2021 Review: Chase Freedom – Cash Back Reward Credit Card
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The Chase Freedom features a quarterly revolving rewards program with a high 5% cash back rate, but you’ll need to activate your categories each time they change. You’ll also gain some useful shopping and travel protections, with a few more perks thrown in.
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Insider tip
The Chase Freedom card has been replaced by the Chase Freedom Flex℠ (Review), a new card with an expanded rewards program.
Our Rating: 5 Out of 5 Stars
We give the Chase Freedom® 5 out of 5 Stars because it can provide quite a bit of cash back every year and gives you some time to pay at no interest, all for no annual fee.
Why We Like It
- 5% cash back categories that rotate every three months
- 5% back on Lyft purchases
- The 5% rate will be applied to previous eligible purchases if you activate later in the quarter
- An introductory bonus of $200 bonus for spending $500 in the first 3 months
- No annual fee
- If your credit limit is $5,000 or above when approved you’ll get a Visa Signature version of the card
Why It Could Be Better
- You have to manually activate the 5% categories each quarter (except for Lyft)
- If you don’t get a Visa Signature card you’ll get a Visa Platinum, which only has some pretty basic benefits
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$0
- Purchase APR0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months, then 14.99% - 23.74% Variable
- $200 bonus for spending $500 in the first 3 months
- 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!
- Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - it's automatic
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, then an APR of 14.99% - 23.74% Variable
- No annual fee
- Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back.
- Free credit score, updated weekly with Credit Journey℠
- 5% cash back on Lyft purchases (through March 2022)
- 5% cash back on rotating categories, up to $1,500 in spending each quarter, then 1%
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
| Introductory Bonus |
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A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Regular Balance Transfer APR14.99% - 23.74% Variable
- Balance Transfer FeeEither $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- Penalty APRN/A
- Late FeeSee Terms
- Returned Payment FeeSee Terms
- Additional Cards Annual FeeN/A
- Foreign Transaction Fee3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
The information related to Chase Freedom® has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.
The Chase Freedom® is a popular rewards credit card, with a good cash back program for people who make a variety of purchases throughout the year.
It offers 5% cash back in categories that rotate every three months, giving you a chance to earn on many different types of spending. Payment systems like PayPal and digital wallets are sometimes included, giving you a pretty wide range of eligible purchases.
You’ll enjoy a $200 bonus for spending $500 in the first 3 months, a solid offer that’s easy to get compared to some other cards. And you can find additional discounts in the Shop through Chase marketplace.
This card features contactless technology, allowing for quick tap-and-go payments.
Keep reading for more details on the many features you’ll find with this card, and to learn if it might be right for you.
Insider Advice: Getting the Most Out of Your Card
- Use your card for everything: Use this card for a variety of different kinds of spending throughout the year. Your rotating categories, combined with the stable 5% categories, give you plenty of flexibility.
- Don’t forget your bonus categories: Remember to activate your 5% cash back categories each quarter. You can set up email alerts to remind yourself. Categories can be activated about 15 days before they begin, up until about 15 days before they end.
- Maximize your rewards: Keep an eye on the current 5% categories so you know where to use your Chase Freedom card to earn the most cash back.
- Take a Lyft: Pay for Lyft rides to earn 5% cash back, through March 2022 (no activation required).
- Reach the welcome bonus: $200 bonus for spending $500 in the first 3 months
- Make purchases without worrying about interest: Take advantage of the long 0% APR for 15 months to pay off large purchases at no interest before the regular 14.99% - 23.74% Variable kicks in.
- Look for the discounts: Check the Shop through Chase shopping portal and Chase Offers program now and then, and before making big purchases. You may find a nice discount.
The Rewards
You’ll earn 5% cash back on groceries and Lyft rides (one of the highest cash back rates you’ll find), as well as on a variety of different purchases that switch every three months. You’ll earn 1% on every other purchase.
