The Guide to Chase Ink Business Cash & Unlimited Cards

Updated as of March 21, 2024! The Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card and Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card stand out as premier business cards for earning points. With no annual fee, these cards offer the flexibility to convert rewards into Chase Ultimate Rewards®, my preferred rewards currency. Converting a $750 bonus yields 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points, transferable to 11 airline partners and 3 hotel partners, including Hyatt, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines.

Annual Fee: $0

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Welcome Offer: 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. Total = 75,000 Points

    • Earns 5X on the initial $25,000 spent on combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services each account anniversary year.

    • Earn 2X on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year.

  • This is my favorite card because I earn a whopping 5X per dollar spent at office supply stores. At Office Depot, I purchase gift cards for other places we usually shop at, expanding the 5X earning potential.

    We prefer using Chase Ink cards to meet spending targets when we have big expenses. Though the bonus is labeled as cash back, if you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you can combine these points with your Sapphire card. However, this isn't an option if you have a Chase Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card.n text goes here

  • In the past, this card used to give a $500 bonus when you spent $3000 in 3 months. During the pandemic, it changed to $750 after spending $7500 in 3 months. Then, in fall 2022, it increased to $900 after spending $6,000 in 3 months, ending in March 2023. From September 2023 to January 2024, the $900 offer returned. The new tiered offer, giving you 6 months to spend $6000 and earn $750, started in March 2024.

Annual Fee: $0

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

Welcome Offer: Earn $750 (can be worth 75,000 points) after you spend $6,000 in 3 months. Total = 75,000 Points

  • If you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you can transfer the Ink points to the Sapphire card to get all the airline and hotel transfer benefits!

    Earn unlimited 1.5% Cash Back rewards on every purchase

  • We prefer using Chase Ink cards for covering big expenses and meeting higher minimum spend requirements. The bonus for these cards comes in cash back. But if you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you can merge the cash back points with your Sapphire card. Note: This isn't possible with a Chase Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card.

    You can apply for a Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card and Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card. If you have multiple businesses, you can get multiple cards. Remember to refer your spouse to maximize benefits.

  • In the past, this card used to give a $500 bonus when you spent $3000 in 3 months. During the pandemic, it changed to $750 after spending $7500 in 3 months. Then, in fall 2022, it increased to $900 after spending $6,000 in 3 months, ending in March 2023. From September 2023 to January 2024, the $900 offer returned. The new tiered offer, giving you 6 months to spend $6000 and earn $750, started in March 2024.

Welcome Bonuses:

Both the Ink Cash and Ink Unlimited cards offer a cash back welcome bonus, typically $750.

Although similar, the welcome offers have differences. With the Ink Cash, you get six months to spend and earn the full $750 cash back. This is split into two tiers: $350 after spending $3,000 in the first three months, and an additional $400 after spending $6,000 in the first six months.

A new Ink Cash offer includes a 10% Business Relationship Bonus. If you have a Chase Business Checking account on your first card anniversary, you'll earn a one-time 10% bonus on all eligible cash back earned in your first year, excluding the welcome offer. Note: this offer is available for Ink Business Cash cards opened between March 17 and November 17, 2024.

The Ink Unlimited offers a $750 welcome bonus after spending $6,000 in the first three months.

Remember to pair your card(s) with a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card, or Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card to transfer your points to Chase’s airline and hotel partners. Your $750 cash back converts to 75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, transferable at a 1:1 ratio to airlines and hotels.

Earning Categories:

One key difference between these cards lies in their earning categories. Typically, during your initial spending period, you'll earn more with the Ink Unlimited card—unless you spend heavily in bonus categories for the Ink Cash card.

If you open a Business Checking account with Chase and continue spending on an Ink Cash card throughout the year, you'll earn more through the Ink Cash Relationship Bonus. However, you'll receive these bonus points only on your first account anniversary.

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card Earning:

  • Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent on 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 on combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year.

  • Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases, with no limit on how much you can earn.

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card Earning:

  • Earn unlimited 1.5% Cash Back rewards on every purchase.

Earning Multiple Bonuses on Ink Cards: Firstly, you can open at least one of each Ink card to maximize Chase Ultimate Rewards® earnings.

Moreover, if you have multiple businesses, you can open each card with both your EIN and your SSN. This allows you to separate business expenses efficiently, a practice Chase recognizes and accommodates.

$0 Annual Fees:

The best part about these 2 cards is that there is NO ANNUAL FEE.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do these cards earn cash back or points?

These cards offer bonuses listed in cash back, which technically equate to a version of Chase Ultimate Rewards® redeemable exclusively as cash back. However, there's an exception: when you pair your Ink card(s) with a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card, or Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you can transfer your points to Chase's airline and hotel transfer partners for greater value.

Which card should I open?

If you frequent office supply stores like Staples or Office Max/Office Depot, the Ink Cash card is ideal, offering 5x rewards at these stores. It's also suitable if you prefer spreading your spending requirement over six months. If office supply stores aren't your go-to, the Ink Unlimited is a solid choice, earning a flat 1.5 cents per point on most purchases.

What if I don’t have a Sapphire card yet?

You can open one of the Chase Ink cards now and then apply for a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card, or Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card later. Having a Sapphire card first isn't necessary. Alternatively, if your spouse has a Sapphire card and you don’t, you can call Chase to transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards® from your Ink card(s) to your spouse’s account to maximize their value. Points can be combined across your household.

I’m not sure I can hit the $6k spend requirement?

If meeting a $6,000 spending requirement seems daunting, explore our tips for reaching high minimum spends. Alternatively, consider the Ink Cash card, which offers the option to spend $6,000 over a total of six months.

Can I put personal expenses on a business card?

Yes, it's common to use a business card for personal expenses. Credit card issuers don't report your spending to the IRS or anyone else, so there are no tax implications. However, if you have genuine business expenses, it's important to track them separately for tax purposes.

What benefits do these cards include?

Aside from a generous welcome bonus and no annual fee, the Chase Business Ink Cash® Credit Card and Chase Business Ink Unlimited® Credit Cards offer additional perks such as

  1. purchase protection

  2. extended warranty protection

  3. travel and emergency assistance

  4. and roadside dispatch.

What can I do with Chase Ultimate Rewards®?

Discover the possibilities with your Chase Ultimate Rewards® by exploring our top 9 uses for Ultimate Rewards and our comprehensive Ultimate Rewards guide. These points can be redeemed for various travel experiences, including trips to Europe, resort stays in Hawaii, all-inclusive vacations in the Caribbean, family road trips, and much more!