Quick Review
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is one of the best rewards cards on the market for borrowers looking to earn cash back without paying an annual fee. Here’s what you’ll get:
- Flexible cash back: The cashback program on the Chase Freedom Flex℠ is geared toward everyday spenders, offering advanced rewards rates on almost every purchase. Regular rewards categories include dining, drugstore purchases, and travel booked through Chase. Rotating categories range from gas to groceries to online purchases.
- High-maintenance rewards: On the downside, this card only reaches its full potential for borrowers who are willing to keep an eye on rotating bonus categories and activate their rewards every quarter.
- Short-term 0% APR: The card offers 15 months of no-interest purchases and balance transfers. While this is a great perk, 15 months isn’t a very long time for paying off large credit card debts, so this probably isn’t the right choice for a balance transfer. However, you can use the 15 months to easily pay off a pricey purchase or two without worrying about interest.
- Double welcome bonus: The $200 cash back welcome bonus is easy to unlock (you only need to spend $500 in 3 months) but nothing to write home about. However, you also get a second welcome bonus in the form of 5% back on groceries (up to $12,000 in spending) in your first year of borrowing.
Pros & Cons
Who Is the Chase Freedom Flex℠ Best For?
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is an ideal credit card for the following types of borrowers:
- Dedicated rewards seekers: While the Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers big opportunities to save money through cashback rewards, the catch is that you have to monitor and activate bonus categories every quarter. You’ll get the most out of this card if you’re a disciplined borrower willing to put in the effort needed to maximize your cashback earnings.
- Online and offline spenders: The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers rewards on a diverse range of purchases. Bonus categories are often centered on online purchases (e.g., through Amazon and PayPal), while regular categories reward the out-and-about spender. Those who are flexible with how and where they spend their money will easily be able to capitalize on rewards.
- Domestic travelers: You can get 5% back on travel booked through the Chase portal, which offers flights, hotels, rental cars, experiences, and more. Plus, you’ll continue racking up cash back when you dine on your vacation or fill up for a road trip (if you plan your vacation during a quarter with gas rewards). While 3% foreign transaction fees make this card less-than-ideal for overseas trips, the US traveler can save a lot with the card.
If you don’t identify with one of these profiles or aren’t keen on keeping track of rotating rewards, we suggest you explore some similar cards below that may offer more beneficial rewards programs.
What the Crowd Says
Professional publications and actual cardholders highly recommend the Chase Freedom Flex℠ credit card. All agree that the card’s versatility has something to offer just about anyone—and since the card has no annual fee, it’s hard not to recommend.
| Publication | Rating |
|---|---|
| NerdWallet | 5/5 |
| ValuePenguin | 4.5/5 |
| WalletHub | 5/5 |
| WalletHub (user ratings) | 3.6/5 |
| Credit Karma (user ratings) | 4/5 |
| Bankrate | 4.8/5 |
| Forbes Advisor | 5/5 |
| U.S. News | 4.4/5 |
| CreditCards.com | 4.8/5 |
| The Points Guy | 3.5/5 |
| Investopedia | 4.2/5 |
| The Ascent (Motley Fool) | 5/5 |
| FinanceBuzz | 5/5 |
| Upgraded Points | 4.5/5 |
| One Mile at a Time | Positive |
| CardRatings | 5/5 |
| Select (CNBC) | Positive |
| Money Under 30 | Positive |
| LendingTree | Positive |
| Business Insider | 4.7/5 |
| Aggregate rating: 4.6 |
What Major Publications Say
Major credit card review publications all agree that the Chase Freedom Flex℠ is an excellent rewards credit card with exciting benefits for just about everyone. They particularly like that the card offers both fixed and rotating rewards, which gives cardholders the freedom to choose whether and how to maximize their earnings.
The only faults that professional reviewers can find in the Chase Freedom Flex℠ card are its foreign transaction fees and slightly complicated rewards structure, which may not be ideal for people who frequently travel abroad or who want a more hands-off approach. However, all concede that for savvy cardholders willing to strategize their spending, the potential earnings are tough to beat for a credit card with no annual fee.
What Cardholders Say
Cardholders recommend getting the Chase Freedom Flex℠. Most state that the card lives up to the hype from critics and offers easily accessible and hard-to-beat bonuses and cashback rewards.
Some applicants have posted negative reviews claiming to have been rejected despite having excellent credit—but if you can qualify, it seems to be a card well worth getting.
