Chase Freedom Flex Card Review: Earn Up to 5% Cash Back
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The card_name is our favorite cash back card to hit the market in years. Offering up to 5% cash back on select fixed categories, 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories, and no annual fee, this card immediately joins the ranks of the best cash back credit cards on the market.
As if the awesome earnings structure wasn’t enough, the new Freedom Flex also offers a $200 signup bonus when you spend just $500 during the first 3 months your account is open. With no interest on purchases for the first 15 months, the card also doubles as a very good 0% APR card. Plus, there are no minimums to redeem your cash back, and it never expires for as long as your account stays open.
Here’s the best part: We’ve barely scratched the surface! Let’s take a closer look at how the card works and how you can maximize its benefits to get the most value.
Chase Freedom FlexSM Highlights
- $200 Signup Bonus – Earn a $200 bonus when you spend $500 during the first 3 months your account is open. That is up to 40% back on your spending!
- 5% Cash Back on Rotating Categories – Earn 5% cash back on the first $1,500 of combined purchases in bonus categories that rotate each calendar quarter.
- 5% Cash Back on Travel – Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through the Chase travel portal.
- 5% Cash Back on Lyft – Earn 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 2025.
- 3% Cash Back at Restaurants and Drugstores – Earn 3% cash back on purchases at drugstores and restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services).
- 1% Cash Back on Purchases – Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Introductory 0% APR – Enjoy no interest on purchases for the first 15 months after opening your account.
- Annual Fee – annual_fees
- Learn how to apply
Where This Card Shines
The credit card landscape has looked remarkably similar for years, so it’s not often that we get to write about brand new products. Finding a new card which is worth writing about is even more of a rarity. Thankfully, the new Chase Freedom Flex has us all kinds of excited.
Chase is sunsetting the original Chase Freedom Card for new users, although current cardmembers can continue using it for as long as they wish. With that said, the new Freedom Flex is effectively taking its place.
If you’re a fan of the original Freedom Card, however, fear not. The Freedom Flex offers the same 5% cash back bonus categories you’ve grown to love PLUS it offers a host of other benefits and bonus categories not found on the original – including 3% cash back at drugstores and restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services) and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
New cardmembers will earn a $200 bonus after spending only $500 during the first 3 months. That is an extremely short bar to clear, so there isn’t any reason to miss out on this bonus. If you already have a Chase Freedom card but are under the Chase 5/24 rule, you can apply for the new card (rather upgrade) and also claim the bonus.
As with other cards in the Chase Freedom family, this card offers an introductory 0% APR for the first 15 months. There is no annual fee, and your cash back will not expire as long as your account remains open.
Here is another big change to note: The Freedom Flex comes with a ton of additional benefits not found on the original Freedom Card. With the Freedom Flex, you will enjoy 5% off Lyft rides until March 2025 plus a complimentary 3-month membership to DoorDash Dashpass. The card also comes with some travel insurance coverage when you use it to book travel arrangements.
Chase Freedom FlexSM Quarterly Bonus Categories for 2023
As we mentioned, the Chase Freedom Flex offers 5% cash back on the first $1,500 in combined spending in certain bonus categories. These categories rotate each quarter, and both the Freedom Flex and the original Freedom Card share the same categories.
In the past, categories have included purchases at Walmart, Paypal, grocery stores, streaming services, and more. Here’s what we know so far about the Chase Freedom Flex rotating categories for 2023:
| Q1 (January-March 2023) | – Grocery stores (excludes Target/Walmart) – Fitness Clubs/Gym Memberships |
| Q2 (April-June 2023) | – TBD |
| Q3 (July-September 2023) | – TBD |
| Q4 (October-December 2023) | – TBD |
Remember, the 5% cash back bonus is only good on the first $1,500 in combined purchases across all categories during the quarter. You will also need to “activate” the categories each quarter to be credited with the bonus.
How to Get the Most from Your Card
Want to get the maximum amount of value from your new Chase Freedom Flex card? For starters, be sure to take advantage of the $200 signup bonus. By spending just $500 during the first three months you have the card, you’ll earn $200 cash back. That’s up to 40% back on your initial spend!
If you’re new to Chase Freedom cards, this is super simple. Just apply for a new Freedom Flex card and meet the minimum spending requirement.
For those who already have the original Freedom Card, you can earn the bonus by applying for a new card and qualifying under the Chase 5/24 rule. However, if you’re over, you can still upgrade your old card to the new Freedom Flex. You won’t be eligible for the bonus, but you’ll still get to take advantage of all other benefits the card offers – including 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% cash back at restaurants and drugstores, 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 2025, and more.
In addition to grabbing the signup bonus, maxing out the quarterly bonus categories can really add up. So, if the bonus includes gas stations, be sure to use your card and earn 5% cash back every time you fill up. Once you hit the $1,500 in combined spending for the quarter, simply switch to another card which offers a higher percentage of cash back.
