Chase Freedom Flex^® Review [2025]: Rotating, Flexible Rewards

Like the Chase Freedom Unlimited^®, the Freedom Flex has no annual fee, offers boosted earn rates on a few categories, and includes a generous welcome offer and a decent intro APR period.

The Chase Freedom Flex earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which can be redeemed for travel, cash deposits, statement credits, gift cards, and purchases with shopping partners.

This card's base earning rate is just 1% cash back, so I'd advise pairing it with a flat-rate cash back credit card like one of these:

• Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card
• Chase Freedom Unlimited^®
• Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Citi Double Cash^® Card

Card basics

Who should get the Chase Freedom Flex?

The Chase Freedom Flex card would be most valuable to the following types of spenders.

People willing to go the extra mile to earn more cash back

This is a textbook rotating category card that requires you to 1) activate the 5% cash back category every quarter and 2) remember what those categories are. To activate, all you have to do is go to the Chase mobile app and hit the "activate" button under the tab labeled "5% cash back." It's easy to do — but also easy to forget if you're not diligent (take it from me).

And if you don't activate by the deadline each quarter, you won't earn the boosted rate even if your spending falls into one of the bonus categories. This is why I'd caution brand-newbies against opening this card because it's just another thing to keep track of when you're trying to learn how to use a credit card for the first time.

On the flip side, if you've been called an overachiever before, you're probably the ideal candidate for this type of credit card. That's not to say it's difficult to earn with this card, but you do have to be on your game to maximize your earnings.

People who want a card for drugstore spending and dining out

This card earns 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service), in addition to offering six months of complimentary DashPass (activate by December 31, 2027).

The Freedom Flex might not be as foodie-focused as the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card, but there's no question that that's a great rate on dining and drugstore spending, especially because there's no quarterly cap on this category. Plus, this card sometimes includes grocery spending among 5% rotating categories.

People with relatively low quarterly spend (or another credit card)

That $1,500 quarterly spending cap for the highest cash back rate is not unusual for a rotating category card (the Discover it^® Cash Back has the same limit), but that doesn't mean it's not restrictive. Consider the Freedom Flex a good choice if you'll be able to mostly stick within that limit on spending that qualifies for 5% cash back.

If you exceed this maximum, you'll want to opt for another credit card rather than settle for the Freedom Flex's base rate of 1% cash back.

People looking for beginner travel benefits

The Freedom Flex isn't a bad option for less frequent, mostly casual travelers. It comes with purchase protection, extended warranty protection, cell phone protection, auto rental coverage, and trip cancellation or interruption insurance. You can also earn extra cash back when you book travel, such as hotel stays, flights, and car rentals, through the Chase travel portal, so I like this one for Chase Travel loyalists.

The Freedom Flex doesn't come with luxury travel benefits, so it may not be the right fit for you if that's what you're looking for. It just can't compete with the best travel credit cards when it comes to insurance, and it also has that pesky 3% foreign transaction fee.

Read more: Best Beginner Travel Credit Cards

Who should choose a different card

I'd recommend against applying for the Freedom Flex if any of the following describes you:

• You don't have a credit card that earns a base cash back rate higher than 1% yet.
• You need a credit card with lots of travel benefits.
• You'd be likely to lose track of the categories (or forget to activate).

I wouldn't necessarily tell you to stay away from the Freedom Flex for good if this is you, but I would probably suggest taking a look at other cash back credit cards or travel credit cards before you add this one to your arsenal.

Read more: Best First Credit Cards

Other benefits and perks

• Generous welcome offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Though this offer changes, it's always decent for a no-annual-fee card and has relatively low spending requirements.
• $0 annual fee: With a $0 annual fee, there's no annual cost to offset as you earn cashback rewards.
• Introductory APR on purchases: You'll receive a 0% intro APR on your purchases for 15 months after account opening, then 18.99% - 28.49% Variable APR. During the time period of the introductory offer, you can avoid accruing credit card interest on any purchases you make. This intro APR offer isn't the best or longest you'll find, but it's better than nothing.
• Lyft: Earn 5% total cash back on Lyft rides through 3/31/25.
• Complimentary DashPass: Receive six complimentary months of DashPass from DoorDash when you activate by 12/31/27. After the first six months, the user will be auto-enrolled in DashPass at the current monthly rate. This service provides unlimited DoorDash deliveries with $0 delivery fees on orders over $12. You'll also qualify for a quarterly DoorDash discount of up to $10 for non-restaurant DoorDash orders through December 31, 2027.

How this card falls short

• Low unlimited rate: Aside from the bonus categories, the Freedom Flex earns just 1% cash back on all other purchases. Compared to other cash back cards with higher unlimited rates on all purchases, this rate doesn't compete.
• Foreign transaction fee: As we've covered, it wouldn't be wise to use this card on purchases while you're abroad. Check out our picks for the best credit cards with no foreign transaction fee if avoiding this type of fee is important to you.