Low Starting Credit Limits
The main downside that Chase Freedom Flex℠ cardholders report is low starting credit limits. Chase will decide your credit limit based on several factors, and it’s hard to know what you’ll get until you apply. Nevertheless, you should be prepared for a credit limit as low as $500, even if you have a good or excellent credit score.
Rates & Fees
Fees
- Annual fee: $0
- My Chase Plan fee: 1.72%
- Foreign transaction fee: 3%
- Cash advance fee: 5% or $10 (whichever is greater)
- Balance transfer fee: 5% or $5 (whichever is greater)
- Intro balance transfer fee: 3% for balances transferred within 60 days of account opening
- Late payment fee: Up to $40
Interest Rates
- Purchase APR: 18.74% – 27.49% (variable)
- Intro purchase APR: 0% for 15 months
- Balance transfer APR: 18.74% – 27.49% (variable)
- Intro balance transfer APR: 0% for 15 months
- Cash advance APR: 28.74% (variable)
- Penalty APR: 29.99% (variable)
Rewards
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ has a cashback rewards program that offers:
- 5% cash back on the quarterly bonus category (up to $1,500 in quarterly spending)
- 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase
- 3% cash back on dining
- 3% cash back on drugstores
- 1% cash back on everything else
The rotating bonus category must be activated each quarter, so only a dedicated rewards-seeker should consider this card. Otherwise you’ll miss out on big saving opportunities. Here’s an example of rotating bonus categories:
- Q1: Groceries (excluding Target and Walmart)
- Q2: Amazon.com & streaming services
- Q3: Gas & entertainment
- Q4: Walmart & PayPal
What You Could Earn
We’ve used data on the average American’s spending to estimate of how much you could earn back in rewards on the Chase Freedom Flex℠, assuming you use the card to its full potential and activate your quarterly bonus categories.
| Category | Rewards rate | Annual spending | Annual earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarterly bonus category | 5% | $3,298.53 | $164.93 |
| Travel booked through Chase | 5% | $2,350 | $117.50 |
| Dining | 3% | $3,030.30 | $90.91 |
| Drugstores | 3% | $1,168.36 | $35.05 |
| Everything else | 1% | $2,400 | $24 |
| Total: $432.39 |
To calculate your bonus category rewards, we averaged out what you’d get back in a year using previous bonus rewards categories.
The above estimate is based on aggregate data from the government and other sources about how much the average American spends on certain purchases. If the numbers seem high or low compared to your own spending, adjust accordingly for a better idea of how much cash back you could earn.
How to Redeem Points
Rewards earned on the Chase Freedom Flex℠ can be redeemed in the following ways:
- As statement credit
- As a direct deposit into a US bank account
- For gift cards
- For purchases at Amazon.com
- To pay for travel or experiences booked through Chase
Welcome Bonus
As a limited-time offer, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ has two welcome bonuses:
- $200 cash back if you spend $500 in your first 3 months after account opening
- 5% cash back on groceries for the first year after account opening (up to $12,000 in spending)
The $200 welcome bonus is a nice extra, but it’s relatively low in the grand scheme of welcome bonuses on the market. However, the extra cashback rate can go a long way—earning up to $600 back at the elevated rate.
Benefits
Fraud Monitoring & Alerts
Chase Freedom Flex℠ accounts come with 24/7 fraud monitoring. Chase will monitor your credit card account for suspicious activity, and they’ll text, email, or call you if your account is showing unusual credit card purchases.
My Chase Plan
Chase is one of the few credit card issuers that offer alternative payment plans to borrowers who need to make a large purchase but don’t want to rack up mountains of interest charges.
My Chase Plan is a pay-over-time installment plan that allows you to break up a purchase of over $100 into fixed monthly payments. In lieu of interest, you’ll have to pay a monthly plan fee, which will be 1.72% of the purchase amount.
Free Credit Scores
Chase offers My Credit Journey, which includes free monthly credit scores and personalized advice to help you keep a clean credit profile.
