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Chase Freedom Flex℠ Review
Get 5% cash back, the highest rate you can earn without paying an annual fee.
finder.com’s rating: 4.7 / 5
★★★★★
- Get this card if you have or are considering getting another Chase Freedom or a Chase Sapphire card so you can pool points for higher redemption value.
- Pick something else if you don’t want to micromanage reward categories.
- Apply with a good to excellent credit score of 670 or higher.
$200
Welcome offer
Up to 5%
Cash back
$0
Annual fee
0%
Intro purchase APR
for the first 15 months (then 14.99% to 23.74% variable)
Details
| Annual fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Welcome Offer | $200 after spending $500 in the first 3 months, plus 5% cash back at grocery stores (not including Target® or Walmart®) on up to $12,000 in the first year |
| Rewards | 5% cash back on up to $1,500 combined in quarterly categories you activate, 5% on Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases |
| Purchase APR | 0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.99% to 23.74% variable) |
| Balance transfer APR | 14.99% to 23.74% variable |
| Recommended minimum credit score | 670 |
| Issuer | Mastercard |
Review by
Kliment Dukovski
kliment.dukovski@findercrew.comKliment Dukovski is a credit cards and investments writer. He's written over 600 articles to help readers find and compare the best credit cards. Kliment has also written on money transfers, home loans and more. Previously, he ghostwrote guides and articles on foreign exchange, stock market trading and cryptocurrencies.
Expert review
Formerly known as the Chase Freedom card, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ has updated more than just the name. For starters, you get to earn one of the highest rewards rates on Lyft rides and travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
This Mastercard still has rotating cashback categories that can be activated each quarter. A surprising addition to the rewards categories is now you get unlimited 5% cash back for purchases made at restaurants — including takeout and delivery — and for purchases made at drugstores. This makes this card a rewards powerhouse for everyday purchases.
It also makes the card an excellent option for pairing with other Chase Sapphire or the Freedom Unlimited card. That’s because you earn a higher rewards rate with the Freedom Flex on other categories than what you could earn with these cards. You can then transfer your points to a Chase Sapphire card and get either a 25% or a 50% higher redemption value on travel purchases through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program. You can also transfer your points to partner airline and hotel programs from a Sapphire account and get an even higher value for your points.
On the downside, you don’t get a 0% intro APR period on balance transfers. This perk was removed by many card providers during the coronavirus pandemic. However, all other updates more than make up for this lost feature.
All things considered, it’s hard to find a card that’s as rewarding as the Chase Freedom Flex℠. If you never considered getting a Chase Freedom card before, now is the moment. It’s an excellent standalone card, but it’s even better if you pair it with another Freedom or a Sapphire card.
Finder experts pick Chase Freedom Flex℠ as a 2021 best product for credit cards.
How to apply for the Chase Freedom Flex℠
- Learn more about how to apply for Chase Freedom Flex℠.
- Complete the application with details like your name, address, annual income and Social Security number.
- Review and submit your application.
What should I know before I apply?
Eligibility criteria
- You’re at least 18 years old
- You’re at least 19 years old if you live in Alabama or Nebraska
- You’re at least 21 years old if you live in Puerto Rico
Required documents and information
- Your name, residential status and residential address
- Your Social Security number
- Your email address, phone number and date of birth
- Financial information like your annual income, source of income and employment information
What credit score do I need?
You’ll have a better chance of being approved for the card if you apply with a good to excellent credit score of 670 or higher.
How long will it take for me to be approved?
Because approval is automated on the Chase website, you’ll likely get a decision within minutes. If there are issues with your application, it could take up to a few weeks to hear back.
What are my odds of getting approved?
We asked our readers, “What credit score did you have when you were approved for this credit card?” Note, this is informal data from our readers and not meant to provide advice on approval.
