Chase Freedom Unlimited^® vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card [2024]: Which is More Rewarding?

Do you like to earn cash rewards on your purchases? You may enjoy the benefits the Chase Freedom Unlimited^® and Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card(Rates and fees) offer. Both cards provide several benefits and opportunities to earn rewards. But is one better than the other?

Let’s dive into the similarities and differences between both credit cards and explore what they offer and how each of them may benefit you. This could help you understand which card might make more sense for your financial goals.

Chase Freedom Unlimited vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash

Both the Freedom Unlimited and Active Cash offer cash rewards for making eligible purchases and use the Visa card network to process payments. They also provide intro APR offers for balance transfers and purchases.

But the differences between the two cards may help you see where one would be a better fit for you than the other. Comparing each card’s welcome bonus, earning rates, redemption methods, and other details reveal several different benefits.

	Chase Freedom Unlimited®	Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Card type	Cash back	Cash back
Credit card issuer	Chase	Wells Fargo
Credit card network	Visa	Visa
Annual fee	$0	$0
Welcome bonus	Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year)	$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
Earning rate	Earn 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and 3% cash back on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, 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	Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
Redemption methods	Statement credits Direct deposits into most U.S. savings and checking accounts Shop with Points at Amazon Gift cards Travel	Statement credits ATM cash withdrawal (with eligible Wells Fargo ATM or debit card) Gift cards PayPal checkout Charitable donations Merchandise Travel
Intro APR	0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months, then 20.49% - 29.24% Variable APR 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months, then 20.49% - 29.24% Variable APR	0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers, then 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening, then 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR
Travel perks	Trip cancellation or interruption insurance Auto rental collision damage waiver Travel and emergency assistance services	Roadside dispatch Auto rental collision damage waiver Visa Signature Hotel Collection 24/7 Visa Signature Concierge
Other benefits	Purchase protection Extended warranty protection	Cell phone protection (subject to a $25 deductible)
Foreign transaction fee	3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars	3%
Credit needed	Excellent, Good	Excellent, Good
	Learn more	Learn more

What both cards excel at

There are several strengths that the Chase Freedom Unlimited and Wells Fargo Active Cash cards share. Since both are cashback cards, they excel in the following categories:

• Welcome bonus: Not all rewards cards offer a welcome bonus, so it’s helpful to see that both the Freedom Unlimited and Wells Fargo Active Cash provide bonus offers. The offers are different, but they’re both valuable.
• No annual fee: The Chase Freedom Unlimited has a $0 annual fee and the Wells Fargo Active Cash also has $0 annual fee.
• Redemption options: Earning rewards works best when the redemption options align with your lifestyle and goals. Redemption options vary between the two cards, but they both offer multiple opportunities to use your rewards. This includes redeeming rewards for statement credits and travel.
• Intro APR on balance transfers: Chase Freedom Unlimited offers 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months, then 20.49% - 29.24% Variable APR. The Active Cash Card offers 0% intro APR 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers, then 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR.
• Intro APR on purchases: The Freedom Unlimited offers 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months, then 20.49% - 29.24% Variable APR. The Active Cash Card offers 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening, then 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR.
• The Visa worldwide network: Both cards use the Visa network to process payments and are accepted in over 200 countries and territories worldwide. You might not want to use either card for foreign purchases, though, since they both have foreign transaction fees. These fees are 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars for the Freedom Unlimited and 3% for the Active Cash.

5 important differences between Chase Freedom Unlimited and Wells Fargo Active Cash

It’s useful to know that both the Freedom Unlimited and Active Cash provide plenty of similar benefits. But it’s likely easier to see where one card might stand out for you by comparing their differences.

1. Earning rate

If earning cash rewards for your purchases is a top priority, consider the rewards rates on both cards.

• Chase Freedom Unlimited: 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and 3% cash back on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, 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.
• Wells Fargo Active Cash: Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

The Freedom Unlimited might seem more appealing because it has several bonus categories. 

But if you want a low-stress credit card with a simple earning structure, the Active Cash might be the better choice. You don’t have to worry about bonus categories with this card because of its simple rate. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, which covers most purchases including everyday expenses such as gas, groceries, and utilities.

Compare this to the Freedom Unlimited which receives no rewards advantage over the Active Cash for gas, groceries, or utilities. With the Freedom Unlimited, you would earn a 1.5% rate on all other purchases.

Winner: For an everyday, low-stress earning rate, the Active Cash might be a simple option. See more details about this card in our Wells Fargo Active Cash review.

2. Bonus categories

Earning additional rewards through bonus categories gives your dollars more cashback power, but only if the categories align with your everyday expenses.

The Freedom Unlimited offers 5% total cash back on qualifying Lyft rides through March 31 2025, 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, and 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service.

The Wells Fargo Active Cash doesn’t have category-specific earning rates. Instead, you can earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Lyft and travel purchased through Chase Travel℠ are specific categories and might not be beneficial on a frequent basis. But earning 3% on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service could be valuable in many situations.

Let’s say you typically spend $500 per month on dining and drugstore purchases, $500 per month on groceries, and $250 per month on gas for a total spend of $1,250. This is how much you could earn in cash rewards with each card after one month:

• Chase Freedom Unlimited: $26.25
• Wells Fargo Active Cash: $25

After your first year or $20,000 spent, the Freedom Unlimited offers 3% on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service ($500 x 0.03 = $15) and 1.5% on all other purchases ($750 x .015 = $11.25). Your total cash rewards could be $26.25.

