Your guide to the Chase Ink Business credit cards
Editor's Note
While Chase offers a robust portfolio of consumer credit cards, the issuer also has a suite of business cards tailored to different companies and expenses.
Known as the Ink Business family, these credit cards earn either cash-back rewards or Ultimate Rewards points. Depending on the card you carry, you may be able to combine your rewards with other cards that earn Ultimate Rewards points — such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Chase Freedom Flex℠ or Chase Freedom Unlimited® — to further boost your earning and redemption options.
There are currently four Ink Business cards available for applications: the Ink Business Premier® Credit Card, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.
Let's take a look at how the four cards stack up, including the best-ever welcome offers currently available on two of these cards.
Chase Ink Business Cards overview
| Ink Business Premier | Ink Business Preferred | Ink Business Cash | Ink Business Unlimited | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $195 | $95 | $0 | $0 |
| Sign-up bonus | Earn $1,000 after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of account opening. | Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening | Earn up to $750: $350 bonus cash back after 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 from account opening. back after you spend $6,000 in the first three months from account opening. | Earn $750 back after you spend $6,000 in the first three months from account opening. |
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| Foreign transaction fees | None | None | 3% of each transaction | 3% of each transaction |
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Chase Ink Business cards
Ink Business Premier Credit Card
Sign-up bonus: Earn $1,000 after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of account opening.
Annual fee: $195
Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 2.5% cash back on purchases of $5,000 or greater and 2% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
Who should apply? The Ink Business Premier is the newest and most premium offering in the Chase business card family, carrying a $195 annual fee.
Unfortunately, the Ink Business Premier does not earn fully transferable Ultimate Rewards points like its counterpart, the Ink Business Preferred (more on that below). Nor can you transfer the rewards earned on the Ink Business Premier to other Ultimate Rewards cards.
Instead, Ink Business Premier cardholders can redeem their points for cash back, gift cards, statement credits and more through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. As such, this card is geared toward business owners with high operating expenses who want to recoup the $195 annual fee, invest back into their business and aren't as concerned with earning travel rewards. In sum, the Ink Business Premier is a niche option that likely won't appeal to travel rewards enthusiasts but can be attractive to those who want a simple yet lucrative card with no preset spending limit.
Related:
- Ink Business Premier review
- TPG exclusive: A first look at Chase's Ink Business Premier credit card
- Who should (and who shouldn't) get the Chase Ink Business Premier?
Official application link: Ink Business Premier
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
Sign-up bonus: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Annual fee: $95
Rewards: Earn 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines, shipping purchases and internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
Who should apply? This is the only Ink card that earns full-fledged Ultimate Rewards points (those you can transfer to airlines and hotels) on its own rather than cash back. It is also the only Ink card that earns bonus points on travel purchases, specifically. The annual fee is low enough that freelancers and side hustlers can easily offset the cost, but the higher spending cap on business bonus categories means it's also a nice card for established business owners with offices and employees.
Related:
- Ink Business Preferred Credit Card review
- 5 reasons to get the Chase Ink Business Preferred credit card
- How to maximize your rewards earning with the Ink Business Preferred
Official application link: Ink Business Preferred
Ink Business Cash Credit Card
Sign-up bonus: Earn up to $750: $350 bonus cash back after 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 from account opening cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases within three months of account opening.
Annual fee: $0
Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on up to $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.
Who should apply? Despite being one of Chase's entry-level business credit cards with no annual fee, the Ink Business Cash offers a solid return on purchases, though its bonus categories are probably best suited for those who have physical offices. This means people who work from home and have to pick up office supplies or pay for their own phone services or those who have a small office building with employees.
Even if you carry the Ink Business Preferred, you might want to consider this card as well, thanks to the fact that it has no annual fee and earns 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants, which the Ink Business Preferred does not. Then, you can convert the rewards earned into miles or points with Chase's airline and hotel partners, or redeem them at better rates of 1.25 cents (if you transfer to the Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Preferred) or 1.5 cents (if you transfer to the Sapphire Reserve) toward travel reservations made through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
Related:
- Ink Business Cash Credit Card review
- Reasons to apply for the Chase Ink Business Cash Card
- Better together: Pair the Ink Business Preferred with the Ink Business Cash
Official application link: Ink Business Cash
Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card
Sign-up bonus: $750 cash back when you spend $6,000 on purchases within three months of account opening.
