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 The Chase Freedom FlexSM offers a $150 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.24% - 27.99%. You'll earn: • Earn 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 • Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases You cash back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back. This card has no annual fee. |
Learn more about the new Chase Freedom Flex card.
This offer is no longer available.
With the Chase Freedom® Card, you can earn a $150 cash back bonus after you spend $500 on purchases during your first 3 months of opening an account! Additionally, you can enjoy a 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter. Get an unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Plus, enjoy no annual fee along with this card. Below is all the information and details you need to earn your Chase Freedom® Card bonus!
Chase Bank offers great bonuses with their Checking/Savings accounts also!
| PROMOTIONAL LINK | OFFER | REVIEW |
| Chase Business Complete Checking® | $300 Cash | Review |
| Chase Private Client | $3,000 Cash | Review |
| Chase Total Checking® | $300 Cash | Review |
| Chase College CheckingSM | $100 Cash | Review |
| Chase Secure BankingSM | $100 Cash | Review |
| J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing | Up To $700 Cash | Review |
Chase Freedom Card Summary
Earning Cash Back
The Chase Freedom offers 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in total purchases in certain quarterly rotating spending categories. This means, you can get $75 in total cash back rewards per quarter. Categories vary each quarter and year, so check the Chase Freedom Card cashback calendar to keep up with what’s being offered.
You must manually activate your 5% cash back spending categories before the 15th of the last month of the applicable quarter. Once you activate, your cash back earnings are retroactive throughout the quarter.
After hitting the quarterly spending cap, additional purchases in the 5% cash back categories earn an unlimited 1% cash back. All other purchases earn an unlimited 1% cash back.
Redeeming Cash Back
Redeem your rewards for a statement credit, a deposit, gift cards, or purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards shopping portal. Cash back rewards don’t expire as long as your account is open. There’s also no minimum to redeem for cash back. For more information, see how much your cash back is worth here.
5% Chase Freedom Categories for 2018 & 2019
The categories change every year but typically follow a trend. View our current Chase Freedom® calendar here.
| Chase Freedom Quarters | Categories |
| Q1 2018 (Jan. 1 to March 31) | Gas Stations, Internet/Cable/Phone Services, Chase Pay, Android Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay |
| Q2 2018 (April 1 to June 30) | Grocery stores (not including Walmart and Target purchases), Paypal, Chase Pay |
| Q3 2018 (July 1 to Sept. 30) | Gas Stations, Lyft, Walgreens |
| Q4 2018 (Oct. 1 to Dec. 31) | Department stores, Wholesale clubs, Chase Pay |
| Q1 2019 (Jan. 1 to March 31) | Gas Stations, Tolls, Drugstores |
| Q2 2019 (April 1 to June 30) | Grocery stores (not including Walmart and Target purchases), Home improvement stores |
| Q3 2019 (July 1 to Sept. 30) | Coming soon |
| Q4 2019 (Oct. 1 to Dec. 31) | Coming soon |
Tip: Additional UR Bonus Points With Sapphire℠ Checking
The Chase Sapphire℠ Checking account lets you combine Ultimate Rewards points from all Chase products and you can also earn an additional 60,000 bonus points.
 The United ClubSM Infinite Card offers 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. You'll earn: • 4x miles on United® purchases • 2x miles on all other travel and dining • 1x mile on all other purchases. • Earn up to 10,000 Premier qualifying points per calendar year (25 PQP for every $500 you spend on purchases) This card does carry an annual fee of $525. However, you can get up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS fee credit. In addition, you'll get a savings of up to $360 per roundtrip (terms apply) by getting your first and second checked bags for free and Premier Access travel services! Member FDIC |
Maximizing Rewards Potential with the Chase Freedom Card
If you want to take the effort to earn rewards, then The Chase Freedom card allows users to maximize their rewards potential. There is no annual fee and it is only used on the 5% quarterly categories. You can also enhance it with a higher flat-relate rewards card.
Low to moderate spenders typically pair this with a no annual fee flat rate card such as Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card or American Express Cash Magnet Card.
If you spend enough on your credit card to cancel out annual fees, consider the Barclaycard Arrival Plus®World Elite Mastercard® that offers great bonuses.
The most effective way to maximize your rewards potential is of course pairing it with other Chase cards. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve (consumer) or Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card (business) are the most recommended ones.
You can also redeem your best card at the highest rate with all of your Ultimate Rewards points that you’ve earned.
- The Ultimate Rewards points earned through the Sapphire Preferred, Ink Business and Sapphire Reserve cards can also be transferred to hotel or airline partners at a 1:1 ratio.
- Only these 3 Chase cards offer these benefits, the Chase Freedom card itself does not
Depending on where you book your reservations and accommodations, it is better to compare a traveling book with Chase’s partners rather than the Ultimate Rewards portal. By utilizing these cards, it can increase your rewards benefits much more.
