Related Post
Insider’s experts choose the best products and services to help make smart decisions with your money (here’s how). In some cases, we receive a commission from our our partners, however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.
Getty Images
- The Chase Freedom Flex℠ and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® are two of the best no-annual-fee rewards cards for earning cash back on popular spending categories.
- With inflating food prices, and the holiday season quickly approaching, both Freedom cards are offering 5% back on groceries as part of their welcome bonuses.
- New cardholders can now earn 5% back at the grocery store (not including Target and Walmart) on the first $12,000 spent per year.
- Read Insider’s guide to the best grocery store credit cards.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® are regarded as two of the best no-annual-fee rewards cards currently available. They offer high earning rates in popular spending categories (such as dining, travel, and drugstore purchases), plus flexible redemption options.
With record-high inflation rates on groceries, and the holiday season just around the corner, Chase has added a new grocery category to the Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Unlimited® as part of their welcome bonuses (offers may vary). In addition to earning a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months of account opening, new cardholders can earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (excluding Target and Walmart) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.
These offers aren’t available through Insider; you’ll have to apply directly through Chase to get these deals.
Here’s what you’ll get with the Freedom cards.
We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Chase Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited offer: Earn a $200 bonus plus 5% back on groceries the first year
New Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Unlimited® cardholders can earn 5% cash back at grocery stores (excluding Target and Walmart) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year as part of the welcome bonus offer when you apply directly through Chase. That means you can earn up to $600 in cash back per year on grocery store purchases alone.
For example, if you spend $500 on groceries per month, you’ll easily earn $25 cash back. And with holiday brunches, dinners, family gatherings, and more on the way, some extra cash could help make holiday festivities a little less stressful.
Otherwise, the Chase Freedom Flex and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® have very similar spending categories. Still, there are some minor differences.
What Freedom Unlimited and Freedom Flex get you
If you’re interested in applying for either one of the Chase Freedom cards, you should compare their different spending categories to find the card that best suits you.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns:
- 5% back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 3% back on dining at restaurants (includes takeout and eligible delivery services)
- 3% back on drugstore purchases
- 1.5% back on all other purchases
It’s important to note that all Chase Freedom Unlimited® bonus categories earn unlimited rewards, except for purchases on groceries — which are capped at $12,000 spent in the first year as part of the new cardholder bonus. Unlimited cash back is the selling point of this card (and even part of the card’s name) so a spending cap definitely sticks out.
However, it’s arguable that $12,000 a year on groceries is more than reasonable, depending on how much you usually spend, and you can still earn a bunch of cash. So although the cap on grocery purchases goes against the card’s image, it won’t actually affect most folks’ rewards potential.
The Chase Freedom Flex earns:
- 5% back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in categories that rotate every quarter (then 1% back)
- 5% back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 3% back on dining at restaurants (includes takeout and eligible delivery services)
- 3% back on drugstore purchases
- 1% back on all other purchases
The Chase Freedom Flex’s quarterly bonus categories have previously included popular spending categories such as gas stations, grocery stores, and select online merchants. Currently, the card’s Q4 bonus categories (October through December 2022) are Walmart and PayPal purchases.
Chase Freedom “cash back” is more valuable than it appears
The Chase Freedom credit cards are marketed as cash-back cards, but the rewards they earn are actually Chase Ultimate Rewards points. That’s where their real power lies.
You can redeem them for cash at a rate of 1 cent each. But if you also hold either the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card, you can:
No matter how you prefer to redeem your rewards, both Chase Freedom cards allow you to earn cash and points quickly. The ability to earn 5% cash back (5x points) on all grocery purchases is impressive — again, considering there’s no annual fee involved.
If groceries are one of your highest spending categories, you can check out Insider’s guide to the best grocery store credit cards. And for more ways to save on food purchases, check out the best dining credit cards, and best credit cards for food delivery.
