The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (rates and fees) and the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card (rates and fees) are both great business credit cards from Chase, with no annual fee and similar welcome offers.
Chase Ink Business Cards Overview
Chase offers a family of great credit cards for small businesses: the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, Ink Business Cash® Credit Card, and the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card. (There's a fourth card, the Ink Business Premier® Credit Card , which has slightly different benefits and reward-earning structure.)
The similarity of their names alone can make it hard for consumers to understand which one might be best for their needs. One major point of difference is that while the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has a $95 annual fee, the Ink Business Cash has an annual fee of $0 and the Ink Business Unlimited also has a $0 annual fee.
As for the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card and Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card — which both earn cash back in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points — their benefits are quite similar.
Determining the best card option for you will depend on what categories your business purchases tend to be in, and how much you spend each year.
Key features
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card and Ink Business Cash® Credit Card are both solid no-annual-fee credit cards for small businesses with exceptionally high sign-up bonuses. The big difference between them is their earning rates. If you're thinking about applying for one of these cards, that's the detail you should be examining.
Annual fee
Neither the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card nor the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card charge annual fees.
Introductory APR offer
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card currently comes with a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months (then a 17.49% - 25.49% Variable APR) and the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card comes with the same intro APR offer and a 17.49% - 23.49% Variable APR after. This is handy for small business owners who have a large upcoming purchase that they'd like to pay off incrementally without accruing interest.
You should never carry a balance month-to-month, as the fees are high enough to negate the rewards you'll earn with your card. A card with a 0% intro APR offer is a workaround. We're constantly updating our list of the best 0% APR credit cards.
Reward structures
Although the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card and Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card are marketed as cash-back cards, they actually earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points which you can redeem for travel through the Chase TravelSM Portal, gift cards, or cash back at a rate of 1 cent apiece.
The major way these two cards diverge is in their earning structures.
Chase Ink Business Unlimited rewards
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card provides a simple return rate: 1.5% cash back (or 1.5 points per dollar) on all purchases with no caps.
Chase Ink Business Cash rewards
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is a little more complicated — but potentially more rewarding. Cardholders can earn 5% back (or 5 points per dollar) on the first $25,000 (then 1 point per dollar) spent in combined purchases each anniversary year at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services.
The card earns 2% back (or 2 points per dollar) on the first $25,000 (then 1 point per dollar) spent each anniversary year in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants. Finally, it earns 1% back (or 1 point per dollar) on everything else.
Spending categories and rewards
You can't go wrong with either card. But if you want a side-by-side comparison, you'll need to consider your business spending habits.
Cash back rates and categories
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card earns 1.5% cash back (or 1.5 points per dollar) on all purchases with no caps.
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card earns 5% back on the first $25,000 (then 1 point per dollar) spent at office supply stores and on Internet, cable, and phone services. It also earns 2% back on the first $25,000 (then 1 point per dollar) at gas stations and restaurants, and 1% back on everything else.
Bonus categories vs. flat-rate cash back
It's up to you to decide whether the benefit of extra cashback outweighs the effort of calculating which card to use.
Sign-up bonuses
Welcome offers, often called sign-up bonuses, require a certain amount of spending within a designated timeframe. In return, new cardholders earn generous rewards, and the Ink cards have some of the very best offers.
Comparison of sign-up bonuses
The welcome bonuses for these cards are similar. For the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card, the welcome bonus is $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening while the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card has a bonus of $750 bonus cash back after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
These are truly remarkable bonuses for no-annual-fee business credit cards.
Additional cardholder benefits
The Chase Ink cards offer several other useful benefits that can improve your financial management workflow.
Free employee cards
If you have employees who are authorized to handle your company finances, such as your accountant or your finance lead, you can set up free authorized user credit cards under your Chase Ink account. Both cards allow you to do this, which means any purchases made on behalf of your company earn rewards that go into your card account.
Purchase protection and extended warranty
Both cards offer purchase protection against theft or damage as long as 120 days post-purchase, and up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account. Each extends the U.S. manufacturer's warranty on purchases by an additional year. Both also come with primary rental car insurance for rentals whose main purpose is business.
Travel and emergency assistance services
Cardholders of either card can call for travel and emergency assistance as well as roadside dispatch service, which can arrange help like a tow, jumpstart, or tire change. However, cardholders are responsible for any service costs from either emergency assistance services or roadside dispatch.
