By Austin Christensen · Last updated: October 18, 2026

Chase Freedom Flex Review

The Freedom Flex bonus is $250 cash back after $500 spend in 3 months. The card has no annual fee, and the 5% categories only pay if you activate them.

Chase · Chase Ultimate Rewards

$250 cash back after $500 spend in 3 months · Annual fee $0

Earn rates

  • 5% on up to $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter you activate, then 1%
  • 5% on Chase Travel
  • 3% dining (including takeout and eligible delivery) and drugstores
  • 1% everything else
  • 2% total on Lyft through Sept. 30, 2027

Also on the card

  • No foreign transaction fee
  • 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then 18.49%–27.99% variable
  • Chase tracks cash back as points, 100 points = $1

Rotating 5% categories

  • Oct–Dec 2026: Grocery stores (excl. Walmart and Target), Dining, American Red Cross. Activation starts September 15, 2026. Chase's page does not list a December 14 deadline.
  • Jan–Mar 2027: Grocery stores (excl. Walmart and Target), Top streaming services. Activation starts December 15, 2026.
Apply for Chase Freedom Flex

Issuer source unavailable · Checked 2026-10-18. Public issuer terms. Referral offers may differ; confirm your offer at the application destination.

How do the quarterly categories work?

Q4 2026 is grocery stores, excluding Walmart and Target, plus dining and the American Red Cross. Chase's page says activation for that quarter starts September 15, 2026. It does not list a December 14 deadline. Q1 2027 is grocery stores, again excluding Walmart and Target, plus top streaming services. Activation for that quarter starts December 15, 2026.

Outside the rotating categories, the card pays 5% on Chase Travel, 3% at dining and drugstores, and 1% on everything else. Lyft pays 2% total through September 30, 2027. Chase tracks the cash back as points and pays them out as cash back.

Where does Freedom Flex fit?

Use it for the activated quarter and for dining or drugstores when a Sapphire or Ink card is not the better earn. The Ultimate Rewards hub explains which Chase cards can move points to airlines and hotels. Freedom Flex is the no-fee earner in that set, not the card that holds the transfer partners.

What works

  • No annual fee
  • The current bonus asks for $500, which is a low spend bar
  • Q4 2026 and Q1 2027 both include grocery stores

What doesn't

  • 5% stops after $1,500 in combined quarterly purchases
  • You have to activate each quarter
  • The card earns cash back. Partner transfers require a separate Chase card that actually transfers

Key takeaways

  • Activate Q4 2026 grocery, dining, and American Red Cross. Chase does not list a December 14 deadline on the card page.
  • The bonus is $250 cash back after $500 spend in 3 months.
  • The 5% cap is $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter.

Card figures come from the card data, checked 2026-10-18. Read the issuer terms in the source line above before you apply. Chase cards that earn Ultimate Rewards are grouped on the Ultimate Rewards hub.