As with the other Chase Freedom cards, your cash back goes even further when you pair the Freedom Flex with one of Chase’s premium rewards cards. For example, the card_name allows you to transfer points to over a dozen travel loyalty programs. This often results in a better “per point” value, stretching your cash back even further.
Other Sapphire Preferred Card benefits include 5x points on travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3x points at restaurants, no foreign transaction fees, and a 60,000 point signup bonus (worth $750 toward travel) when you spend $4,000 during the first three months.
Learn how to apply | Read our full review
Where the Card Falls Short
There is a lot to like about the Chase Freedom Flex Card, but it isn’t perfect for every situation. Here are a few things you may not like about the card:
- Charges Foreign Transaction Fees – Although the travel benefits of the Chase Freedom Flex are far superior to its predecessor, it isn’t a great card to take with you overseas. The card still charges a foreign transaction fee of 3%. So, while you can use your card to earn cash back on travel purchases prior to leaving, it’s best to use a different card for spending while your actually on the trip.
- 1% Cash Back for Everyday Spending – The Freedom Flex is a great card to use when making purchases covered by its bonus categories – and there are a lot of them. Outside of that, however, the card only earns 1% cash back on other purchases. While not bad, there are several other cards which earn more on everyday spending.
Alternatives to the Chase Freedom FlexSM
The revamped card_name serves as an excellent alternative or compliment to the Freedom Flex Card.
Like the Freedom Flex Card, the Freedom Unlimited offers 5% cash back on travel booked through the Chase portal and 3% cash back at restaurants and drugstores. Although the Freedom Unlimited does not offer rotating bonus categories, the card does offer 1.5% unlimited cash back on all other purchases.
You’ll still get a 0% APR on purchases for the first 15 months and there is no annual fee. Plus, you can earn an additional 1.5% cash back (on top of the regular cash back rates) on the first $20,000 in combined spending during the first year you have the card. That introductory offer is worth up to $300 in additional cash back.
Learn how to apply | Read our full review
If you love simplicity, the card_name is another great option. Offering a flat 1.5% cash back on all purchases, you’ll never have to worry about tracking bonus categories. Just use the card for everything and earn some nice cash back. As a bonus, you can also earn 5% cash back for hotel and rental car bookings when using the Capital One Travel portal.
The Quicksilver also offers a $200 bonus when you spend just $500 during the first 3 months. You’ll pay 0% interest on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months (19.74%-29.74% variable APR and a 3% fee on amounts transferred during first 15 months after that), and there is no annual fee so it costs you nothing to try it out.
If you’re looking for a good cash back card and a great alternative to the Chase brand, this card is it.
Learn how to apply | Read our full review
Chase Freedom FlexSM Card: Final Thoughts
If you were worried that the Chase Freedom Flex Card wouldn’t measure up to the original, worry no more. The Chase Freedom Flex knocks it out of the park.
When compared to other top cash back credit cards, the Freedom Flex easily holds it’s own. Offering up to 5% cash back on select categories, no annual fee, and 0% APR for the first 15 months, this card provides the same great benefits you expect from the Chase Freedom product line…and much more!
>> Chase Freedom Flex – Learn How to Apply
Chase Freedom Flex Card Review Summary
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Chase Freedom Flex Card Summary
The new Chase Freedom Flex credit card is easily one of the best cash back credit cards available.
With this card, you’ll earn 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% cash back at drugstores and restaurants, and 1% cash back on everyday spending. The card also allows you to earn a 5% cash back bonus on the first $1,500 you spend each quarter in categories that rotate. There is no annual fee and a $200 bonus available if you spend $500 the first 3 months you have the card.
If you’re looking for a great way to maximize your cash back benefits, the Chase Freedom Flex is it. Learn how to apply here.
We love using credit card rewards to go on free vacations and have gotten some ideas from your blog and your Facebook travel group. When my son was a teenager, he bought his first truck for cash, very inexpensively from his Grandpa (only grandchild). He kept it over 10 years and just bought a very expensive (at least to me) truck but needed me to co-sign. Neither of us realized he needed me to co-sign until he was in the middle of the buying process and he called me. They told me after about a year, he can refinance and get my name off of there. My husband and I have excellent credit and live debt free at this time in our lives including our mortgage. I really love earning rewards and was looking forward to doing some more maybe this year or next year. However, my credit score went from about 825 to 788 by doing this loan. I am trying to pay my credit cards throughout the month instead of just once when they are due, to try to help my credit score go up a little. Do you think a drop this big is a big “ding” against my credit in getting new credit cards for travel?
Hey Chris,
Thanks for the comment and thanks for your continued support! As for your question, no, it likely isn’t a big deal at all. 788 is still considered “very good” credit, so you’ll still have access to the vast majority of the best travel cards.
Awesome! Thank you.
UPDATE: Well, my son has made two monthly payments so far. He is paying ahead each month and his pay ahead amount is more than his actual payment. So in just a few months, my credit score has come up gradually to where it already 808. Thanks!
Awesome! That is good to hear!!!
PS on the way up, I mean. Sorry!