byDaniel| Last Updated March 2nd, 2022
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With a decent variety of cash-back credit cards available that all offer some pretty reasonable benefits, it can be a challenge finding which one is the best option for you
So I’ve decided to review and compare the Chase Freedom Flex card with the Citi Custom Cash card.
I’ll go over what the cards offer in terms of benefits and user perks, and then I’ll decide which card is better value.
Who Are These Cards Good For?
Both of these cards are well suited to anybody that is new to credit cards as they both have no annual fee and are relatively easy to get approved for.
Along with this they also both offer some pretty decent cash back rewards just for using the card.
APR
So let’s start by comparing the APR for each card.
Starting with the Chase Freedom Flex card it comes with an intro APR of 0% for the first 15 months, and after this, it is a variable APR of 14.99% – 23.74%.
Next up, the Citi Custom Cash card also offers a 0% APR for the first 15 months. After this, the APR will be between 13.99% –23.99%.
And the rate for either card will depend on what your creditworthiness is.
Sign-up Bonus
So now let’s compare the sign-up bonus of each card and see if there is much difference in value.
Starting with the Chase Freedom Flex card you can earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months of card ownership.
And with the Citi Custom Cash card, you can also earn $200 cash-back after you have spent $750 on purchases within the first 3 months of opening the account.
So the bonus for both cards is the same but you will have to spend $250 more if you choose the Citi Custom Cash card.
Earning Cash Back
Next up, let’s see how you can earn cash back with each card and which card offers more value.
So starting with the Chase Freedom Flex card you will have a few different ways that you can earn cash-back.
To begin with, you will receive 5% cash-back for grocery store purchases up to a total of $12,000 in the first year,and if you take full advantage of this offer it is worth up to $600.
Next up you will receive 5% cash-back on travel purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
There is 3% cash-back on dining at restaurants, including eligible delivery services and takeout, and 3% cash-back on Drugstore purchases.
And finally 1% cash-back on all other purchases.
Now with the Citi Custom Cash card, you will receive 5% cash-back on the first $500 in purchases each month that are in your top spending category, which includes the following categories:
Restaurants, Gas Stations, Grocery Stores, Select Travel, Select Transit, Select Streaming Services, Drugstores, Home Improvement Stores, Fitness Clubs, and Live Entertainment.
And then all other purchases after this will receive unlimited 1% cash-back.
So if you take full advantage of the 5% cash-back offer each month you can earn up to $300 each year.
So for this section, the Chase Freedom Flex card offers twice as much cash-back on an annual basis just from the 5% cash-back on the first $12,000 spent at grocery stores.
Benefits and User Perks
Now from here let’s take a look at what benefits and user perks are offered with each card, And this is where the Chase Freedom Flex card shows its true value.
So starting with the Case Freedom Flex Card you will get a 3-month subscription to DashPass which gives you a $0 delivery fee on all orders that are over $12.
After 3 months you will automatically be enrolled in DashPass for the following 9 months at a 50% discounted rate, which works out to be $4.99 per month.
Next up you will receive 5% cash-back on Lyft Rides through March 2022.
When you take 3 rides with Lyft per month and pay with the card you will earn a $5 Lyft credit.
If you send $20 at Fandango or on Fandango’s streaming service you will receive a $5 Fandango reward.
You will get 5% back when you order a HelloFresh meal kit delivery.
And finally, you will get a complimentary 1-year ShopRunner membership that gives you free 2 days shippingand free returns from over 100 stores in the United States.
So the only benefit that really comes with the Citi Custom Cash card is that you will have access to the Citi Entertainment program, and this gives you access to music, sports, culinary experiences, and more.
And whilst this is nice a benefit to have, it doesn’t really come close to what the Case Freedom Flex Card offers.
Insurance-related Benefits
Now when it comes to insurance-related benefits, the Case Freedom Flex Card again offers a lot more than the Citi Custom Cash card.
