Best Chase Credit Cards of September 2020

This popular bank is known for big rewards and better benefits.

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Updated September 17, 2020

If you’re looking for the best Chase credit cards, you’re not alone. Chase is a very popular credit card issuer, especially among rewards seekers. We’ve done the research and crunched the numbers. If you’re interested in opening a Chase card, these are the ones worth your time. 

Best Chase Credit Cards

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Best Overall

,

Best for Cash-Back Rewards

,

Best With No Annual Fee

,

Best for Financing Large Purchases

Our Rating Among Chase Cards
4.8
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Full Review Next Steps
Current Offer

$200 cash back after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target or Walmart) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.

Recommended Credit Score Our recommended ranges are based off of the FICO® Score 8 credit-scoring model. Credit score is one of the many factors lenders review in considering your application.
350 579
580 669
670 739
740 799
800 850
Good - Excellent
Regular APR (%) 14.99% - 23.74% variable
Annual Fee $0
Rewards Earning Rate Earn 5% back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% on dining at restaurants and drugstores, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
INTRO PURCHASE APR 0% for 15 Months
Foreign transaction fee (%) 3%
  • WHY WE CHOSE THIS CARD

    Rewards are fruitful with this card, which offers the flexibility of more expensive counterparts with no annual fee. You’ll get 5% back on travel booked through Chase, 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases, and then 1.5% on everything else. With your rewards, you can tap into Chase Ultimate Rewards for travel, shopping, or gift cards. Plus, an introductory APR of 0% on purchases gives you a 15-month break on finance charges.

  • PROS & CONS

    Pros

    • Easy-to-earn and competitive welcome bonus
    • Good 0% APR intro offer for purchases
    • No annual fee
    • Several ways to redeem points through Chase Ultimate Rewards, including for travel

    Cons

    • Unlike comparable cards, this card still charges a foreign transaction fee
    • APR may be above average, depending on your credit
  • HIGHLIGHTS
    • $200 cash back after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus earn 5% cash back on the first $12,000 of grocery spending your first year.
    • 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases.
    • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase.
    • Earn 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 2022.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Best for Cost-Conscious Travelers

,

Best Sign-Up Bonus

Our Rating Among Chase Cards
4.4
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Full Review Next Steps
Current Offer

Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 when redeeming points for eligible purchases with the new Pay Yourself Back tool (currently, groceries, dining, home improvement and select charities), or for travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Recommended Credit Score Our recommended ranges are based off of the FICO® Score 8 credit-scoring model. Credit score is one of the many factors lenders review in considering your application.
350 579
580 669
670 739
740 799
800 850
Good - Excellent
Regular APR (%) 15.99% - 22.99% variable
Annual Fee $95
Rewards Earning Rate 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases worldwide.
Foreign transaction fee (%) 0%
  • WHY WE CHOSE THIS CARD

    For a $95 annual fee, you’ll get impressive travel insurance benefits and a flexible rewards plan that lets you transfer points to partner loyalty programs. You’ll avoid foreign transaction fees, and if you spend $4,000 within the first three months, you'll receive a hefty 80,000-point bonus worth $1,000 when used to book travel with Chase Ultimate Rewards (or possibly more when transferred to a partner).

  • PROS & CONS

    Pros

    • Good bonus compared to other travel cards with similar annual fees
    • Option to transfer points to eligible airline and hotel programs, often at a 1-to-1 ratio
    • Points are pretty valuable when redeemed for travel
    • Some premium travel insurance benefits

    Cons

    • No credits to cover incidental airline fees or other travel-related costs
    • Few everyday purchase categories earn extra points
  • HIGHLIGHTS
    • Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
    • Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals, and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
    • Earn 5X points on Lyft rides through March 2022.
    • Transfer points 1:1 to eligible Ultimate Rewards airline and hotel partner programs.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Best for Luxury Travelers

Our Rating Among Chase Cards
4.6
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Full Review Next Steps
Current Offer

