Is Chase Freedom Unlimited a good beginner card?

Chase Freedom Unlimited® is fairly hard to get, as it requires at least good credit for approval, meaning a minimum credit score of 700. The Chase Freedom Unlimited card is even harder to get with scores lower than that. Applicants for Chase Freedom Unlimited will also need an annual income that demonstrates an ability to make at least the card’s minimum payment every month. In addition, Chase considers factors such as your existing debt, monthly housing payment amount, and number of recently opened credit accounts, among others.… read full answer

Applicants will also need an annual income that demonstrates an ability to make at least the card’s minimum payment every month. In addition, Chase considers factors such as your existing debt, monthly housing payment amount, and number of recently opened credit accounts, among others.

You can get a better idea of how hard it will be to get a Chase Freedom Unlimited card through Chase’s online pre-qualification tool. You’ll know in a matter of seconds what your odds are of getting Chase Freedom Unlimited and other Chase credit cards, based on the information you enter. Plus, pre-qualification doesn’t affect your credit score, as the process is done using a soft inquiry.

Being pre-qualified is not a guarantee that you’ll get a Chase Freedom Unlimited card, so you will have to submit an application to know for sure. If you do apply for the Chase Freedom Unlimited card, Chase will do a hard inquiry on your credit report. This type of inquiry will knock a few points off your credit score but only temporarily.

Chase Freedom Unlimited® applications 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.

Whatever the reason, Chase will send a letter detailing why you were denied for Chase Freedom Unlimited® within 7 to 10 days of rejecting the application. You can use that information to help determine your next steps – requesting … read full answerreconsideration, applying for a credit card that’s easier to get, or building your credit as an authorized user on someone else’s account, for example.

On the other hand, if you already have the Chase Freedom Unlimited card but were denied when you tried to make a purchase with it, it’s possible that the card hasn’t been activated yet or you've exceeded your credit limit. If this occurs, first have the merchant try the card again to confirm it’s not an issue on their end. If the transaction is still denied, contact Chase customer service at 1 (800) 432-3117 to determine the specific reason(s) why the transaction didn't go through.

The easiest Chase credit card to get is the Chase Freedom® Student credit card because applicants can get approved with limited credit. This means the odds of approval are good even for people who are new to credit, making the Chase Freedom® Student credit card much easier to get than other Chase credit cards.

Easiest Chase Credit Cards to Get… read full answer

• Chase Freedom® Student credit card: requires limited credit or better
• Chase Freedom Unlimited®: requires good credit or better
• Chase Freedom Flex℠: requires good credit or better
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: requires good credit or better
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card: requires good credit or better

Having one of these Chase credit cards may increase your chances of landing a higher-tier credit card in the future, if you use it responsibly. That means paying your bill on time every month and keeping your credit utilization below 30% of your credit limit.