Ultimate Rewards Airline/Hotel 1:1 Point Transfer Partners
| Airline Transfer Partners | Hotel Transfer Partners |
| Aer Lingus AerClub | IHG Rewards Club |
| British Airways Executive Club | Marriott Bonvoy (Previously Marriott Rewards) |
| Flying Blue AIR FRANCE KLM | The Ritz-Carlton Rewards |
| Iberia Plus | World of Hyatt |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | |
| Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards | |
| United MileagePlus | |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club |
Chase Freedom Cardholder Benefits
- Zero Liability Protection: See something off with your account balance? You’re not responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- Purchase Protection: Get covered for your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Extended Warranty Protection: Your U.S. manufacturer’s warranty is extended by an additional year on eligible warranties of three years or less.
- Complimentary Rental Car Insurance: When you decline the rental company’s insurance option and charge the entire rental to your Chase Freedom, you’re automatically covered for theft and collision expenses in the U.S. and most international markets (secondary to your own personal auto insurance).
- Free Credit Score: Get a free credit score that’s updated weekly with Chase Credit Journey.
Author’s Verdict
If you’re looking to earn cash back on all your purchases and be able to receive an admirable 5% cash back in certain categories with no annual fee, then the Chase Freedom® Card may be the card fit for you. It’s best stacked with another card earning a higher cash back rate to use once you’ve capped the 5% quarterly category. Or, use it with another card that earns more than 1% cash back on all other purchases. A great one would be the Chase Freedom Unlimited® Card, offering unlimited 1.5% cash back on all your purchases.
However, if you dislike tracking your bonus categories and rewards calendar, we don’t recommend the Chase Freedom. Please provide feedback in the comment section below by telling us your thoughts and experience with this card. Additionally, visit BankDealGuy for more credit card bonuses and see our list of the best Chase credit cards! In addition, if your’re interested in banking with Chase, check out our full list of Chase bank deals.
Alternative Credit Card Options
The Chase Freedom card can be paired with other Chase cards. When paired with these, the benefits will increase.
Ultimate Rewards Cards To Pair With Chase Freedom
 The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. You'll earn: • 5x on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM • 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries • 2x on all other travel purchases • 1x on all other purchases • $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit • Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027. Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase TravelSM This card carries a $95 annual fee. |
 The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase TravelSM. You'll earn • 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. • 3x points on other travel and dining • 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel. This card does carry a $550 annual fee and there are no foreign transaction fees. However, you're able to earn a $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year & up to $120 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®. Member FDIC |
 The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase TravelSM. You'll earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year; 1 point per $1 on all other purchases - with no limit to the amount you can earn. Furthermore, points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase TravelSM. This card does come with a $95 annual fee but does not have any foreign transaction fees. |
No-Annual-Fee Alternatives
 The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Card offers $200 Cash Back after spending $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.74% - 29.74% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies You'll earn: • 1.5% Cash Back on every purchase, every day with no rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards. • Unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply. This card comes with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees which makes this card a viable option for your go-to everyday card. |
• Chase Bank Bonuses. Chase usually offers the most sign-up bonuses out of all the big banks. Read up and enjoy several promotions for their Checking, Savings and Business accounts. • HSBC Bank Bonuses. HSBC has some big value offers available for their Checking accounts. Some require hefty deposits to qualify. They also have an online Savings account offering a very competitive rate. • Huntington Bank Bonuses. Huntington has Consumer Checking and Business Checking accounts available throughout the year. • Discover Bank Bonuses. As an online bank, Discover offers high and competitive rates on their Savings, CD, and Money Market accounts. Enjoy excellent customer service nationwide. • TD Bank Bonuses. TD Bank consistently offers great Checking account bonuses all year long. Savings account offers are less frequently available. |
| PROMOTIONAL LINK | OFFER | REVIEW |
| HSBC Premier Checking Member FDIC | Up to $2,500 Cash | Review |
| Chase Private Client | $3,000 Cash | Review |
| U.S. Bank Business Checking | $900 Cash | Review |
| U.S. Bank Business Checking | $400 Cash | Review |
| Chase Business Complete Checking® | $300 Cash | Review |
| KeyBank Key Smart Checking® | $300 Cash | Review |
| Chase Total Checking® | $300 Cash | Review |
| Chase College CheckingSM | $100 Cash | Review |
| J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing | Up to $700 Cash | Review |
| Chase Secure BankingSM | $100 Cash | Review |
| SoFi Checking and Savings Account | $325 Cash | Review |
| Huntington Bank Unlimited Plus Business Checking | $1,000 Cash | Review |
| Huntington Bank Unlimited Business Checking | $400 Cash | Review |
| Huntington Bank Business Checking 100 | $100 Cash | Review |
| Fifth Third Bank Checking | $400 Cash | Review |
| Axos Basic Business Checking | $400 Cash | Review |
| Axos Business Interest Checking | $400 Cash | Review |
| Axos Bank Business Premium Savings | $375 Cash | Review |
Bankdealguy has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Bankdealguy and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
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