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The Citi Double Cash® Card and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® are both strong cash-back credit cards, but the Freedom Unlimited will offer most people a wider array of benefits. It offers strong cash-back rates and a better introductory APR offer.
The Double Cash still has its strengths -- particularly if you don’t spend a lot on dining and drugstores or need to knock out some existing credit card debt. Consider your goals and the details of each card’s offer to determine the best fit for you.
Rewards and redemption
- Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service
- 1.5% on all other purchases
The Citi Double Cash earns rewards no matter what you’re spending on, while the Freedom Unlimited earns more rewards depending on the kind of purchases you’re making. Here’s a breakdown of how your rewards on $500 of spending would look for each category.
Card | Dining rewards | Drug store rewards | Travel booked through issuer portals | General spending rewards | Total rewards |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Double Cash | $10 | $10 | $25 | $10 | $55 |
Freedom Unlimited | $15 | $15 | $25 | $7.50 | $62.50 |
There are a number of bonus categories that the Freedom Unlimited will always beat the earning potential of the Double Cash, simply because it features a higher cash-back rate.
While both credit cards earn higher rewards for booking travel through their respective issuer travel portals (the Double Cash only for a limited time), the Freedom Unlimited’s bonus category is more inclusive. You can earn the higher rate on all travel booked through Chase, while the Double Cash earns rewards only for hotels, rental cars and attractions booked through Citi Travel℠ portal (through Dec. 31, 2024).
The Chase Freedom Unlimited will be more rewarding provided you spend heavily in its bonus categories, though the Double Cash earns a strong reward rate no matter what you’re spending on.
Introductory purchase APR
- none
- 15 months of 0% introductory APR for new purchases or a transferred balance (then 20.49% to 29.24% variable APR).
The Freedom Unlimited comes out on top here as well as it offers an introductory APR offer for purchases and balance transfers -- the Double Cash offers this feature only on balance transfers. However, the Freedom Unlimited’s offer is shorter in comparison.
The Freedom Unlimited offers cardholders the opportunity to make a large, planned purchase and pay it down while it accrues no interest. Considering the Freedom Unlimited’s strong rewards and shorter window of 60 days from account opening to qualify for its introductory 3% ($5 minimum) balance transfer fee (after that, 5% or $5, whichever is greater), it’s better to use it for its intro purchase APR rather than for a balance transfer.
Balance transfers
- Intro balance transfer APR: 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for 18 months (19.24% to 29.24% variable APR thereafter).
- Balance transfer fee: intro fee of 3% ($5 minimum) so long as you make any transfers within four months from account opening, otherwise the fee increases to 5% ($5 minimum).
- Intro balance transfer APR: 15 months of 0% introductory APR for new purchases or a transferred balance (then 20.49% to 29.24% variable APR).
- Balance transfer fee: intro fee of 3% ($5 minimum) so long as you make any transfers within the first 60 days of account opening, otherwise the fee will be 5% ($5 minimum).
While the Freedom Unlimited carries the better introductory APR offer since it covers both purchases and balance transfers, if you need to utilize a balance transfer, the Double Cash will be the better choice.
The Double Cash also gives you more time to pay down a transferred balance, though you’ll need to complete any balance transfers within the first four months of account opening to qualify for the intro balance transfer APR. Cardholders get a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months (then 19.24% to 29.24% variable) compared to 15 months (then 20.49% to 29.24% variable) with the Freedom Unlimited.
Three months may not seem like a huge deal, but it could make all the difference depending on your budget and the size of the balance you’re looking to transfer. We don’t recommend using the Freedom Unlimited for a balance transfer, but it’s a good choice if you need to finance a large, planned purchase.
Additional card perks
- Virtual credit card number
- 24-hour fraud protection
- $0 liability on unauthorized charges
- Purchase protection
- Extended warranty
- Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
- Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
The Freedom Unlimited offers far more when it comes to additional card perks than the Double Cash. The Double Cash only provides the standard fraud protections that come included with most credit cards, whereas the Freedom Unlimited provides cardholders with a nice array of shopping protections. However, one thing the Double Cash offers that the Freedom Unlimited does not is virtual credit card capabilities. Creating a virtual credit card number can help your information stay secure while shopping online.
Welcome bonus
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) -- worth up to $300 cash back. That’s 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
The Freedom Unlimited slightly edges out the Double Cash for how much you can earn as a welcome bonus, but the lower spending requirement gives the Double Cash a definite advantage.
How Citi Double Cash® Card and Chase Freedom Unlimited® compare to other cards
*All information about the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
The bottom line
While both the Citi Double Cash and the Freedom Unlimited are strong rewards credit cards, the Freedom Unlimited will be the better choice for most people. It has the potential to be more rewarding thanks to its bonus categories, it can help avoid interest charges on more than just balance transfers and it provides more card benefits.
However, if you don’t spend a lot across the Freedom Unlimited’s bonus categories, Double Cash has the potential to offer more rewards. It will also be the better choice if you’re planning on utilizing a balance transfer. You could also get both cards considering neither have an annual fee.
FAQs
Yes. Paying a balance transfer fee will typically be less than the cost of continuous interest charges on a credit card with a high APR.
Typically the difference is how much points and cash back are worth and how you can redeem them. With points, you may have more options when it comes time for redemption, but they may not always be worth one cent. Cash back, on the other hand, can usually be redeemed only as statement credits. 1% cash back is also generally worth 1 cent.
Yes. You could use the Double Cash card for everything that the Freedom Unlimited doesn’t earn more rewards for. That way, you could maximize the return on your spending and get the most out of both cards.
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