Apple Card vs Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Apple Card
VS
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
The short answer: The Apple Card delivers a bit more value for most spenders, but choose the Chase Freedom Unlimited® if you spend more on dining.

Side-by-side comparison

Apple CardChase Freedom Unlimited®
Annual feeNo annual feeNo annual fee
Welcome offerNo current offer$200 cash bonus
Dining2x3x
Groceries2x1.5x
Gas2x1.5x
Travel2x1.5x
Streaming2x1.5x
Everything else2x1.5x
Est. yearly rewards*$583$490
Points typeCash back onlyPools with Chase → transferable
NetworkMastercardVisa

*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.

The verdict

On a typical year of household spending, the Apple Card earns about $583 a year in rewards and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® about $490, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Apple Card has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards and any credits, the Apple Card delivers more total value, about $94 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and groceries. The bigger difference is the ceiling: the Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns points you can move to travel partners for outsized value, while the Apple Card pays plain cash back. Favor the Chase Freedom Unlimited® if you will use travel transfers, the Apple Card if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.

Pick the Apple Card if your spending leans toward groceries, gas, travel. Pick the Chase Freedom Unlimited® if your spending leans toward dining.

Read the full reviews

Frequently asked questions

Is the Apple Card or the Chase Freedom Unlimited® better?
On typical household spending, the Apple Card comes out ahead, by roughly $94 a year with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. But the Chase Freedom Unlimited® can be the better fit if your spending lines up with its stronger categories. Run both through the Cardocrat calculator to see your own numbers.
Can I have both the Apple Card and the Chase Freedom Unlimited®?
In most cases yes, as long as you meet each issuer's approval rules (for example Chase's 5/24 rule). Many people hold complementary cards to cover more bonus categories, then pool or redeem the rewards together where the program allows.
Which has the better welcome bonus, the Apple Card or the Chase Freedom Unlimited®?
As of June 2026, the Apple Card offers no current offer and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers $200 cash bonus. Welcome offers change often, so confirm the current offer on each card's page before applying.