Advertiser Disclosure
Many of the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which The Motley Fool receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear) and may influence which products we write about, but our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. We do not include all companies or offers available in the marketplace.
Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. His work with Motley Fool Money and The Motley Fool has appeared syndicated in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.
Ashley Maready is a former history museum professional who made the leap to digital content writing and editing in 2021. She has a BA in History and Philosophy from Hood College and an MA in Applied History from Shippensburg University. Ashley loves creating content for the public and learning new things so she can teach others, whether it's information about salt mining, canal mules, or personal finance.
Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.
While there are lots of cash back cards out there, the Chase Freedom credit cards are some of the top options. If you're planning to apply for one, you should make sure you're aware of the Chase Freedom credit score requirements first.
Here's what we know about that and other factors that affect your likelihood of being approved.
What credit score do you need for Chase Freedom?
There are three Chase Freedom cards, and the recommended credit score varies depending on which card you want.
Chase Freedom Flex® credit score: 670 or higher. Most successful applicants have good credit or excellent credit.
Chase Freedom Unlimited® credit score: 670 or higher here as well.
Chase Freedom Rise® credit score: no minimum credit score but it is designed for consumers who are building credit. You can potentially qualify for it even with no credit history.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good (670-850)
Welcome Offer:
Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening!
$200 bonus
Welcome Offer:
Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
Up to $300 cash back
Welcome Offer:
Earn a $25 statement credit after signing up for automatic payments within the first three months of opening your account. With automatic payments, just pick a date and dollar amount to make sure your Credit Card gets paid on time.
$25 statement credit
Rewards Program:
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter! Plus, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.
5% cash back offer
Rewards Program:
Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases
1.5% - 5% cash back
Rewards Program:
With Chase Freedom Rise®, you can start building credit while earning 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back.
1.5% cash back offer.
Intro APR:
0% Intro APR on Purchases
Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months
Intro APR:
0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months
Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months
Intro APR:
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR:
19.74% - 28.49% Variable
Regular APR:
19.74% - 28.49% Variable
Regular APR:
26.24%
Annual Fee:
$0
Annual Fee:
$0
Annual Fee:
$0
Highlights:
Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.74%-28.49%.
No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Flex® card
Keep tabs on your credit health - Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more.
Member FDIC
Highlights:
INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.74% - 28.49%.
No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
Member FDIC
Highlights:
Increase your approval chances - Having a Chase checking or savings account with a balance of at least $250 will increase your chances of getting approved for Chase Freedom Rise®
Earn Cash Back - With Chase Freedom Rise®, you can start building credit while earning 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back.
Earn a $25 statement credit after signing up for automatic payments within the first three months of opening your account. With automatic payments, just pick a date and dollar amount to make sure your Credit Card gets paid on time.
Credit Limit Increase - As a Freedom Rise cardmember, you'll be evaluated for a credit line increase in as soon as 6 months. Your credit line is the maximum amount of money you can spend on your Freedom Rise® Card
Free Credit Score - Track your credit score and learn how to build it with Chase Credit Journey.
No Annual Fee - You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Rise® card.
Key factors when you apply for a Chase Freedom credit card
Here are other factors that can impact whether you're approved for a Chase Freedom credit card:
How long you've been using credit
Your income
Your payment history
Your credit card debt
If you have any Chase bank accounts
Based on reports consumers have made, a credit history of at least one year is recommended before applying for the Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the Chase Freedom Flex®. That means you should have a credit card you've been using for a year or longer with no late payments. Otherwise, Chase could deny your application because your credit file is too thin, regardless of your credit score.
There are indications that consumers who bank with Chase have better approval odds for Chase credit cards. With the Chase Freedom Rise®, Chase even mentions on its site that you can improve your chances of being approved by having a Chase checking account with at least $250 in it before applying.
What happens when Chase checks your credit?
When Chase checks your credit, it pulls a specific type of credit score known as your FICO® Score. This is the most widely used type of credit score by lenders. Quite a few online credit score tools provide your VantageScore, which can be much different. If you look up your credit score online, make sure to use a tool that provides your FICO® Score.
Your credit score isn't the only thing that matters on a Chase Freedom credit card application. It also doesn't guarantee that you're approved or denied. There are several other important factors. To start, we'll look at arguably the most important.
How the Chase 5/24 rule affects Chase Freedom applications
Chase is known for having an unofficial application policy, often referred to as the Chase 5/24 rule. If you've already opened five or more new credit cards in the previous 24 months, Chase will most likely deny your credit card application.
This rule affects most Chase credit cards, including the Chase Freedom cards. If you think you might be at the limit, review all the credit cards you've opened in the last two years. If you won't pass the 5/24 rule, you're probably better off waiting until you can before you apply for a Chase card.
Getting approval for a Chase Freedom card
To recap, good credit (a FICO® Score of 670 or higher) is recommended to get the Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the Chase Freedom Flex®, as those are some of Chase's best credit cards. You'll also need to pass Chase's 5/24 rule, and it helps if you've been using credit for at least a year, too. Credit score and history guidelines are much more relaxed with the Chase Freedom Rise®, since it's a credit-builder card.
If you don't meet the guidelines for the card you want yet, I recommend waiting until you do. And if it's your credit score that you're worried about, our guide on how to build credit fast can help you raise it.
Credit card comparison
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Best for cash back on rotating categories
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
1% - 5% Cashback
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Intro:
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
Regular:18.49% - 27.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Best for cash rewards on everyday spending
$200 cash rewards
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
2% cash rewards
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
Intro:
0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening
Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Best for unlimited rewards on purchases
25,000 points
25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases
1.5 points per dollar
Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
Intro:
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers.
Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
A credit score of 670 or higher is recommended for the Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the Chase Freedom Flex℠. There's no credit score required for the Chase Freedom Rise℠ Credit Card, which is intended for consumers who are building credit.
It's not hard to get a Chase Freedom card. If you're building credit, you could qualify for the Chase Freedom Rise℠ Credit Card, even if you don't have a credit score yet. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Chase Freedom Flex℠ are more difficult to get, as they generally require a good credit score of 670 or higher.
The Chase Freedom Rise℠ Credit Card is the easiest Chase Freedom card to get. It doesn't have any credit score requirements, as it's designed for consumers who are building their credit history for the first time
Share This Page
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Motley Fool Money is 100% owned and operated by The Motley Fool. Our knowledgeable team of personal finance editors and analysts are employed by The Motley Fool and held to the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.
JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Lyle Daly has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Visa.
Motley Fool Money is a Motley Fool service that rates and reviews essential products for your everyday money matters.