Based on a survey of 27 people out of 100 respondents on finder.com
| Answer choices | Responses |
|---|---|
| 740-850 | 44.44% |
| 670-739 | 40.74% |
| 580-669 | 14.81% |
| 300-579 | 0.00% |
Chase Freedom Flex℠ benefits
- Signup bonus. Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 in the first 3 months of account opening. Additionally, you’ll earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target® or Walmart® purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year. This is one of the highest bonuses you can earn with a 5% cashback card. Similar cards either have no signup bonus or let you earn up to $150.
- Cash back. No other 5% cashback card with rotating categories earns such a high rewards rate on diverse categories outside the rotating ones. With this card, you earn 5% back on travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, 5% back on Lyft rides through March 2022 and 5% back on up to $1,500 on rotating categories each quarter. You’ll earn 1% back after reaching the cap. You also earn 3% back at restaurants, including takeout and delivery, and on drugstore purchases. Everything else you buy earns 1% back.
- Intro APR period. Get 0% intro APR period on purchases for 15 months. This is basically an interest-free loan for large purchases. But after the intro period expires, a variable APR of 14.99% to 23.74% applies. This is inline or slightly higher compared to similar 5% cashback cards.
- Cell phone protection. This is a rare perk with this types of cards. Pay your phone bill with the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and get up to $800 protection per claim and $1,000 per year against theft or damage. You can have a maximum of two claims in a 12-month period, with a $50 deductible per claim.
- DoorDash benefits. Get three months of DashPass, DoorDash’s subscription service. This comes with an unlimited $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on orders of $12 or more. DashPass typically costs $9.99 per month, which makes this benefit worth $29.97.
- No annual fee. This card has no annual fee at all.
Chase Freedom Flex℠ 2021 cashback calendar
| Quarters | January–March 2021 | April–June 2021 | July–September 2021 | October–December 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary 5% category | Wholesale clubs | Gas | Grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target) | To be announced (Walmart in 2020) |
| 5% sub category | Select streaming services, Internet, cable and phone services | Home improvements | Select streaming services | To be announced (PayPal in 2020) |
What to watch out for
- You don’t get 5% cash back on rotating categories automatically. To earn 5% cash back, you need to activate it every quarter. You can do so online, by email, over the phone, at an ATM or at a Chase branch. Chase will let you know when to activate your cashback bonus categories when you opt in for email reminders.
- Foreign transaction fees. A 3% fee per transaction is applied to all international purchases.
- Hidden rotating 5% categories. Unfortunately, you won’t know what your 5% rotating categories will be at the start of the year. Chase only reveals them as each quarter draws near.
- Pay Yourself Back feature is limited. For this card, the Pay Yourself Back feature only applies to contributions made to eligible charities.
Compare Freedom Flex to similar credit cards
Compare the Chase Freedom Flex℠ to the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express card. Look at the annual fees, welcome offers, intro APR periods and cashback rewards to make sure you choose the right card for your needs.
Chase Freedom Flex℠
★★★★★
Terms apply, see rates & fees| Go to site |
|---|
|
Minimum credit score 670 |
|
Annual fee $0 |
|
Purchase APR 0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.99% to 23.74% variable) |
|
Balance transfer APR 14.99% to 23.74% variable |
|
Rewards 5% cash back on up to $1,500 combined in quarterly categories you activate, 5% on Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases |
|
Welcome offer $200 after spending $500 in the first 3 months, plus 5% cash back at grocery stores (not including Target® or Walmart®) on up to $12,000 in the first year |
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
★★★★★
Terms apply, see rates & fees| Go to site |
|---|
|
Minimum credit score 670 |
|
Annual fee $0 |
|
Purchase APR 0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.99% to 23.74% variable) |
|
Balance transfer APR 14.99% to 23.74% variable |
|
Rewards 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase, 5% on Lyft, 3% on dining and drugstores and 1.5% on all other purchases |
|
Welcome offer
$200 after spending $500 in the first 3 months, plus 5% cash back at grocery stores (not including Target® or Walmart®) on up to $12,000 in the first yeares) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year
|
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
★★★★★
Terms apply, see rates & fees| Go to site |
|---|
|
Minimum credit score 670 |
|
Annual fee $0 intro annual fee for the first year ($95 thereafter) |
|
Purchase APR 0% intro for the first 12 months (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable) |
|
Balance transfer APR N/A |
|
Rewards 6% on select US streaming services, 3% on transit and US gas stations, 6% at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 annually, then 1% after that and on all other purchases (redeem as statement credit) |
|
Welcome offer
Up to $350: 20% back on Amazon.com purchases in the first 6 months for up to $200 back, plus $150 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in the first 6 months
|
Compare even more credit cards
Does the Chase Freedom Flex℠ earn cash back or points?
