For my own reference in planning for category spend, I compiled this listing of the Chase Freedom 5% categories that I think goes all the way back to when it started the rotating categories around Q1 2013. As far as I know, there's not a central list so I compiled this through researching many different websites. I thought I'd share it for anyone interested. It gives a pretty complete picture of the patterns, typical categories, and what you might expect going forward. Supposedly, the Freedom FLEX will keep the similar rotating categories but it will be interesting to see how any of that changes. With the permanent 3% back on restaurants and drug stores, it would seem unlikely for those to return as special categories, though.
The 5% categories are limited to $1,500 per quarter; $6,000 per year; which works out to $300 cash back annually on 5% categories if you optimize every one. In addition, 1% on all other purchases, uncapped and uncategorized.
ETA: Special thanks to @Remedios for the NerdWallet link which shows the categories, although not in table format.
https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/credit-cards/current-credit-card-bonus-categories
*Edited 12/03/2021 to include 2021.
Chase Freedom Categories Summary
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 |
2021 | Wholesale clubs Select streaming services Internet-cable-phone Services | Gas stations Home improvement stores | Grocery stores (no discount stores) Select streaming services | Walmart PayPal |
2020 | Gas Internet-Cable-Phone Streaming Services(select) | Grocery (no discount stores)** Fitness/Gym Streaming Services(select) | Amazon Whole Foods | Walmart PayPal |
2019 | Gas Tolls Drugstores | Grocery (no discount stores) Home Improvement | Gas Streaming Services(select) | Department Stores (select) PayPal Chase Pay |
2018 | Gas Internet-Cable-Phone Mobile payments***
| Grocery (no discount stores)** PayPal Chase Pay | Gas Lyft Walgreens | Department Stores (select) Wholesale Clubs Chase Pay |
2017 | Gas Local Commuter Transportation* | Grocery*(no discount stores)** Drugstores | Restaurants Movie Theatres | Walmart Department Stores (select)
|
2016 | Gas Local Commuter Transportation* | Grocery (no discount stores)** Wholesale Clubs
| Restaurants Wholesale Clubs
| Department Stores (select) Wholesale Clubs Drug Stores |
2015 | Grocery (no discount stores)** Movie Theatres Starbucks | Restaurants Bed Bath Beyond Overstock.com H&M Clothing | Gas Kohl’s | Amazon.com Zappos.com Audible.com Diapers.com |
2014 | Gas Movie Theatres Starbucks | Restaurants Lowe’s | Gas Kohl’s | Department Stores (select) Amazon.com Zappos.com |
2013 | Gas Drugstores Starbucks | Restaurants Movie Theatres | Gas Theme Parks Kohl’s | Department Stores (select) Amazon.com |
* Local Commuter Transportation excludes Parking, Tolls, Amtrak
** Grocery excludes discount grocery (Walmart, Target)
*** Mobile Payments: Chase Pay, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay
**** Wholesale Clubs such as Sam's, Costco, BJ's
Note: Chase discontinued "Chase Pay" mobile payments after Q4 2019.
Freedom FLEX (09/2020) added:
- Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Earn 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services.
- Earn 3% cash back on drugstore purchases.
- Earn 5% cash back on all Lyft rides (through March 2022.)
The "Select Department Stores List" (2017):
- JCPenny®
- Kohl’s®
- Macy’s®
- Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack
- Sears®
- Barney’s
- Baskins
- Bealls
- Beiter’s
- Belk
- Bergdorf
- Goodman
- The Big Store
- Bloomingdale’s
- Bon-Ton®
- Bergner’s®
- Boston Store®
- Carson’s®
- Elder-Beerman®
- Herbergers®
- PARISIAN
- Younkers®
- Boscov’s®
- Burke’s®
- Cayman’s®
- Cee & Cee Department Store
- Cook Brothers
- Dillard’s
- Flemington Department Store
- Getz’s®
- Gumps
- Jeffery
- Joe brand
- Loehmann’s
- Lord & Taylor
- Magic Mart
- Neiman Marcus and NM Last Call
- RH Renny
- Saks Fifth Ave and Off 5th
- Von Maur®
- Weaver’s Store
Select Streaming Services included Netflix, Hulu, Sling, Vudu, FuboTV, Apple Music, SiriusXM, Pandora and Spotify.
Search tags: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4
@TheFIGuy wrote:@Aim_High I do not have chase cards, but this is still extremely useful for others. Thank you!
Thanks @TheFIGuy! I'm glad to be able to share with the community on our credit journey. Especially since this took a little sleuth work, it makes it all the more important to share.
I have mixed feelings about these rotating category cards and sometimes want to be sure they are worth my effort. In the case of Chase Freedom, it makes it extra hard since I also have Chase Sapphire Reserve. By moving my cash back on Freedom over to CSR as Ultimate Rewards points, I can redeem them for 50% more value on travel. So effectively, I get 7.5% return on any rotating category. That is hard to give up, even if you don't use all the spending cap every quarter!
2016 was a great year to be a Costco member. Wonder if this category will ever see a comeback now that the Flex being a MC would reduce payouts for 5% on warehouse with Costco being so Visa monogamous...wishful thinking but keeping my Freedom Visa just in case. Another great post @Aim_High, thanks!
Instant bookmark-worthy post. Thank you for compiling the information, it’s quite interesting to see priorities change over the years.
For Q1 of 2021 my guess is we are getting.......gas! 
What I'm considering now is converting my CFU to a CFF. That way you only need to carry one card in your wallet for the 5% bonus categories and the 3% dining. Then keep my regular CF open for Amazon (probably 1QT), Streaming Services (last year 2QTs) and online 5x spend. Maybe even put bills on it (one quarterly promotion turns 1x into 2x). That would also put your quarterly cap up for 5x points up to 15,000. Last year I prepaid my phone service for the year at 5x
The 1.5% everyday spend on the CFU is only beneficial on non-cat, in store purchases above $30 of which I don't make very many of when I am out shopping. I was putting $200 dollars of bills on the CFU a month which at 1.5x amounts to 100 points a month more over having them on a Freedom line ($100 a month less if there is a quarter for a 5% promotion).
At the moment I'm averaging 3.2x with my Citi Rewards+ across gas, grocery and small spend. A purchase for $11 dollars in non-cat spend on the Citi Rewards+ is worth 20 points and with the CFU its worth 16.5. At $21 dollars its 30 TY points vs. 31.5 UR points. About $15 dollars is the breakeven point.