The Wells Fargo Active Cash allows you to earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases ($1,250 x .02 = $25) so you could earn a total of $25 in cash rewards.

Winner: Because of its bonus categories, the Freedom Unlimited edges the Active Cash in this example, but different spending patterns may give different results. Learn more about this card in our Chase Freedom Unlimited review.

3. Travel redemptions

Travel redemptions might not be a big deal for most cardmembers using a cashback rewards credit card. But both of these cards offer ways to redeem your rewards for travel, including flights and hotel stays, and the process varies.

The Freedom Unlimited uses the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, a popular program for frequent travelers, for its redemptions.

The Active Cash uses Wells Fargo Rewards for its travel redemptions, a travel portal that’s not as widely known as its Chase counterpart.

Tie: Apart from more users knowing about and using the Chase travel portal, you’d find that both portals function like third-party travel sites such as Expedia or Priceline. The travel redemption experience would be familiar enough for most cardholders, so neither card stands out.

4. Protection benefits

Popular credit cards might often be known for their valuable protection benefits, including purchase protection, extended warranty protection, and cell phone protection.

The Freedom Unlimited offers both purchase and extended warranty protection but doesn’t offer cell phone protection.

On the other hand, the Active Cash Card offers cell phone protection, but it lacks purchase protection and extended warranty protection.

All three protections are helpful to have, but choosing one card over the other based on these benefits alone depends on your situation. Would you rather have extra protection for your eligible purchases or coverage for phones on your cell phone bill?

Winner: Cell phone protection is typically less common, so the Active Cash might have a slight edge over the Freedom Unlimited.

5. Travel benefits

Having any sort of travel benefits isn’t typically expected on cashback cards, but both of these cards offer a few travel perks.

The Freedom Unlimited provides:

• Trip cancellation or interruption insurance: This insurance might reimburse you if you purchased a flight or a trip that was then canceled or interrupted due to a covered event.
• Auto rental collision damage waiver: This waiver enables you to decline the collision insurance from car rental companies and still be covered. To qualify, you would need to charge the entire rental cost to your card.
• Travel and emergency assistance service: This service helps connect you with medical or legal assistance if you face an emergency while traveling. Keep in mind that you’d still pay for the services you use.

The Active Cash Card offers:

• Roadside dispatch: This service helps put you in touch with a towing company or a locksmith in your area if your car breaks down or you get locked out of your vehicle. You’d be responsible for the costs of the service provider you use.
• Auto rental collision damage waiver: This waiver enables you to decline the collision insurance from car rental companies and still be covered. To qualify, you would need to charge the entire rental cost to your card.
  
• Visa Signature Hotel Collection: This collection gives you several benefits at a selection of prestigious properties, such as potential room upgrades, complimentary breakfast, and more.
• 24/7 Visa Signature Concierge: The Visa concierge service is a phone-based service that helps you make travel, dining, and entertainment bookings and reservations. This service is available 24/7 all year long.

Keep in mind that these benefits might not be the most robust travel benefits, but they could be helpful in the right situation. Check out our list of the best travel credit cards to see cards with better travel-related benefits and travel rewards.

Tie: Neither suite of travel benefits is necessarily better than the other as it depends on your preferences. The Freedom Unlimited leans toward travel insurance and assistance, while the Active Cash offers roadside dispatch and Visa Signature benefits. Learn more about Active Cash benefits. 

Which card should you choose?

The better card between these two options depends on your preferences and spending habits.

You might choose the Chase Freedom Unlimited if:

• You want to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
• You want purchase and extended warranty protections.
• You want to take advantage of its bonus spending categories.

You might choose the Wells Fargo Active Cash if:

• You want a low-stress cash rewards credit card.
• You want cell phone protection.
• You want Visa Signature benefits.

Keep in mind that both cards have introductory APR offers that could be useful for balance transfers or upcoming large purchases. These types of offers might not always be available on rewards cards. Check out our list of the best rewards credit cards to see what other credit card offers are available.

FAQs

Bottom line

The Chase Freedom Unlimited and Wells Fargo Active Cash both offer cash rewards on eligible purchases. But their different earning rates and benefits may indicate that they’re designed for different situations or people.

For example, you might prefer the Active Cash for its cell phone protection and flat rewards rate. But the Freedom Unlimited would make sense if your everyday purchases align with its bonus categories.

Continue learning about available card offers using our dedicated page to compare credit cards and their benefits.

Unlimited Cash Back

Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

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Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

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Current Offer

Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and 3% cash back on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, 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

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• High base rewards rate of 1.5%
• $0 annual fee
• Valuable welcome bonus for new cardholders
• Intro APR offers for purchases and balance transfers

Drawbacks

• Has a foreign transaction fee of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
• No bonus categories for gas or groceries

Card Details

• INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
• Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
• After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 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.
• No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
• Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
• No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
• Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
• Member FDIC

Author Details

Ben Walker, CEPF, CFEI® Ben Walker, CEPF, CFEI®, is credit cards specialist. For over a decade, he's leveraged credit card points and miles to travel the world. His expertise extends to other areas of personal finance — including loans, insurance, investing, and real estate — and you can find his insights on The Washington Post, Debt.com, Yahoo! Finance, and Fox Business.

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