Starting with the Chase Freedom Flex you will get cell phone protection that covers up to $800 per claim and $1000 per year in the event of theft or damage to any phones that are listed on your phone bill, and that is paid for with the card.
And with this, you will receive a maximum of 2 claims per 12 month period with each claim incurring a $50 deductible.
Next up you will get extended warranty protection that gives you an extra year of warranty on eligible US manufacturers warranties that are 3 years or less.
There is purchase protection that covers new purchases for up to 120 days in the event of theft or damage, and it covers up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
Next up you will receive trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance which covers up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip if the trip is canceled or cut short due to sickness, severe weather, or any other covered situation, and for this to be valid you must pre-pay for a non-refundable passenger fare with your card.
You get an auto rental collision damage waiver that basically covers theft and collision damage for most cars in the U.S. and abroad
And to use this, all you need to do is decline the rental company’s collision insurance, and then pay for the entire trip with your card.
And finally, you are covered by Zero Liability Protection, which basically means that if there are any unauthorized purchases made on your card, you won’t be held responsible.
Now let’s take a look at what the Citi Custom Cash card offers.
So first of all you will be covered for any unauthorized charges that are made to your account with $0 liability, so if there are unusual charges to your card that you didn’t make, you won’t have to pay for it.
You will get Citi Quick Lock which is a safety measure that can be used for your card.
It will give you the option to block any new charges that are made to your card, whilst allowing any recurring charges to continue without any disruption.
There is Mastercard ID Theft Protection which is a service provided by Mastercard, and with this, it will monitor your account for any unusual activity and alert you if anything suspicious does happen.
You will also get Fraud Early Warning, which is similar to Mastercard Theft Protection.
Basically, it will monitor your account and if there are any unusual transactions they will contact you to validate it and make the appropriate action so as to protect your account.
And finally, you will get free access to your FICO score with no impact on your credit score, and it is updated each month.
So for the section, the Chase Freedom Flex card offers a lot more value when it comes to insurance-related benefits.
Final Thoughts
So what are my thoughts about both of these cards?
Whilst the Citi Custom Cash card has a decent sign-up bonus that offers $200 cash-back and the ability to earn 5% cash-back on the first $500 spent each month on your top spending category, The Chase Freedom Flex offers quite a bit more value.
First of all, it offers the same $200 cash-back sign-up bonus, but you won’t have to spend nearly as much as the Citi Custom Cash card to receive it, With the Freedom Flex card, you only have to spend $500 in three months to get the cash-back bonus whereas with the Citi Custom Cash card you will need to spend $750.
Next up you can earn twice as much cash-back with the Freedom Flex card just through the 5% cash-back on the first $12,000 spent at grocery stores, which can be worth up to $600.
You will also have unlimited 5% cash-back on all travel that is booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards, and 3% cash-back on dining and drugstore purchases.
Whereas the Citi Custom Cash card will be limited to 1% cash-back after you have reached the $500 spend limit each month.
And finally, the Chase Freedom Flex card offers way more insurance-related benefits, whether it be cell phone protection, a rental collision damage waiver, or trip cancellation.
So for me, it is an easy choice, I would personally prefer the Chase Freedom Flex card as it clearly offers more value.
FAQs
Is the Chase Freedom Flex good for travel? ›
The Freedom Flex comes with a generous amount of travel insurance for a cash back credit card. Perks you'll qualify for include trip cancellation and interruption insurance worth up to $1,500 per passenger and $6,000 per trip, secondary auto rental coverage and travel and emergency assistance services.
Is Freedom Flex A World Elite card? ›Interest rate: 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 19.24%-27.99% Variable APR. Foreign transaction fee: 3%. Other benefits: The Chase Freedom Flex is a World Elite Mastercard, meaning you'll get perks like: Cell phone insurance.
How hard is it to get approved for Citi Custom Cash? ›Is it hard to get a Citi Custom Cash card? Yes, it is hard to get the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card because it requires at least good credit for approval. Unless your credit score is 700 or higher and you have a lot of income, it will be difficult for you to get approved for the Citi Custom Cash.
