I’ve been reviewing credit cards for a good number of years now. And throughout it all, I’ve found it very difficult to pick the best all around card. The difficulty is that the best credit cards typically excel at one feature, like having a low interest rate, the best 0% offer, or the highest rewards. But if I had to pick the best card, the Chase Freedom (which I’ve used for several years) would likely be my choice.
The card is designed for consumers with excellent credit looking to earn cash back. The Chase Freedom has a variety of perks and features that continue to make consumers vote it best overall credit card. Right now, Chase Freedom is offering three different versions of the same product. The version that’s best for you depends on what’s most important to you–a cash bonus, longer 0% introductory rate, or a lower regular interest rate.
Chase Freedom Offers
Chase Freedom Visa – $50 Bonus Cash Back – The Chase Freedom Visa – $50 Bonus Cash Back opens our list with the lowest up front bonus, which is earned after making your first purchase. The benefit of this version is that it carries a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 12 months and purchases for six months. The purchase APR after the intro rate finishes is 9.99% – 22.99% variable, the lowest APR of all cards on this list. 5% cash back is earned on select purchases and 1% cash back is provided on everything else. As with all the versions of the Chase Freedom card, there is no annual fee.
Chase Freedom Visa – $100 Bonus Cash Back – The middle version of the Chase Freedom variations, the Chase Freedom Visa – $100 Bonus Cash Back offers $100 cash after spending $500 in the first three months. This card also has a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 12 months and on purchases for six months and once the intro rate expires, the APR becomes 11.99% – 22.99% variable. The cash back program awards 1% cash back on all purchases with 5% cash back on select purchases every quarter. Consumers who own this card are not charged an annual fee.
Chase Freedom Visa – $200 Bonus Cash Back – This version of the card offers the best up-front cash bonus at $200 after spending $500 in purchases and it includes the same cash back rewards program as the previous two. 5% cash back is earned on rotating categories throughout the year and 1% cash back is earned on everything else. However, potential customers sacrifice a 0% intro APR opportunity and a lower interest rate for an additional bonus, because interest is accrued immediately (no intro APR). The standard purchase APR is 15.99% – 22.99% variable.
Chase Freedom 5% Rotating Categories for 2012
Every year, Chase Freedom puts together a calendar of categories in which consumers will earn 5% cash back. Every quarter the maximum cash back that can be earned with the 5% categories is $75. Once you’ve exhausted this amount, all purchases receive 1% cash back. The 2012 calendar looks like this:
- January 1 to March 31 – Gas Stations and Amazon.com
- April 1 to June 30 – Grocery Stores and Movie Theaters
- July 1 to Sept 30 – Gas Stations and Restaurants
- October 1 to December 31 – Hotels, Airlines, Kohl’s and Best Buy
It’s important to remember that you must log into your account and signup for these quarterly categories to get the 5% cash back. It just takes a few seconds, but you don’t want to forget.
Chase Freedom MasterCard
Finally, Chase does offer a MasterCard version of the Chase Freedom credit card. Called the Chase Freedom® MasterCard – $100 Bonus Cash Back, the terms are identical to the $100 Visa version described above.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
$200 offer is very tempting. Can people get this credit card even if you already have chase visa?
You can so long as you don’t already have a Chase Freedom card. I have both the Freedom and the Slate from Chase.
Weird. I had a Chase Freedom card and two other Chase cards and both of the other ones turned into Chase Freedom cards. I canceled one (which still shows up on the home page every day), I use one, and my boyfriend uses the other. So, they don’t mind sticking you with another Chase Freedom card themselves when you already have one (or two).
Innovative change in credit card industry! Will this be a catalyst for the shift towards plastic currency? Time will tell. But it will be interesting to look at what credit rates and other benefits / penalties are associated with Chase Freedom card. Generally, for lucrative offers like this, the penalties for late payment and default would also be very high.
Those are indeed great offers. I use the Chase Freedom Credit card along with two others. It indeed offers great rewards. It is even better if you use credit cards to your advantage and use them according to the rewards that they offer.
I just recd a mailingr from Chase for a Freedom Card offering a $300.00 bonus which would be available to me after my 1st purchase with the card. The offer doesn’t mention anything about having to purchase $500. worth of goods in order to get this bonus. I actually called them to clarify that this was legit since it sounded to good to be true. Why would they give me a ck for $300. if I make only a small purchase with the card? Also they have no hope of making any money on interest from me since I pay in full every month. The CS rep I spoke to confirmed that my understanding was correct and I had no further obligation to use the card again but it was their hope with this offer that I would use the card in the future for the 1%-5% cash back privilege that came with it. Guess I’ll just add this card to my collection after I get the $300. bonus!
Would like an application to apply for the $300.00 cash back credit card from Chase. I have excellent credit.
Thank you.
Rita Levin
Would be interested in receiving credit application for your $300.00 cash back promotion for a credit card.
Rita Levin
5445 Preston Oaks Rd, #223, Dallas, TX 75254
972-386+6874
Rita, the best cash back bonus from Chase is for $200 and you can apply online–Chase Freedom Visa – $200 Bonus Cash Back