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The peace of mind provided by cash-back rewards cards cannot be overstated. With the CardName and the CardName, you are able to easily rack up cash-back rewards without having to keep an updated calendar of rotating bonus categories or enroll every quarter in order to receive bonus cash back. Both cards earn uncapped cash back on every eligible purchase made, have no annual fees, and provide enticing member privileges including 24/7 concierge service. The simplicity and excellent benefits that these cards provide, along with their introductory bonus offers, makes them two of the most popular cash-back rewards credit cards on the market.
While they share many similarities, including uncapped cash-back earning potential, as you compare the two side-by-side there are some notable differences between them.
Rewards earning
Both the CardName and CardName are, as we mentioned, cash-back rewards cards at their core. But how you earn those rewards differs greatly.
With the Quicksilver card, you earn a flat 1.5% cash back on every purchase. There are no categories or caps to keep up with. You gain when it comes to simplicity, but you just might lose a bit when it comes to rewards.
Freedom Unlimited®, on the other hand, offers more rewards earning opportunity, but it requires a bit more brain power to truly maximize the offering. Here’s the deal:
- Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) – worth up to $300 cash back!
- 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service)
- 3% on all other purchases
- After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on Chase travel; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining; and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases
Cash back redemption options
Both cards have the ability to redeem cash back anytime with no minimums, as well as the option to redeem for a variety of gift cards. In addition to cash back options, the CardName also includes the opportunity to redeem points for travel through the Chase Travel.
When used as a standalone card, CardName points are worth 1 cent per point when redeemed for travel including hotel stays and airfare, but when points are combined with one of Chase’s personal premium travel rewards credit cards, the redemption value has the potential to increase substantially. Specifically, when combined with the CardName or CardName, every point earned is worth either 1.25 cents or 1.5 cents respectively through Chase Travel℠. Additionally, when combined with either of these premium travel rewards cards, points can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio to one of Chase’s airline or hotel travel partners.
If you carry either the CardName or CardName, adding the no annual fee CardName card to your wallet is a solid choice. You can redeem for straight cash back, sure, but if you’re strategic, or want to use your rewards for travel instead of cash back, this option allows you to maximize the benefits of multiple Chase cards.
On the other hand, sometimes it’s a reward just knowing you’re earning cash back each time you swipe your card — which you’ll do with both the CardName and the CardName card. If you’re looking for a bit of strategic play though, the above plan isn’t a bad option to consider.
Foreign transaction fees
For international travelers, the CardName does include an added benefit of no foreign transaction fees, allowing you to make purchases overseas without incurring extra costs. The CardName card charges foreign transaction fees, so keep that in mind when traveling abroad OR when making purchases in a foreign currency from home.
To put that in perspective, if you use the CardName card on an international trip, and you spend $3,000 on foreign transactions, you’ll end up paying an extra $90 on fees. If you use the CardName, however, you can spend freely knowing you won’t have to later worry about any extra costs.
When deciding between these two cards, ultimately it comes down to your spending habits and how you plan to use the cash back you earn.
To learn more about how these two cards match up, check out the table below to compare the various rewards, benefits, features, and fees associated with each card.
CardName vs. CardName
Annual Fee
AnnualFees
AnnualFees
New Cardholder Bonus Offer
Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) – worth up to $300 cash back!
One-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Cash Back Rewards
Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on Chase travel; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining; and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
Redeeming Rewards
- Redeem cash back at anytime, with no minimums
- Redeem for a wide selection of gift cards
- Redeem for travel including airfare and hotels stays through Chase Travel
- Combine points with Chase’s premium travel rewards credit cards for 25- 50% more value when redeemed for travel
- Shop with Points at Amazon.com allows you to pay for all or part of your eligible order using your cash back rewards
- Redeem your cash back for any amount at any time for the life of the account
- Redeem cash back for gift cards with a wide variety of merchants
- Apply your cash back to directly cover a recent purchase
Purchase and Balance Transfer APR
Introductory 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months, then RegAPR after that
Introductory 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months, then RegAPR after that; balance transfer fee applies.
Foreign Transaction Fees
foreign_fee
foreign_fee
Travel Protection
- Trip cancellation/ interruption insurance up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for prepaid, non-refundable passenger fares if your trip is cancelled or cut short by sickness, severe weather and other covered situations
- Travel and emergency assistance services
- Auto rental collision damage coverage, provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value for theft and collision damage for most rental cars in the U.S. and abroad
- Lost luggage reimbursement up to $3,000 for lost or stolen luggage
- 24-hour travel and emergency assistance service
- Travel accident insurance which provides automatic insurance for a covered loss at no extra charge when you use your credit card to purchase your fare
- Auto rental collision damage waiver offers insurance coverage for rentals providing reimbursement for the actual cash value on damage due to collision or theft on most rental vehicles
Purchase Protection
- Purchase protection covers new purchases made with your card for 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account
- Extended warranty protection extends the time period of the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty on items purchases with your card by an additional year on eligible warranties of three years or less
- Access to Wikibuy, an online shopping tool that scans thousands of merchants to help you find the best price
- Access to Paribus, which find potential savings on your previous online purchases and gets you money back effortlessly
- Extended warranty which provides additional warranty protection at no charge on eligible items that are purchased with your card
- Instant purchase notifications, helping you to stay on top of your spending by notifying you each time a purchase is approved on your account
Account Protection
- Zero Liability Protection which means you won’t be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information
- Real time fraud monitoring with alerts via email, text or phone call
- $0 fraud liability for unauthorized charges if your card is lost or stolen
- Virtual account numbers allow you to keep your card number to yourself and shop online more securely
- Card Lock allows you to effortlessly lock your card with a few taps if it has been misplaced, lost or stolen
Customer Service
- 24/7 access to a customer service specialist
- Complimentary access to Visa Signature Concierge who can help find tickets to top sporting or music events, make dinner reservations, and even help sending the perfect gift to a loved one
- 24/7 access to a customer service specialist
- Complimentary concierge service – enjoy comprehensive, personalized assistance in dining, entertainment and travel, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
For a full synopsis of each card, be sure to check out our CardName and CardName reviews.
