A great beginner card is inexpensive to hold, easy to use and capable of earning rewards that help further your travels. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees) fits the bill on all three.
It’s a card I’ve had in my wallet for almost three years now, and I still use it regularly. Here are the reasons it’s one of the best cards for beginners.
Balanced earning rates for beginners
As a beginner, start with a card that covers a few key categories on its own. That gives you the greatest rewards-earning opportunity while you work toward a multi-card wallet.
Freedom Unlimited earns cash back at these rates:
– 5% back on Chase Travel℠
– 3% back on dining and drugstores
– 2% back on Lyft (through Sept. 30, 2027)
– 1.5% back on everything else
Where this card really shines is its 1.5% cash back on all nonbonus spending. I always encourage earning more than 1% back when possible, and 1.5% across the board is a meaningful step up from typical 1% cards. Covering travel, select ride-hailing and dining is a solid starter mix. Note that the 5% travel rate requires booking through Chase’s travel portal — a good way to learn how issuer travel portals work.
While its nonbonus rate is lower than some other cards (like the Capital One Venture), the combo of bonus categories and 1.5% everywhere provides solid value. For example, I spent just under $2,700 on nonbonus purchases on this card this year and earned roughly $40 in cash back from that 1.5% rate.
A welcome bonus with strong ROI
New cardholders can earn a $250 cash back bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months. You can redeem that cash back as a statement credit, direct deposit to a Chase account, gift cards, Chase Travel bookings or at Amazon.com checkout.
Pathway to greater value via Ultimate Rewards
When you hold a qualifying Ultimate Rewards card, like Chase Sapphire Preferred® or Chase Sapphire Reserve®, your Freedom Unlimited rewards can turn into transferable Ultimate Rewards points. Those points can be sent to Chase’s transfer partners; TPG’s April 2026 valuation of Ultimate Rewards points was about 2.05 cents per point. That can make the welcome bonus worth considerably more if you transfer points after adding a higher-tier UR card. It’s a handy pathway to magnify value as you advance.
Provides a foundation for a Chase Trifecta
If you plan to build a Chase “trifecta” (a combination of Chase cards used together for maximum earnings), Freedom Unlimited is a common and useful member. Other Chase cards can cover strong bonus categories, while Freedom Unlimited handles nonbonus spending with its 1.5% rate. Opening it now sets you up to slot it into a trifecta later when you add a Sapphire card or other Chase products.
Great for DoorDash fans
Freedom Unlimited cardholders can receive a complimentary six-month DoorDash DashPass subscription if activated by Dec. 31, 2027 — a valuable perk for a no-annual-fee card. DashPass typically costs $9.99 per month, so this can be meaningful savings. Additionally, DashPass members with this card can receive up to $10 each quarter for non-restaurant orders (through Dec. 31, 2027), such as groceries and convenience store purchases (some data suggest alcohol orders may not qualify). You also earn 3% back on DoorDash restaurant orders thanks to the dining category.
It doesn’t cost anything to hold
For a first card, a no-annual-fee product is often the best choice. There’s no pressure to maximize benefits while you learn the basics of points and miles, and you can keep the account open long-term to benefit your credit history. Account age factors into your credit score, so keeping a first card open when possible is beneficial. When you’re comfortable, you can add a card with an annual fee, such as the $95-per-year Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Bottom line
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is an excellent choice for anyone getting into travel rewards. It can stand on its own while you learn and earn, and later it pairs well with higher-tier Chase cards to increase the value of your rewards. Because it has no annual fee, it’s easy to hold long-term even if it’s not your primary card.
I’d strongly consider this as a first rewards card. Keep Chase’s application rules in mind — they tend to prefer an established credit history or a preexisting relationship with the bank — and consider the Freedom Unlimited as a long-term foundation for your future rewards strategy.
To learn more, check out a full review of the Freedom Unlimited.