Earning and redeeming cash back with the Chase Freedom Flex

Earning

Potential earnings in years one and two

Here's a look at how your cash back can add up with the Chase Freedom Flex. These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model, which looks at points earned via spending, the welcome offer, and the annual fee.¹ <p class="">These values are based on the <a href="https://financebuzz.com/financebuzz-credit-card-valuation">FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model</a>, which takes a look at rewards earned via spending, the welcome offer, and the annual fee. We used a valuation of 1 cent/point unless otherwise stated above. These are estimated values - your actual earnings will depend on how much you spend and in what categories.<br></p>

• Year one earnings: $855
• Year two earnings: $655

These numbers do not take into account the rotating bonus spending categories since we can't predict what it will be or how much you will spend in that area. This is an estimation, and your earnings have the potential to be higher or lower than what we've calculated.

Redeeming

With the Chase Freedom Flex, you earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points. These points are among the most flexible of any credit card rewards available, based on our research. They also offer some of the best value when redeemed for travel.

You can redeem your cash back for travel through Chase Travel, a cash deposit, a statement credit, gift cards, and for purchases with shopping partners. You can also pay for certain purchases with the Pay with Points feature. You can increase the value of your rewards if you also have another Chase card, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®, by spending with the card that earns the most rewards in a given category and transferring points to the card with the best redemption value.

Chase Ultimate Rewards can be freely transferred between different Chase cards, and their value increases with specific cards. For instance, your travel redemptions are worth 25% more with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and 50% more with the Chase Sapphire Reserve when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.

Freedom Flex categories

The Chase Freedom bonus category calendar will be your best friend (or at least a very friendly acquaintance) if you get this card.

Here are the current bonus categories, as well as the categories from the previous schedule so you can get an idea of what might come back around.

2025 rotating categories

2024 categories

Some of the Freedom Flex's rotating categories are more niche than others, but even seeing one category you'd be likely to spend in could help you earn more. If I'd been aware of the pet shops and vet services bonus category at the end of 2024, for instance, I probably could have canceled out at least a few of the overpriced dog toys I purchased for my pup at Christmas.

Alternatives to Chase Freedom Flex

The Chase Freedom Flex offers heaps of earning potential and benefits, but it's not a perfect card. Here's how it compares to some of its stiffest competition.

Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

If you don't want to think about rotating bonus categories or don't already have a flat-rate cash back card, I really like the Chase Freedom Unlimited^®. With this card, you can earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

That 1.5% cash back on all other purchases is more than the 1% cash back offered by the Freedom Flex on all other purchases, which is why I'd be more inclined to recommend the Unlimited for heavier spenders, too.

It's also very common to have both cards, especially if you're a fan of Chase. I have both, and I find the Freedom Unlimited's strengths help to make up for some of the Freedom Flex's shortcomings.

Read our full Chase Freedom Unlimited^® review.

Discover it^® Cash Back

The Discover it^® Cash Back is a standout option for earning elevated cash back on categories, just like the Freedom Flex. However, unlike the Freedom Flex, this card offers a cash back match at the end of your first year. This is one of the only things that really sets the two apart, aside from the rotating categories themselves, which are different.

Take a look at the Discover cashback calendar to see whether Discover or Chase would be a better fit for your spending habits. The Discover it^® Cash Back has no annual fee and a very similar intro APR offer, but no travel benefits.

Read our full Discover it^® Cash Back review.

Citi Custom Cash^® Card

The Citi Custom Cash^® Card differs from the Chase Freedom Flex in two key ways: bonus cash back categories activate automatically, and the categories don't rotate. Instead, the card will apply the bonus cash back rate to your top eligible spending category each billing cycle. Options include grocery stores, restaurants, select streaming services, fitness clubs, and more. The spending cap each billing cycle for 5% cash back is $500 (then 1% cash back).

Overall, this is probably an easier card to deal with than the Freedom Flex, and I'd consider applying for it myself. However, note that Citi ThankYou Points aren't generally as flexible or valuable as Chase points, and I might recommend redeeming your earnings for statement credits rather than travel. The Citi Custom Cash also wouldn't typically be as good for drugstore spending (unless drugstore spending was your top eligible spend category) but could be better for dining at restaurants if this is your top category.

Read our full Citi Custom Cash^® Card review.

FAQs

Bottom line

The Chase Freedom Flex offers solid cashback rewards and benefits, making it a valuable choice for everyday spending. With rotating quarterly bonus categories and bonus rates on dining and drugstore purchases, the card provides significant earning potential if you're willing to make a habit out of tracking categories.

While it has a low base cashback rate and limited travel perks, the card's $0 annual fee makes it a worthwhile option for earning cash back at a higher rate than many rewards cards allow. Consider pairing it with other Chase cards to maximize the value of your earnings.

Lucrative, Flat-Rate Cash Rewards

Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card

5.0

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card

Apply Now

Rates and fees

Current Offer

$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Low spend threshold for its welcome offer — $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
• Cell phone protection benefit (subject to a $25 deductible)
• Can redeem rewards at an ATM for literal cash

Drawbacks

• Foreign transaction fee of 3%
• No bonus categories

Card Details

• Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
• Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
• Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
• 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
• $0 annual fee.
• No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
• Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
• Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.