Earning
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Chase announces the 5% bonus categories gradually throughout the year, and we’re currently still waiting to see the categories for the last quarter. Here are the current and recent 5% cash back bonus categories:
| Quarter | 2021 Categories | 2020 Categories |
|---|---|---|
| January – March |
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| April – June |
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| July – September |
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| October – December |
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Do you spend a lot of money at merchants like these throughout the year? It’s interesting to see that they include PayPal and other digital wallets because that gives you a pretty wide variety of eligible purchases, for both online and physical stores. Up to $75 in cash back can be earned in the rotating categories every three months, or $300 per year.
You’ll need to manually activate your 5% categories for each quarter (except for the Lyft category). You can do this by logging in to your online account.
If you don’t activate the categories, you won’t earn cash back at the 5% rate. You can activate the categories early, about 15 days before each quarter starts. And you’ll be able to activate your rewards later on in the quarter. If you do that you’ll get the 5% cash back retroactively applied to all the eligible purchases you previously made. (A similar card, the Discover it® Cash Back (Review), won’t retroactively apply rewards.)
So even if you forget for a while you can still get your 5% back. But there will still be a deadline. Usually the deadline will be around the 15th of the last month in the quarter. For example, for the April – June quarter, the deadline to activate was by June 15th. Activate by then, and you’ll get 5% cash back on all the eligible purchases you previously made in that quarter. But after that you’ll be out of luck.
It’s unfortunate that you need to personally activate your bonus categories in this way. According to Chase’s website, they “ask you to activate because [they] want to make sure you’re aware when categories change and where you can earn 5% cash back.” But it would be much easier if Chase just activated the categories automatically.
You can sign up for email alerts, however, to let you know when it’s time to activate. And it’s a good thing that you’ll get the 5% cash back applied retroactively to previous purchases. It would be pretty disappointing to spend a lot of money only to find that you’ve been earning 1% back when you thought you were getting 5%.
Redeeming
The rewards you earn are technically points, rather than cash back. Each point is worth 1 cent when redeemed normally. But in most cases it will be simplest to just refer to the rewards as cash back.
You’ll have a few different ways to redeem your cash back.
- Cash back statement credits: This is often the best option, providing the full value for your cash back.
- Gift cards: Gift cards will usually provide less than $1 for every $1 in cash back that you redeem.
- Ultimate Rewards travel portal: Cash back can be used to pay for travel expenses, but the value you get will vary.
- Pay with points: You can use your points to pay for purchases at certain merchants, like Amazon, but you’ll only get 80 cents per $1 redeemed.
- Transfer to a different Chase card: Your cash back can be transferred to certain other cards, if they’re part of the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, where they’ll be worth more.
The quickest and easiest method is to redeem your cash back for statement credits. These will reduce the balance of your account.
The other options will provide less value or will take much longer to process, with the exception of transfers to other Chase cards. If you transfer your cash back to certain cards you’ll be able to redeem it for a better value. We’ll go over that next.
Transferring Rewards to a Different Chase Card
If you have another Chase card in the Ultimate Rewards program, you can transfer the cash back you earn with the Freedom card over to it. Every cent of cash back will be worth 1 point in the Ultimate Rewards program. This could end up giving you a better rewards value overall.
There are three other Chase cards that you can use to get a better value for your cash back. These cards provide a bonus when redeeming through Ultimate Rewards:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Review): 25% point bonus
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Review): 50% point bonus
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Review): 25% point bonus
These cards also allow you to transfer points to a number of traveler loyalty programs at a 1:1 rate, including both airline and hotel partners. You can often get a better value by converting to airline miles or hotel points.
So, the basic strategy here is:
- Earn cash back with the Freedom card.
- Transfer that cash back to one of the three cards above, where it will be counted as Ultimate Rewards points.
- Redeem or transfer your points:
- Redeem through Ultimate Rewards to get a point bonus of 25% or 50%, depending on which card you have.
- Transfer your points to an airline or hotel loyalty program where they may be worth more to you.
