The Offer
Freedom Link | Freedom Unlimited Link
- Chase changed the signup bonus on the Freedom and Freedom Unlimited cards. The new bonus on both cards is $200 cash back after spending $500 within 3 months.
Card Details
- No annual fee
- Freedom Unlimited earns 1.5% on all purchases
- Freedom earns 1% on all purchases, 5% on rotating categories (up to $1,500 per quarter)
- Card earns cash back, but if you have a premium Chase card like the Sapphire Reserve/Preferred, the cash works like Ultimate Rewards points
- Full Freedom Unlimited review here
Our Verdict
Standard offer on both has typically been $150/$500, so this is a small boost. There are occasionally targeted or branch offers of $300 for either of the cards.
For the past number of months, Freedom Unlimited has been going with a completely different incentive, offering 3% back on up to $20k in purchases during the first year. Now, they’ve reverted back to the more typical bonus structure, and both Freedom cards now offer $200 bonus on $500 spend.
Hat tip to reader HCL
If my brother refers me and gets the $100 bonus, will I still be able to get the $200 bonus if I spend more than $500 in the first three months? Just trying to figure out if it’s possible to get both bonuses. Thanks!
Can I do the freedom unlimited if I already have a regular freedom card?
Yes. Though the names are similar, they are two different products.
The freedom unlimited is more superior than the citi doublecash when you have also the chase reserve because your points from the freedom will be worth exactly 2.25% when redeemed for travel or transferred.
If I apply for this card, will I qualify for this bonus if I’m an authorized user on my sister’s Chase Freedom card?
No, your identity (SSN or ITIN) is already known to Chase (the thieves at Chase) and hence you will NOT be a new customer to this Chase product, i.e., the Chase Freedom card.
Having said that you can still apply for the Freedom Unlimited card on your own as that is entirely different product from the Chase Freedom card.
Thats why people should NEVER opt for that “authorized user” advertised option on ANY card for that matter. Rather, a more generalized version of this golden advice is: ANY ADVERTISEMENT IS NEVER GOOD FOR YOU, ITS ONLY GOOD FOR THE ADVERTISER; So, NEVER fall for anything which is advertised.
That’s incorrect.
I’ve had the freedom unlimited since 2006, and the freedom since 2001. Do you think if I close the unlimited (2006 with the highest credit limit of 15k), then reapply I will qualify for the bonus? Do you think it will knock down my credit score, losing the biggest credit line and getting another hard inquiry? I only have three cards. I’m new to this game.. any comments would be appreciated.
This is an old comment, but please, DO NOT DO THIS. Closing your oldest and biggest lines of credit will severely hurt you. There is no world in which $150 or $200 is worth that damage.
Rather, if you’ve got credit lines that old, keep those as-is, do your research and focus on new cards with better bonuses and rewards that fit your needs.
Wife applied and got instantly approved. Decided to not do a joint account with the hopes she could refer me once her card comes and get the $100 referral bonus and I could apply, get my own Freedom Unlimited and do the $500 spend for the $200.00 bonus. We do have a joint checking and savings with Chase. The fine print says, “This product is available to you if you do not have this card and have not received a new cardmember bonus for this card in the past 24 months.” Will it work?
Yes, should work no problems.
It’s a new line of credit… it will be a hard pull.
I got denied because of the 5/24 rule. That the second attempt this month so I guess
I’m done for credit card applications for a while :-(((
The 5/24 only applies to Chase. Other banks are still options…
Is it ok to cancel both the cards once we have received both the bonuses? Or is there some mandatory waiting-period, like 6 months or whatever, for a lot of the bank-bonuses? Thanks.
There is no mandatory time-frame to keep open… Most recommend keeping new cards open to let them age, but you do you.
Applied for Freedom (with referral), instant approval. Applied for Freedom Unlimited a few hours later (I read there’s no second hard pull on same day), instant rejection.
I was approved for both cards within 15 minutes of one another with Experian score of 779 & only 2 credit card accounts opened within the previous 24 months. There was only one hard pull.
Maybe you had already opened 4 cards within the past 24 months, so the first one was approved but second one was rejected because it would be the 6th card in 24 months. Just my guess but only Chase would know for sure. Maybe try calling the re-consideration department. Good luck!
If you’re within the 5/24 rule, then the rejection is very likely due to the NASTY “Chase Fraud” (scare-mongering) team who might have raised a flag onto your logins pattern or the history IP-addrs from where you logged in from.
I for one hate these so-called “security team”s who are actually desperately just trying to cling onto their miserable jobs by spreading ridiculous and unfounded fear and illogical scare-mongering tactics. And … there’s nothing anyone can do about when “they” mention the dreaded “s” word (“security”) – its how even the masses are controlled these days… “Its for YOUR security…” – my foot.
It is for your security please comply.