Introduction
Chase Freedom Flex and Discover it Cash Back are solid cash back cards. They are categorized as rotating bonus category cards which means they offer 5% cash back on categories that rotate every quarter. The bonus categories generally rotate between groceries, supercenters such as Walmart & Target, gas stations, restaurants and food delivery, online purchase including Amazon and eBay, PayPal and Digital Wallets, and so on. As they are the two cards competing in this space, it is only natural to ask which one is a better card.
Note: Some publications combine rotating bonus category cards with custom category bonus cards but we, at BonusCoach, will review them separately, as it should be. This is because, with custom bonus category cards, you have the freedom to select the category unlike rotating bonus category cards where the categories are selected for you by the card issuer every quarter.
Chase Freedom Flex VS Discover it Cash Back: Similarities
- Offers 5% Cash Back on two categories that rotate each quarter
- No annual fees
- Offers good sign up/welcome bonus
- Introductory 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers
Despite competing in the same space of rotating category cash back cards, they have numerous differences in how cardholders earn, redeem and optimize their cash back. As such, the difference between Chase Freedom Flex and Discover it Cash Back has been grouped into categories such as earnings, redemption, introductory offers, extra benefits and perks, and cash back categories.
Cash Back Earnings
Both Chase Freedom Flex and Discover it Cash Back offer 5% cash back on two categories each quarter. However, cash back is not limited to rotating categories. Chase Freedom Flex offers additional cash back on travel booked via Chase Ultimate Rewards, dining and takeaways, and drugstore purchases. Discover it Cash Back also offers additional cash back on gas stations and restaurant purchases. Besides those, both offer 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Chase Freedom Flex VS Discover it Cash Back: Cash Back Earnings
Chase Freedom Flex | Discover it Cash Back |
5% cash back on rotating bonus categories each quarter, up to $1500 in combined purchase | 5% cash back on rotating bonus categories each quarter, up to $1500 in combined purchase |
5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards | 2% cash back on your first $1000 in combined purchases at Gas Stations (stand-alone) and Restaurants, each calendar quarter |
3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services | — |
3% cash back on drugstore purchases | — |
1% cash back on all other purchases | 1% cash back on all other purchases |
Cash Back Redemption
Both Chase Freedom Flex and Discover it Cash Back offers multiple ways to redeem the cash back and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back. In addition, for both cards, rewards do not expire as long as your account is open. However, with Discover it Cash Back, you will get your cash back even if your account is closed, as a check.
Chase Freedom Flex VS Discover it Cash Back: Rewards Redemption
Chase Freedom Flex | Discover it Cash Back |
Statement credit towards your credit card balance | Statement credit towards your credit card balance |
Direct deposit to your bank account | Direct deposit to your bank account |
Online or travel purchases at online retail purchases or on travel booking websites | Pay with Cashback Bonus: Use your rewards at checkout at Amazon.com and PayPal |
Gift cards to select department stores, restaurants, video streaming services and more | Gift cards and eCertificates |
Sign-up Bonus & Introductory Offers
Although both Chase Freedom Flex and Discover it Cash Back offers sign-up bonuses and introductory offers, the offerings are quite different. Chase Freedom Flex offers a flat $200 welcome bonus when you spend $500 on qualifying purchases in the first 3 months. The sign-up bonus is straightforward and is quite easy to achieve. Discover it Cash Back offers cash back match for the first year which, if you optimize, can add up to more than $200 but it will be quite a hard thing to do for most customers.
Although customers have the possibility of earning more than $200 cash back on their first year with Discover it Cash Back card, Chase Freedom Flex also offers the possibility of earning higher cash back on the first year with their other introductory offer – flat 5% cash back on Groceries purchases, on up to $12,000 spent on the first year. This is a highly valuable bonus as almost everyone needs to fill up gas and the bonus is worth up to $600, depending on your spending on Groceries.
Chase Freedom Flex VS Discover it Cash Back: Sign-up Bonus & Introductory Offers
Chase Freedom Flex | Discover it Cash Back |
$200 sign up bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening | Unlimited dollar-for-dollar match for cash back earned on the first year |
5% cash back on Gas purchases during the first year, up to $6000 | — |
0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers | 0% intro APR for 14 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers |
Our Review of Best Cash Back Credit Cards
Our Review of Best Gas Credit Cards
Additional Benefits and Perks
Both Chase Freedom Flex and Discover it Cash Back provides additional benefits to the cardholders. But Chase Freedom Flex does offer more relevant benefits such as Travel Insurance, 90 days purchase protection, one year extension to manufacture warranty, and so on. As for Discover it Cash Back, it has no foreign transaction fee compared to the 3% foreign transaction fee charged by Chase Freedom Flex. It also offers free overnight card replacement and waives a penalty on your first late payment.