If you put all the rewards you earn through this process, you can effectively get more than 5% cash back with the Freedom card when spending in the bonus categories. If you end up getting a 25% point bonus you would get a cash back equivalent of 6.25%. And if you get a 50% point bonus, your cash back equivalent would be 7.50%.
The Benefits
The Chase Freedom has two possible service levels: regular Visa Platinum, and the upgraded Visa Signature. If you’re approved with a credit limit below $5,000 you’ll get a Visa Platinum. If your credit limit is $5,000 or above, you’ll get a Visa Signature. The credit limit you get will be based on your creditworthiness.
Visa Platinum cards come with a basic set of protections, while Signature cards come with extra and upgraded protections.
Chase also provides some benefits, which will come with both versions of the card.
- DoorDash membership: Cardholders can subscribe to DoorDash’s DashPass membership for free for three months, and then get a 50% membership discount for the following nine months. The membership offers free delivery and reduced service fees on orders over $12.
- Shop through Chase: Cardholders can get more cash back at select retailers with the Shop Through Chase marketplace. You’ll find deals that come and go over time, which let you earn a good reward rate outside the bonus categories.
- Chase Offers: Browse and activate special offers from a selection of retailers on the Chase app.
- Chase Credit Journey: Chase offers the Credit Journey credit monitoring tool, providing a way to keep track of your credit from month to month. This provides your VantageScore 3.0, based on your TransUnion credit report. The Credit Journey service is free and available to anyone, whether you’re a Chase cardholder or not.
- Purchase Protection: Eligible purchases are covered for 120 days against damage and theft, up to $500 per claim.
- Extended Warranty Protection: Manufacturer’s warranties of three years or less can be doubled by up to one additional year, when eligible.
- Travel and Emergency Assistance Services: Provides coverage for theft and collision damage of rental vehicles, as long as the rental company’s own insurance is declined.
- Roadside Dispatch: Call 1-800-847-2869 for towing, tire changes, fuel delivery, and other services. A flat fee will apply when eligible.
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: Eligible rented vehicles are covered against damage and theft, as long as the rental company’s own insurance is declined.
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance: If your trip is interrupted or cancelled for an eligible reason, you can be reimbursed up to $6,000 per trip, and $1,500 per person (Visa Signature only).
The Terms & Fees
| Purchase APR | Balance Transfer APR | Cash Advance APR |
|---|---|---|
| 0% for 15 months, then 14.99% - 23.74% Variable | 14.99% - 23.74% Variable | 24.99% Variable |
| Annual Fee | Foreign Transaction Fee |
|---|---|
| $0 | 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars |
| Balance Transfer Fee | Cash Advance Fee |
|---|---|
| Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. | Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater. |
| Penalty APR | Late Fee | Returned Payment Fee |
|---|---|---|
| None | See Terms | See Terms |
The Chase Freedom comes with some pretty favorable terms. You’ll get 15 months at 0% APR, for purchases. That’s definitely on the longer end compared to most credit cards. It gives you quite a while to either pay off your purchases with the card.
There’s no annual fee to pay for the privilege of earning cash back and having a long intro period. That means this card can be 100% free to use, as long as you avoid accruing interest charges and other fees. You can do this by simply paying off your entire statement balance in full each billing period.
Paying your full statement balance will do more than just prevent interest from accruing on purchases, helping you stay out of credit card debt. It will also keep your credit utilization lower, which is better for your credit scores overall.
The Bottom Line
The Chase Freedom® is a great card for people who spend a significant amount of money in the 5% reward categories. If you’re already making those purchases, why not get rewarded for them?
If you don’t spend in the 5% categories very often, you obviously won’t get very much out of this card. So your shopping habits should decide if it’s right for you. Just remember to activate those reward categories every quarter.
There’s a nice 0% interest rate for purchases to take advantage of, which is a pretty competitive offer compared to other cards. And with no annual fee, it doesn’t have to cost you anything at all if you can avoid being charged interest.
