Chase Freedom Flex Review | A Multi-Reward Cash Back Card

Best for rotating category cash back

• Annual Fee: $0

• Intro Offer/Welcome Offer: $200 cash back after spending $500 in the first three months

• Intro APR: 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases

• Regular APR: 14.99% to 23.74%

• Credit Score Requirements: Good to Excellent (670 - 850)

OUR RATING 3.75 stars out of 5

Why We Love the Chase Freedom Flex^SM Card

The Chase Freedom Flex^SM credit card offers bonus cash back in popular spending categories like wholesale clubs, streaming services, internet, cable and phone services, groceries, fuel, and more.

This Chase card also comes with a decent sign-up bonus offer – especially for a no-fee credit card.

Highlights of the Chase Freedom Flex^SM Card

• $200 cash back bonus when you spend $500 on your card in the first three months

• 5% cash back on quarterly rotating categories (activation required)

• 5% cash back on travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards

• 5% cash back on Lyft rides (through March 2022)

• 3% cash back on dining and drugstore purchases

• 1% on all other purchases

• 0% Introductory APR offer on purchases for 15 months

• No annual fee

Who Chase Freedom Flex^SM Card Is Best for

Chase Freedom Flex^SM is great for frequent travelers who want to earn rewards without the burden of an annual fee. You earn an incredible 5% cash back on travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards as well as other travel perks like trip cancellation/interruption insurance, rental car insurance, and no foreign transaction fees. Although it’s touted as a cash back card, rewards come in the form of Ultimate Rewards points. Redeem your points for cash back via statement credits, travel, and more.

Chase Freedom Flex^SM is also great for individuals who want to maximize their rewards. You can pair your Freedom Flex^SM card with one of Chase’s premium travel rewards cards (like Chase Sapphire Preferred^® or Chase Sapphire Reserve^®.

While Chase Freedom Flex^SM doesn’t allow you to transfer rewards to partner programs, for more redemption options, you can combine your points with a Chase card that does. Pairing Chase cards allows you to use higher earning categories so your spending can earn you the most points possible.

The Full Breakdown of the Chase Freedom Flex^SM Card

The Chase Freedom Flex^SM card is a favorite among cash back enthusiasts. The potential for earning rewards is great, especially if the rotating categories align with your spending habits.

Annual Fees

The Chase Freedom Flex^SM credit card carries no annual fee. That means all of your cash back earnings are yours to keep and redeem as you wish.

Intro APR Offer

For the first 15 months, Chase Freedom Flex^SM comes with a 0% intro APR on purchases. Intro APR offers allow you to make purchases now and pay them off over time. Note: The introductory APR offer does not apply to balance transfers.

Ongoing APR

Once the introductory period ends, the ongoing variable APR on purchases ranges from 14.99% to 23.74%, based on creditworthiness. The variable APR on balance transfers is also between 14.99% and 23.74%.

Welcome Bonus

When you spend $500 on purchases within the first three months, the Chase Freedom Flex^SM card comes with a $200 cash back welcome bonus. Individuals who've already received a new cardmember bonus for this card in the past 24 months aren’t eligible.

Credit Score Requirements

To qualify for the Chase Freedom Flex^SM card, you should have a good-to-excellent FICO credit score (between 670 - 850). You can potentially improve your credit score and avoid costly late fees by paying off your full balance on time each month.

Point Conversion/ Redemption

Cash back rewards for the Freedom Flex^SM card come in the form of Ultimate Rewards points. Each point is worth approximately $0.01, depending on the redemption.

You can redeem points for several different redemptions, including:

• Cash back through a statement credit

• Gift cards

• Travel

• Amazon purchases

There is no minimum redemption amount to redeem cash back. You can also combine your points with other Chase credit cards that are connected to the Ultimate Rewards program, like Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Ink Business Preferred.

