There are 5 reasons to get the Chase Freedom unlimited
A comprehensive comparison of Discover it Cash Back and Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Citi Double Cash Card offerings from CNN Underscored
CNN Underscored reviews financial products such as credit cards and bank accounts based on their overall value. If you apply and are approved for a card we may receive a commission through the LendingTree network, but our reporting is always independent and objective.
Cash back can be transferred to airline and hotel travel programs when combined with select Chase Ultimate Rewards cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®
What we like about the Discover it Cash Back: Earning 5% cash back on a quarterly basis, up to $1,500 per quarter, means your money can really add up. The current quarterly categories on the Discover it Cash Back card for January through March 2023 are grocery stores, drugstores and select streaming services, while other categories we’ve seen in the past include Target, PayPal, gas stations, Amazon and digital wallets — just to name a few.
CNN Underscored’s comprehensive credit card methodology compares every aspect of credit cards that offer introductory APRs on purchases against our “benchmark credit card” — the Citi® Double Cash Card — to determine which cards can potentially bring you maximum value in addition to lowering your interest rate. So dive into the details of each card with us, and see how they stack up.
Where our benchmark card is better: If you’re solely looking to earn flat-rate cash back on every purchase you make, the Citi Double Cash will earn more on your everyday purchases.
You can read more about our benchmark credit card concept in our credit card methodology guide or dig into our complete review of the Citi Double Cash.
The Blue Cash Preferred is a good way for people to save money on gas and groceries. The Blue Cash Preferred card dials up the bonus cash back on those two categories, creating a go-to in your wallet for these routine purchases.
If you open the card before the one year mark, you will get a zero interest rate for the first year but it will increase to a variable 17.74% to 23.74% when the year is over. If you have expensive business purchases coming up that you prefer to pay in installments, then either of these cards is an excellent choice.
Welcome bonus: Earn up to a $250 bonus in the form of a statement credit — earn $100 back after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card within the first six months, plus 20% back when you use your card to check out with PayPal at merchants in the first six months (up to $150 back).
You will earn more cash back on all of your U.S. streaming subscriptions if you shop in the grocery and gas departments. This includes over 20 different providers, such as Disney+, HBO, Netflix, Spotify and YouTube TV, among others. As transit comes back, you will get a nice return as well, with 3% cash back on those transactions.
Even better, the Chase Freedom Unlimited comes with three permanent bonus categories. Chase Ultimate rewards give card holders 5% cash back on travel purchases and 3% cash back on dining, drugstores and takeout.
But in addition to those three fixed bonus categories, the card offers a set of 5% bonus categories that rotate each quarter. For the current quarter from January through March, the memberships include Target, grocery stores, and fitness club purchases. The rotating categories are capped at $1,500 in purchases per quarter, so you can earn as much as $75 in bonus cash.
The great thing about this feature is that if your top spending category changes each month, the Citi Custom Cash will change along with it. And with a broad list of eligible 5% back categories, you should have no problem getting 5% cash back on at least some purchases each month. The eligible categories are:
Typical for a cash back card, Freedom Unlimited offers 0% introductory APR for 15 months on both purchases and balance transfers. It’s a good option for those who want to consolidate credit card debt and have more time to pay it off. The variable interest rate will increase to between 19.49% and 28.24%.
Where it beats our benchmark card: Valuable sign-up bonus, 10% points back on redemptions up to 100,000 points per year and 15-month introductory offer on purchases.
Earn 4% cash back on eligible gas purchases worldwide, including Costco gas, and EV charging purchases (capped at the first $7,000 in purchases per year, then 1% thereafter).
We like the fact that there’s a card called the Costco Anywhere Visa. The most lucrative credit card for cash back compared to other top earning credit cards is the Costco Anywhere Visa.
The Costco Anywhere Visa also offers purchase protection, which is a great benefit for all purchases. You’ll be covered if your item is damaged or stolen within 120 days of purchase (90 days for New York residents). The coverage is good for up to $10,000 per item and $50,000 annually, and the purchase protection applies to items you buy anywhere, not just at Costco.
Where it beats our benchmark card: Purchase protection and no foreign transaction fees. Also, the Costco card is a Visa credit card, which is accepted at Costco in-store and at costco.com — Mastercards like the Citi Double Cash are not accepted in-store.
Purchase protection, extended warranty protection and primary car rental coverage are some of the benefits of these two Ink credit cards. These are perks that you won’t often see tied to business credit cards with no annual fee.
The Discover it Cash Back card is a great option if you know you will be spending a lot on your credit card in the next year, because at the end of the first year you will receive all the cash back that you earned on the Discover it Cash Back card. This means those rotating bonus categories are worth 10% in the first year, and all your purchases outside of the bonus categories earn a solid 2% return the first year.
0% introductory APR for 15 months on balance transfers (16.24% to 27.24% variable APR after that) with a 3% intro balance transfer fee until April 10, 2023, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms).
U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Card: A New Type of Credit Card with Extended Protection for Cell Phone Intentions and Traveling with Points
Sometimes sudden expenses are unavoidable and that is how life is. While a zero interest credit card can help you get through tough times, it’s a great idea to plan for future contingencies by building an emergency fund for life’s unexpected turns.
If you want to pay as little interest as possible, the U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Card is the card for you. After the introductory period ends, the rate will be variable, ranging from 18.74% to 28.74%.