Reward credit cards come in many shapes and sizes, though only a few offer 5% rotating categories like the Chase Freedom. Check out those other rotating category cards below, along with some cards with stable bonus reward categories.
How Do I Apply for the Chase Freedom Card?
You can apply now for the Chase Freedom card securely by following the link below.
Most applicants will get an instant decision, but it could take longer in some cases. Chase may contact you for more information.
You’ll receive either a Visa Platinum or Visa Signature version of this card, depending on your creditworthiness. If you’re approved with a credit line less than $5,000 you’ll get a Visa Platinum. If your credit line is $5,000 or above you’ll get a Visa Signature, with slightly better benefits.
What Credit Scores Do I Need to Qualify for the Chase Freedom Card?
It’s recommended for you to have good credit before applying for the Chase Freedom.
That would mean your credit scores would have to be within the ranges of 670–739 for FICO and 700–749 for VantageScore.
It’s worth noting however that credit card issuers take more factors into account than just your scores. They’ll look at things like income and source of income when deciding your creditworthiness. So that means even if your credit scores are lower than what’s recommended, you still might be approved. But that also means if your scores are higher than what they call for, you could be denied.
Qualifications and Requirements
- Must be 18 to apply
- Personal identifying information: Social Security number, email address, phone number
- Financial information: Total annual income, source of income, monthly mortgage/rent payment
- Some people report being denied for Chase cards for having five or more new credit card accounts in the last 24 months
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$0
- Purchase APR0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months, then 14.99% - 23.74% Variable
- $200 bonus for spending $500 in the first 3 months
- 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!
- Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - it's automatic
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, then an APR of 14.99% - 23.74% Variable
- No annual fee
- Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back.
- Free credit score, updated weekly with Credit Journey℠
- 5% cash back on Lyft purchases (through March 2022)
- 5% cash back on rotating categories, up to $1,500 in spending each quarter, then 1%
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
| Introductory Bonus |
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A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Regular Balance Transfer APR14.99% - 23.74% Variable
- Balance Transfer FeeEither $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- Penalty APRN/A
- Late FeeSee Terms
- Returned Payment FeeSee Terms
- Additional Cards Annual FeeN/A
- Foreign Transaction Fee3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
The information related to Chase Freedom® has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.
Frequently Asked Questions
What 5% quarterly bonus categories can I expect to see?
The 5% quarterly categories for July–September are Amazon and Whole Foods. You’ll also earn 5% cash back on Lyft rides and groceries, in addition to the rotating bonus categories. Take a look at past categories this card has offered.
What’s Chase’s 5/24 rule?
Chase’s 5/24 rule is an informal rule (you won’t find it officially stated) that typically prevents people who have opened five or more credit cards in the past 24 months, with any card issuers, from being approved for Chase credit cards.
How do I log in to my Chase Freedom account?
Simply head over to Chase’s website and plug in your Chase account information.
You’ll be able pay your bill and keep an eye on your balance, as well as redeem rewards and explore other card features.
Alternatives to the Chase Freedom
The Discover it® Cash Back (Review) is another cash back credit card with rotating 5% categories, but you’ll be able to earn rewards for some different purchases than the Chase Freedom.
The Discover it Cash Back card provides a Cashback Match instead of a cash bonus, which means you’ll get double rewards — that translates to 10% cash back in the bonus categories during the first year. Since you’re limited to $1,500 in category spending per quarter, you can earn up to $150 per quarter. And you’ll be getting 2% cash back on every other purchase you make, a great deal.
You have to manually activate your 5% categories every quarter, just like with the Chase Freedom. But unlike the Freedom card, the Discover it Cash Back will not apply the 5% rate to eligible previous purchases. So if you don’t activate before the quarter starts you might miss out on some cash back. This makes the Freedom card a bit more forgiving and easier to use.
