The original Chase Freedom is no longer open to new applicants, so this take is mainly for people who already carry it. Its appeal is still the 5% rotating categories on up to $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter, which for Q4 2026 covers grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target), dining, and American Red Cross donations, all with no annual fee. Outside those categories it earns just 1%, and you need to keep up with the quarterly rotation to get value from it. It also charges a foreign transaction fee, so it is a poor travel companion. If you are shopping for a new card, the Freedom Flex is the direct successor with the same 5% rotating structure plus 3% on dining and drugstores, while the Freedom Unlimited suits anyone who would rather skip category tracking and earn a flat 1.5%.
Earn rates & credits
| Category | Rate |
|---|---|
Rotating categories Q4 2026: grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target), dining, and donations to the American Red Cross on first $1,500/qtr, then 1% Q4 2026: Groceries, Dining | 5% |
Everything Else | 1% |
Card details
Foreign transaction fee | Yes |
Approval odds
Product changes
Where cardholders came from before landing on this card, and what they moved it to afterwards. Thicker flows carry a larger share of the changes in that direction.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Chase Freedom Flex
Chase Slate Edge
Chase FreedomChase FreedomBased on 22 reported product changes. Percentages are shares of each direction, not of all cardholders, and a small sample can swing a long way.