Hitting the market in mid-2021, the Chase Slate Edge℠ was designed for consumers looking to improve their credit profile and get rid of debt. This card comes with a lengthy introductory APR period to help you avoid interest for 18 months, plus several other incentives after you make timely payments each month your bill is due.
In this Chase Slate Edge℠ review, we’ll take a deep dive into the benefits that this credit card has to offer, compare it to other similar options, and answer some commonly asked questions.
Overview of the Chase Slate Edge℠
- Best for – Customers who will benefit from a good amount of time with a 0% introductory interest rate, which also applies to a balance transfer. This makes it ideal for folks who need to pay off debt, personal loans, or those who want to improve their credit score.
- Introductory offer – & (followed by an APR of ).
- Sign-up bonus – None.
- Cash back – None.
In-depth analysis of the Chase Slate Edge℠
Rewards
The Chase Slate Edge℠ offers a few rewards for having positive credit card habits. After the first year, customers can qualify for a 2% APR reduction if they meet certain requirements.
The card does not have an annual fee to worry about and you can take advantage of the 0% intro APR to pay off some credit card debt or even personal loans. Once that initial 18-month period ends and if you are approved, that 2% in savings can be beneficial. It’s also a huge bonus for those who have a credit score on the lower end and wouldn’t otherwise be able to get a lower APR.
In the same vein, these on-time monthly payments have the potential to improve your credit score even more. If you spend $500 or more in your first six months of having the Chase Slate Edge℠ and make all on-time payments, you’re also eligible for a possible credit limit increase. This can potentially help your credit utilization ratio.
Bonuses
The Chase Slate Edge℠ card doesn’t offer any bonuses at the time of account opening. However, if you’re more focused on taking advantage of the lengthy 0% intro APR to get ahead of your credit card debt, it may be worth it to forgo the sign-up bonus. After all, in terms of a good welcome bonus, you’d get maybe a few hundred dollars. This would obviously be a nice perk, but wouldn’t mean much if your priority is tackling debt and improving your credit score.
APR
The Chase Slate Edge℠ shines when it comes to its APR policies. Starting strong, it gives you a solid interest-free period on both purchases and balance transfers, at & . When this introductory period ends, the ongoing APR is .
By spending at least $1,000 within the first year and making all payments on time, customers can also qualify for a 2% APR reduction. This is reviewed every year on the account anniversary, so there is the potential to reduce your interest rate by 2% every year until it reaches the amount of the Prime Rate plus 9.74%.
Credit limit
The Chase Slate Edge℠ has a starting credit line of $500, but this varies by applicant. You have the potential to raise your credit limit after just six months. As long as you spend $500 or more within six months of opening your account, you’ll automatically be reviewed for a higher credit limit.
Although this is more money for you to potentially spend, credit scores can often benefit from a credit limit increase. This is because when a credit limit is increased, it also decreases your credit utilization. While increasing your credit limit may seem insignificant, it could be the difference between a good credit score and a fair credit score.
Annual fee
The Chase Slate Edge℠ has no annual fee.
Balance transfer fee
The Chase Slate Edge℠ is one of those rare balance transfer cards that makes it worthwhile to transfer your balance from one card to another. Of course, it’s common to utilize balance transfers to transfer your debt from a card with a high-interest rate to one that’s much lower to save some money.
The one thing that gets in the way of this is usually a high balance transfer fee, but you don’t need to worry about that with the Slate Edge. For the first 60 days, you can enjoy just a 3% fee (or $5, whichever is greater). After that, the fee is $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater.
While this isn’t revolutionary, 3% is still pretty low compared to some competitors.
Other fees
If you’re planning on traveling outside of the United States, keep in mind that this particular card does have a 3% foreign transaction fee so it’s best to leave it home when traveling abroad.
Other benefits
Another great benefit to consider is all the Chase digital credit tools, which you gain free access to just by being a customer. These include:
- Purchase protection – This covers purchases for up to 120 days and up to $50,000 per account, or $500 per claim.
- Auto rental collision damage waiver – If you find yourself in need of a rental car, you no longer need to worry about purchasing the expensive collision insurance that the rental agency offers. If you pay the entire rental cost with your Slate Edge, you can use it to get secondary coverage.
- Roadside assistance – Take advantage of pay-per-use roadside dispatch anytime you have an emergency.
- 24/7 customer service – No matter what time of day or night you need help with your account, you can access Chase’s customer service line to assist you. This is especially useful when traveling, since you may be in a different time zone. What is a reasonable hour where you are may be midnight back home, but 24/7 service means you can call at any time if you have concerns or questions.
- Extended warranty protection – This feature applies to items you purchase that have a manufacturer’s warranty of three years or less. With this card, those warranties are automatically extended by one year.
- Zero liability protection – We’ve all heard horror stories of unauthorized purchases being charged to credit cards, leaving cardholders responsible to pay back the debt. However, with the Slate Edge, you’re covered for all unauthorized purchases.
Pros & cons
Pros
- No annual fee — The Chase Slate Edge℠ has no annual fee, allowing you to pay off debt and save faster.
- Intro APR — This card has an impressive & (followed by an APR of )
- Increase credit line — You will automatically receive an account review for a credit line increase after the first six months.
- APR reduction — Just by paying your bills on time and spending $1,000 or more, you can lower your interest rate by 2% per year. Terms apply.
- Low initial balance transfer fee — For the first 60 days, the balance transfer fee is only 3% or $5 (whichever is greater) for qualifying balance transfers.
Cons
- No cash bonus — Unfortunately, this particular card doesn’t come with a welcome bonus.
