Citi^® Double Cash Card vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited^®: Which is for You?

We recommend the Chase Freedom Unlimited^® because you can earn valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points, one of our favorite credit card rewards currencies for flexible redemptions.

But if you want a simple rewards rate and higher base earning potential on your eligible purchases, the Citi^® Double Cash Card is a better choice.

Let’s explore our Citi Double Cash vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited Card review to see which card makes the most sense for you.

Key takeaways

• We recommend the Chase Freedom Unlimited over the Citi Double Cash if you prefer earning travel rewards points and typically make purchases that align with the Freedom Unlimited’s bonus categories.
• We think the Citi Double Cash is a better choice if you prefer a simple rewards rate and your everyday spending doesn’t align with the Freedom Unlimited’s bonus categories.

Citi^® Double Cash Card vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited

Both the Citi Double Cash and Chase Freedom Unlimited are considered cashback cards because they earn cashback rewards on every eligible purchase you make with them. In fact, their excellent earning potential and redemption options make them two of the most popular cashback cards available.

The two cards are similar, but they also have many differences. This table can give you a quick side-by-side look at how the Citi Double Cash and Chase Freedom Unlimited measure up against each other:

	Citi® Double Cash Card	Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Card type	Cash Back	Cash Back
Credit card issuer	Citibank	Chase
Credit card network	Mastercard	Visa
Annual fee	$0	$0
Welcome bonus	Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness	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
Earning rate	2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases	5% cash back on Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 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, plus 5% total cash back on qualifying Lyft rides
Redemption methods	Cash back can be redeemed for statement credits and direct deposits, checks, or converted to ThankYou points ThankYou points can be redeemed for gift cards, travel, online purchases, and more	Cash back can be redeemed for statement credits and direct deposits, gift cards, travel, and to make purchases from participating merchants
Intro APR	0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months, then 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)	0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months, then 20.49% - 29.24% Variable
Annual credits	None	None
Travel perks	Convert cash back to ThankYou points and transfer to travel partners	Transfer rewards to travel partners if you have an eligible Chase card Up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip in trip cancellation/interruption insurance Auto rental collision damage waiver Travel and emergency assistance services
Other benefits	Special event access with Citi Entertainment Citi Identity Theft Solutions	Chase purchase protection Extended warranty protection Complimentary three months of DashPass from DoorDash
Foreign transaction fee	3%	3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
Credit needed	Excellent, Good, Fair	Excellent, Good
	Learn more	Learn more

Note: Even though these cards are designed to earn cash back, many people use the rewards on these cards to fuel their travel experiences. This strategy can be particularly useful if you pair either card with a travel card from the same card issuer.

Using multiple cards together can help you earn more rewards and reach your redemption goals quickly, especially because both Citi and Chase allow you to combine points from multiple cards. In addition, certain cards, like the Chase Sapphire cards, can increase the travel redemption value of the points you move over from other cards.

To take advantage of this, you could pair the Citi Double Cash card with the Citi Premier^® Card or the Citi Prestige^® Card. With the Freedom Unlimited, you could pair with the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve^®.

Our verdict

• We recommend the Chase Freedom Unlimited over the Citi Double Cash because it earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points and you can combine your points with other eligible Chase cards, including the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card.

Citi Double Cash benefits and drawbacks

Pros	Cons
$0 annual fee Simple rewards rate Can combine rewards with other eligible Citi cards	3% foreign transaction fees No bonus categories

The Citi Double Cash has a $0 annual fee and a simple rewards rate. You can earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.

But the Citi Double Cash doesn’t typically provide a welcome bonus offer, doesn’t have bonus categories, and charges 3% in foreign transaction fees.

Read our Citi Double Cash review.

Chase Freedom Unlimited benefits and drawbacks

Pros	Cons
$0 annual fee Has bonus categories Can combine points with other eligible Chase cards	Has foreign transaction fees (3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars)

The Chase Freedom Unlimited has a $0 annual fee and provides bonus categories that could align with everyday spending. You can earn 5% cash back on Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 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.

But keep in mind that you have to pay 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars if you use the Freedom Unlimited on foreign purchases, so it’s not the best card for international travel.

Read our Chase Freedom Unlimited review.

What both cards excel at

The Citi Double Cash and Chase Freedom Unlimited fall into the same cashback credit card category, so it’s natural to have a few similarities. Here are the areas where their features overlap:

• Annual fee: If earning cash back is a top priority, you likely don’t want an annual fee taking away from your potential rewards. Because the Citi Double Cash has a $0 annual fee and the Chase Freedom Unlimited has a $0 annual fee, this isn’t a cost you have to worry about.
• Earning cash back: Neither of these cards requires you to track rotating categories to earn bonus rewards, and there’s nothing wrong with earning cash back on every purchase you make. For many people, cash back is the best redemption option because you can then use that cash for nearly everything. Keep in mind that these cards do have different earning rates, though, which we discuss in the next section.
• Other redemption options: Cash back is great, but having options is nice too. For example, you might want your rewards deposited into your bank account instead of receiving a statement credit. Or would you rather put your earnings toward a travel redemption, such as helping to pay for a flight or hotel stay? You get similar options with both cards.
• Contactless payments: If you compare credit cards, you’ll see that most credit card offers provide contactless technology these days. But it’s still worth mentioning that the Citi Double Cash and Chase Freedom Unlimited also come with contactless capabilities. Having a contactless credit card can help you get through the checkout process quickly while still keeping your credit card information secure.

