Citi® Double Cash vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Travel rewards often steal the spotlight when it comes to credit card rewards and perks, but a great cash-back rewards credit card can likely find a place in just about anyone’s wallet.

CardName (See Rates and Fees) and CardName are both strong choices for a cash-back credit card. Neither charges an annual fee and both offer flexible redemption options that could allow you to make your cash-back card function as a kind of travel rewards card (in certain circumstances as discussed below). In other words, they’re worth checking out no matter what your credit card rewards goals. Citi is a CardRatings advertiser

At first glance, the cards have similarities, but there are some key differences in how each card awards cash back. Furthermore, recent updates to the Freedom Unlimited® card have added some new elements to this comparison. Keep reading for more about that as well as all the details you need to know about the cards’ terms and benefits.

Rewards earning rates

These cards are both marketed as cash-back rewards cards, but they earn at decidedly different rates.

With CardName, cardholders earn unlimited 1% cash back upon making a purchase and then another 1% back when they pay for those purchases (as long as minimum payment is made on time), so it’s effectively 2% cash back on every purchase along with a healthy incentive to pay off your balance each month. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.

CardName cardholders, on the other hand, earn at a number of levels:

• 5% cash back on travel through Chase
• 3% back at restaurants (including takeout and delivery)
• 3% back at drugstores
• Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Obviously, there’s more to think about with the Freedom Unlimited® earning, but it’s also possibly much more lucrative.

New cardholder cash-back bonus

If a new cardholder bonus is what you’re looking for, CardName takes the prize with the opportunity to earn unlimited matched cash back. Use your card for all your purchases and at the end of your first year, Chase will automatically match all the cash back you earned. There is no limit to how much you can earn. Every dollar in cash back rewards you earn is a dollar Chase will match.

On the other hand, Citi® Double Cash cardholders can earn $200 cash back once spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of opening an account. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. This is a valuable offer, but depending on how much you spend, the Chase card has the potential to reward you with more. You just have to wait until the end of your first year as a cardholder to receive it.

Cash-back redemption options

Both Citi® Double Cash and CardName call themselves “cash-back rewards cards”; however, there are some flexible redemption options available with both.

Both cards allow cardholders to redeem for statement credit, check, direct deposit and gift cards. The both also allow cardholders to convert rewards to their respective points programs. For Citi® Double Cash, that means you can convert your rewards into ThankYou® Points as long as you have one of Citi’s ThankYou® Points earning cards. You can find out more about the program in our Guide to Citi ThankYou® Points.

Freedom Unlimited® cardholders, likewise, can redeem their cash back as Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, Chase’s points program. In both cases, you can combine your rewards with points you’re earning through other Citi or Chase points-earning cards. In the case of Freedom Unlimited®, combining your points under a CardName carddiscontinued or a CardNamediscontinued would make those points worth 50% or 25% more, respectively, when redeemed for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal.

Interest rates and fees

Choosing a credit card is, of course, about more than just rewards. You’ll want to consider the fees and interest rates as well.

CardName offers no annual fee and an introductory APR offerof 0% for the first 15 months on purchases and balance transfers (then, RegAPR).

Citi® Double Cash also offers an intro 0% APR, but this one is just for balance transfers and extends for 18 months. It does charge a balance transfer fee: BalanceTransferFees This fee is quite typical when it comes to balance transfers.

One thing to consider for both cards is that they both charge foreign transaction fees. That means neither is your best choice for your travels abroad.

Should I get Citi® Double Cash or Chase Freedom Unlimited®?

The chart below provides an at-a-glance look at how the CardName compares to CardName.

Both cards routinely make the CardRatings picks for the best credit cards, so we consider either option to be a good choice. It might come down to whether you need an introductory 0% APR on purchases or balance transfers.

Citi Double Cash® vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited®

For a full synopsis of each card, see our CardName and CardName.