All comparisons
Head-to-head, 2026
Chase Freedom Flex Chase United Explorer
Annual fee, welcome offer, top earning categories, and key benefits — compared side-by-side using Perqt's catalog data.
Chase
Freedom Flex
- Annual fee
- $0
- Network
- mastercard
- Welcome value
- $200
- Min spend
- $500 / 3mo
Top earning rates
- 5×Combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate · Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 5×Travel · Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 3×Dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services · Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 3×Drugstore purchases · Chase Ultimate Rewards
Key benefits
- Quarterly DoorDash non-restaurant discount · $10
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver · $0
- Cell Phone Protection · $0
- Purchase Protection · $0
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance · $0
Chase
United Explorer
- Annual fee
- $0
- Network
- visa
- Welcome value
- —
- Min spend
- $3,000 / 3mo
Top earning rates
- 2×Travel · United MileagePlus
- 2×Dining · United MileagePlus
- 2×Hotel · United MileagePlus
- 1×All_other_purchases · United MileagePlus
Key benefits
- Free first checked bag · $200
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS fee credit · $120
- $100 United travel credit (Spend Tier) · $100
- JSX statement credit · $100
- United Hotels credits · $100
Wondering which one is right for your wallet?
Spec sheets can't tell you which card actually earns more for the way you spend. Perqt connects to your wallet, runs the math against your real transactions, and tells you which of these two — or another card entirely — gives you the biggest annual uplift.
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