Even though Chase markets the card as a cashback card, it actually earns Chase Ultimate Reward points. This is the same “currency” earned by the Freedom Unlimited card and the two Sapphire cards.
This makes the card ideal for pairing with any of these three cards. Because once you pair them, you can move your points between cards and maximize the redemption value. The most common combination of Chase credit cards is known as the Chase trifecta.
Note: Before you start applying to multiple Chase credit cards, take the Chase 5/24 rule into consideration. This unwritten rule says Chase will automatically decline your credit card application if you have opened five or more credit cards within the last 24 months.
Chase Freedom Flex℠ reviews and complaints
Cardholders are generally thrilled with the Chase Freedom Flex℠‘s bonus categories and 1% cash back. However, some customers say they’ve had trouble with Chase autopay.
JPMorgan Chase Credit Card is not accredited with the Better Business Bureau but it has an A+ rating and a composite score of 1.18 out of 5 stars based on 229 customer reviews as of October 2020. Most customer complaints revolve around poor customer service and hidden costs Chase credit cards in general. Make sure you read your card’s terms and the rewards agreement to avoid issues with your account.
As of October 2020, Chase earns a Trustpilot score of 1.3 out of 5. Most negative reviews cite slow responses to fraud complaints and less-than-helpful customer service. Positive reviews cite the bank’s great mobile app and quick resolutions to their issues. Overall, your mileage may vary with Chase customer support.
What interests you most about this credit card?
Based on a survey of 66 people (out od 100 respondents) on finder.com
| Answer choices | Responses |
|---|---|
| Rewards | 56.06% |
| Signup bonus | 12.12% |
| Features and benefits | 21.21% |
| APR | 10.61% |
I got the card. Now what?
- Manage your account online. Register with the Chase website to keep an eye on your spending and payments.
- Activate your 1% cash back. To get the 1% cashback premium, activate your bonus every quarter. If you don’t take this step, you’ll earn only 1% cash back.
- Steer clear of penalties. Late payments and returned checks can attract fees of up to $39.
- Consider using the card less often overseas. You pay foreign transaction fees each time you use this card outside the US. Learn more about cards that have no foreign transaction fees.
- Contact customer service. Contact Chase Credit Cards support with any questions you have at 1-800-432-3117.
Earn more with Shop Through Chase
With Shop Through Chase, you can click through to select Chase partners and earn even more cash back through your Chase Freedom Flex℠. For example, you might earn 6% extra cash back at Neiman Marcus, 8% extra cash back at Under Armour and more.
Earnings and offers vary by time period and cardholder, so log in to your Chase account to see your offers.
Bottom line
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is currently one of the best credit cards for earning rewards you can get. It comes with a generous signup bonus and massive cashback rates on everyday categories. Consider pairing this card with the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® to maximize your rewards.
What’s changed with the Chase Freedom Flex℠
| 06/10/2021 | Old: Welcome offer: Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 in the first 3 months of account opening | New: Added to existing welcome offer: Earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target® or Walmart® purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year. |
Compare Chase Freedom Flex℠ with other cards
Common questions about the Chase Freedom Flex℠
Image: chase.com
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