Chase Slate Review

Chase SlateThe Chase Slate card is a good choice for people who want to move high interest credit card debt to a card with a lower APR and a solid balance transfer offer.  The Chase Slate card delivers on both counts.

New card members are eligible for a 0% introductory annual percentage rate on balance transfers for the first 15 months your account is active.  Chase is also waiving the standard balance transfer fee of $5 or 3% of the total balance transfer amount (whichever is greater) for the first 60 days that your account is open.  After this introductory period ends, a variable APR of 12.99%, 17.99%, or 22.99% will be applied to any unpaid balances carried forward.  Your actual APR is determined at the time of approval and is based on your credit score and payment history.

Additionally, cardholders receive a 0% introductory APR for 15 months on purchases made with the card.  Your APR will be 12.99%, 17.99%, or 22.99% after this promotional period expires.

Card members do not earn points or cash back rewards on purchases with the Chase Slate card .  If you want a rewards or cash back card, you need to look at other credit card offers.

The Chase Slate card comes with Blueprint – a unique feature offered at no charge to card members.  Blueprint gives you a plan to pay down your balance faster thus avoiding unnecessary interest charges.  Chase Blueprint comes with these four options:

  • Full Pay – You pay no interest on selected everyday purchases such as gas, groceries, or prescription drugs, if you pay them in full each month, even if you already have a balance.
  • Split – You can pay off big purchases (appliances, TVs) on the terms you choose (while incurring interest charges). You can set the number of payments or set monthly amounts to pay off the balance.  Chase calculates these amounts and will indicate them on your statement to help you stay on track.
  • Finish It – You can select a date by which you want to have your balance paid off. Chase will calculate how much you need to pay monthly and set up your plan.  You can keep track of your progress on your monthly statement.
  • Track It – You can track your progress and see how close you are to reaching your goals. You can view your spending online by category and track your progress.

The Chase Slate card provides card members with additional benefits such as these:

  • Early Fraud Protection
  • Zero Liability Protection
  • Price Protection
  • Purchase Protection
  • Extended Warranty Protection

There is a 3% foreign transaction fee applied to the total amount of all purchases made on the card while traveling internationally.

Members are not charged an annual fee for this card.

The Facts

Below we have broken down the specific details of the Chase Slate card to better assist you in determining if it’s the right choice for you.

The Good:

0% introductory APR on balance transfers:

New card members receive a 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles that your account is open.  After this introductory period expires, your APR will be 12.99%, 17.99%, or 22.9% (variable based on Prime).  Your actual APR is determined at the time of approval and is based on your creditworthiness.  This is an excellent opportunity for anyone wanting to transfer high interest credit card debt to a card with a lower APR and no interest payments for 15 months.

Introductory balance transfer offer:

New account holders pay no balance transfer fee on any balance transfers which are completed and post to your account within the first 60 days that your card is activated.  After this promotional offer expires, all balance transfers will incur a fee of 3% of the total amount of the transfer or $5 (whichever is greater).  It may take up to three weeks to process and complete balance transfer requests.

0% introductory APR on purchases:

New members receive a 0% introductory APR on all purchases made on the card for the first 15 billing cycles.  After this time, your APR will be 12.99%, 17.99%, or 22.99%, depending on your credit score and payment history at the time of approval.

Chase Blueprint feature:

Card members have access to Chase Blueprint which is available at no extra charge.  This feature allows you to design a plan to pay down your balance faster while avoiding unnecessary interest charges.

Additional benefits from Chase:

The Chase Slate card provides these additional benefits to cardholders:

  • Early Fraud Protection- The Early Fraud Warning Service automatically alerts you to any suspicious activity on your account.
  • Zero Liability Protection- You are never responsible for any unauthorized purchases made to your account.
  • Price Protection- If an item you purchased in the U.S. is advertised online or in print within 90 days of the purchase date, you can be reimbursed for the difference. There is a cap of up to $500 per item and $2,500 annually.
  • Purchase Protection- You are covered against damage or theft on purchases made on the card for 120 days from the date of purchase. Claims are capped at up to $500 per item and $50,000 per account.
  • Extended Warranty Protection- You can extend the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty for an additional year on items purchased with the card. Eligible warranties must be for three years or less.

No annual fee:

There is no annual fee associated with the Chase Slate card .

The Bad:

Foreign transaction fee:

Card members are charged a 3% foreign transaction fee on all purchases made while traveling outside of the U.S.

The Ugly:

No rewards program:

Members cannot earn points or cash back rewards with the Chase Slate card .  This card is designed for people who routinely carry a balance from month to month.  If you have excellent credit and pay your balance in full each month the Chase Freedom or Chase Sapphire card provides more rewards and might be a better choice.

Not everyone will qualify:

A good to excellent credit score (720+FICO) is usually needed to qualify for this card.  Compared to other Chase rewards cards such as Chase Freedom and Chase Sapphire, the credit requirements for the Chase Slate card are a bit more relaxed.  However, if you are not approved for the Chase Slate card you may be offered a Platinum credit card which comes with less benefits and different costs and terms.