- High foreign transaction fee — Although you can use your card internationally, 3% is considered to be on the higher end when fees are concerned.
- Low approval odds — You need a credit score of 690-850 to be approved for this particular card.
Chase Slate Edge℠ vs. U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Card
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card:
- Cash back – There are no current offers for cash back rewards.
- Intro offer – 0% APR for the first 20 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers.
- Annual fee – $0.
- Balance transfer fee– Either 3% the amount of the transfer or $5, whichever amount is higher.
If you’re purely in the market for a good balance transfer card, then both the Chase Slate Edge℠ and the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum are great choices. While they do both have features that lend them to being effective balance transfer cards, the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum pulls ahead with 20 billing cycles of 0% APR.
They both have similar regular APR rates, too, so it depends on what you are using the card for and what your priorities are. Even the balance transfer fees are relatively the same: 3% or $5 for U.S. Bank, and $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer (after 60 days) with Chase Slate Edge℠, whichever is greater.
If you’re looking to do a balance transfer, Chase Slate Edge℠ is much better suited for paying off large amounts slowly. The unique opportunity to reduce your APR and earn a card credit line increase could also be a deal-breaker between the two. The U.S. Bank Visa also lacks a few substantial perks that Chase has, like extended warranty and purchase protection. U.S. Bank does offer cell phone protection, but that’s the extent of their offers.
Chase Slate Edge℠ vs. Citi® Double Cash Card
Citi® Double Cash Card
- Cash back – You can earn up to 2% cash back on each purchase with no caps, categories, or annual fee.
- Intro offer – 0% intro for 18 months on balance transfers.
- Annual fee – $0
- Balance transfer fees – $3 or 5% of the amount of each transfer in the first 4 months, then 5% or $5 per transfer, whichever is greater.
With just a quick glance at each credit card, it’s easy to spot that the biggest difference between the two is the ability to earn cash back. Card users can earn unlimited cash back on new purchases.
They also differ on introductory period benefits. While each card has comparable percentages after the first year or so, only Chase offers an intro APR on purchases for the first 18 months from account opening.
In a move that may be surprising to some, the Citi® Double Cash Card doesn’t offer any form of purchase protection. The company decided to remove these protections from a few of its cards in 2019, citing low fraud rates.
Deciding between these two options really depends on your priorities and what features will make the most impact. If your main goal is to take advantage of a fantastic cash back policy, then choosing Citi is a no-brainer. It may be worth it to you to forgo the initial 0% APR and the purchase protection since unlimited cash back offers great long-term value for a very similar APR.
Chase Slate Edge℠ vs. Chase Freedom Flex℠
Chase Freedom Flex℠:
- Cash back – 3% cash back on drugstore and dining purchases, 5% cash back on travel purchase through Chase Ultimate Rewards® and bonus category purchases (on up to $1,500), and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Intro offer – 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months (followed by an APR of 20.24% – 28.99% Variable)
- Annual fee – $0
- Balance transfer fee – On transfers made withing 60 days of account opening $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.,
While Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Slate Edge℠ are both solid options for someone on the market for a new credit card, it’s clear they were each designed with a different cardholder in mind. The Chase Slate Edge℠ is a great option for someone looking to pay down their debt via a balance transfer.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠, on the other hand, is ideal for someone who wants to optimize their purchases for consistent cash back bonuses.
Should you get a Chase Slate Edge℠ credit card?
Consider credit card debt
Something to consider when it comes to applying for a credit card is your credit card debt. Having credit card debt, no matter how much, can be a stressful financial burden. There are ways this financial system can work for you, however. First, you can take advantage of the discounted balance transfer fee, which applies to qualifying transfers made within 60 days of account opening.
Another great perk is the one-time review for a $500 credit line increase, which you can qualify for simply by paying your bills on time and spending $500 or more within the first 6 months. Credit scores can be improved with responsible use, such as increasing your credit line (while not using it), so this is one way to work towards improving your credit.
And, if you’re still making payments after the initial introductory period, you still have the opportunity to decrease your APR by 2% each year. All you need to do is pay your bills on time and spend $1,000 or more by your next account anniversary.
Of course, all of this depends on whether or not you will be approved for this particular credit card. The applicant’s credit approval will depend on their existing credit score (among other facots), with approval odds increasing with a score of 690 or higher.
Purchases and balance transfers
If fees related to purchases and balance transfers are your main concern, the Chase Slate Edge℠ has a lot of benefits to offer. For no annual fee, cardholders can enjoy a & (followed by an APR of ).
There are additional benefits if you’re planning on doing a balance transfer, too. As long as you do the transfer within 60 days of opening the account, you can enjoy the intro fee of $5 or 3% of each transfer, whichever amount is greater. After that the balance transfer fee is 5% or $5, whichever is greater.
How do you apply for the Chase Slate Edge℠?
Applying for the Chase Slate Edge℠ is easy! There are two major ways that you can apply. The easiest and fastest way is to apply online through the Chase website. The process is quick and safe, and you don’t need any hard-to-find information.
Simply provide some information such as the amount and source of your income, contact information, and personal details to verify your identity. When this step is completed, you can safely sign your application using E-Sign. Chase will then let you know if you’re approved by sending you an email.
You can also visit a Chase Bank location in person, where you’ll be asked to provide the same information.
Summary
The Chase Slate Edge℠ is perfect for paying down your debt or financing a large purchase. It stands up to other balance transfer cards with its automatic review for a credit line increase, as well as a potential APR reduction if you qualify. If you use your card regularly and manage to pay down your debt within the introductory period, this is a great card for you.