There are a few small differences in the benefits and the terms. You won’t get any shopping or travel protections from Discover, and you’ll be able to check one of your FICO Score 8 scores rather than one of your VantageScores. But like Chase, anyone is able to use Discover’s credit monitoring tool, not just cardholders. There’s also no foreign transaction fee, unlike the Chase Freedom.
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Here’s the 5% cash back calendar for 2021:
| Quarter | 5% Cash Back Categories |
|---|---|
| January – March | Grocery Stores, Walgreens, CVS |
| April – June | Gas Stations, Wholesale Clubs, Select Streaming Services |
| July – September | Restaurants, PayPal |
| October – December | Amazon.com, Target.com, Walmart.com |
- Free FICO credit score: See your FICO Score 8, based on your TransUnion credit report, on statements, online, and by mobile app.
- Cash at Checkout: When you shop at participating locations, you can get immediate cash by charging an additional amount over your purchase for no extra fee.
- Refer a Friend: Receive statement credits if you refer people you know to apply for a Discover card and they’re approved. They’ll receive statement credits, too.
- Security features: Social Security number, credit inquiry, and new account alerts, and quick card freeze
- Purchase and Balance Transfer APR: See Terms for See Terms, then See Terms
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $0
- Earn up to $550 cash back in the first year.
- $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible net purchases within the first 120 days of account opening.
- 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible net purchases ($100 per quarter) on two categories you choose. That adds up to $400 cash back!
- 2% cash back on your choice of one everyday category, like gas stations or grocery stores.
- 1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases.
- No limit on total cash back earned.
- 0% Intro APR* on balance transfers for 12 billing cycles. After that, a variable APR currently 13.99% – 23.99%
- No annual fee*
- Great Offer from U.S. Bank, a 2020 World’s Most Ethical Company® – Ethisphere Institute, February 2020
The U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card (Review) lets you choose where you’d like to earn 5% cash back.
This rewards program is very flexible, offering perhaps more category options than any other credit card. Some of the categories will probably be more useful than others, like home utilities, department stores, and ground transportation. But this will depend on what you buy the most.
You’ll get a higher quarterly spending limit than the Chase card, $2,000 instead of $1,500. And you also get unlimited cash back at the 2% rate, in yet another “everyday” category. There are also a few extra benefits like the Luxury Hotel Collection and Visa Signature Concierge if you need non-emergency assistance.
| Spending Rewards |
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| 5% Cash Back Categories | ||
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| Ground Transportation | Fast Food | Cell Phone Providers |
| Department Stores | Home Utilities | Select Clothing Stores |
| Electronics Stores | Sporting Goods Stores | Movie Theaters |
| Gyms/Fitness Centers | Furniture Stores | TV, Internet & Streaming Services |
| 2% Cash Back Categories | ||
|---|---|---|
| Gas Stations | Grocery Stores | Restaurants |
The categories you can choose from are subject to change on a quarterly basis. You’ll be able to choose your categories starting 45 days before the beginning of a quarter, up until five days before the start of that quarter. And you can change your designated categories up to that time. But after that point, you can’t pick 5% categories — even if you were approved for the card during that time.
- Free credit score: See your VantageScore 3.0 based on your TransUnion credit report.
- Visa Signature Concierge: Call for personal assistance with travel bookings, dining reservations, business services, and more.
- Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection: Get perks at select hotels like a $25 food and beverage credit and room upgrades when available.
- Travel protections: Travel accident insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, roadside dispatch
- Shopping protection: Purchase security
- Balance Transfer APR: 0% for 12 billing cycles on Balance Transfers*, then 13.99% - 23.99%* Variable
- Purchase APR: 13.99% - 23.99%* Variable
- Annual fee: $0*
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$0
- Purchase APR0% on purchases for 15 months, then 13.99% - 23.99% Variable
- Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 plan fees on plans created during the first 15 months after account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
- Low intro APR: 0% for 15 months on purchases from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 13.99% to 23.99%.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%).
- 2% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and at select U.S. department stores.
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
- Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be easily redeemed for statement credits.