50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Recommended Credit Score Our recommended ranges are based off of the FICO® Score 8 credit-scoring model. Credit score is one of the many factors lenders review in considering your application.
350 579
580 669
670 739
740 799
800 850
Excellent
Regular APR (%) 16.99% - 23.99% variable
Annual Fee $550
Rewards Earning Rate Earn 3x points on travel immediately after earning your $300 travel credit, 3X points on dining at restaurants, and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Foreign transaction fee (%) 0%
  • WHY WE CHOSE THIS CARD

    The new-cardholder bonus, earned if you spend $4,000 in the first three months, is worth $750 when you redeem points through the Chase travel portal—possibly more if you transfer points to one of the program's travel partners. Pair that with the annual travel-expense reimbursement, and new cardholders can earn more than $1,000 toward travel in the first year, which is an exceptional value for a premium card. You'll have a hefty annual fee, but when you add valuable airport lounge access to the equation, you've got a great option built for luxury travelers.

  • PROS & CONS

    Pros

    • Earn extra points for travel and dining purchases
    • Many different purchases count as travel spending, which makes earning rewards easier
    • Several valuable ways to use points, including transfers to partner loyalty programs
    • Jam-packed with valuable travel credit and travel insurance benefits

    Cons

    • Massive annual fee
    • High ongoing APR
  • HIGHLIGHTS
    • Receive 50,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months from account opening.
    • Get an annual $300 travel credit for eligible purchases charged to your card each anniversary year.
    • Earn 3 points on travel (excluding purchases eligible for the travel credit), restaurants, and dining. Earn 1 point per $1 spent on other purchases.
    • Points are worth 50% more when you redeem them for travel through Chase's Ultimate Rewards portal.
    • Transfer points 1:1 to eligible Ultimate Rewards airline and hotel partner programs.

Ink Business Unlimited

Best for Businesses

Our Rating Among Chase Cards
4.1
Ink Business Unlimited
Full Review Next Steps
Current Offer

$500 bonus cash back after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening.

Recommended Credit Score Our recommended ranges are based off of the FICO® Score 8 credit-scoring model. Credit score is one of the many factors lenders review in considering your application.
350 579
580 669
670 739
740 799
800 850
Good - Excellent
Regular APR (%) 13.24% - 19.24% variable
Annual Fee $0
Rewards Earning Rate Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase.
INTRO PURCHASE APR 0% for 12 Months
Cash Advance APR (%) 24.99%
Cash Advance Fee Either $15 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater.
  • WHY WE CHOSE THIS CARD

    Small-business owners will enjoy this no-fuss rewards card. You’ll earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on each purchase, so there are no categories or earning limitations to worry about. This no-annual-fee card also offers a year-long no-interest APR offer to new cardholders, which is helpful for anyone looking to spread out expense costs for a little while. Since this card issues cash back as Chase Ultimate Rewards points, there are many valuable ways to use rewards, including statement credits and travel.

  • PROS & CONS

    Pros

    • Sizable welcome bonus for a no-annual-fee business card (and the spending requirement is relatively low)
    • Wide variety of redemption options, including cash back and travel bookings
    • Competitive length for a 0% APR offer on purchases

    Cons

    • Rewards rate on purchases is pretty standard, but nothing special
    • Foreign transaction fee makes this a costly card for international business travel
  • HIGHLIGHTS
    • $500 bonus cash back after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening.
    • Earn unlimited 1.5% Cash Back rewards on every purchase made for your business.
    • Redeem your rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
    • Employee cards let you set individual spending limits and help you earn rewards even faster.
Everything You Need to Know About Chase Bank

What Is Chase?

Chase is the largest commercial bank in the U.S. It issues credit cards under its own brand, and with merchants like Amazon, Southwest, United, Marriott, and Disney. 

Chase grabs headlines for its travel rewards cards, but the bank also offers good cards for small businesses, earning cash back, and making balance transfers. 

Nearly all Chase credit cards are Visa cards, with one Mastercard exception: the IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card. Since Mastercard and Visa are both globally accepted card networks, you can use Chase cards easily when traveling internationally. 