Chase Freedom Flex VS Discover it Cash Back: Additional Benefits and Perks
Chase Freedom Flex | Discover it Cash Back |
Travel Insurance | No foreign transaction fee |
Purchase Protection | No late fee on your first late payment |
Extended Warranty Protection | Free Overnight Card Replacement |
Cell Phone Protection | |
Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver | |
Doordash Pass |
Explanation of additional benefits and perks:
- Travel Insurance – The Chase Freedom Flex credit card offers trip cancellation/interruption insurance. For eligible purchases made with your Chase Freedom Unlimited® credit card, you can be reimbursed up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for your prepaid, non-refundable passenger fares, if your trip is canceled or cut short by sickness, severe weather, and other covered situations.
- Purchase Protection – Covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Extended Warranty Protection – Extends the time period of the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year, on eligible warranties of three years or less.
- Cell Phone Protection – Get up to $800 per claim and $1,000 per year in cell phone protection against covered theft or damage for phones listed on your monthly cell phone bill when you pay it with your eligible credit card. Maximum of 2 claims in a 12 month period with a $50 deductible per claim.
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver – Decline the rental company’s collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your card. Coverage is provided for theft and collision damage for most cars in the U.S. and abroad. In the U.S., coverage is secondary to your personal insurance.
- Doordash Pass – Complimentary 3 months of DashPass/50% Discounted DashPass from DoorDash for 9 months.
- No Foreign Transaction Fee – Discover it Cash Back does not charge any fees for purchases in other currencies.
- No late fee on your first late payment – There is no fee for the first late payment, and there is no penalty APR.
- Free Overnight Card Replacement – Current Discover card members who need to replace a lost, stolen, or damaged card can request overnight shipping to any U.S. street address for free.
5% Cash Back Bonus Categories
Chase Freedom Flex and Discover it Cash Back offer 5% cash back on two categories each quarter and we find that both of them offer a good mix of categories. At least one of the categories are those where all household spends money such as groceries, gas, restaurants, online shopping, and so on. Both of them have a spending limit of $1500 on purchase each quarter for 5% cash back.
The big difference is that Chase Freedom Flex publishes bonus categories for only one quarter at a time whereas Discover it Cash Back publishes it for all of the year. This does offer cardholders the opportunity to plan in advance and maximize their cash back bonus.
Both credit cards require you to activate the bonus. However, Chase is generous with the activation and as long as you activate the bonus within the deadline (which is after the start of the quarter), Chase Freedom Flex applies the bonus retroactively as well. As for Discover, you have to activate the bonus beforehand and Discover it Cash Back does not apply it retroactively. Current bonus categories can be viewed and activated at Chase website or mobile app or https://www.chasebonus.com/ and at Discover website or mobile app or https://www.discover.com/credit-cards/cashback-bonus/cashback-calendar.html
Chase Freedom Flex VS Discover it Cash Back: 5% Cash Back Categories 2022
Chase Freedom Flex | Discover it Cash Back |
First Quarter (Jan 1 – Mar 31) · Grocery Stores (excluding Walmart & Target) · eBay | First Quarter (Jan 1 – Mar 31) · Grocery Stores (excluding Walmart & Target) · Fitness Clubs |
Second Quarter (Apr 1 – Jun 30) · Amazon.com · Select streaming services (Apple Music, Apple TV+, Disney+, ESPN+, Fubo TV, HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, Pandora, Paramount+, Peacock, Showtime, SiriusXM, Sling, Spotify, YouTube Premium, YouTube TV and Vudu) | Second Quarter (Apr 1 – Jun 30) · Gas Stations · Target |
Third Quarter (Jul 1 – Sep 30) · Gas Stations (stacks with 5% back promo, totaling 9%) · Car Rental Agencies, Movie Theaters, and on select Live Entertainment. | Third Quarter (Jul 1 – Sep 30) · Restaurants · PayPal |
Fourth Quarter (Oct 1 – Dec 31) · Walmart · Purchases made using PayPal | Fourth Quarter (Oct 1 – Dec 31) · Amazon.com · Digital Wallets |
The Winner
Although both Chase Freedom Flex and Discover it Cash Back are solid cash back cards, Chase Freedom Flex is the clear winner and is our recommendation. Although both credit cards offers 5% cash back on rotating bonus categories each quarter and have no annual fees, Chase Freedom Flex has an edge over Discover it Cash Back with its simpler sign up bonus and introductory offers on gas, additional cash back offers on travel, dining and takeaways and drugstores, and extra card benefits and perks including trip insurance, purchase protection and extended warranty. This makes getting Chase Freedom Flex as your rotating bonus category credit card a no-brainer.