This card has an added perk of ongoing cell phone protection. Damage or theft to your cell phone, up to $600, with a $25 deductible, are covered when you pay your cell phone bill with U.S. Bank Visa Platinum.
In other words, its utility is limited beyond the introductory rate period, although you might consider using it on an ongoing basis to pay your cell phone bill to get the included cell phone protection.
The card currently offers new cardholders $200 back after spending $2,000 in the first 6 months of account membership. Plus, it has 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. The variable rate is between 18.74% and 29.74%. Like the Freedom Unlimited, the Blue Cash Everyday has no annual fee (see rates and fees).
You can transfer your points to one of Chase’s airline and hotel partners if you moved your points to one of the premium Chase cards. The Points Guy values points for Ultimate rewards at just 2 cents, which means you can get close to $1,800 for your 90k points. When you transfer points to a partner, you need to find an award, but the best way to do this is to use your points for a first class airline ticket or a high end hotel suite.
If you already have a Citi premier card, you can use your points to move your reward to another card and open up a whole new world of options.
When you redeem points, you get 10% back on up to 100,000 points every year. That means if you use 2,500 points to redeem for a $25 gift card, you’ll soon see 250 points back in your account to redeem again down the line. If you spend an extra $100 each year on gift cards, that is due to the fact that you can get up to 10,000 points back each year.
Predictions and Benefits of Capital One SavorOne: A Credit Card Comparison with a Low-APR Expansion and a Consumer Protection Law
One thing that could be better: There’s no cell phone insurance on the Capital One SavorOne card, which is becoming a common feature even on some no-annual-fee credit cards. If you need extra time to carry debt, you can find cards with longer introductory periods.
But more importantly, if you’ve gotten used to having food delivered in the last few years, most food delivery services also code as “dining” on the Capital One SavorOne, meaning if you order from a service like Grubhub or Seamless, in most cases you should get the same 3% cash back that you would if you were physically dining at the restaurant.
If you do not have the money to pay for repairs to your car, it is possible that you can make other improvements to it. If you don’t pay the credit card bill balance in full, you may be charged interest on the remaining balance at an extremely high rate. Even worse, interest is compounded, which means in future months you’re charged interest on the interest. There’s a chance that your debt will spiral out of control if you have a high APR card.
But also, like any other credit card, you’ll want to consider the card’s rewards program, perks and benefits. For example, does the card earn travel rewards or cash back? You might want to consider one card over another based on your earning preference. You’ll also want to see if there are any features such as travel or purchase protections — benefits that can come in handy.
It is important to note that credit cards with long balance transfer offers don’t earn rewards and you can give up something in exchange for not paying interest. But you may want to steer clear of pursuing rewards or even spending on credit cards anyway if you’re in debt. Credit card interest rates tend to be very high when introductory offers go away, even though the introductory offer doesn’t last forever.
Unfortunately, not paying your credit card bill in full and carrying a balance can hurt your credit score. Even if you recently applied for a 0% introductory APR credit card and don’t have to worry about high interest charges right away, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) says that “paying off your entire balance is best and keeps the ratio low, strengthening your credit score.”
Car Rental Loss And Damage Insurance Through American Express and AMEX Assurance Company: The Small Business Case and Ink Business Card Considerations
American Express car rental loss and damage insurance eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit american express.com/benefits guide for more information. American Express Travel Related Services Company Inc. offers car rental loss and damage coverage through AMEX Assurance Company.
Purchase protection against damage or theft is available for the first 120 days after the card is used. The coverage is worth as much as $50,000 per account. And items charged to the Chase Freedom Unlimited that come with a manufacturer’s warranty of three years or less also receive an additional year of extended warranty protection.
You may also want to consider a different card if you have a lot of existing credit card debt to consolidate. Some of the best balance transfer credit cards currently available offer an introductory interest rate for as long as 21 months, even though the Chase Freedom unlimited does not have an introductory rate for the first 15 months.
Yes, if you are eligible for a business credit card. The credit cards that are part of this sign-up offer are two terrific credit cards and can be useful to a small business.
There is one catch, you won’t be able to use these Ink credit cards during overseas business trips, as both of them charge a 3% foreign transaction fee.
Business credit cards aren’t solely for large corporations. People with side jobs, mom-and-pop shops and even small startup can be eligible for business credit cards. You can be categorized as a small-business owner if you sell items through eBay, buy and sell real estate, or work as a ride share driver.
If you fall into this bucket, you can legitimately apply for either the Ink Business Cash or Ink Business Unlimited — or most other business cards — as a sole proprietor using your Social Security number instead of an Employer Identification Number. And even if you’re just getting started in your new gig, you can still apply — just be honest about your business and income on the application.
A Comparison of Chase Freedom Unlimited Business Credit Card Features against the AMEX Expansion Benchmark and the Tevatron Data Retrieval
Not sure which card to pick. You can actually get both of them! In fact, even if you have another Chase business credit card, you’re still eligible to apply for one or even both of these two cards. If you have more than one business card from Chase, it can be a great way to separate your expenses if you have several businesses.
Here’s how the Chase Freedom Unlimited scores against our benchmark. There are green, red and white features on each card in the chart. Green indicates a card feature that is better than our benchmark. Red indicates the feature is worse than our benchmark, and white indicates the feature is either equivalent or cannot be directly compared to our benchmark.