5 important differences between the Citi Double Cash and Chase Freedom Unlimited

1. Welcome offers

The Citi Double Cash rarely has a sign-up bonus which means you won’t typically earn any additional rewards for meeting a minimum spend requirement as a new cardholder. However, the Chase Freedom Unlimited typically has a welcome offer when you first become a cardmember.

Currently, the Chase Freedom Unlimited offers the opportunity to 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. This can give a nice boost to your rewards, especially if the money you spend is on purchases you were already planning on making. 

Winner: Chase Freedom Unlimited because it typically provides an opportunity to earn a welcome offer within a certain number of months of account opening.

2. Earning potential

The Citi Double Cash earns 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. This is one of the highest cashback reward rates available that isn’t tied to a specific spending category, which is helpful if you make a lot of purchases in different categories or prefer using one card for everything.

But if your typical spending categories align with the Chase Freedom Unlimited card, it can potentially offer you a better return. Earning 5% cash back on Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 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 can generate more rewards if you’re spending in these categories.

If not, the Double Cash and its flat-rate earning likely makes more sense. 

Winner: Citi Double Cash Card because it's a rewards credit card with a simple cashback rate that could work for almost anyone, regardless of their spending habits.

3. Rewards programs

Chase has one of the most popular rewards programs of major card issuers with Chase Ultimate Rewards. The Chase Freedom Unlimited grants access to the Chase travel portal, where you can book flights, hotel stays, car rentals, and more. The portal makes it easy to find a wide range of flights with different airlines, and hotel stays with major brands worldwide.

The Citi Double Cash earns cash back, not Citi ThankYou Points. However, you can convert your cash back to ThankYou Points and make redemptions that are similar to what’s available with Ultimate Rewards. This includes flights, hotel stays, rental cars, cruises, and more.

Each rewards program is different, but the one you like more between Ultimate Rewards and ThankYou Points might come down to preference. Ultimate Rewards are typically considered to be quite valuable because they can be combined between multiple Chase credit cards. And on cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve, your points are worth more toward Chase Ultimate Rewards travel redemptions.

Winner: Chase Freedom Unlimited because Ultimate Rewards points are often considered one of the most flexible and valuable credit card currencies available.

4. Transfer partners

If you convert your cash back to ThankYou Points on the Citi Double Cash, you have the option to transfer your points to Citi transfer partners such as JetBlue or Wyndham. With the Chase Freedom Unlimited, you only have the option to transfer points to Chase transfer partners if you also have a Chase card that earns Ultimate Rewards points, like one of the Sapphire cards or the Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card.

It’s easier to take advantage of Citi transfer partners with the Citi Double Cash because you don’t need another card to use this feature. However, you only get access to the full range of Citi transfer partners if you also have a Citi Prestige or Citi Premier. Overall, the better transfer partner program depends on which partners’ services you tend to use the most.

	ThankYou Points	Ultimate Rewards
Airline transfer partners	Aeromexico, Air France KLM, Avianca Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, JetBlue Airways, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic	Aer Lingus, Air Canada, British Airways, Emirates, Air France KLM, Iberia, JetBlue, Singapore Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic
Hotel transfer partners	Accor Live Limitless, Choice Privileges, Wyndham Rewards	IHG Rewards Club, Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt

Winner: It's a tie because the better transfer partners depend on your personal travel preferences.

5. Intro APR offers

You might consider a 0% intro APR credit card for either a balance transfer or for upcoming purchases, or possibly both. But with the Citi Double Cash and the Chase Freedom Unlimited, you have to choose one feature or the other.

The Citi Double Cash offers 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers (then 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)). You will also need to pay a balance transfer fee of 3% of each balance transfer ($5 minimum) within 4 months of account opening; then 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) after the 4 month intro period ends, which is pretty standard. 

Conversely, the Chase Freedom Unlimited offers 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases (then 20.49% - 29.24% Variable). After the introductory APR period ends on both of these cards, your balances will be subject to the variable APR.

Winner: A tie. Neither offer is necessarily better than the other, as it depends on what your needs are. Though, both offers can help you avoid interest on different things for a specific amount of time.

Which credit card should you choose?

When you should choose Citi Double Cash

• You want a simple rewards rate
• You prefer earning ThankYou Points
• You have an existing relationship with Citi

When you should choose Chase Freedom Unlimited

• You want to earn increased rewards with bonus categories
• You prefer earning Chase Ultimate Rewards points
• You have an existing relationship with Chase

What factors to consider before choosing

We generally recommend the Chase Freedom Unlimited over the Citi Double Cash because we think Chase Ultimate Rewards could provide more value than ThankYou Points. We think this is especially true if you’re able to combine points across multiple Chase cards, including the Chase Freedom Flex.

But keep in mind that each situation is different. If you already have a relationship with Citibank, you might discover it could be easier to get approved for the Citi Double Cash, depending on your credit score and creditworthiness. And you might prefer redeeming ThankYou Points compared to Ultimate Rewards.

FAQs

Bottom line

If you’re looking to apply for a new card and you need help deciding between the Citi Double Cash vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited, consider how each card would fit into your life and align with your goals. This can help point you in the direction of which card would best suit you.

For example, the Citi Double Cash makes sense if your purchases tend to vary across different categories. But if your typical spending aligns with the Chase Freedom Unlimited’s bonus categories, your decision is made easier. This same strategy applies to how you feel about each card’s rewards program, redemption options, transfer partners, and how well they work with other Citi or Chase cards.