Member Perks

In addition to cash back rewards, the Freedom Flex^SM card comes with a short list of other useful perks like:

Partner Benefits

Cardholders get access to special discounts and perks with Chase Partners like DoorDash and Lyft.

Free Credit Score

The Chase Freedom Flex^SM card gives you access to Credit Journey, a program designed to help you monitor and build your credit. You can access your weekly credit score and set up credit alerts for free.

Cell Phone Protection

Use your Freedom Flex^SM card to pay your monthly cell phone bill – you’ll be covered up to $800 per claim and $1,000 total annually against theft and damage.

Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance

On select prepaid fare, receive a reimbursement for up to $6,000 ($1,500 per person) on trips cut short by cancellation, sickness, severe weather, and other covered circumstances.

Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver

Receive secondary auto insurance coverage when you decline the rental company’s insurance and pay with your Flex^SM card. Note: This only protects against theft and collision, not liability.

Chase Freedom Flex^SM offers tons of value, considering that it comes with no annual fee. Other benefits of this card include:

• Travel and Emergency Assistance Services

• Extended Warranty Protection

• Purchase Protection

Foreign Transaction Fees

While Chase Freedom Flex^SM is an excellent card for frequent travelers, it does carry a 3% foreign transaction fee on all international purchases. If you’re outside of the US, you’re better off using a card that doesn’t charge a fee for purchases.

Reward Expiration

Your Chase cash back rewards never expire as long as your account is open. There’s also no minimum redemption required so you can redeem points immediately or save them up over time.

Customer Service/Ease of Access

Phone support is available from Chase 24/7. You can also send secure messages through your online account, message the Chase Facebook page, or tweet @ChaseSupport on Twitter.

How The Chase Freedom Flex^SM Card Compares to Others

Chase Freedom Flex^SM vs. Citi Double Cash

For those looking to earn the same cash back rate – regardless of spending category – there is Citi Double Cash^®. This Citi card earns cash back two ways: You earn 2% cash back on all purchases then an extra 1% cash back as you pay for those purchases. There’s no cap on the cash back you can earn.

Instead of an intro APR offer for purchases, Citi^® Double Cash offers 0% APR on balance transfers for the first 18 months.

Like Chase Freedom Flex^SM, Citi Double Cash has no annual fee. Both cards are solid choices, so your decision may come down to the rewards structure that better matches your spending habits.

Chase Freedom Unlimited vs. Flex

Chase Freedom Unlimited is another Chase cash back card to consider. This Chase card comes with the same welcome bonus as the Freedom Flex^SM card. It also earns 5% cash back on travel purchases, 3% cash back on dining, and 3% cash back on drugstore purchases.

The rewards rates are similar, with a couple of exceptions: Freedom Unlimited has no rotating spending categories and earns 1.5% cash back on all other purchases (instead of the 1% offered with the Freedom Flex^SM card).

Chase Freedom Unlimited also comes with an Intro APR offer on purchases for the first 15 months. Chase Freedom Unlimited is another top credit card to consider if you like cash back rewards with no annual fee.

Is The Chase Freedom Flex Card Worth It?

Chase Freedom Flex^SM is among the best cash back cards on the market, but there are benefits and drawbacks to consider before applying:

Chase Freedom Flex^SM Pros

• No annual fee

• Substantial welcome bonus

• Lengthy intro APR offer

• Higher rewards rates in popular spending categories

Chase Freedom Flex^SM Cons

• 3% foreign transaction fees

• Spending categories need activation every quarter

Our Final Take on the Chase Freedom Flex^SM Credit Card

Chase Freedom Flex^SM is a solid choice if you’re in the market for a new cash back credit card. As mentioned, it’s a great card for domestic travelers, but it’s also great if you frequently dine out or use food delivery services. Its intro APR offer might be longer than many cards, but longer offers exist elsewhere, too.

Keep in mind that, to qualify for the higher rates, you’ll need to activate rotating spending categories each quarter. Only sign up for this card if you spend in the categories where it earns the most.