The Chase Freedom and Freedom Unlimited has become one of the best grocery credit cards available. But how does it stack up against American Express grocery card juggernauts, American Express Gold and American Express Blue Cash Preferred.
0:00 – Start
00:36 – Quick Card Breakdown
1:25 – Ave Family of 4 Grocery Spend
2:06 – $600/Month Breakdown
2:47 – $800/Month Breakdown
3:35 – $1k/Month Breakdown
4:30 – $1,200/Month Breakdown
5:34 – BCP Problem
6:35 – Freedom Or Gold?
7:30 – Question To Ask Yourself
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47 comments
I just picked up the Chase Freedom with the 5% grocery bonus, but I still love my BCP for groceries and fuel.
Heads up, was checking out some of the links in the description, you may want to swap out that Sofi one, looks to have expired
Another Reason not to have the blue cash preferred. You’re paying an annual fee to have a good rate on groceries, but then you’re limiting yourself not to pursue offers like this or to put grocery spend towards other sign up bonuses.
Is this only for new card owners?
Once again, my boy Waller does some serious homework and gives us another excellent, honest analysis. 👊🏼
Any dp on whether Walmart Grocery (pickup or delivery) will count for 5%?
I see less than 1/1 value from AMEX points for as non-luxury domestic traveler…. I want either hotels or cash back and in both cases Chase and AMEX aren’t even close.
I got the chase freedom card I use that on my A groceries when its in play but I have the blue cash card i use for groceries right now but American Express is trying to upgrade me to the Preferred card I dont know should I do it cuz has AF $95 What u think i should do
Great in-depth analytics on this comparison between Amex and Chase. You not only beat everyone to the punch 🤜🏻 on this 5% Grocery bonus but this follow up comparison is icing on the cake 🎂
You're right, even with adding in my Blue Cash for 3% on the next $6000. Anyone who uses AmEx knows use the Preferred/ Blue Cash combo which brings the effective rate to 3.7%. So Chase wins, but I'll see what happens next year. And don't forget the 6% streaming and 3% gas on the Preferred. Not to mention their offers. My Preferred card just got a small business offer of $5 back on $10 spending good 10 times at my local grocery. The AmEx offfers so far this year more than covered the $95 fee. These days, as much as I'd love to give all my business to AmEx, Chase just has to get part.
I guess it just depends on how you look at it. even at $600 per month with 5% cashback ($360). Cant that be converted to 36,000 UR points if you have the preferred? if thats the case and I value my chase points at 1.5 cents per point. Id be looking at $540 in value vs. the $304 on the gold. Awesome Video!! looks like im adding to my wallet lol
Amex blue cash preferred needs to step it up. Unfortunately, I am in the Garden until 2021 I have no chase card. Waiting on “Offer for you” on my Chase checking account dashboard hopefully soon.
Can I get the 5% on a freedom unlimited if I got the card 2 months ago?
Hey guys, does any of you know if this added grocery offer is available for people who apply via referral link? I wouldn't want to refer my friends to get this card if they're going to miss out on the grocery offer.
If you don't have a Freedom card now is the time to get it! How about a Freedom vs Blue Cash Everyday Year 1 cashback value?
What Chase is doing here is definitely progressive but, end of the day, this is part of a first year-only benefit that dies off. Chase really needs to allocate a permanent groceries category on one of their cards, otherwise I'm going back to the Gold card after year 1. I am able to fully use the $100 airline and $120 dining credits, with the remaining $30 easily negated with some AmEx offers throughout the year, so AF isnt a limiting factor for me.
Amex Everyday Preferred Card @ 4.5x for groceries is still getting it done for me. The $6k limit is supplemented by the bonus 5x grocery months on the csp, and I'm still saving >$50 on annuL fees over the Amex gold.
Awesome video man! Can you please make a video about a hybrid chase/amex super combo? If we can transfer points from UR and MR to some common airline and hotel partners i don't know why no one has made a video about a hybrid trifecta.. i am thinking maybe CSP, Ink cash and amex gold?
I was denied because of too many requests for credit or opened accounts with us. Any recommendations? Still under 5/24
You didnt mention that the Chase Freedom grocery reward is for the 1st year only. I already have this card and the offer is not available to me.
But this only works if you are applying for the FREEDOM and the FREEDOM Unlimited as a brand new customer, And I have both cards already so I guess I’m shit out of luck
Good analysis, the concern is that for the Chase cards it's great for the first year but what about year 2. Thus, you will need another card for that 2nd, 3rd, etc year.
