The Chase Freedom Unlimited® Credit Card (see rates and fees) is a solid cash back credit card with a very simple rewards structure, which might appeal to those newer to credit cards. With it, you earn a minimum of 1.5% cash back on all purchases, and you can double that return at drugstores and on dining, earning 3% cash back.
If you’re in the market for a flexible cash back credit card, right now is a great time to apply for the Freedom Unlimited. The card is offering a limited-time, easy-to-earn welcome bonus worth 25% more. Instead of earning a $200 welcome bonus, you can earn $250 after spending $500 in the first three months from account opening.
However, this offer is ending on April 30, 2026, at 9 a.m. EST, so now is a good time to take advantage of its elevated bonus.
How does the Chase Freedom Unlimited bonus compare to other offers?
While this welcome bonus isn’t as large as the best credit card sign-up bonuses on the market, most of those cards have annual fees and much larger minimum spending requirements.
Instead of paying hundreds of dollars in annual fees or needing to spend $3,000+ to earn a sign-up bonus, you only need to spend an average of roughly $167 a month for three months.
When comparing to other cash back credit card bonuses, the Freedom Unlimited has one of the highest for the least spending required. For example, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Cardoffers a lower $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 within the first three months, while the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards also features a lower $200 online cash rewards bonus after spending a $1,000 in the first 90 days (or $500 more than the Freedom Unlimited).
Even if you come across a slightly lower welcome bonus, the rewards and additional perks offered by other cash back cards may better suit your needs. It all comes down to spending habits and personal preference.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is great if you want simplicity thanks to its flat-rate 2% unlimited cash rewards on purchases and $0 annual fee.
- High flat-rate return on purchases
- Intro-APR for purchases and qualifying balance transfers for a year
- No annual fee
- Cell phone protection
- Has a foreign transaction fee
- Limited redemption options unless you pair it with a Wells Fargo card that allows point transfers
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 18.49%, 24.49%, or 28.49% variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft.Subject to a $25 deductible.
Balance Transfer Fee
3% intro for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%, min: $5
Foreign Transaction Fee
What benefits does the Freedom Unlimited offer?
Starting with rewards, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® Credit Card is one of the best credit cards for dining out and spending at drugstores. The transactions you make with this card earn:
- 5% cash back at Chase Travel℠
- 3% cash back at drugstores
- 3% cash back on dining at restaurants(including takeout and eligible delivery services)
- 1.5% cash back on all other purchases
It also provides a strong suite of protections, especially for a no-annual-fee card. You’ll receive a range of insurance perks, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, car rental coverage, travel and emergency assistance, purchase protection and extended warranty protection. In the right scenario, these benefits could save you more than what you earn from the Freedom Unlimited’s welcome offer.
The card also makes our list of the best 0% intro APR credit cards, featuring a lengthy low-interest offer on purchases and balance transfers. While it’s not the absolute longest offer on the market, it’s a solid feature for a bonus category rewards card.
Pair the Freedom Unlimited with one of these cards for greater value
The Freedom Unlimited is a great card to consider if you have any of the following Chase credit cards:
Why, you might ask? While the Freedom Unlimited does earn cash back, it’s rewarded in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points ($1 = 100 points). This means you can combine your rewards balance with another card that also earns Ultimate Rewards and transfer points to Chase airline and hotel loyalty programs.
In other words, you can essentially convert the cash back you earn into transferable travel rewards.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections and more.
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase’s travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Long list of travel and shopping protections
- $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit
- Has an annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 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
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase TravelSM
- 10% anniversary points boost – each account anniversary you’ll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
This may not sound that significant, as you can already use rewards earned with the Freedom Unlimited to book travel through Chase Travel℠ or redeem them as a statement credit toward any purchase; however, for both redemptions, you’ll receive 1 cent per point in value.
When you unlock the ability to convert rewards into airline miles or hotel points, you can dramatically increase that value. For example, a standard night at a Category 7 Hyatt hotel, such as the Hana-Maui Resort, costs 30,000 points. Paying cash for the exact same room type on the same date could easily cost $600 or more. In other words, being able to transfer your points could double the value you receive from the Freedom Unlimited’s welcome bonus.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a standout premium credit card with plenty of luxury perks and statement credits to justify its annual fee.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority PassTMSelect membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge®by The Club with two guests.
- Up to $300 in annual travel credit each account anniversary year
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase’s travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Top-tier travel and shopping protections
- High annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase TravelSM, including The EditSMand 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority PassTMSelect membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge®by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®every 4 years
- Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
- Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music — all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 — a value of $250 annually
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater
Subscribe to the CNBC Select Newsletter!
Money matters —so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox.Sign up here.
Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors.While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
Catch up on CNBC Select’s in-depth coverage ofcredit cards,bankingandmoney and follow us onTikTok,Facebook,InstagramandXto stay up to date.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
About The Author
