Chase Freedom Rise® Credit Card Review (2026): 1.5% Cash Back While Building Credit

Research-based review: I haven’t personally held the Chase Freedom Rise®. This review is based on verified issuer data from chase.com, published cardholder experiences, and comparison with competing credit-builder cards. Verify all figures at creditcards.chase.com/cash-back-credit-cards/freedom/rise before applying.

If you’re starting your credit history from scratch, the first card you open matters more than most people realize. The Chase Freedom Rise® is designed specifically for that moment: no annual fee, a flat 1.5% cash back on all purchases on every purchase, and a built-in path to upgrade to Chase Freedom Unlimited once your credit strengthens. Based on verified issuer data, this card returns about $90 in cash back per year on $500/month in total spending — not transformative, but real and fee-free while you build the history you need for better cards.

Here’s a complete look at who this card actually makes sense for, who should skip it, and how it stacks up against the closest alternatives.

Quick Summary

Who This Card Is For

The Chase Freedom Rise® is built for one specific situation: you have no credit history or a thin file, you want to start earning rewards immediately, and you want to do it through Chase — a bank where the upgrade path to better cards is clear and automatic.

Profile 1: The credit-history starter. If you spend $500/month across everyday purchases, this card earns $7.50/month in cash back — $90/year. That’s not compelling on its own, but it’s $90 more than you’d earn with a secured card that pays nothing. And you get there without a security deposit or an annual fee eating into the return.

Profile 2: The Chase ecosystem builder. If you already have a Chase checking account with at least $250, your approval odds go up meaningfully. And once you qualify for an upgrade to Chase Freedom Unlimited, your base rate stays at 1.5% while you add 3% on dining and 5% on Chase Travel — without opening a new card.

Profile 3: The Lyft regular. Through September 30, 2027, the Freedom Rise earns 2% cash back on Lyft rides. On $100/month in Lyft spend, that’s $24/year — not a reason to choose this card alone, but a real bonus if rides are already part of your budget.

Who should not get this card: if you have fair credit (580+), the Capital One Quicksilver Secured already earns the same flat 1.5% and doesn’t require a security deposit either. And if you’re looking for the highest year-one value on a beginner card, the Discover it® Secured returns significantly more through Cashback Match.

Sign-up Incentive: Is It Worth It?

There is no traditional welcome bonus on this card. What exists instead is a $25 statement credit after signing up for automatic payments within the first three months of opening your account.

Here’s the math on year-one value: $25 incentive + $90 in cash back on $500/month total spend – $0 annual fee = $115 net in year one.

The autopay requirement is easy to hit — you set it once, and that’s it. Whether you set it for the minimum payment or the full balance is up to you. The $25 credit is straightforward: no category activation, no spend threshold beyond autopay enrollment.

Is $115 in year one competitive? Compared to the Discover it® Secured with its Cashback Match (which effectively doubles your first-year cash back), no. The Freedom Rise is not the highest-value year-one option. Its advantage is that it’s an unsecured card for thin-file applicants — you’re not locking up $200 in a deposit to earn those rewards.

One honest note: the $25 incentive is structured to get you into autopay, which benefits Chase more than it costs them. It’s a reasonable perk, not a serious sign-up bonus.

Earning Rewards: The Math

The Freedom Rise earns at a flat rate. There are no bonus categories to track, no quarterly activations, and no spending caps.

The simplicity is the point. You don’t have to think about what you’re buying or whether you’ve activated this quarter. Every dollar earns the same.

Here’s what that actually means in practice: on $500/month across groceries, gas, and random daily spending, this card returns $7.50 per month. That’s one cup of coffee, roughly. The value proposition here is not maximizing rewards — it’s earning something while your credit score improves.

For comparison: a flat 1.5% card on $1,000/month total spend earns $180/year. The Freedom Rise on $1,000/month earns exactly the same $180/year. If your spending mix skews toward dining or groceries, you’d earn more from a card with category bonuses — but those cards typically require good credit (670+) to get approved.

The Lyft bonus is the one situation where this card overperforms. If you use $100/month in Lyft, that’s $24/year instead of $18 — a modest but genuine advantage through mid-2027.

Redeeming Rewards

Cash back on the Freedom Rise is earned as Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Each dollar of cash back equals 100 points. Redemption is straightforward:

• Statement credit — 1 cent per point, no minimum
• Direct deposit to a Chase checking account — 1 cent per point
• Gift cards — typically 1 cent per point, occasional promotions

There are no travel transfer partners accessible through this card alone. Chase’s transfer partners (Hyatt, United, Southwest, etc.) require a premium card like Chase Sapphire Preferred to unlock. If you later upgrade or hold a Sapphire card, the points you earned on the Freedom Rise can be pooled and transferred — that’s a real long-term benefit worth knowing about.

The one trap to avoid: redeeming for Amazon purchases or Chase Pay Yourself Back categories often returns less than 1 cent per point. Stick to statement credits or direct deposit for consistent value.

Complexity level: simple. This is a set-it-and-forget-it redemption card.

Fees and Costs

$0 annual fee. That’s straightforward — there’s no year-one waiver needed because there’s no fee to waive.

Break-even on a flat 1.5% cash back card doesn’t apply the way it does for fee cards, but the opportunity cost framing is worth noting: at 1.5% on all purchases, you’d need to spend $6,000/year just to match what a 2% card like the Citi Double Cash® returns on the same $6,000. If you’re approved for the Double Cash (which requires good credit), you’re leaving $30/year on the table with the Freedom Rise.

