Chase Freedom Unlimited is a good beginner card for people who already have some credit history – from being an authorized user, for example. The Chase Freedom Unlimited card requires at least good credit for approval, so it is not accessible to people who are just starting to build their credit.
Why Chase Freedom Unlimited Is Good for Beginners with Good Credit
Chase Freedom Unlimited offers 1.5 - 5% cash back on all purchases, so its ongoing rewards are simple and easy to manage.
An extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back.
Chase Freedom Unlimited has a $0 annual fee, so you don’t need to worry about earning enough rewards to offset fees. Higher-tier Chase cards can charge very steep annual fees.
In case you do not meet the credit score requirement for the Chase Freedom Unlimited card, Chase does offer a credit card for people with less-than-good credit. The Freedom Student card from Chase is a great rewards credit card for students with a limited credit history. You can also compare the best beginner credit cards overall on WalletHub.
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.
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.
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