Here are the best Chase credit cards for earning rewards and getting out of debt

Chase credit cards offer distinct rewards programs for cash-back enthusiasts and travelers, as well as buzzed-about card designs. When the Chase Sapphire Reserve® launched in 2016 with a revamped metal card design, so many people applied that there was a shortage of the metal needed to make the card.

Many Chase cards regularly make headlines when new changes are made, such as when Chase added Lyft and DoorDash benefits to select cards last year and, more recently, made last minute changes to the Chase Freedom® cash-back calendar with the addition of select streaming subscriptions for April through June.

Whether you're looking to earn rewards, pay off debt, travel or simplify business expenses, there's a Chase credit card for you.

Below, Select breaks down the best Chase credit cards in six categories so you can open the best card based on your spending habits.

• Best cash-back card: Chase Freedom Flex℠
• Best no annual fee card: Chase Freedom Unlimited®
• Best travel card: Chase Sapphire Preferred®
• Best luxury card: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Best small business card: Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

See how they compare.

Who's this for? If you're looking to maximize cash back in a variety of rotating categories, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ may be the card for you. Cardholders earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate (then 1%) and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

The cash-back calendar changes every quarter and currently includes: Wholesale clubs*, cable, internet, and phone services and select streaming services**(activate now through March 14). Learn more about how Chase classifies bonus category purchases.

In addition to rotating rewards, you can earn 5% cash back on travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, 3% cash back on dining and at drug stores and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Beyond rewards, you can take advantage of no annual fee and a competitive no-interest period for the first 15 months from account opening on purchases (then 14.99% to 23.74% variable APR).

The Freedom card also provides select partner benefits, such as 5% cash back on Lyft purchases through March 2022 and complimentary three months of DashPass, plus 50% off for the next nine months when you activate by December 31, 2021. This perk provides you with free delivery on DoorDash orders over $12 and lower service fees.

If you don't want to deal with rotating bonus categories and rewards activation, consider the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, our pick for best no-annual-fee Chase card.

*The Chase Freedom Flex is a Mastercard, which is only accepted online at Costco.com, not in-warehouse. Learn more about what credit cards Costco accepts.

**Eligible streaming services include: Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Netflix, Sling, Vudu, Fubo TV, Apple Music, SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify and YouTube TV.

Who's this for? Consumers who want a simple rewards program that doesn't require much optimizing should consider the Chase Freedom Unlimited® Card. Cardholders earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% on dining, including takeout, and drugstores and 1.5% on all other purchases.

If you want to maximize rewards within the first few months of account opening, there's a generous welcome bonus with a low spending requirement: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $500 on purchases in your first three months from account opening.

While the Chase Freedom Unlimited card has a different cash-back program from the Freedom Flex card, it also has no annual fee and special financing. You can benefit from a 0% APR for the first 15 months on purchases (then 14.99% to 23.74% variable APR).

This card also offers 5% cash back on Lyft purchases through March 2022 and complimentary three months of DashPass with 50% off for the next nine months. Simply activate by December 31, 2021.

Who's this for? Frequent travelers can benefit from a competitive rewards program and more value on travel redemptions with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® credit card. Cardholders earn 2X points on travel and dining worldwide and 1X points on all other purchases for a reasonable $95 annual fee.

Plus, you can earn a sizable welcome bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. You also earn up to $50 in statement credits towards grocery store purchases within your first year. The 80,000 bonus points can be worth up to $1,000 if you redeem points for travel via Chase Ultimate Rewards® (CUR) portal.

That's because points are worth 25% more when redeemed towards airfare, hotels, car rentals and other eligible travel through the CUR portal. This unique benefit is a great way to maximize the value of rewards.

Aside from rewards, cardholders can benefit from a variety of travel perks, such as no foreign transaction fees, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, baggage delay insurance and trip delay reimbursement. And like the other Chase cards mentioned, you receive Lyft and DoorDash benefits.

If you're looking for a luxury travel card with enhanced rewards and benefits, check out the Chase Sapphire Reserve® below.

Who's this for? The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is the beefed-up version of the Sapphire Preferred card, with more robust rewards and benefits programs that are suitable for people looking to travel in luxury. Cardholders earn 3X points on dining and travel purchases that can be redeemed for 50% more value through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.

You'll also receive a $300 annual statement credit to apply to qualifying travel expenses, such as airfare, hotels, tolls and more. This credit can help you upgrade to an extra-space seat or offset the cost of staying another night at a hotel.

Another benefit for frequent fliers is a statement credit of up to $100 every four years for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees. And if you want to relax before a flight, the Sapphire Reserve's complimentary Priority Pass Select membership gives you access to more than 1,000 airport lounges worldwide with free amenities, such as Wi-Fi, snacks and beverages.

When it comes to lodging, you can book through the Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection to take advantage of upgrades upon arrival, complimentary breakfast for two, flexible check-in times, extra amenities and special discounts (upon availability).

Keep in mind the Sapphire Reserve has a steep $550 annual fee, which is in line with other premium credit cards and can be offset by the numerous statement credit offers. Though that doesn't mean it makes sense for everyone. If you want a lower annual fee, consider the Sapphire Preferred ($95 a year).

Who's this for? Small business owners have a lot on their plate, but expenses can be simplified with a small business card, such as the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card. This card has no annual fee and allows you to open employee cards at no additional cost with the ability to set individual spending limits.

All purchases made by you and your employees earn cash back geared toward common business expenses: Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year (then 1%) as well as 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year (then 1%). All other purchases earn 1% cash back.

The Ink Business Cash Credit Card provides helpful travel perks, such as no foreign transaction fees, auto rental collision damage waiver and trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance.

This card also comes with purchase protection and extended warranty protection.

To determine which credit cards offer the best value for various categories, Select analyzed Chase credit cards available in the U.S. We compared each card on a range of features, including rewards, welcome bonus, introductory and standard APR, balance transfer fee and foreign transaction fees, as well as factors such as required credit and customer reviews when available. We also considered additional perks, the application process and how easy it is for the consumer to redeem points.

Select teamed up with location intelligence firm Esri. The company's data development team provided the most up-to-date and comprehensive consumer spending data based on the 2019 Consumer Expenditure Surveys from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. You can read more about their methodology here.

Esri's data team created a sample annual budget of approximately $22,126 in retail spending. The budget includes six main categories: groceries ($5,174), gas ($2,218), dining out ($3,675), travel ($2,244), utilities ($4,862) and general purchases ($3,953). General purchases include items such as housekeeping supplies, clothing, personal care products, prescription drugs and vitamins, and other vehicle expenses.

Select used this budget to estimate how much the average consumer would save over the course of a year, two years and five years, assuming they would attempt to maximize their rewards potential by earning all welcome bonuses offered and using the card for all applicable purchases. All rewards total estimations are net the annual fee.

While the five-year estimates we've included are derived from a budget similar to the average American's spending, you may earn a higher or lower return depending on your shopping habits.

Information about the Chase Freedom® has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.