- No annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express (Review) has some bonus categories, but they don’t rotate throughout the year. Instead, you’ll be able to use this card for the same purchases year-round, every year.
It has a pretty basic set of benefits and protections. Many of them are similar to what you’ll get with the Chase Freedom, but they differ in the details.
Amex cardholders have access to Amex Offers, which is basically like the Shop through Chase shopping portal. You’ll also get guaranteed lowest hotel rates when booking through Amex Travel. And complimentary ShopRunner membership, which provides free two-day shipping and returns at select online retailers. There are a few other benefits too, although these seem like the most valuable ones to us.
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
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You’ll get a maximum of 3% cash back with this card, limited to $6,000 in spending per year. That comes to $180 in cash back per year at the 3% rate. And you’ll earn unlimited cash back at the 2% and 1% rates.
- Amex Offers: Earn extra cash back at a variety of merchants.
- Complimentary ShopRunner membership: Register with ShopRunner for free two-day shipping and returns at select online retailers.
- Entertainment Access: Exclusive tickets to events, concerts, sports, and shows
- Travel protections: Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance, Global Assist Hotline
- Purchase APR: 0% for 15 months, then 13.99% - 23.99% Variable
- Annual fee: $0
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express (Rates & Fees)
American Express is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
- To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 13.99% – 23.99%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 13.99% – 23.99% based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi’s discretion
The Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer (Review) doesn’t have rotating bonus reward categories, or any spending categories at all. Instead you’ll get a flat rate for every purchase you make, no matter where or when you shop (you must pay at least the minimum due on time to earn cash back).
A simple rewards program like this can make a great complement to the 5% categories of the Chase Freedom card. If you have both cards, you can use them together to get a decent amount of cash back no matter where you shop. Use the Freedom card whenever you’re spending in the active categories, and use the Double Cash for every other expense. That strategy gives you either 5% or 2% back for every purchase (the Double Cash earns 1% for purchases, and 1% for payments).
The benefits you’ll get from the Freedom will be better than what you’ll see with the Double Cash. Citi removed quite a few protections from its cards, so you won’t get things like rental car insurance and purchase protection like you would with the Freedom.
But if you’re looking for a simple rewards program or a good card to use in tandem with other categorical rewards cards like the Chase Freedom, this would be a good choice.
| Spending Rewards |
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- Free FICO credit score: See your Equifax-based FICO Bankcard Score 8 on statements, online, and by mobile app.
- Citi Concierge: Get restaurant suggestions, reservations, travel arrangements, shopping research, and more.
- Citi Entertainment: Get preferred access and pre-sale tickets to events and experiences, from music to movies.
- Purchase APR: 13.99% – 23.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer APR: 0% for 18 months on Balance Transfers, then 13.99% – 23.99% (Variable)
- Annual fee: $0
Citi is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$0
- Purchase APR0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months, then 14.99% - 23.74% Variable
- $200 bonus for spending $500 in the first 3 months
- 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!
- Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - it's automatic
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, then an APR of 14.99% - 23.74% Variable
- No annual fee
- Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back.
- Free credit score, updated weekly with Credit Journey℠
- 5% cash back on Lyft purchases (through March 2022)
- 5% cash back on rotating categories, up to $1,500 in spending each quarter, then 1%
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
| Introductory Bonus |
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A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Regular Balance Transfer APR14.99% - 23.74% Variable
- Balance Transfer FeeEither $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- Penalty APRN/A
- Late FeeSee Terms
- Returned Payment FeeSee Terms
- Additional Cards Annual FeeN/A
- Foreign Transaction Fee3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
The information related to Chase Freedom® has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.
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Brendan Harkness
Brendan has been writing about personal finance for over eight years, and is now taking on the challenge of bringing high-quality credit education to the masses. He makes sure that Credit Card Insider is covering the most important credit topics transparently and precisely, and that we have up-to-date reviews of credit cards so you can find cards that are right for you.
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