Note

You’ll need at least a good credit score (670 or higher, by FICO standards) to qualify for most of this bank’s cards. Chase doesn’t offer any secured or student credit cards.

Here’s another quick rundown of the Chase credit cards we think are best:

Best Chase Credit Cards
Credit Card Category Annual Fee​
Chase Freedom Unlimited Best Overall $0
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Best for Cost-Conscious Travelers $95
Chase Sapphire Reserve Best for Luxury Travelers $550
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card Best for Businesses $95
Chase Freedom Unlimited Best for Cash-Back Rewards $0
Chase Freedom Unlimited Best With No Annual Fee $0
Chase Freedom Unlimited Best for Financing Large Purchases $0
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Best Sign-Up Bonus $95

How Does Chase's Ultimate Rewards Program Work?

Ultimate Rewards is Chase’s primary rewards program. It’s available with the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Freedom, Chase Freedom Student, Chase Freedom Unlimited, Ink Business Preferred, Ink Business Unlimited, and Ink Business Cash.

Depending on the card, you’ll earn points for each dollar spent, extra points on select purchase categories, flat-rate cash back, or up to 5% back on rotating categories. Chase Ultimate Rewards program points are usually worth 1 cent each, but when the points are redeemed for travel in the Ultimate Rewards portal, they may be worth 1 to 1.50 cents each, depending on the card. Chase Ultimate Rewards never expire as long as your card account is open and in good standing. 

Ultimate Rewards points are flexible rewards that can be redeemed in many ways, including but not limited to:

  • Travel
  • Gift cards
  • Cash back
  • Apple merchandise
  • Amazon.com shopping
  • Event tickets 

With some cards, points can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio with Chase’s travel partners, which include major airlines and hotel brands like United, Marriott, and Hyatt. To learn more about how to earn and use Chase Ultimate Rewards points, read "Chase Ultimate Rewards Program: Your Complete Guide."

Ultimate Rewards aren’t the only rewards associated with Chase cards. Co-branded Chase cards will have rewards programs with select retail brands, like Southwest Rapid Rewards or Starbucks Rewards.

Chase 5/24 Rule

Chase follows an unofficial card application approval process that’s been dubbed the 5/24 rule. If you’ve opened five new credit cards with any issuer in the past 24 months, it’s unlikely you’ll qualify for most Chase cards—even if you have a stellar credit score. 

Tip

If you want a Chase card but think you’ll fall afoul of the 5/24 rule, wait for that two-year mark to pass to increase your approval odds and avoid the ding to your credit score of a hard inquiry.

How Good Is Chase Customer Service?

Chase receives fairly good ratings for its customer service and was ranked No. 4 out of 11 major card issuers in the 2020 J.D. Power U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study. The bank’s online credit card services rated first in another 2020 J.D. Power study. The bank's mobile app was ranked sixth in that same study.

The Chase customer service phone line is open 24/7, 365 days a year. Chase also offers secure messaging via email and even a designated support account on Twitter. 

If you open a Chase credit card, you’ll also have a number of self-service resources at your disposal. View your FICO Score online and via the Chase mobile app for free. You can also track your credit health via Credit Journey, a credit dashboard that summarizes your credit report and credit score, and offers tips on managing credit.

Methodology

We collect data on hundreds of cards and score more than 55 features that affect your finances. We do this because it's our mission to give you unbiased, comprehensive credit card reviews.

Our reviews are always impartial. No one can influence which cards we review, the way we present them to you, or the ratings they receive.

About This List

The Balance editorial team compiled this best card list using the same factors used to evaluate our best overall card rankings, but focused just on cards issued by Chase. We excluded co-branded airline and hotel cards, because knowing the best airline card issued by Chase is only helpful if you fly that airline.

What We Score

Rewards, annual fee, and regular APR are the most important things people consider when choosing a credit card, so we weigh those features most heavily. Beyond limiting this list to cards issued by Chase, we applied the same methodology we use to determine our best overall credit cards. For full details on how we evaluate credit card attributes, check out our full methodology.