I'll try not to make this long winded: as a budget conscious person, I don't have much interest in earning tons of points for 5 star hotel and first class flight redemptions. Because of this, I'd be lucky to get a cent per point, very rarely 1.5 using the Amex portal. As a gold card holder, I'm now in my 12th month and looking to close it because cash wise, 4x points is redeemed at 2.4% cash back as a statement credit.
The big issue I have is that I looked at flights through American, both as cash payment, and as points, as well as booking it with avios. Well, a flight I wanted to book was $49 cash on the AA app but was 11,000 Amex points through their portal and similar numbers for avios and AA points. Maybe the virus is messing with things, but there's no way for me to justify using points here when a cash purchase would equate to half a cent per point. In my experience, these portals are distorting the price of a ticket/hotel and no one seems to be talking about it.
After looking through all these portals, I'd be interested to see a video from you that honestly showed how little value these points are worth for the budget traveler vis a vis cash purchases since the prices on the portals are vastly different from airline and hotel websites (I remember the amex hotel portals are particularly deceiving in this regard).
Thanks again for an insightful video.
I applied for the chase freedom unlimited card for the grocery offer. After I got it, the offer wasn’t there. They said the offer expired July 22nd. They are still advertising it. I feel ripped off
I already have the CSP, CFU and BCP. If my husband gets the Freedom, can his point transfer to me?
Let's not get too short sighted here. Chase Freedom & Chase Freedom Unlimited are great for groceries year 1. However, it is only year 1. Not year 2, 3, …etc.
Also factor in Amex offers. I usually get 20k in MR points per year through that alone via Amex offers.
Excellent analysis. I would go with the Freedom or Freedom Unlimited to be honest. We only spend about $400 to $600 on groceries per month and it would benefit us to use the Chase card. But, I do really like my Gold Card and not because it's metal. Way to go man, great video! Take care and stay safe Dustin!
The only thing that i think is missing on the comparison is that depending on where you live not all the groceries are accepted. Is dependent of the credit card company.
Has anybody done the data on stacking with the Chase Freedom quarterly categories? They normally have a Whole Foods and generic 'grocery stores' category every year. If you time it correctly, and spend the maximum $12,000 that is an extra $225 in cashback value ($825). If you have the CSR you can currently use the pay yourself back feature at (1.5). The other point is Chase doesn't care if you buy giftcards to Best Buy. Chase has won this round.
You’re forgetting that with the BCP you also get 6% back on streaming and 3% back on gas. You are assuming zero spend on these which isn’t realistic.
What about the sign up bonus? BCP has a $300 sign up bonus right now
I understand the value of each for just groceries, but why about the other categories. For example, the Amex BCP has other high CB categories that are worth looking at for overall value as well.
I wonder if the new US bank Altitude GO card is putting pressure on Chase, however, both these banks have tight restrictions.
Only if you are a new Chase customer. Us existing cardholders should stick with the Amex gold
That's interesting about raising the spending cap on the BCP to $12,000… that would drastically improve the card.
I keep trying to find an excuse to get rid of my Gold but it really is one of the best cards out there… Great breakdown
I would definitely get this card and ditch my Amex gold if I wasn't over 5/24. I don't have a UR card, but I would build up those points to eventually get a UR card
Just for DP. I’ve received a BCP offer, $300 SUB and 1st year $95 AF waived.
Thanks for the information. So I have a chase freedom for a long time and I'm just getting into the credict card game. When I log into the app I don't see anything relating to 5% for groceries. Does this mean that the 5% bonuses on groceries are only for the first year. If so what happens after the first year. It drops to 1%? And I'm guessing them one would get another card to get the 5% again. Right now I have a discover IT, chase freedom and a city preferred. But these cards have been with me for over 5 years now. Would it make sence to go after the new freedom flex or the amex every day?
Majority of people use up all of their dining credit on the Amex gold, myself included. Not sure why you valued this at $60 when coming up with your effective annual fee.
This breaks down when you look at the freedoms limitations to groceries only being available for 5% in different quarters throughout the year, it's not 5% all year in every month. BCP is 6% all day every day up to 6k.. 🤷♂️
exactly what i was looking for Waller. The breakdown was solid. "darn you like button".. my finger hurts from smashing it
AmEx won’t increase the spending limit on BCP because it would take the money from the cash cow Gold card.
I wonder how the numbers would work when compared to amex platinum offer 10x on groceries 1st 6 months capped at $15k
Great video makes choosing easier, thanks!
Chase freedom only get spends 1500 in their first year your math is wrong
I was wondering what I would do for this quarter between my freedom flex grocery category and my Amex gold card…. But then I picked up the Amex platinum card last week for the 100k plus 10x on gas and groceries…. So I’m gonna use that for my grocery spend the rest of this year. Great video as always Dustin, thanks for all of the tips.