Chase Freedom Flex(SM) vs. Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

ByGail Kellner

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Chase Freedom Flex(SM)

Overall Rating
4.7

Welcome Offer
$200 + 5% gas and grocery store offer

Rewards Range
1% - 5%

Annual Fee
$0

Regular APR
20.49%–29.24%

0% APR on Purchases
15 months

0% APR on Balance Transfers
15 months

Foreign Transaction Fee
3% of the amount of each transaction in U.S. dollars

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Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Overall Rating
4.4

Welcome Offer
Earn a $200 statement credit

Rewards Range
1%-3%

Annual Fee
$0

Regular APR
19.24% - 29.99%

0% APR on Purchases
15 months

0% APR on Balance Transfers
15 months

Foreign Transaction Fee
2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.

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Welcome Bonus

Chase Freedom Flex(SM): Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening Plus, earn 5% cash back on combined gas station and grocery store purchases (excluding Target and Walmart) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express:  Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.

The Chase Freedom Flex(SM) bonus is much easier to obtain, so Chase comes out ahead here.

Cash Back Rewards

Chase Freedom Flex(SM) uses rotating categories that earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in quarterly purchases. As a result, you must register each quarter for the program in order to earn the 5%. Also, remember rotating categories change each quarter which means you aren't always earning in the same categories. The categories for the first quarter of 2023 are grocery stores (excluding Walmart), Target, and gym/fitness memberships. The categories for April – June are Amazon and Lowe's. The categories for the other two quarters haven't been revealed yet.

In addition to the 5% on whatever category you sign up for each quarter, you'll also earn 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% on drugstore purchases, 3% on dining and 1% on everything else.

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express does not have rotating categories to keep track of or sign up for, so it's a little easier to live with. You'll earn 3% cash back on groceries, 3% on online purchases, and 3% at gas stations. All rewards are subject to a $6,000 cap, after which you earn 1% cash back. You can redeem reward dollars for statement credits, or additional items like merchandise and gift cards, whenever your available reward dollar balance is $25 or more.

Here are the details for each card.

Chase Freedom Flex(SM) 

Rewards:  

1% cash back
On all other eligible purchases
1% cash back on all other purchases
3% cash back
Drugstores
3% cash back on drugstore purchases
3% cash back
Dining
3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
5% cash back
Rotating Categories
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate
5% cash back
Travel
5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express 

Rewards:

1% cash back
On all other eligible purchases
1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
3% cash back
U.S. supermarkets
3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.
3% cash back
Select Categories
3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
3% cash back
Gas
3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.

Rates and Fees

Chase Freedom Flex(SM) offers an introductory 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months. After that, your rate will be 20.49%–29.24% variable, depending on your creditworthiness.

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express also offers 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months. After that, your rate will be 19.24% - 29.99% variable, depending on creditworthiness.

Neither card has an annual fee, and although the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express has a slightly lower foreign transaction fee, it doesn't really matter because if you're traveling internationally, you'd want a card with no foreign transaction fee.

Who the Chase Freedom Flex(SM) is Best For

Chase Freedom Flex(SM) offers a lot of great benefits and a welcome bonus, all for no annual fee. This card is a World Elite Mastercard, which means you get benefits like cell phone protection, trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance, and credit score monitoring. You get elevated benefits in one category a quarter. People who don't mind signing up for a category every quarter will love earning 5% cash back on that category. Keep in mind your choices will change every quarter, and you need to sign up for a category to earn 5% cash back. This is the main weakness of the card: having to remember to sign up for a new category every quarter. This card is also great for anyone who needs to make a major purchase or a balance transfer, as long as you pay it off within the 0% Intro APR window.

If you travel, consider getting this card and then the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card sometime down the line. While the Sapphire Preferred has an annual fee, it's an excellent travel card, and you can transfer your Freedom Flex points to the Sapphire Preferred to get 25% more value from your points. Chase Ultimate Rewards are worth 25% more with the Sapphire Preferred when you redeem them for travel through Chase.

Who the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is Best For

If you don't want to sign up for a rotating category every quarter, but the other benefits of the Chase card sound good, you'll love the  Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express. You'll qualify for the same 0% APR on purchases, and you'll earn 3% cash back on groceries, online purchases, and gas. You won't have to remember to sign up for anything: these categories will earn 3% year-round. You miss out on the elevated 5% cash back, but some people don't want to fuss that much with credit card rewards.

This is also a good card if you need to make a big purchase or a balance transfer. Just be sure to pay off the balance within the 0% Intro APR period.

Does it make sense to get both cards?

Maybe. Since neither card has an annual fee, it won't cost you anything to sign up for both cards. Remember that Chase can be a stickler and won't usually approve anyone who has opened more than five new accounts in the past 24 months. But then you could use the Chase card for the rotating category and use the Blue Cash card for gas, groceries and online purchases.

You could also maximize your travel rewards from the Chase Freedom Flex(SM) by transferring your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to any of Chase's airline or hotel partners. Or you could combine them with points from another Chase Card.

Chase Freedom Flex vs. Blue Cash Everyday Approval Odds

The credit score data provided for some of the cards listed below comes from publicly available information in several forums. The accuracy of the information cannot be verified. Keep in mind that credit card issuers consider more than an applicant’s credit score and that underwriting standards change over time.

Chase Freedom Flex(SM)

Credit Score of Approved and Denied Applications

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Credit Score of Approved and Denied Applications

Chase appears to approve people with lower credit scores, although for low limits. American Express approves people with good credit for decent credit limits. If you have good to excellent credit, you have an excellent chase of being approved for both.

Gail Kellner is an editorial assistant and contributing writer for Allcards.com and DoughRoller.net. According to family lore, money was one of her first words (“Mun-ya”) and ever since then, she’s been fascinated with money and investing. She has a B.A. in Psychology from Western CT State University and an M.S. in College Student Personnel from Indiana State University. She lives with her husband, two sons, and various fur-children in Westfield, MA. In her spare time, she writes YA and children’s fiction, reads, and enjoys a good nap.