Is Chase flex hard to get? ›Are you eligible for the Chase Freedom Flex℠? If you have good credit — a FICO score of 690 or higher — you're likely eligible. That is, as long as you aren't afoul of Chase's "5/24 rule." Chase limits the number of new personal credit cards you can open in a rolling 24-month window.
Is a Chase card good for Travelling? ›We don't charge fees when you use your card abroad and we'll apply the current Mastercard exchange rate to any purchases you make in the local currency. Local banks may charge their own fees when you use one of their cash machines and you should make sure you understand what these are before making a withdrawal.
What is the max credit limit on a Chase Freedom Flex? ›The credit limit for the Chase Freedom Flex ranges from under $500 to over $20,000 depending on your income and credit history. Most cardholders receive credit limits in the $300-$5,000 range. Is the Chase Freedom Flex a Visa or Mastercard? The Chase Freedom Flex is a World Elite Mastercard.
How many credit cards are too many? ›It's generally recommended that you have two to three credit card accounts at a time, in addition to other types of credit. Remember that your total available credit and your debt to credit ratio can impact your credit scores. If you have more than three credit cards, it may be hard to keep track of monthly payments.
Does Chase Freedom Flex have airport lounge access? ›No luxury benefits: Don't expect to find any luxury travel benefits on the Freedom Flex. For Priority Pass airport lounge access or annual travel credit, you'd need to look into a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
Is Chase Freedom Flex a beginner card? ›The Chase Freedom Flex is a great all-around credit card for beginners and fans of cash back. It's easier to be approved for than many top-tier cards from Chase and American Express, and it offers a great array of benefits for a no-annual-fee card.
What credit score do you need for Citi Custom Cash? ›Suggested credit score
It helps to have a FICO® Score of 670 or higher when applying for the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card. As one of Citi's most valuable cards, it's intended for consumers who have good to excellent credit.
What is Citi Custom Cash credit limit? ›
If you qualify for the Citi Custom Cash Card, you're likely to receive at least a $500 minimum credit limit, though it could be higher. Citi doesn't have maximum published credit limits available.
Does Citi give high credit limits? ›The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card credit limit starts at $500 and can range over $10,000 for the most creditworthy borrowers. According to our research, the average credit limit for borrowers with good to excellent credit (a credit score of 661 or higher) ranges from $5,209 to $9,543.
Is it hard to get approved for Chase Freedom Flex card? ›Yes, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ is hard to get because it requires at least a good credit score for approval. This means that applicants need a credit score of around 700+ to have decent odds of getting approved for Chase Freedom Flex. As with any other credit card for good credit, these requirements are not set in stone.
What credit score should I have for Chase Freedom Flex? ›What credit score do you need for the Chase Freedom Flex? You'll need a good to excellent credit score (a FICO score of 670 or higher) to qualify for the Freedom Flex.
Why was Chase Freedom Flex denied? ›You Chase Freedom Unlimited® could be denied because of a low credit score (below 700), not enough annual income, or too many recent credit inquiries. Other grounds for denial could be incomplete or inaccurate information on the application, or a pending bankruptcy on your credit report.
Why should I book travel through Chase? ›The primary reason you may want to book travel via the Chase travel portal is that you earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® on paid reservations. You can earn 5x points on airfare booked within the portal and 10x points on hotels and car rentals.
Which Chase card is best for booking travel? ›The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the most popular travel rewards credit card on the market. Offering an excellent return on travel and dining purchases, the card packs a ton of value that easily offsets its $95 annual fee.
What is the best credit card to use while traveling? ›- Winner: American Express® Gold Card.
- Runner-up: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
- Editor's choice: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
- Best welcome bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
- Best for luxury travel: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Yes, Chase may automatically increase a credit limit for eligible cardholders. Credit card issuers like Chase consider several factors before offering an automatic increase, like the cardholder's credit score, credit utilization rate and how long a credit account has been open.
