Chase Freedom Flex
How the 5% quarterly categories work, this quarter’s categories, what else it earns, and the protection that comes with it.
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No annual fee and cash back · Chase
Welcome offer
$250 bonus
Annual fee
$0
$250 cash back after $500 in purchases in the first 3 months (raised from $200 for a limited time). Not available to current cardholders or to anyone who received this card’s bonus in the past 24 months.
Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 15 monthsForeign transaction fees: NoneRewards: Cash back, tracked as Ultimate Rewards points
The Atelier Take
Rewarding for the attentive; forgettable for everyone else.
Who it suits
Organised spenders who will activate and follow the quarterly categories, ideally alongside a Sapphire card.
Who should skip it
Anyone who won’t remember to activate each quarter: outside the categories it earns 1%.
The 5% categories
5% back on up to $1,500 of combined purchases each quarter in the bonus categories, once activated. That is up to $75 a quarter, or $300 a year.
October to December 2026
Grocery stores, dining, American Red Cross
Grocery excludes Walmart and Target. The $1,500 cap is shared across all of the quarter’s categories.
January to March 2027
Grocery stores, top streaming services
Grocery excludes Walmart and Target.
July to September 2026
Gas, public transit, EV charging, select live entertainment, United Way
What it earns
Rewards: cash back, tracked as Chase Ultimate Rewards points (100 points = $1). Paired with a Sapphire card, the points become transferable to airlines and hotels.
5%
Quarterly bonus categories
Up to $1,500 a quarter once activated, then 1%
5%
Travel booked through Chase Travel
3%
Dining, including takeout and eligible delivery
3%
Drugstores
2%
Lyft rides
Through September 30, 2027
1%
Everything else
Rewards are tracked as points worth 1¢ each in cash. Moved to a Sapphire Preferred or Reserve, they can be transferred to partners; at TPG’s 2.05¢ valuation the 5% categories are then worth about 10¢ per dollar.
Other benefits
DashPass
6 months free when activated by December 31, 2027; it then renews at the monthly rate unless canceled.
What it is worth
No annual fee, so nothing to earn back. Maxing every quarter’s categories adds up to $300 a year in cash back on $6,000 of spending.
Beside a Sapphire card the same 30,000 points are worth about $615 at TPG’s valuation, which is what makes this card worth the small effort of activating each quarter.
Insurance and protections
Chase lists these on the card’s page; the Guide to Benefits has the full terms. Pay for the trip or purchase with the card to be covered.
Purchase protection
Damage or theft within 120 days of purchase, up to $500 per item.
Extended warranty
Adds one year to U.S. manufacturer warranties of three years or less.
Trip cancellation and interruption
Up to $1,500 per traveler and $6,000 per trip for prepaid, non-refundable fares.
Auto rental coverage
Theft and collision damage on most rentals; secondary to personal insurance in the U.S.
Pros and cons
Pros
- 5% categories can be very rewarding
- Becomes transferable points with a Sapphire card
- No annual fee and no foreign transaction fee
- 0% intro APR for 15 months
Cons
- Categories must be activated every quarter
- 1% outside the categories
- Needs a Sapphire to unlock its full value
Card terms change often and some offers are personalized; the issuer’s page is the final word.