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Chase Freedom Rise vs United Explorer Card

Both are Chase cards. Here is every spend category, ranked by what each card actually returns.

Best card by category Card terms as of Oct 29

Everything else

  1. Freedom Rise 1.5% 1.5% base rate
  2. United Explorer Card 1.2% 1x base rate

Dining

  1. United Explorer Card 2.4% 2x
  2. Freedom Rise 1.5% 1.5% base rate

Flights

  1. United Explorer Card 3.6% 3x
  2. Freedom Rise 1.5% 1.5% base rate

Hotels

  1. United Explorer Card 2.4% 2x
  2. Freedom Rise 1.5% 1.5% base rate

Lyft

  1. Freedom Rise 2.0% 2%
  2. United Explorer Card 1.2% 1x base rate

What the numbers are doing

Abroad the answer flips: Freedom Rise charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, so once that comes off the rate United Explorer Card is the better card for everyday spend.

The table is earn rate only — annual fees are not netted out of it. These cards charge Freedom Rise $0 and United Explorer Card $150 a year, so a thin lead in one category may not cover the difference.

Where they differ: Freedom Rise takes everything else and lyft; United Explorer Card takes dining, flights and hotels.

pointslipEveryday
Pass content preview
CategoryBest card
Everything elseFreedom Rise1.5%
DiningUnited Explorer Card2.4%
FlightsUnited Explorer Card3.6%
HotelsUnited Explorer Card2.4%
LyftFreedom Rise2.0%

Content preview. Apple Wallet controls the layout; visible categories vary by device. Categories that rank the same as Everything else are left off; every other category is in pass details.

Every category, every card

Everything else

  1. Freedom Rise — 1.5%
  2. United Explorer Card — 1.2%

Dining

  1. United Explorer Card — 2.4%
  2. Freedom Rise — 1.5%

Flights

  1. United Explorer Card — 3.6%
  2. Freedom Rise — 1.5%

Hotels

  1. United Explorer Card — 2.4%
  2. Freedom Rise — 1.5%

Lyft

  1. Freedom Rise — 2.0%
  2. United Explorer Card — 1.2%
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