Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
PROGRAMME PROFILE
Chase Freedom Unlimited: cash back and rewards
Chase Freedom Unlimited is a no-annual-fee cash back credit card issued by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. that pays unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, 3% on dining and drugstore purchases and 5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel. [1] The cash back is tracked as points at 100 points for every $1 of rewards, and those points do not expire while the account remains open. [1]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- The card earns 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, 3% on drugstore purchases, 5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel and 1.5% on all other purchases, with no cap stated on the earning. [1] [6]
- There is no annual fee. [1] [6]
- Rewards are tracked as points, where each $1 of cash back earned equals 100 points, and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back. [1]
- Points do not expire as long as the account remains open, but the whole balance is lost if the account is closed for misuse, fraud, failure to pay, bankruptcy or other reasons listed in the Rewards Program Agreement. [1]
- The advertised new-cardmember offer on 18 October 2026 was a $200 bonus after $500 of purchases in the first 3 months. [1]
How much cash back does Chase Freedom Unlimited earn?
Chase publishes four earning rates for the card, all of them unlimited, as of 18 October 2026. [1] [6]
| Purchases | Cash back |
|---|---|
| Dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services | 3% [1] |
| Drugstore purchases | 3% [1] |
| Travel purchased through Chase Travel | 5% [1] |
| All other purchases | 1.5% [1] |
Those headline rates are built on the 1.5% base rate plus an extra amount: the 3% on dining and drugstores is 1.5% plus an additional 1.5%, and the 5% on Chase Travel is 1.5% plus an additional 3.5%. [1]
Chase also advertised a separate 2% total on qualifying Lyft products and services bought through the Lyft mobile app through 30 September 2027, an extra 0.5% on top of the base rate. [1] Gift cards, car rentals, vehicle service centres, miscellaneous fees and other Lyft products and services were excluded from that offer. [1]
The bonus for new cardmembers was $200 after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, paid as 20,000 bonus points. [1] Chase said applicants should allow 6 to 8 weeks for the bonus points to post, and that the account must be open and not in default at the time of fulfilment. [1]
What does Chase Freedom Unlimited cost?
The annual fee is $0. [1] [6] The card came with a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers; after the intro period a variable APR applies, and a balance transfer fee applies, both set out in the card's pricing and terms. [1]
Several kinds of transaction do not earn points at all: balance transfers, cash advances and other cash-like transactions, lottery tickets, casino gaming chips, race track wagers or similar betting transactions, cheques that access the account, interest, unauthorised or fraudulent charges, and fees of any kind, including an annual fee where one applies. [1] The card is issued by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Member FDIC, and accounts are subject to credit approval. [1]
How do you use the Chase Freedom Unlimited rewards?
Cash back rewards are tracked as points, and Chase says you may also see them described as "points" or "Ultimate Rewards points". [1] Redemption options include cash back as a statement credit or an electronic deposit into an eligible Chase account located in the United States, with no minimum to redeem for cash back. [1] Points can also go towards gift cards and certificates, travel booked with Chase Travel, and paying with points for products or services offered through the programme or directly by third parties. [1] Chase notes that redemption values vary between reward options. [1]
One value is fixed in the card terms: when points are used at checkout on Amazon.com, each point is worth $0.008, so 100 points equal $0.80. [1]
What other benefits come with Chase Freedom Unlimited?
Cardholders get six months of complimentary DashPass for DoorDash and Caviar when the membership is first activated between 1 February 2025 and 31 December 2027, after which the account is automatically charged the then-current monthly rate until the membership is cancelled. [1] Enrolled members also get up to $10 off one non-restaurant DoorDash order each calendar quarter through 31 December 2027; the discount applies to the subtotal only, unused value is forfeited, and it is valid in the United States only. [1] The membership must be activated with a United States address. [1]
Card protection benefits include purchase protection for 120 days from the date of purchase against damage or theft, up to $500 per item, and a 90-day period for New York residents; extended warranty cover adding one year to eligible United States manufacturer warranties of three years or less, up to four years from the purchase date; and trip cancellation and interruption reimbursement of up to $1,500 per covered traveller and $6,000 per trip on pre-paid, non-refundable passenger fares. [1] Auto rental coverage is secondary to the cardholder's personal insurance in the United States. [1] Chase also advertised $50 cash back for each friend approved for a participating Chase Freedom credit card, capped at $500 cash back per year. [1]
Exceptions and limits
- Category rates depend on the merchant's code. Merchants are assigned a merchant code based on what they mainly sell, and a merchant that looks as though it belongs in a rewards category may not carry a code in that category, in which case the purchase does not earn the category rate. [1]
- Payment technology can affect a category. Purchases submitted through third-party payment accounts, mobile or wireless card readers, online or mobile digital wallets, or similar technology do not qualify in a rewards category if the technology is not set up to process the purchase in that category. [1]
- The bonus is not available to everyone. Chase says the product is not available to current cardmembers of this card, or to previous cardmembers who received a new cardmember bonus for this card within the last 24 months. [1]
- Offers vary by channel. Chase says offers may vary depending on where you apply, for example online or in a branch, and can change over time. [1]
- Points can be lost without expiring. The no-expiry rule lasts only while the account remains open; all points are lost immediately if the account status changes or the account is closed for programme misuse, fraudulent activities, failure to pay, bankruptcy or other reasons described in the Rewards Program Agreement. [1]
Frequently asked questions
Does Chase Freedom Unlimited have an annual fee?
No. Chase lists a $0 annual fee for the card, and the cash back categories do not carry an annual fee surcharge. [1] [6]
Do Chase Freedom Unlimited rewards expire?
Points do not expire as long as the account remains open, and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back. [1] The balance is lost if the account is closed for programme misuse, fraudulent activities, failure to pay, bankruptcy or other reasons in the Rewards Program Agreement. [1]
What is the Chase Freedom Unlimited sign-up bonus?
On 18 October 2026 Chase advertised a $200 bonus, paid as 20,000 points, after $500 of purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. [1] Current cardmembers and previous cardmembers who received a new cardmember bonus for this card in the past 24 months are excluded. [1]
How much is a Chase point worth at Amazon?
When points are used at checkout on Amazon.com, each point is worth $0.008, so 100 points equal $0.80 in redemption value. [1]
Which purchases earn no cash back?
Balance transfers, cash advances and other cash-like transactions, lottery tickets, casino gaming chips, race track wagers and similar betting transactions, cheques that access the account, interest, unauthorised or fraudulent charges, and fees of any kind do not earn points. [1]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. It covers the Chase Freedom Unlimited card only; other Chase cards, including Chase Freedom Flex, Chase Freedom Rise and the Chase Sapphire cards, are not covered here.
- Chase Freedom Unlimited credit card page and offer details, checked 18 October 2026
- Chase cash back credit cards comparison page, checked 18 October 2026