How to choose
If your work-related purchases are primarily at office supply stores and on telecommunications with a mix of gas and dining, then the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card might be the right card for you — especially if you're not hitting those $25,000 caps.
However, if your business purchases are a bit more diverse — perhaps travel is a bigger component of your expenditures, or you spend a lot more on dining and gas than $25,000, then the uncapped Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card might be better, even if it only earns 1.5 points per dollar.
To see which of these business cards will earn you the most rewards, consider the following points.
Your business habits
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is likely better for business owners or managers with small physical offices that require supplies, internet, and cable purchases, with some dining and gas expenses for things like sales calls.
However, for digital nomads, freelancers, and those whose work expenses are smaller and more varied — perhaps including categories like travel, subscriptions, or even membership at shared workspaces — the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card's 1.5%-back earning structure might make more sense.
Cashback vs. simplicity
If you value simplicity, you can't go wrong with the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card. This card earns 1.5% back on all purchases, which means you won't need to think twice about it (except on international transactions, which come with a 3% foreign transaction fee).
The bonus categories on the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card may be tempting, but you'll earn less overall if you don't frequently spend the bulk of your business expenses on purchases in those categories.
Here are a few scenarios to help you compare real-life results:
Scenario 1: Small business with $40,000 annual expenses
Let's say you either own or run a small business with an office for which you are responsible for making purchases, including a decent amount of entertaining. Your expenditures for the year might break down as follows:
- Office supply and telecommunications: $20,000
- Gas and dining: $10,000
- Other: $10,000
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card would earn 5% back on the first set of expenses, 2% back on the second, and 1% back on the third for a total combined $1,300 cash back, or 130,000 points.
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card would earn a paltry $600 or 60,000 points by comparison.
Scenario 2: Medium business with $130,000 annual expenses
Now let's say your office is much bigger and your expenses are much higher, divvying up as follows:
- Office supply and telecommunications: $50,000
- Gas and dining: $30,000
- Other: $50,000
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card would earn $2,550 cash back or 255,000 points. The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card would earn $1,950 back or 195,000 points. So the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card still comes out ahead because of the major spending in its specific bonus categories.
Scenario 3: Large company with $620,000 annual expenses
Let's now look at a really high-spending scenario where someone is managing a large office or workforce that requires not only supplies but also other expenditures, say for leases or extensive payroll or employee training.
- Office supplies: $50,000
- Gas and dining: $20,000
- Travel: $50,000
- Rent, payroll, other: $500,000
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card would earn a combined $7,400 back, or 740,000 points. The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card would earn $9,300 back, or 930,000 points, coming out as the clear winner in this scenario.
Apply for a Chase Ink Card
$0
0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months
17.49% - 25.49% Variable
Earn up to $750 bonus cash back
Good to Excellent
Pros
Cons
Between offering a big welcome bonus, extra rewards in useful categories, and ongoing benefits like primary car rental insurance and purchase protection, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is an excellent no-annual-fee cash-back business credit card for small-business owners.
Ink Business Cash- Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening
- 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
- Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
- With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- No Annual Fee
- Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
- Member FDIC
$0
0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months
17.49% - 23.49% Variable
Earn $750 bonus cash back
Good to Excellent
Pros
Cons
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is a great option for small business owners who prefer a straightforward earning rate and no annual fee. You'll earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase, and there's no limit to what you can earn.
Ink Business Unlimited- Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
- No Annual Fee
- Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Earn rewards faster with employee cards at no additional cost. Set individual spending limits for greater control.
- Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
- With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
- Member FDIC
FAQs
What are the main differences between the Chase Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Unlimited cards?
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card earns a flat 1.5% cash back on all purchases, while the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card offers bonus categories that earn 5% back, while everything else earns 1%.
Do either of the Chase Ink Business cards have an annual fee?
No, neither the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card nor the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card have annual fees.
Which card offers better rewards for office supplies?
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card earns 5% back on office supplies and telecommunications services, which is significantly higher than 1.5% cash back on the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card.
Is there a sign-up bonus for these cards?
Both cards usually offer sign-up bonuses for new cardholders who meet a minimum spending requirement within the first few months of account opening. Right now, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card offers $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening and the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card offers $750 bonus cash back after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
How should I decide which Chase Ink Business card to apply for?
Consider your business's spending: if you spend a lot in the bonus categories of the Ink Business Cash, it may offer more value. If your spending is more varied or outside these categories, the Ink Business Unlimited's flat-rate cash back might be more beneficial.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
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