Key takeaways

  • The Chase Freedom Flex is a popular cash back credit card due to its strong rewards structure and included benefits.
  • Because this card has no annual fee, there are few downsides to carrying it.
  • By pairing the Chase Freedom Flex with other Chase credit cards, you can maximize your rewards and even get a better redemption value for some of your points.

Plenty of cardholders seem to love the Chase Freedom Flex℠*. Once you dig into the details of this cash back credit card, you’ll quickly notice it offers something for every type of rewards enthusiast.

In addition to having a strong rewards rate, this card also lets you earn a great welcome bonus while qualifying for an array of valuable perks. Here are the five reasons cardholders rave about this card.

1. Exceptional rewards

The Chase Freedom Flex kicks new cardholders off with a $200 cash bonus when you spend $500 on purchases within three months of account opening. From there, you have the chance to earn rewards in various everyday spending categories.

You can earn 5 percent cash back on up to $1,500 in activated bonus category purchases each quarter, then 1 percent back. Chase Freedom Flex bonus categories tend to differ from year to year, but they include options most consumers can easily maximize.

2022 categories 2023 categories 2024 categories
Q1: January to March
  • Grocery stores
  • eBay
  • Target
  • Grocery stores (excluding Walmart)
  • Fitness clubs and gym memberships
  • Grocery stores (excluding Target and Walmart)
  • Fitness club and gym memberships
  • Self-care and spa services
Q2: April to June
  • Amazon.com
  • Select streaming services
  • Lowes (in-store and online)
  • Amazon
TBD
Q3: July to September
  • Gas stations
  • Car rentals
  • Select entertainment
  • Music theaters
  • Gas stations
  • Electric vehicle charging
  • Select live entertainment
TBD
Q4: October to December
  • Walmart
  • PayPal
  • Wholesale clubs
  • Select charities
  • PayPal
TBD

If those categories weren’t enough, Chase Freedom Flex cardholders also earn 5 percent cash back on Chase Ultimate Rewards travel purchases, 5 percent cash back on Lyft rides (through March 2025), 3 percent cash back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1 percent cash back on everything else. The combination of rewards categories makes the Chase Freedom Flex a unique and lucrative opportunity for just about anyone.

2. Flexible rewards redemptions

While some cash back credit cards allow you redeem rewards for a check in the mail or statement credits only, the Chase Freedom Flex stands out with a range of redemption options:

  • Cash back
  • Gift cards
  • Merchandise
  • Travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards
  • Shopping with points at Amazon or PayPal

If you have a premium travel credit card from Chase, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®, that’s even better. By pairing cards, you can use different rewards cards to maximize points on all your spending and bills. From there, Chase lets you pool your points in a premium travel card account for better travel redemptions.

For example, the Sapphire Preferred offers 25 percent more value for your points when you redeem for travel through Chase, and the Sapphire Reserve gives you 50 percent more value on these types of redemptions. In the meantime, having either card unlocks the option to transfer your points to Chase travel partners and their rewards programs, like Air France/KLM Flying Blue, United MileagePlus, Southwest Rapid Rewards, IHG One Rewards and World of Hyatt.

3. 0% intro APR offer

The Chase Freedom Flex offers incredibly generous rewards, but that’s not all. New cardholders can also benefit from a 0 percent intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, followed by a variable APR between 20.49 percent to 29.24 percent. This intro APR offer can be helpful if you need to make a large purchase and pay it down over time or if you want to consolidate and pay off high-interest debt.

Just note that there is an intro balance transfer fee of 3 percent (minimum $5) for balances transferred within the first 60 days. After that, the balance transfer fee increases to 5 percent (minimum $5) for each transfer.

4. Travel perks

Chase Freedom Flex cardholders can access a range of travel benefits, including several travel insurance protections.

Cardholders earn 5 percent back on travel booked through the Chase portal, which includes airfare, hotels, rental cars and more. Not only that, but the card comes with trip cancellation and interruption insurance, as well as an auto rental collision damage waiver. Cardholders also get travel and emergency assistance services that can come in handy for medical and legal referrals and other emergency help when you’re far from home.

5. Consumer protections

The Freedom Flex offers cellphone protection worth up to $800 per claim or a maximum $1,000 per year. This protection comes into play when you pay your cellphone bill with your card. There’s a maximum of two claims per 12-month period, and a $50 deductible applies.

Meanwhile, cardholders are also eligible for purchase protection against damage or theft that’s good for up to 120 days after purchase. This covers up to $500 per claim and up to $50,000 per account.

Finally, the Freedom Flex grants cardholders an additional year of warranty protection for eligible items that already come with a manufacturer’s warranty of three years or less. This extended warranty protection applies when you purchase items and pay with your credit card, and it’s free for cardholders.

Why you might consider a different cash back credit card

There are several reasons why you might consider another cash back card or holding more than one card. For example, a major downside of the Freedom Flex is that cardholders earn only 1 percent back on regular, non-bonus spending. For this reason, you might want to pair it with another card that offers stronger rewards on regular spending, such as the Chase Freedom Unlimited® or Citi Double Cash® Card.

And if you’re mostly after its intro APR offer, know that some cards offer this perk for a longer period of time. If you are looking to save interest on purchases, balance transfers or both, compare the Chase Freedom Flex to other top 0 percent intro APR credit cards.

The bottom line

The Chase Freedom Flex is a useful cash back card offering generous earning rates on both rotating and everyday spending categories that can help you earn more rewards. Plus, the card comes with a surprising number of perks considering its lack of an annual fee. With all of its benefits and a useful rewards structure, it’s no wonder that the Chase Freedom Flex is as popular as it is.

Issuer-required disclosure statement
Information about the Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been collected independently by Bankrate. Card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.