APR: 25.24%–25.24% variable. There’s no introductory APR on purchases or balance transfers. Carry a balance and the rewards disappear fast. At $500 in carried balance, the monthly interest charge at 25.24% is about $10.50 — that wipes out an entire month of cash back before you earn it.

Foreign transaction fee: 3%. If you travel internationally, use a different card for purchases abroad.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• $0 annual fee — no cost to carry while you build credit
• Flat 1.5% cash back on all purchases on all purchases, no category tracking required
• Unsecured card — no security deposit needed
• Clear automatic upgrade path to Chase Freedom Unlimited
• Chase checking account boosts approval odds for thin-file applicants
• Points pool with other Chase cards if you later add a Sapphire product
• 2% on Lyft through September 2027

Cons

• 3% foreign transaction fee — not for international travel
• No intro APR — carrying a balance is expensive at 25.24%–25.24% variable
• No traditional sign-up bonus — $25 autopay incentive is modest
• Flat 1.5% is competitive but not best-in-class for all spending categories
• No path to Chase travel partners without adding a separate Sapphire card

How It Compares

Chase Freedom Rise® vs. Capital One QuicksilverOne

The Freedom Rise wins on cost for the first year — $39 less in fees. But the QuicksilverOne has no foreign transaction fee and is easier to justify long-term if you carry it after your credit improves, since the $39 fee eventually nudges you to upgrade anyway. If you have absolutely no credit history and want to avoid any annual fee at all, the Freedom Rise is the better starting point.

For a deeper comparison, see the Capital One Quicksilver Secured review.

Chase Freedom Rise® vs. Discover it® Secured

The Discover it® Secured costs $200 in a refundable deposit but returns dramatically more in year one through Cashback Match — effectively doubling your cash back for the first 12 months. On $500/month across gas and dining (5% categories) plus $500/month other (1%), the Discover it® Secured returns around $360 effective year-one value compared to $115 for the Freedom Rise. The Freedom Rise wins if you don’t want to tie up a deposit.

See the full Discover it® Secured review.

Nick’s Verdict

Based on verified data, the Chase Freedom Rise® does one thing well: it gets you into the Chase ecosystem as a beginner with no annual fee and no deposit, and keeps you there with a clear upgrade path. For a $500/month spender, the card returns $115 net in year one (including the $25 autopay incentive). That’s honest and fee-free.

The case for this card is not the rewards — 1.5% flat is table stakes for cash back cards. The case is Chase itself. If you plan to eventually hold a Chase Sapphire card or want your points to transfer to airline and hotel partners someday, starting with the Freedom Rise means those early months of spending are already contributing to an Ultimate Rewards balance you’ll actually use. The annual upgrade evaluation happens automatically, and when you qualify for Freedom Unlimited, you don’t start over — you carry your history forward.

Who should apply: someone with no or thin credit history who wants an unsecured Chase card and plans to stay in the Chase ecosystem long-term. Particularly strong if you already have a Chase checking account.

Who should skip it: anyone who has fair credit already (580+) and could get approved for a card with better category bonuses, or anyone who travels internationally and doesn’t want to deal with a 3% foreign fee.

FAQ

Is the Chase Freedom Rise® worth it with no annual fee?

Yes — on pure math, a $0-fee card that earns 1.5% cash back never costs you money to hold. The question is whether it’s the best card for your situation. For someone with no credit history who wants an unsecured Chase card, it’s worth it. For someone with established credit who qualifies for a Citi Double Cash or Chase Freedom Unlimited, those cards return more value.

What credit score do you need for Chase Freedom Rise®?

The Chase Freedom Rise® is designed for people with no credit history or a thin file — you don’t need an established score to apply. Chase doesn’t publish a minimum score requirement. Your approval odds increase if you have a Chase checking or savings account with at least $250. If you already have fair-to-good credit (580+), you likely qualify for cards with higher rewards rates.

Chase Freedom Rise® vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited: which is better?

The Freedom Unlimited is significantly better — 1.5% base rate, 3% on dining, 5% on Chase Travel, and no foreign fee. But it requires a stronger credit profile. The Freedom Rise exists specifically as the entry point for thin-file applicants who aren’t yet approved for Freedom Unlimited. If you qualify for Freedom Unlimited today, get that card. If you don’t, start with the Freedom Rise and upgrade automatically when you do.

Does Chase Freedom Rise® have foreign transaction fees?

Yes — 3% on all international transactions. This is one of the card’s clearest weaknesses. If you travel abroad regularly, the Freedom Rise is not your travel card. Use a card with no foreign fee, like the Capital One Quicksilver Secured, for international purchases.

How does the Chase Freedom Rise® upgrade work?

Chase automatically evaluates your account each year for an upgrade to Chase Freedom Unlimited. To qualify, your account needs to be open, you need to have made at least one purchase in the past 12 months, all payments in the previous 12 months need to be on time, and none of your Chase accounts can be suspended. No application required — Chase initiates the upgrade.

Can you combine Chase Freedom Rise® points with other Chase cards?

Yes. The cash back you earn on the Freedom Rise is tracked as Ultimate Rewards points. If you hold a Chase Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, or Ink Business Preferred, you can transfer your Freedom Rise points to those accounts and then transfer to airline and hotel partners. Without a premium Chase card, your Freedom Rise points are redeemable as cash back at 1 cent per point.

Does the Chase Freedom Rise® have a sign-up bonus?

Not in the traditional sense. There is a $25 statement credit available after signing up for automatic payments within the first three months. It’s worth doing — the autopay setup takes two minutes and the $25 posts to your statement. It is not a competitive welcome offer compared to other cards, but it’s free money with no spend threshold.