How to Earn Lucrative Rewards With Chase’s Refer-A-Friend Program

If you have a great experience, you want to share it with the world. With Chase’s Refer-A-Friend program, you can share your favorite credit card recommendations — and get rewarded for it. Find out how you can earn decent cashback rewards, just by referring friends.

What is the Chase Refer-A-Friend program?

Using Chase’s site, you can create referral bonus links and then send those links to friends via email, text, social media, and more. Once a friend applies for a Chase credit card and is approved, you’ll receive a bonus. Depending on the card, you’ll get cash back or points that can be redeemed through Chase Travel.

*As of June 2019

9 things to know about the Chase Refer-A-Friend program

Word of mouth is how many people find out about great products, and financial accounts and credit cards are no different. With Chase’s Refer-A-Friend program, you can earn rewards just for sharing your recommendations. Here are nine key things you should know about the Refer-A-Friend program before sending out a referral link.

1. You can invite your friends in lots of different ways

There are plenty of ways you can refer your friends:

• Email: Visit Chase.com/ReferAFriend and enter your account information. Click on “or Email Friends” and then enter your friend’s first name and email address. Once you enter the required information, click on “Submit.” Chase will send your friend an email within seven business days.
• Social media or text: If you want to reach more people — including folks you don’t have an email address for — you can post your referral link on sites like Facebook and Twitter. To do so, click on the “Copy” button and then share the link in your posts or status updates. You can also copy and paste the referral link into text messages to your friends.
• App: On the go? You can refer friends right from your phone. Open the Chase app and click on your credit card. Scroll down and tap “Refer Friends” on the screen. Then you can select how to send the referral link.

2. You can invite unlimited friends

You can technically invite as many people as you want using your referral link, just be mindful of not spamming your whole contact list.

There is, however, a limit on how many email invitations you can send through Chase’s system. A maximum of 25 email invitations can be sent within a 24-hour period, so you may have to spread out your emails.

3. Your friend must be approved for the card

To qualify for the referral bonus, your friend must submit an application and get approved for the card. If they apply and are rejected, you won’t be eligible for the bonus.

4. Your rewards aren’t immediate

Even if your friend applies for a card and is approved right away, you may have to wait a while to receive your bonus. According to Chase, it can take up to eight weeks after each new cardmember’s approval for the bonus to be posted to your account. Once it’s ready, the bonus will appear on your statement as a “Refer-A-Friend” bonus.

5. You won’t get updates about who used your link to apply

While you may want to track who actually uses your link to apply for a card, you won’t be able to do so. Due to confidentiality reasons, Chase can’t tell you who has applied for a card, nor can they tell you if your friends were approved or denied.

6. Your account must be in good standing

To qualify for the Refer-A-Friend bonus, your account must be in good standing. Chase may stop you from earning points or bonuses in the following situations:

• Your account entered into default, meaning you’re behind on your payments
• You close your account

7. You could receive tax forms

The Refer-A-Friend bonus might be taxable as income. If you have friends who apply and are approved, you may get either a 1099-MISC or a 1042-S form from Chase for the year you participated in the program. That information must be reported on your taxes.

8. Your friends get can get a sign-up bonus, too

If your friends apply for the card through your referral link and are approved, they’re still eligible for the card’s welcome offer. The welcome offer can be significant — for example, check out the following welcome offers for new cardholders:

• Chase Freedom Unlimited^®: Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year)
• Chase Freedom Flex^®: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
• Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening (that's worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel). Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within your first year
• Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card: Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

9. You only get credit if friends are approved for a specific card

To get the welcome offer, your friends must apply for the specific card you linked to in your referral link. If they apply for another card — even if it’s part of the Refer-A-Friend program — you’re ineligible for the bonus.

For example, if you refer them to the Chase Freedom Flex but they decide to apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred instead, you’re not going to earn a bonus.

Using the Refer-A-Friend program

The Refer-A-Friend program through Chase credit cards is an easy way to earn more cash back or rewards, without having to spend a dime. By understanding how the program works, you can help spread the word and gain valuable rewards.

Want to get the most value from your points? Find out how to get awesome travel rewards with your Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

Unlimited Cash Back

Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

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Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

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Current Offer

Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and 3% cash back on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• High base rewards rate of 1.5%
• $0 annual fee
• Valuable welcome bonus for new cardholders
• Intro APR offers for purchases and balance transfers

Drawbacks

• Has a foreign transaction fee of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
• No bonus categories for gas or groceries

Card Details

• INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
• Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
• After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
• No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
• Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.99% - 28.74%.
• No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
• Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
• Member FDIC