What is the highest credit limit with Chase? ›On our list, the card with the highest reported limit is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which some say offers a $100,000 limit. We've also seen an advertised maximum credit limit of $100,000 on the First Tech Odyssey Rewards™ World Elite Mastercard®, a credit union rewards card.
What is the limit on a 50 000 salary credit card? ›
#1 Your Income/Salary:
Usual credit limit is 2X or 3X of your monthly income. Suppose your salary slip shows Rs. 50,000 per month, you can expect Rs. 1 Lakh – 1.5 Lakh credit limit.
Beware of foreign transaction fees
Earning 1.5% cash back on all nonbonus purchases is nice, but keep in mind that using the Chase Freedom Unlimited® to make purchases overseas will negate the value of your rewards faster than you can say “cash back.”
Eligible travel purchases include airline tickets, hotels, car rentals, and cruises. Any items or charges not paid for through the Chase Travel Center will not qualify. Any portion of your travel purchase paid for using points will not qualify.
Are Chase Freedom Points worth more for travel? ›Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
How do I use my Chase Freedom Flex points for travel? ›Another way you can redeem your points, besides using them to book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, is to transfer them to one of Chase's 14 airline and hotel partners. Points can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio, and redeeming points via a Chase travel partner might offer you greater value.
Which Chase card is best for international travel? ›The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the best, all-around international travel card for most consumers, thanks to its flexible points and great travel benefits.
What is the best card to use overseas? ›- Horizon Bank Visa Credit Card.
- HSBC Low Rate Credit Card.
- HSBC Premier World Mastercard – Rewards.
- ING Orange One Low Rate.
- Latitude Financial Services 28 Degrees Global Platinum Mastercard.
- Westpac Lite Card.
- Wise Multi Currency Card for best exchange rates.
- Travelex Money Card - Best all rounder.
- Bankwest Breeze Platinum Credit Card for lowest interest rate.
- ING One Low Rate Credit Card with no annual fee.
- Macquarie Transaction Debit Card for a card you can use in Australia too.
- 10x points on car rentals, hotels, and dining booked via the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
- 5x points on airfare booked via the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
- 3x points on all other travel and dining purchases; 1x point on all other purchases.
- $300 annual travel credit.
- Priority Pass airport lounge access.
If your goal is to get or maintain a good credit score, two to three credit card accounts, in addition to other types of credit, are generally recommended. This combination may help you improve your credit mix. Lenders and creditors like to see a wide variety of credit types on your credit report.
Does Chase Freedom Flex do a hard pull? ›
Checking for Chase Freedom Flex pre-approval allows potential applicants to gauge their odds of being approved for the card before they submit an application. Pre-approval results in a soft pull, which does not affect an applicant's credit score. Chase does not offer pre-approval by phone or at a branch.
Does Chase Freedom pay for TSA? ›Does Chase pay for TSA PreCheck? On select Chase cards, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you can pay for the TSA PreCheck application fee using your card and get a statement credit. However, you can generally only get up to $100 in application fee credits every 4 years.
How do I get 5x points on Chase travel? ›Earn 5x points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
How much cash is 100000 Chase points worth? ›How much are 100,000 Chase points worth? When redeemed for cash back, 100,000 Chase points are worth $1,000. When redeemed for travel booked through Chase, 100,000 points are worth $1,500 if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or $1,250 with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.
Do I get airline points if I book through Chase? ›As mentioned, you can typically earn redeemable airline miles and elite qualifying miles when you book airfare with Chase. Still, if you book hotels this way, you won't receive credit toward elite status, and you probably won't even be offered the benefits of any status you already have.
Can you use Chase Freedom Flex at Costco? ›Yes, you can use the Chase Freedom card at Costco because it is on the Visa network. Costco only accepts Visa credit cards at its stores.
How much is 50000 Chase points worth travel? ›50,000 Chase Sapphire Reserve® points are worth $750 when redeemed for Travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Chase Sapphire Reserve also offers several other methods for cardholders to redeem points, albeit for lesser value.