Chase Freedom Unlimited vs. Citi Double Cash: Bonus Categories Give Freedom the Edge

Within the more and more crowded market of cash-back bank cards, two well-liked playing cards stand out from the pack. The Chase Freedom Limitless® and the Citi® Double Money Card – 18 month BT provide each provide strong cash-back earnings, and neither card costs an annual price.

For those who hardly ever eat at eating places and are searching simplicity, the Citi® Double Money Card – 18 month BT provide would be the better option.

However when you’re an enormous spender on eating places and may reap the benefits of the Chase card’s different bonus-reward classes, like drugstores and Chase journey, it will likely be the higher decide — particularly within the first 12 months. In the long run, the Chase Freedom Limitless® affords extra possibilities for outsize rewards in classes that match the life of many individuals.

Here is the way to resolve which is best for you.

Within the close to time period, the Chase Freedom Limitless® pulls forward by providing a beneficiant sign-up bonus for brand new cardholders. Its provide:

Earn an extra 1.5% money again on the whole lot you purchase (on as much as $20,000 spent within the first 12 months) – value as much as $300 money again! (NOTE: This provide is out there if you apply via BaghdadTime. For those who apply instantly with Chase or via a special web site, you might not be eligible for this provide.)

By comparability, the Citi® Double Money Card – 18 month BT provide affords no sign-up bonus.

That makes the Chase Freedom Limitless® a extra priceless card within the first 12 months of card possession for almost everybody.

The Chase Freedom Limitless® affords a number of bonus classes:

• 5% again on journey bought via Chase Final Rewards®.

• 3% again at eating places, together with takeout and eligible supply providers.

• 3% again on drugstore purchases.

• By March 31, 2025, 5% again on qualifying Lyft providers bought via the Lyft app.

Bonus classes are difficult. They’re very priceless when you spend some huge cash at these locations, however nugatory when you don’t. The eating places class is a extremely helpful one for most individuals and actually boosts the cardboard’s total worth.

A whole lot of spending doesn’t match neatly into bonus-rewards classes, like eating places or drugstores. On different playing cards that function bonus classes, that “the whole lot else” spending sometimes earns 1% again.

However the Chase Freedom Limitless® is unusually good as a result of it affords 1.5% again on the whole lot else.

So meaning you’re incomes 50% greater than traditional whereas spending at such locations as physician workplaces, health golf equipment and routine month-to-month payments that settle for bank cards.

On the subject of rewards, it boils down as to if the three% and 5% bonus classes on the Chase Freedom Limitless® will make up for the distinction between that card’s 1.5% base earnings price and the two% base earnings price on the Citi® Double Money Card – 18 month BT provide. Use our calculator to estimate your rewards in a typical 12 months.

The Chase Freedom Limitless® affords a no-interest promotion for brand new cardholders: 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and stability transfers, after which the continuing APR of 15.24%-23.99% Variable APR.

However, the Citi® Double Money Card – 18 month BT provide does not provide a 0% APR on new purchases. For those who’re seeking to make a big buy and wish some respiration room to pay it off over time, the Chase Freedom Limitless® is the cardboard you need.

The Citi® Double Money Card – 18 month BT provide does have a particular intro provide for stability transfers: 0% intro APR on Steadiness Transfers for 18 months, after which the continuing APR of 14.74%-24.74% Variable APR. However the Chase Freedom Limitless® does, too.

The Chase Freedom Limitless® is taken into account a cash-back card, however technically it earns Chase Final Rewards® factors. That’s vital if you wish to use a technique to earn these factors and switch them to a different Chase bank card that may give you larger worth.

When paired with a premium card just like the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card, factors might be redeemed for 1.25 cents every in the direction of journey, in contrast with 1 cent apiece for a money redemption. A card-pairing technique like this, known as the “Chase trifecta,” additionally unlocks the power to switch Final Rewards® to journey companions like United, Southwest, Marriott, Hyatt, IHG and JetBlue.

To be honest, Citi has its personal model of the technique, the “Citi trifecta.” Pairing the Citi® Double Money Card – 18 month BT provide with a premium card just like the Citi Premier® Card additionally provides the power to switch to journey companions, however Citi companions with fewer lodge teams (Selection and Wyndham) and just one home airline (JetBlue).

For those who want bank cards which can be simply simple, then the Citi® Double Money Card – 18 month BT provide might be the higher match.

It affords a cumulative 2% money again on all purchases (1% if you make the acquisition and 1% if you pay it off). That is excessive for a flat-rate card, and it means you don’t have to fret about the place you’re making purchases. You earn the identical rewards it doesn’t matter what you’re shopping for.

Against this, the “the whole lot else” class on the Chase Freedom Limitless® is 1.5%. (However you need to additionally take into account its sign-up bonus and bonus-rewards classes.)

The Citi® Double Money Card – 18 month BT provide could possibly be a barely higher instrument for serving to to delay funds on current debt.

Once more, it affords a 0% intro APR on Steadiness Transfers for 18 months, after which the continuing APR of 14.74%-24.74% Variable APR. That is among the many lengthiest balance-transfer affords in the marketplace.

The Chase Freedom Limitless® affords a shorter 0% promotional APR window on stability transfers (though it has the benefit of the promotional APR on new purchases talked about beforehand).

For easy money again, the Citi® Double Money Card – 18 month BT provide is among the many greatest playing cards to contemplate.

However you possibly can most likely wring extra cash-back {dollars} from the Chase Freedom Limitless®, particularly when you dine out rather a lot and may use its different bonus classes. Once you add within the new cardholder bonus, it is a clear alternative for many cardholders.