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Chase Freedom Flex vs Wyndham Earner Plus: Which Is Better In 2025?
July 1, 2025

Editor's Picks
- The Chase Freedom Flex® is a versatile cash back card ideal for maximizing rewards on rotating quarterly categories, travel booked through Chase Travel℠, dining, and drugstore purchases.
- The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card is best for Wyndham loyalists, offering high reward rates on hotel stays, gas, dining, and grocery store purchases.
Chase Freedom Flex® Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a closer look at why the Chase Freedom Flex® stands out in a crowded field of cash back cards.
- It combines powerful 5% rotating quarterly categories with fixed 3% and 5% rates on everyday spending like dining, drugstores, and travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, all with no annual fee.
- Cardholders get valuable perks not always found on no-annual-fee cards, including cell phone protection of up to $800 per claim.
- Maximizing the 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in rotating bonus categories each quarter can net you $75 back every three months (publisher-formulated estimate).
Pros
- Offers a powerful combination of rotating bonus categories and fixed-rate cash back on popular spending categories.
- Includes valuable consumer protections like cell phone insurance and extended warranty, which are uncommon for a no-annual-fee card.
- Provides flexible reward redemption options, including cash back or the ability to pool points with other Chase cards for potentially greater value.
Cons
- The card’s highest rewards are tied to rotating quarterly categories that require activation.
- A foreign transaction fee makes it a poor choice for purchases outside the U.S.
- To transfer points to airline and hotel partners, you must also hold a premium Chase card.
Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a closer look at why we recommend the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card.
- It offers generous rewards on everyday spending categories, including accelerated points on gas, dining, and groceries.
- Cardholders automatically receive Wyndham Rewards PLATINUM status, unlocking perks like early check-in and car rental upgrades.
- The 7,500 anniversary bonus points awarded each year are enough for up to one free night, nearly offsetting the card's $75 annual fee (publisher-formulated estimate).
Pros
- New cardholders can earn a substantial welcome bonus.
- It’s a solid companion for international travel, as it charges no foreign transaction fees.
- Rewards are flexible and can be redeemed for award nights, transferred to airline partners, or used for gift cards and merchandise.
Cons
- The anniversary bonus points are not enough for a free night at mid-tier or luxury properties.
- Points are most valuable when redeemed for Wyndham stays, limiting flexibility for travelers who aren't loyal to the brand.
- It lacks perks found on competing cards, such as a free anniversary night certificate and cell phone protection.
Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus vs Chase Freedom Flex®
Categories
Deciding which is better, Chase Freedom Flex or Wyndham Earner Plus, really depends on your spending habits and what you want from your rewards.
- Chase Freedom Flex® is best for savvy spenders who enjoy maximizing cash back on rotating quarterly categories, in addition to consistent rewards on travel, dining, and drugstore purchases.
- Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card is tailored for travelers loyal to the Wyndham brand, offering high rewards on hotel stays and gas, plus bonus rewards for dining and grocery spending.
Redemption
Chase Freedom Flex®: You can redeem your rewards for cash back, gift cards, or travel booked through the Chase portal, offering a variety of flexible options.
Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card: Points are primarily redeemed for free or discounted stays at Wyndham hotels and resorts, making it ideal for those who frequent the brand.
Travel Perks
- Chase Freedom Flex®: Cardholders can book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal and get access to travel protections like trip cancellation/interruption insurance and an auto rental collision damage waiver. This card does charge a foreign transaction fee.
- Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card: The primary travel perk is automatic Wyndham Rewards PLATINUM status, which includes benefits like early check-in and late checkout, where available. This card also charges a foreign transaction fee.
Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos
To take the guesswork out of choosing the right card, a tool like Kudos can act as your financial companion, helping you compare thousands of cards based on your actual spending habits.
- Test drive credit cards: Before you apply, you can simulate how much you’d earn with a new card. Kudos uses your real transaction history to project annual rewards, calculate net value after fees, and compare potential earnings against your current cards.
- Personalized recommendations: Get data-driven suggestions and side-by-side comparisons to find the most rewarding card for your wallet based on your spending patterns.
- Welcome offer guarantee: If you find a better public welcome offer within three months of being approved for a card through Kudos, the platform will match it.
- Approval odds analysis: Receive a detailed breakdown of your chances of getting approved for various cards, helping you apply with more confidence.
- Kudos Boost: Earn extra rewards on top of your regular credit card points when shopping at participating stores.
Who Should Choose the Chase Freedom Flex®?
The Chase Freedom Flex® is an excellent choice for savvy spenders who enjoy maximizing rewards through rotating bonus categories without paying an annual fee. It particularly benefits those who frequently dine out or make drugstore purchases. The card also serves as a cornerstone for anyone building the "Chase trifecta" to pool Ultimate Rewards® points with premium Chase cards.
Who Should Choose the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus?
The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card is tailor-made for travelers who frequently stay at Wyndham properties and want to maximize their loyalty. Its rewards structure particularly benefits those who spend regularly on gas, dining, and groceries, offering accelerated points in these common categories. Furthermore, as a comprehensive review points out, cardholders who appreciate automatic elite status perks and the value of annual anniversary points will find this card to be a strong addition to their wallet.
Alternatives to Consider
If the Chase Freedom Flex® vs. Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus comparison has you feeling like neither card is the right choice, let's look at some alternatives. There are plenty of other cards that might be a better fit for your spending habits and rewards goals.
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Tips for Application Success
Before You Apply
- Check your credit score.Most rewards cards require a good to excellent credit history for approval.
- Know the issuer’s rules.Some issuers have application restrictions, like the Chase 5/24 rule, that can affect your approval.
- Align the card with your habits.Ensure the card’s benefits, like hotel loyalty status or transfer partners, fit your existing spending and travel patterns.
Application Strategy
- Time your application.Apply before a large planned purchase to help meet the welcome offer's spending requirement.
- Plan your rewards strategy.Know how you'll maximize bonus categories and whether you need to activate them quarterly.
- Look beyond a single card.Consider how a new card fits into a larger ecosystem, like pairing it with other cards or leveraging its brand-specific loyalty perks.
Our Methodology
We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.
Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a rotating category credit card?
A rotating category credit card offers high rewards rates in specific spending categories that change periodically, usually every quarter. Cardholders typically need to activate these new categories to earn the bonus rewards.
How do hotel co-branded credit cards work?
Hotel co-branded credit cards are partnered with a specific hotel chain and reward you with points for spending, especially on stays with that brand. These points can then be redeemed for free nights and other travel perks.
Can I have both a cash-back card and a hotel rewards card?
Absolutely. Many savvy cardholders use a combination of cards to maximize their rewards, employing a cash-back card for everyday spending and a hotel card for travel-related purchases.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.














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