPass if you activate by Dec. 31, 2021. After those three months are up, you're automatically enrolled for another nine months with a 50% discount on the standard $9.99 monthly rate. Cancel the membership before then if you don't want to pay for it.
Consumer protections
Eligible purchases made with your Chase Freedom Unlimited® will qualify for the following Chase card benefits:
- Purchase protection: Covers new purchases against damage or theft for 120 days, up to maximums of $500 per claim and $50,000 per account
- Extended warranty protection: Extends U.S. manufacturers' warranties by one year. Applies to eligible warranties of three years or less.
Travel protections
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® includes the following built-in travel protections for eligible purchases made with the credit card:
- Auto rental collision damage waiver: You can get theft and collision coverage in the U.S. and abroad. You'll need to decline the rental company's coverage and pay the full rental cost with your Chase card. For car rentals in the United States, this coverage is secondary to your personal insurance.
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance: If your trip is canceled or cut short due to sickness, severe weather, or other covered situations, you can be reimbursed up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for your prepaid, non-refundable passenger fares.
Chase Freedom Flex℠ benefits
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ stands out for its rotating 5% back categories. It's also a World Elite Mastercard®, so it has a few additional benefits compared to the other Chase Freedom cards, which are Visa cards. Other than that, this card has many of the same perks as the Chase Freedom Unlimited®.
$200 welcome bonus
You just need to spend $500 on purchases within three months of opening the Chase Freedom Flex℠ to collect this $200 sign-up bonus.
Up to 5% back
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ earns:
- 5% back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases across rotating bonus categories you activate each quarter
- 5% back on travel purchases you make with Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 5% back on Lyft rides through March 2022
- 3% back on dining and restaurants, which also includes takeout orders and orders made through eligible delivery services
- 3% back on drugstore purchases
- 1% back on all other purchases
You can see which rotating bonus categories this card offers each quarter with a Chase Freedom bonus calendar. To activate the rotating bonus categories, either log in to your Chase account or call the card issuer at the number on the back of your card.
0% intro APR
This 0% introductory APR lasts for 15 months and applies to all your purchases. As with the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, it does not apply to balance transfers.
No annual fee
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is free to carry, as it has no annual fee.
World Elite Mastercard® benefits
Since this is a World Elite Mastercard®, it includes the following complimentary extras:
- A $10 Lyft credit once per month when you take five rides in a month
- 5% cash rewards on Boxed Wholesale orders
- A free ShopRunner membership with free two-day shipping with hundreds of retailers
- $5 off movie tickets or at-home purchases with Fandango for every two movie tickets purchased
Complimentary DashPass membership
You get three free months of DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. It gives you unlimited free deliveries on eligible orders over $12 (other fees may apply). To take advantage of this Chase Freedom Flex℠ offer, you need to activate it by Dec. 31, 2021.
Once the complimentary three-month period ends, you're automatically enrolled for another nine months of DashPass. There's a 50% discount off the standard monthly $9.99 rate during that time. If you don’t want to keep your membership, cancel it before the end of those complimentary three months.
Consumer protections
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ has the following built-in protections for eligible purchases you make with it:
- Cell phone protection: Protects against covered theft or damage for phones listed on your monthly cell phone bill if you pay it with your eligible Chase card. Covers up to $800 per claim and $1,000 per year, up to a maximum of two claims per year and with a $50 deductible per claim.
- Purchase protection: Protects new purchases against damage or theft for 120 days, up to a maximum of $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Extended warranty coverage: Extends the time period of the U.S. manufacturer's warranty by one year on eligible warranties of three years or less.
Travel protections
When it comes to travel protections, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers the following on eligible purchases made with the credit card:
- Auto rental collision damage waiver: Protects against theft and collision in the United States and abroad. To get this coverage, you must decline the rental company's coverage and use your Chase card to pay the full rental cost. In the United States, this coverage is secondary to your personal insurance.
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance: Reimburses you up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip on prepaid, nonrefundable passenger fares if your trip is either cut short or canceled because of sickness, severe weather, or any other covered situation.
Chase Freedom card benefits
The Chase Freedom is no longer open to applications. It was effectively replaced by the Chase Freedom Flex℠ in September 2020. Consumers who have the credit card can continue to use it. Below, you'll find the Chase Freedom benefits it offered before applications were closed.
$200 bonus
When applications for the Chase Freedom were open, new cardholders could get a $200 cash back bonus. The sign-up bonus required $500 of purchases in the first three months.
Up to 5% back
The Chase Freedom earns:
- 5% back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases across rotating bonus categories you activate each quarter
- 5% back on Lyft rides through March 2022
- 1% back on all other purchases
If you're a Chase Freedom cardholder, you can still activate bonus categories every quarter to get your 5% back, either online or by calling Chase.
0% intro APR
New Chase Freedom cardholders could get a 15-month 0% intro APR on purchases.
No annual fee
All the cards in the Chase Freedom line are no-annual-fee credit cards, and this is no exception.
Complimentary DashPass membership
As a Chase Freedom cardmember, you can still get a complimentary three months of DashPass if you activate before Dec. 31, 2021. DashPass is the subscription service for DoorDash. It gets you unlimited deliveries with no delivery fee for eligible orders that cost more than $12. Other service fees may apply.
With this perk, you're also automatically enrolled for another nine months of DashPass once those complimentary three months are over. Those nine months include a 50% discount off the normal rate of $9.99 per month. You can, however, cancel before those nine months kick in.
Consumer protections
Even though Chase no longer issues Chase Freedom cards, many of the cardholder perks remain. If you pay for eligible purchases with your Chase Freedom, you'll get a couple of protections:
- Purchase protection: New purchases are protected against damage or theft for the first 120 days. Coverage limits are $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Extended warranty protection: Adds one year to the U.S. manufacturer's warranty. This benefit covers eligible warranties of up to three years.
Travel protections
You'll get these travel protections on eligible travel purchases when you pay with your Chase Freedom:
- Auto rental collision damage waiver: Insurance coverage that protects you in the event of damage or theft to your rental car. Applies to car rentals both in the United States and abroad, as long as you decline coverage from the rental company and pay for the rental in full with your Chase Freedom card. If you're renting a car in the United States, this coverage is secondary to your personal insurance.
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance: Applies for trips that are either canceled or cut short for sickness, severe weather, or other covered situations. Coverage maximums are $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for your prepaid, non-refundable passenger fares.
Considering none of them charge annual fees, the Chase Freedom cards offer an impressive slate of benefits. You'll get cash back rates on par with the best credit cards, excellent sign-up bonus and 0% APR introductory offers, and quite a few valuable extras.
It usually takes a good credit score, specifically a FICO® Score of 670 or higher, to get approved for a Chase Freedom card. Read up on how to get prequalified for a Chase card to see whether you have a solid shot at an approval. If your credit score is high enough, you just need to decide which Chase Freedom credit card you want: the Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the Chase Freedom Flex℠.
About the Author
Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. He writes for The Ascent and The Motley Fool, and his work has appeared in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.
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