[Update] Chase Freedom/Freedom Unlimited: $200 Bonus + 5% Back On Groceries (Up To $12k) First Year

Update 1/11/22: Reports from Chase affiliates indicate this offer will end on January 12 at 6pm ET. We’ll have to wait and see if it’s still available via other channels and via referral links after that point. (It times well to sign up now given the 5x Freedom category on Grocery.)

Update 7/1/21: After a six month break, this offer is back. Referrals are showing the offer as well. (This signup bonus times well with the Q3 2021 Grocery 5x category which means you’ll get a total 9x when stacked with the signup bonus offer.)

The Offer

Direct links to offers: Chase Freedom | Chase Freedom Unlimited

  • Chase is offering an additional bonus on the Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Unlimited cards. You can currently get the standard $200 sign up bonus after $500 in spend and in additional the card will earn 5% cashback on all grocery store purchases in the first year up to $12,000 in spend

 

Card Details

Freedom

  • No annual fee
  • Card earns 5% cash back in rotating categories each quarter
  • Card earns 1% cash back on all other purchases

Freedom Unlimited

  • No annual fee
  • Card earns 1.5% cash back on all purchases

The Fine Print

Freedom:

  • 5% Back in the grocery store category (excluding Walmart and Target) until the earlier of the end of your first 12 months or first $12,000 spent: You’ll earn 5% Cash Back rewards total for each $1 spent on purchases in the grocery store category (excluding Walmart and Target) made within your first 12 months from account opening, or until you reach $12,000 in grocery store purchases, whichever occurs first (4% additional Cash Back rewards on top of the 1% Cash Back rewards earned on each purchase). The additional 4% Cash Back rewards will appear on your billing statement in a separate line from the base 1% Cash Back rewards.

Freedom Unlimited:

  • 5% Cash Back in the grocery store category (excluding Walmart and Target) until the earlier of the end of your first 12 months or first $12,000 spent: You’ll earn 5% Cash Back rewards total for each $1 spent on purchases in the grocery store category (excluding Walmart and Target) made within your first 12 months from account opening, or until you reach $12,000 in grocery store purchases, whichever occurs first (3.5% additional Cash Back rewards on top of the 1.5% Cash Back rewards earned on each purchase). The additional 3.5% Cash Back rewards will appear on your billing statement in a separate line from the base 1.5% Cash Back rewards.

Post History

Update 1/6/21: The regular links are still around, slated to be with us until January 13, 2021. Some/most referral links are no longer showing the 5% grocery offer, unfortunately; just shows a standard $200 bonus with $500 spend. Some are still reporting seeing the 5% grocery on their referral links.

Update 12/17/20: VFTW reports that the signup offer on the Freedom, Freedom Unlimited, and Freedom Flex cards which offers 5% at Grocery Stores will be ending on January 13, 2021. It’s possible there’ll still be some links available after that date, but it’s a good reminder that this offer is likely to end sometime in the next month or two.

Update 8/17/20: The 5x stacks with the 5x rotating categories for a total of 9x (e.g this quarter is 5x on Whole Foods so these purchases earn 9x). Hat tip to FM

Update 8/9/20: New Chase Freedom Unlimited Signup Bonus Now Available Via Referral Links

Update: Public links added

Our Verdict

Keep in mind while these cards talk about cash back you actually earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points. This means if you have an annual fee card such as Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Ink Plus or Chase Ink Preferred then you can transfer these points to travel partners. You could also use these points for the Chase Pay Yourself back feature to make them worth 1.5¢ each.

As stated at the top the standard bonus on these cards is $200, so the 5% back on grocery stores is just an additional bonus. Unfortunately a lot of readers won’t be eligible for this card/bonus due to the Chase 5/24 rule. I could see this additional 5% on grocery stores being attractive enough for some people to use up a 5/24 slot but that will likely depend on how easy it is for you to spend $12,000 at grocery stores.  We will still be adding this to our list of the best credit card bonuses.

Hat tip to reader Steele J

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fdic
fdic (@guest_1453697)
September 27, 2022 20:53

I have not done a chase application in many years (like at least 4 years).
I had a regular no fee Chase Preferred and a regular Chase Freedom.

I recently applied for and got approved for the Chase Business Ink Unlimited card.
Also thinking of doing a personal card application as well with not that high of an initial spend requirement.

I have 3 questions please
– Can I apply for any other variety of Chase Freedom if I already have regular Chase Freedom? Or will it be better to close that regular Freedom first. I have not used it for years and they sent me a letter 2 years back saying they will close it but they never did it for whatever reason.
– How long should I wait between personal and business card application?
– I also want to apply for a Citi card. I guess it is better to do the Chase cards first and then Citi?

thank you

Chris
Chris (@guest_1352150)
March 23, 2022 12:47

Anyone still able to see this offer on their referral? I’d like to apply for it.

ieatdogfood
ieatdogfood (@guest_1322900)
January 28, 2022 21:08

Confirmed 1st year grocery bonus will last at least until the end of the month when you opened your card. You can optimize this deal by opening in the beginning of each month. i.e. Open on January 1, 2020 and 1st year bonus will end on January 31, 2021. Essentially the 1st year bonus lasts 13 months. 🙂

I have not tried purchasing past 13 months yet.

KrogerMan
KrogerMan (@guest_1316225)
January 16, 2022 16:38

Does anyone know if/when the 5% grocery SUB will return? The 5% gas isn’t interesting to me.

ieatdogfood
ieatdogfood (@guest_1314685)
January 13, 2022 20:08

For people past their 1st year grocery bonus, when does it end if you havent hit the limit yet? Does it end the day you opened, the month, statement close, or some random day after 12 months?

anonymous
anonymous (@guest_1316191)
January 16, 2022 15:21

My 5% lasted past the open date (which was in the first week of September), and I kept earning it until the end of the calendar month. I didn’t try to push it to the next closing date, as I have another 5% grocery card anyway.

ieatdogfood
ieatdogfood (@guest_1316206)
January 16, 2022 15:56

Thanks. This quarter is grocery too so I can double up however there hasn’t been any good grocery rewards offers for gift cards yet.

Taylor
Taylor (@guest_1314480)
January 13, 2022 14:51

12 month language remains.

river
river (@guest_1314443)
January 13, 2022 13:39

The offer is now 5% on gas stations. This is better for me and I’ll probably apply. Does anyone know if I’m branch you get a better SUB?

Tanya
Tanya (@guest_1314008)
January 12, 2022 15:41

P2 approved instantly w/referral from me. 10,000 CL, previously highest was $2,500. We’re rebuilding for him. Pretty sure he’s 0/24, 750 credit score. This will really help the latter!

Mikey
Mikey (@guest_1313924)
January 12, 2022 13:48

As mentioned (and many of us happily discovered last year) it’s 9% total cashback on groceries for this quarter. You’ll use your card so often you’ll finish your $500 minimum spend before you blink and will need to monitor when you’ve exhausted the $1,500 quarterly maximum. And you’ll still get 5% on groceries up to the $12K total after that for the first year as a feature of the new card itself..

Gerald
Gerald (@guest_1313805)
January 12, 2022 11:11

DD is saying the deadline is 4:59 ET.