The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® have no annual fees and offer attractive cash back rewards. The Freedom Unlimited provides higher cash back potential in the first year, while the Blue Cash Everyday is better for frequent spenders at U.S. supermarkets, online stores and gas stations.
Blue Cash Everyday® Card From American Express
vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Updated: September 20, 2024
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Blue Cash Everyday® Card From American Express
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Issuer's Site
On Issuer's Site
Which Card Is Better for You?
You might prefer the Blue Cash Everyday if you often spend at U.S. supermarkets, online stores or gas stations. It offers 3% cash back in these categories, up to a limit, and a $200 welcome bonus.
You might prefer the Freedom Unlimited if you travel or dine out frequently. It provides 6.5% cash back on bookings through Chase Travel℠ and 4.5% on dining and drug store purchases, with a potential $300 cash back welcome offer.
Head-to-Head Comparison: Card Details and Features
Evaluating APRs, fees, credit requirements, rewards and other features will help you choose the card that fits your needs. If cash back on groceries is your priority, the Blue Cash Everyday might be best. If you want higher rewards for various spending in the first year, consider the Freedom Unlimited.
Regular APR: Blue Cash Everyday
The Blue Cash Everyday has a lower starting APR of 18.74% than Freedom Unlimited's 20.49%.
Annual Fee: Tie
The Blue Cash Everyday and the Freedom Unlimited have no annual fee, making them attractive for those who want to avoid extra costs.
Introductory 0% APRs: Tie
Both the Blue Cash Everyday and Freedom Unlimited offer 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. However, the Freedom Unlimited may have a higher balance transfer fee after 60 days, making the Blue Cash Everyday a slightly better choice for transfers after this period.
Rewards: Freedom Unlimited
The Freedom Unlimited has higher cash back rates and is better for diverse spending. It gives 6.5% cash back on travel through Chase Travel and 4.5% on drug stores and dining (including takeout) in the first year, then 3%. The Blue Cash Everyday offers 3% cash back at supermarkets, online retailers and gas stations on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
Welcome Offers: Freedom Unlimited
The Freedom Unlimited offers an extra 1.5% cash back on up to $20,000 spent in the first year, potentially earning up to $300. Its return on investment is 40%, compared to the Blue Cash Everyday’s 12.5%.
Recommended Credit Score: Tie
Both cards require a good to excellent credit score of 670–850.
Penalties and Fees: Blue Cash Everyday
The Blue Cash Everyday card has a slight edge with a lower foreign transaction fee of 2.7% compared to Freedom Unlimited’s 3%. Both cards have a late fee of up to $40 and similar penalty APRs.
Issuer Satisfaction: Blue Cash Everyday
Customers report higher satisfaction with American Express, Blue Cash Everyday's issuer, rating it 5 compared to Chase’s 4.1, Freedom Unlimited's issuer.
Other Features and Perks: Tie
The Blue Cash Everyday provides up to $15 back on Home Chef subscriptions and a $7 monthly credit for the Disney Bundle. The Freedom Unlimited offers free credit score monitoring.
Rewards Comparison
The Freedom Unlimited edges out with higher rewards, especially for dining and travel in the first year. Its intro offer adds extra cash back on all purchases, which is advantageous for frequent diners and travelers.
While the Blue Cash Everyday card doesn't quite match up in overall rewards, it offers a compelling 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, online stores and gas stations, benefitting those who spend heavily in these areas.
The table below shows a detailed comparison of each card’s bonus categories.
Category | Blue Cash Everyday | Freedom Unlimited |
|---|---|---|
Dining | 1% | 4.5% (on up to $20,000 in the first year)/3% thereafter |
Drug Stores | 1% | 4.5% (on up to $20,000 in the first year)/3% thereafter |
Supermarkets | 3% for the first $6,000 annually/1% thereafter | 3% (on up to $20,000 in the first year)/1.5% thereafter |
Online Retailers | 3% for the first $6,000 annually/1% thereafter | 3% (on up to $20,000 in the first year)/1.5% thereafter |
Gas | 3% for the first $6,000 annually/1% thereafter | 3% (on up to $20,000 in the first year)/1.5% thereafter |
Travel | 1% | 6.5% if booked through Chase Travel (on up to $20,000 in the first year)/5% thereafter |
All Other Purchases | 1% | 3% (on up to $20,000 in the first year)/1.5% thereafter |
Redeeming Rewards
The Blue Cash Everyday and the Freedom Unlimited offer flexible redemption options. The Blue Cash Everyday lets you redeem cash back as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout, with no minimum required. The Freedom Unlimited provides more redemption choices, including cash back, gift cards and travel, also with no minimum. Rewards don't expire as long as your account remains active.
Methodology
MoneyGeek evaluates credit cards like the Blue Cash Everyday and the Freedom Unlimited based on their performance in different use cases. For this comparison, it focuses on cash back. Key factors include the value of rewards and return on investment.
For details on our evaluation process, see our ranking methodology.
FAQ: Blue Cash Everyday vs. Freedom Unlimited Card
What are the cash back rewards for each card?
The Blue Cash Everyday offers 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, online retailers and gas stations, plus 1% on all other purchases. The Freedom Unlimited provides 4.5% at restaurants and drug stores, 5% on bookings through Chase Travel and 1.5% on all other purchases. Both are great for earning cash back.
Do either of the cards have an annual fee?
Both are cards with no annual fee.
What are the introductory offers for these cards?
The Blue Cash Everyday offers a $200 statement credit, while the Freedom Unlimited gives an extra 1.5% cash back.
How do the APRs compare between the two cards?
Both cards offer a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months.
Are there any foreign transaction fees?
The Blue Cash Everyday charges a 2.7% foreign transaction fee, while the Freedom Unlimited charges 3%.
About Doug Milnes, CFA
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.
Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
Advertiser Disclosure: MoneyGeek has partnered with CardRatings.com and CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. MoneyGeek, CardRatings and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. To ensure thorough comparisons and reviews, MoneyGeek features products from both paid partners and unaffiliated card issuers that are not paid partners.