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Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful: Which Is Better In 2025?
July 1, 2025
Editor's Picks
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a versatile no-annual-fee card ideal for everyday spending, offering elevated rewards on dining and at drugstores.
The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card is best for travelers looking to earn points on Marriott stays, dining, and grocery store purchases.
Chase Freedom Unlimited® Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a closer look at why we’re fans of the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card.
- With no annual fee, this card is a cost-effective way to earn rewards on your everyday spending.
- It offers a solid, unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, plus an elevated 3% back on dining and at drugstores.
- If you spend $200 per month on dining out, you'll earn $72 in cash back over a year with this card alone (publisher-formulated estimate).
Pros
- It features a straightforward rewards structure that combines a flat earning rate on every purchase with bonus cash back in popular spending categories like dining and drugstores.
- Cardholders get access to a suite of travel and purchase protections, a strong offering for a card that has no annual fee.
- The rewards you earn can be pooled with other premium Chase cards, unlocking more valuable redemption options like transfers to travel partners.
Cons
- The card includes a foreign transaction fee, making it less than ideal for use outside the U.S.
- To unlock the highest value for your rewards, like transferring points to travel partners, you need to pair it with a premium Chase card.
- Applicants typically need a good to excellent credit score for approval.
Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Breakdown
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Why We Like It
This section breaks down the key reasons why the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card stands out.
- You automatically receive complimentary Gold Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy each year, which provides benefits like enhanced room upgrades and late checkout.
- The card offers strong earning rates at U.S. grocery stores and restaurants, providing 4 points per dollar on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per year, then 2 points per dollar.
- To cover the $250 annual fee from the 1,000 bonus points per paid stay benefit alone, you would need to complete about 30 paid stays annually (publisher-formulated estimate).
Pros
- Automatic Gold Elite status provides valuable hotel perks.
- You can earn a Free Night Award after meeting an annual spending requirement.
- The card includes several travel protections, such as trip delay reimbursement and lost luggage reimbursement.
Cons
- A free night award is not an automatic annual perk; it requires meeting a significant spending threshold.
- The complimentary Gold Elite status lacks top-tier benefits like suite upgrades, and there is no pathway to earn a higher status tier through card spending.
- Eligibility for the card’s welcome bonus can be restrictive for those who have or have had other Marriott credit cards.
Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful vs Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Categories
When deciding which is better, Chase Freedom Unlimited® or Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful, it's crucial to understand that each card serves a very different type of consumer.
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®: This card is designed for cash back seekers who want to maximize rewards on their everyday spending without tracking complex categories.
- Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card: As a mid-tier hotel credit card, this option is best for frequent Marriott travelers looking for enhanced perks and elite status benefits.
Redemption
Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Rewards are earned as points that can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards, or travel through the Chase portal. These points can also be transferred to premium Chase cards for potentially higher value.
Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™: Points earned with this card are primarily redeemed for free nights at hotels and resorts within the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio. You can also use points for flights and car rentals through Marriott's travel partners.
Travel Perks
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Cardholders can book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal. However, this card is less suited for international travel as it comes with a foreign transaction fee and does not offer airport lounge access.
- Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card: This card's ecosystem is the Marriott Bonvoy program. It is a strong choice for international travel as it does not have foreign transaction fees. While it lacks airport lounge access, it provides complimentary Gold Elite status, offering perks like room upgrades and late checkout at participating Marriott properties.
Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos
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- Test drive a credit card: This feature lets you simulate potential earnings with a new card using your actual spending data—all before you apply and without impacting your credit score.
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Who Should Choose the Chase Freedom Unlimited®?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is an excellent choice for everyday spenders who prefer a simple rewards structure over tracking rotating categories. It's also a strategic pick for existing Chase customers, as it can be paired with premium cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® to maximize the value of Ultimate Rewards® points. As detailed in our comprehensive guide, individuals seeking valuable benefits like purchase protection and travel coverage without an annual fee will find this card particularly appealing.
Who Should Choose the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful?
The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card is tailored for frequent Marriott guests who seek valuable mid-tier benefits without the premium price tag of a luxury card. It's an excellent choice for individuals aiming to secure complimentary Gold Elite status and accelerate their progress toward higher tiers with 15 annual elite night credits. Furthermore, it's ideal for those who can meet the $15,000 annual spending threshold to unlock a 50,000-point free night award, a key feature in determining if the card is worth it.
Alternatives to Consider
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® vs. Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful decision often boils down to a choice between flexible cash back and valuable hotel perks. If neither of those reward structures fits your financial strategy, several other cards might be a better match.
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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.
- Review application rules: Be aware of issuer-specific policies that might affect your eligibility for a new card or its welcome offer.
- Plan your spending: Make sure you can meet the minimum spending requirement for the welcome offer through your normal purchases.
Application Strategy
- Time your application - Align it with a planned large purchase to help meet the spending requirement naturally.
- Understand issuer rules - Some issuers have restrictions based on what other cards you have, like with certain Marriott co-branded cards.
- Consider card pairings - Some cards, like the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, offer greater value when paired with other cards from the same issuer.
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
Which card is better for everyday spending?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is generally superior for everyday spending because it offers strong reward rates across a variety of common, non-bonus categories. In contrast, the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card's earning structure is primarily optimized for travel and purchases within the Marriott ecosystem.
Can I transfer points from the Chase Freedom Unlimited to Marriott Bonvoy?
Yes, points earned with your Chase Freedom Unlimited® can be transferred to the Marriott Bonvoy program. Since Marriott is a Chase travel partner, you can move your Ultimate Rewards points to your Bonvoy account to book award stays.
Is the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card worth it if I don't stay at Marriott hotels often?
If you are not a frequent guest at Marriott properties, you may struggle to get significant value from the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card. Its most powerful benefits and highest reward rates are specifically designed to reward loyalty to the Marriott Bonvoy hotel portfolio.
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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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