Chase no longer accepts applications for the original Freedom, so this take is for existing cardholders deciding whether to keep it. The appeal is still 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories, up to $1,500 in spend per quarter, and the Q4 2026 rotation covers grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target), dining, and donations to the American Red Cross. Outside those categories, though, everything else earns just 1%, and you have to stay on top of the quarterly rotation to get the full value. With no annual fee there's little cost to keeping it open and using it for the bonus categories each quarter. If you're shopping for a new card, the Freedom Flex is the direct successor, adding 3% on dining and drugstores, while the Freedom Unlimited suits anyone who would rather earn a flat 1.5% without tracking categories.
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.