Partner Benefits
With the Chase Freedom Flex℠, you can enjoy the following perks and limited-time offers with other companies:
| Merchant | Benefit | Offer Period |
|---|---|---|
| DoorDash | Free DashPass membership for 3 months, then 9 months of membership at 50% off | Memberships activated by December 31, 2024 |
| Lyft | 5% cash back on Lyft rides | Purchases made through March 31, 2025 |
| $5 in Lyft credit when you use your card to pay for 3 rides in one calendar month. | N/A | |
| Instacart+ | Free 3-month Instacart+ membership (limited time offer) | Memberships activated between June 15, 2022 and July 31, 2024 |
| Fandango | $5 Fandango Reward when you spend $20 at Fandango or on Fandango’s streaming service. | N/A |
| Shoprunner | Free 1-year ShopRunner membership plus free 2-day shipping and free returns at your favorite stores. | N/A |
While appealing, these offers may not be around forever, and they won’t necessarily appeal to everyone.
Travel & Purchase Protections
To keep your card and identity safe, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ comes with the following insurance benefits and protections:
| Protection | What It Means |
|---|---|
| $0 liability protection | You won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information. |
| Purchase protection | 120 days of coverage against damage or theft for new purchases made on your card (up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account) |
| Extended warranty protection | Extends the purchase warranty by an extra 1 year for US-manufactured products with warranties of 3 years or less. |
| Cell phone protection | Coverage up to $800 per claim and $1,000 per year against theft or damage for phones listed on your monthly cell phone bill, as long as you pay your phone bill with your credit card (maximum of two claims per year with a $50 deductible per claim). |
| Trip cancellation insurance | Receive reimbursement up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 for prepaid, nonrefundable passenger fares if your trip is canceled or cut short by sickness, severe weather, or other covered situations. |
| Auto rental collision damage waiver | Coverage for theft and collision damage for most cars in the US and abroad, as long as you charge the full cost of the rental to your credit card and decline the rental company’s collision insurance. |
| Travel emergency assistance | Access to a phone line you can call to receive legal and medical referrals or other travel and emergency assistance. |
How to Get a Chase Freedom Flex℠ Credit Card
Credit Score Required
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ requires good-to-excellent credit to qualify, meaning you should have a FICO score of at least 670. Your credit score will also determine what terms you’re offered, so you can expect an APR on the higher end of the advertised range if your credit score is on the lower side.
Pre-Approval
Before submitting an official application for the Chase Freedom Flex℠, we recommend seeing which Chase credit cards you’re pre-approved for. Pre-approval will help you determine whether you’re likely to qualify for the card and what terms you may get.
If you’re not likely to get approved for the card, consider other options. Chase will perform a hard pull on your credit when you submit a formal application, which will take points off your credit score.
How to Apply
You can apply online for the Chase Freedom Flex℠. If you already have a Chase account, sign in before starting the application process.
You’ll most likely receive an immediate decision regarding your application once you submit the online form.
FAQs
What’s the credit limit on the Chase Freedom Flex℠?
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ likely offers credit limits of $500–$20,000. Chase does not disclose the exact range of credit limits offered on the card, but user reports indicate that credit limits start at around $500 and can go as high as $20,000+.
Which credit bureaus are Chase Freedom Flex℠ accounts reported to?
Chase reports credit card accounts to all three major credit bureaus every month. Credit reporting is at the discretion of a credit card’s issuer, but comprehensive reporting is important for keeping your credit reports and scores healthy and up to date.
Can you get a cash advance with the Chase Freedom Flex℠?
You can use the Chase Freedom Flex℠ to get a cash advance by withdrawing money from an ATM or making a cash-equivalent purchase on your credit card. Cash advances will be subject to a fee equal to at least $10 and up to 5% of the transaction amount.
Your purchase or withdrawal will also be subject to an extremely high APR of 28.74% (variable). Because of the expense, we recommend avoiding cash advances.
Are balance transfers allowed with the Chase Freedom Flex℠?
You can consolidate debt onto a Chase Freedom Flex℠ credit card through a balance transfer. Balance transfers initiated within 60 days of account opening will be charged 3% of the transfer amount as a fee. They’ll also enjoy 15 months of no interest, after which the APR will be 18.74% – 27.49% (variable).
The 0% APR period makes this a decent balance transfer credit card, but only for smaller debts, as 15 months is a relatively short time frame.
Does the Chase Freedom Flex℠ allow authorized users?
You can add authorized users to your Chase Freedom Flex℠ without paying an authorized user fee. Chase doesn’t list any minimum age requirements for authorized users. As the primary cardholder, you are the sole person responsible for managing the account, so exercise caution when adding authorized users.
