Chase Freedom Unlimited® vs Citi Strata Elite℠
Side-by-side comparison
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® | Citi Strata Elite℠ | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | $595 |
| Welcome offer | $200 cash bonus | 100,000 ThankYou® Points |
| Dining | 3x | 3x |
| Groceries | 1.5x | 1x |
| Gas | 1.5x | 1x |
| Travel | 1.5x | 12x |
| Streaming | 1.5x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1.5x | 1.5x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $490 | $628 |
| Points type | Pools with Chase → transferable | Transfers to airlines & hotels |
| Network | Visa | Mastercard |
*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 Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns about $490 a year in rewards and the Citi Strata Elite℠ about $628, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Citi Strata Elite℠ charges $595, but carries about $735 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® delivers more total value, about $89 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on groceries and gas. Both earn transferable points rather than flat cash, so the deciding factor is whose transfer partners reach the airlines and hotels you would actually book. On the sign-up bonus, the Citi Strata Elite℠ currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Chase Freedom Unlimited® if your spending leans toward groceries, gas, streaming. Pick the Citi Strata Elite℠ if your spending leans toward travel.