The Freedom Unlimited is the card many people keep for everything that does not earn a bonus somewhere else. It has no annual fee, pays 1.5 percent on every purchase, and raises that to 3 percent on food and drugstores. Whether it beats a flat 2 percent card comes down to how much of your spending lands in those categories. This guide goes through what Chase lists in October 2026 and does the sum.
The card at a glance
- 0 dollars
- Annual fee
- 1.5%
- Everything else
- 3%
- Dining and drugstores
- 5%
- Chase Travel
Chase lists none
Unlimited, no categories to activate
Dining includes takeout and eligible delivery
Travel purchased through Chase's portal
How the cash back works
Chase tracks cash back as points: each dollar of cash back is 100 points. Points are not lost while the account is open, and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back. You can also redeem for gift cards, travel or to pay with points at checkout. Redemption values vary by option, and Chase states that for Amazon each point is worth 0.8 cents. Purchases do not earn on balance transfers, cash advances, lottery tickets or similar cash-like transactions, and returns reduce what you earned.
| Perk | What Chase lists | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Intro APR | 0 percent for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers | A balance transfer fee applies, and a variable APR starts afterwards. |
| DashPass | Six months free when first activated | After the free period Chase enrols you at the monthly price. |
| DoorDash | 10 dollars off one non-restaurant order each quarter | Needs an active DashPass membership. |
| Lyft | 2 percent in total through 30 September 2027 | Rides, bikes, scooters and subscriptions in the Lyft app. |
| Pay over time | Chase Pay Over Time on eligible purchases | Access depends on your credit and account. |
Does the extra 3 percent pay off?
The card gives up half a point against a 2 percent flat card on most of your spending and gains one point on food and drugstores. The break-even is therefore simple: with no Chase Travel spending, the two cards earn the same when about a third of your spending goes to dining and drugstores. More than that, the Unlimited wins, and every dollar booked through Chase Travel at 5 percent lowers the threshold.
Protections and the foreign fee
Chase lists purchase protection for 120 days up to 500 dollars per item, an extra year on eligible warranties of three years or less, and trip cancellation and interruption up to 1,500 dollars per traveller and 6,000 per trip. Auto rental cover is secondary to your own insurance in the US. There is also a travel and emergency assistance line, though you pay for what it arranges.
Chase's Freedom Flex page states that card has no foreign transaction fee. The Unlimited page does not make that claim, and the card library on this site records 3 percent for it, checked in August 2026. If you travel, check Chase's pricing table, or see cards with no foreign transaction fee.
Eligibility and the application
Chase's page says the offer is for people who do not have this card and have not received a new cardmember bonus for it in the past 24 months. The size of the bonus changes, so this guide does not quote it.
Check your recent applications
Chase looks at how many cards you have opened recently. See the US issuer application rules.
Read the offer
Read the offer Chase shows you and what the 3 months of spending requires.
Decide where the Unlimited fits
It works as the card for everything outside your bonus categories. See the Freedom Flex compared with the Unlimited.
Is it right for you?
Fits you
- You want no annual fee and no categories to activate.
- Dining and drugstores make up a third or more of your spending.
- You also hold a Sapphire card, or plan to, and want to put the points to work.
Think twice
- Most of your spending is outside the 3 percent categories, where a flat 2 percent card earns more.
- You travel abroad often and the foreign fee matters.
- You want a card with lounge or hotel benefits.
See also which US cards are worth getting by spending style and the Citi Double Cash compared with the Wells Fargo Active Cash.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between the Freedom Unlimited and the Freedom Flex?
The Unlimited pays 1.5 percent on everything else. The Flex pays 1 percent on everything else, but 5 percent on up to 1,500 dollars a quarter in rotating categories you activate. The comparison guide sets them side by side.
Does the cash back expire?
Chase says cash back rewards do not expire as long as the account is open, and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back. You lose unredeemed points if the account is closed for reasons such as misuse, fraud or non-payment.
Can I get the welcome offer again?
Chase says the offer is not available if you currently hold the card or received a new cardmember bonus for it in the past 24 months. The amount changes, so check the offer page.
What protections does it include?
Chase lists purchase protection for 120 days up to 500 dollars per item, an extra year on eligible warranties, trip cancellation and interruption up to 1,500 dollars per traveller and 6,000 per trip, and auto rental cover that is secondary to your own insurance in the US.
Can I use the cash back for travel?
Chase says points can go to cash, gift cards, travel and paying with points. Redemption values vary by option: for Amazon, Chase states each point is worth 0.8 cents. Reviewers report that pairing the card with a Sapphire or Ink Preferred card lets you move the points to travel partners.
Sources
Written from these pages and checked against them on October 9, 2026. Programs and rules change, so check the provider’s current terms before you decide.
Cards in this guide
General information, not financial, legal or travel advice. Your own card terms and the provider’s current rules always come first.