When you have good credit, the Chase Freedom Flex® offers bonus cash back in rotating bonus categories—so checking the calendar is key. If you don’t mind interacting with the card each quarter, this card is a high earner.
Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in categories that rotate quarterly (requires activation), 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on dining and drugstores and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Welcome offer: Earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual fee: $0
Other benefits and drawbacks: You can redeem your cash back as a statement credit or direct deposit into most bank accounts. Or if you have this card and a Chase Ultimate Rewards®-earning card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, then you can combine your points and transfer your rewards to Chase’s travel partners. And when you redeem strategically, they’re often worth far more.
However, this card has a 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars foreign transaction fee, so it’s best to only use it within the U.S. The card also offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24% applies. Balance transfer fee of up to 5% (min. $5) of the amount of each transfer applies.