As of Oct. 6, 2022, new applicants who apply for either card directly via Chase can earn 5% cash back at grocery stores (excluding Target and Walmart) on up to $12,000 in spending in the first year. The rate is on top of an existing upfront sign-up bonus offered on both cards when you apply via Chase: $200 cash back after you spend $500 on purchases during the first 3 months from account opening. If you were to max out both offers, you’d snag $800 in cash back.
These offers are available only to those who apply directly through Chase. NerdWallet features a different offer on both cards.
Chase has featured this limited-time offer for grocery stores twice since 2020. There are no other changes to either card’s ongoing rewards structure. Here’s how the Freedom cards compare:
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Chase Freedom Unlimited® |
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Offer for new cardholders who apply directly with Chase: |
Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening, plus 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (up to $12,000 spent) in the first year. |
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Rotating bonus categories: |
• 5% back on quarterly bonus categories that you activate, on up to $1,500 per quarter in spending. |
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Ongoing bonus categories: |
• 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. • 3% cash back at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services. • 3% cash back on drugstore purchases. |
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Rewards on other purchases: |
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Learn More
Chase Freedom Flex℠ rotating categories
In addition to earning 5% back at grocery stores, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ also earns 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined spending each quarter in a series of rotating categories. Note that you must activate those categories. (All other non-bonus-category purchases earn 1% back).
Here’s a look at how the card’s 5% categories played out for 2022:
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Chase Freedom® and Chase Freedom Flex℠ bonus rewards categories for 2022 |
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• Grocery stores. |
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• Amazon.com. |
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• Gas stations. |
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🤓Nerdy Tip
Chase has included grocery stores as a 5% rotating bonus category for one quarter every year since 2014. In the past, this has been “stackable” with the limited-time 5% grocery store offer for new cardholders — meaning it’s been possible to earn 9% cash back at grocery stores if the two deals coincide on the calendar. (Note that it’s not 10% back because the quarterly bonus is calculated as 4% back on top of the card’s baseline 1% back. So you’d earn 5% for the year, plus an extra 4% for the quarter.) It’s unclear whether the deals will remain stackable this time.
Benefits of both cards
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The Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Freedom Unlimited® both offer a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 17.24%-25.99% Variable APR.
Additionally, with either card you can earn 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 2025.
And as noted above, if you apply for these cards via NerdWallet, you will be eligible for different bonus offers.
