Apple Card vs Chase Freedom Flex

Both cards cost $0/yr. The Apple Card leads on everyday spending; the Chase Freedom Flex on rotating quarterly.

Card data as of October 12, 2026.

Overview

Annual fee
Apple Card
$0
Chase Freedom Flex
$0
Welcome offerCurrent public offer
Apple Card
—
Chase Freedom Flex
$250 cash back
Rewards
Apple Card
Cash back
Chase Freedom Flex
Cash back
Foreign transaction fee
Apple Card
None
Chase Freedom Flex
None
Network
Apple Card
Mastercard
Chase Freedom Flex
Mastercard World Elite

Earn ratesPer $1 spent

Rotating Quarterly
Apple Card
1%
Chase Freedom Flex
5%
Highest
Dining
Apple Card
1%
Chase Freedom Flex
3%
Highest
Drugstores
Apple Card
1%
Chase Freedom Flex
3%
Highest
Everything else
Apple Card
1%
Chase Freedom Flex
1%

Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record

Travel
Apple Card
  • Extra 2% Booking.com Travel Credits · $2 per transaction
Chase Freedom Flex
—
Rideshare & transit
Apple Card
  • $60 Uber One trial · $60 one-time
Chase Freedom Flex
—
Dining & delivery
Apple Card
—
Chase Freedom Flex
  • DoorDash DashPass
  • DoorDash DashPass · $60 one-time

Perks & access— means none on record

Car rental
Apple Card
  • 5%+ off Hertz rentals + perks
Chase Freedom Flex
—
Other perks
Apple Card
  • Share card with family and teens
  • Interest-free payments on Apple gear
  • Color-coded spending insights
Chase Freedom Flex
  • No foreign transaction fees on purchases worldwide
  • 24/7 roadside assistance for towing and emergencies
  • 24/7 travel assistance anywhere in the world

Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record

Trip insurance
Apple Card
—
Chase Freedom Flex
  • Up to $6,000 trip cancellation and interruption coverage
Rental car
Apple Card
—
Chase Freedom Flex
  • Secondary rental coverage when you skip the counter option
Purchase & returns
Apple Card
  • Zero Liability on unauthorized transactions
  • No fees on international purchases
  • Biometric security on every purchase
Chase Freedom Flex
  • 24/7 fraud monitoring
  • Credit Journey
  • Up to $500 protection for damaged or stolen purchases
Extended warranty
Apple Card
—
Chase Freedom Flex
  • Add an extra year to manufacturer warranties
Other protections
Apple Card
  • No late fees or penalty APR
  • 24/7 lost/stolen card assistance worldwide
Chase Freedom Flex
  • 24/7 lost/stolen card assistance worldwide

Pros & cons

Pros
Apple Card
  • No annual fee, no late fees, and no penalty APR
  • Daily Cash deposited immediately rather than monthly
  • 3% back at Apple and select merchants (Uber, Walgreens, Nike, etc.)
  • 2% back on all Apple Pay purchases
  • No foreign transaction fees
Chase Freedom Flex
  • 5% on rotating categories up to $1,500/quarter when activated
  • 3% on dining and drugstores with no annual cap
  • 5X on Chase Travel portal purchases
  • $0 annual fee with Mastercard World Elite benefits
  • No foreign transaction fees (new for 2026)
Cons
Apple Card
  • Only 1% back when using physical card (non-Apple Pay)
  • Requires iPhone to apply and manage the card
  • No sign-up bonus
  • No travel-related benefits or protections
  • Limited 3% merchant list compared to category cards
Chase Freedom Flex
  • Must activate quarterly categories or miss 5% bonus
  • $1,500 quarterly cap on 5% categories ($300 max bonus/quarter)
  • Points worth only 1 cent without Sapphire card pairing
  • Welcome bonus lower than Sapphire cards
Add a 3rd or 4th card to this comparison →

Category-by-Category Winner

The Chase Freedom Flex wins in 2 of 2 categories. The Apple Card leads in 0. 2 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.

?

Rotating Quarterly

Depends: up to $1,500/quarter; Must activate each quarter before deadline

Chase Freedom Flex earns 5X when conditions are met; Apple Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)

?

Travel

Depends: via issuer travel portal

Chase Freedom Flex earns 5X when conditions are met; Apple Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)

W

Dining

Chase Freedom Flex earns 3X vs 1X

W

Drugstores

Chase Freedom Flex earns 3X vs 1X

Year One vs Ongoing Value

Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.

Both scenarios favor the Chase Freedom Flex on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).

ScenarioApple CardChase Freedom FlexOngoing winnerYear-one winner
Light spender: $1,000/month
Rewards: $120
Credits (our usable estimate): $35
− Annual fee ($0)
Ongoing: $155
Year one: $185
Rewards: $281
Credits (our usable estimate): $20
− Annual fee ($0)
Ongoing: $301
Year one: $581
Chase Freedom FlexChase Freedom Flex
Heavy spender: $4,000/month
Rewards: $480
Credits (our usable estimate): $35
− Annual fee ($0)
Ongoing: $515
Year one: $545
Rewards: $1,123
Credits (our usable estimate): $20
− Annual fee ($0)
Ongoing: $1,143
Year one: $1,423
Chase Freedom FlexChase Freedom Flex

Which Card Is Right for You?

Get the Chase Freedom Flex if you:

  • +Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out

The Bottom Line

Both scenarios favor the Chase Freedom Flex on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).

Frequently Asked Questions

Which card earns more rewards, the Apple Card or Chase Freedom Flex?
Both cards earn 1X on everyday purchases. The difference is in bonus categories — check the earn rate comparison above for a full breakdown.
What benefits does the Apple Card have that the Chase Freedom Flex doesn't?
The Apple Card offers travel credits. The Chase Freedom Flex offers dining credits.
Should I get the Apple Card or the Chase Freedom Flex?
Both cards have the same $0/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.

Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published October 12, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.

Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published October 12, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.