Annual fee: $0
Rewards: Earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases. As with the Ink Cash, you have the ability to open up more redemption values and more redemption opportunities if you carry another Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning card such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Ink Business Preferred.
Who should apply? This is an excellent card for freelancers who want a card that earns well on every dollar without having to keep track of bonus categories. It's also a great choice for business owners who need a card for their expenses that don't fall under a bonus category with their other cards since you get unlimited 1.5% back on every purchase. For freelancers or those with side hustles, this means maximizing every purchase without having to juggle multiple cards with annual fees. For established businesses, this is a great card to pair with other Chase cards, covering purchases that don't have extra earnings on other cards.
Related:
- Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card review
- 6 reasons to get the Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card
- Who should (and shouldn't) get the Ink Business Unlimited?
Official application link: Ink Business Unlimited
Which Ink Business card is right for you?
Each of these cards offers impressive earnings in at least one category:
- The no-annual-fee Ink Business Cash earns 5% cash back at office supply stores and on telecommunications services — up to $25,000 of these purchases per card membership year.
- The Ink Business Unlimited racks up 1.5% cash back on all purchases without category restrictions, spending limits or an annual fee.
- The Ink Business Preferred Card offers more rewards and benefits that can complement the Ink Business Cash and/or Ink Business Unlimited while only charging a minimal annual fee.
- The Ink Business Premier is a good option for businesses that spend thousands annually and want to earn a lucrative 2%-2.5% cash-back rate on all eligible purchases.
The Ink Business Preferred and the Ink Business Premier set themselves apart with cellphone protection, which can be valuable considering the current cost of smartphones.
Doubling down on Ink Business credit cards
If you already carry an Ink Business Cash or Ink Business Unlimited, you might want to consider adding the Ink Business Preferred to your lineup for four main reasons:
- The ability to earn 3 points per dollar on travel and advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines — up to $150,000 of these purchases per account anniversary year.
- The cellphone protection benefit could easily justify the $95 annual fee.
- Rewards earned on Chase cash-back cards, such as the Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Unlimited, can be transferred to the card and then used as full-fledged Chase Ultimate Rewards points with travel partners.
- The 100,000-point sign-up bonus is worth $2,050 based on TPG's valuations.
If your business doesn't spend much on the bonus categories of the Ink Business Cash or Ink Business Preferred, then you may be better off simply earning 1.5% cash back on everything with the Ink Business Unlimited.
Related: Clearing up the confusion: How to complete a Chase business credit card application
Now could also be a great time to get an Ink Business Unlimited or Ink Business Cash, due to their welcome offers. The Ink Business Unlimited is offering a $750 bonus after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Meanwhile, the Ink Business cash is offering up to a $750 bonus: $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.
Do I qualify for a business credit card?
Carrying a small-business credit card is an excellent way to keep your personal and business expenses separate. You may be surprised at what qualifies for a business credit card — no storefront or warehouse is required. An online Etsy store, a freelance writing gig, working as a ride-hailing service driver and many other micro-businesses qualify you for a card.
The best business credit cards generally offer attractive sign-up bonuses and high earning potential across multiple categories, which makes them valuable additions to your wallet no matter the size of your business.
Related: Your guide to applying for small business credit cards
Can I have more than one Ink Business credit card from Chase?
The short answer is "yes." This can be an appealing option for businesses that are fully invested in the Ultimate Rewards ecosystem and want to maximize purchases across multiple bonus categories.
Here's how you might approach it:
- Ink Business Cash: Use this card at office supply stores and on telecommunication purchases to earn 5% back (or 5 points per dollar), and use it at restaurants as well to earn 2% back (or 2 points per dollar).
- Ink Business Preferred: Use this card for travel costs, shipping providers and advertising purchases with social media platforms and search engines to earn 3 points per dollar. Plus, use it for all purchases outside the U.S. to avoid foreign transaction fees.
- Ink Business Unlimited: Use this card for all other purchases to earn 1.5% back (or 1.5 points per dollar) if you want to earn rewards that can be turned into transferrable points.
If you then combine all of your earnings from these cards under your Ink Business Preferred, you'll have a nice balance of fully transferable Ultimate Rewards points. Also consider:
- Ink Business Premier: Use this card for all other purchases if you're OK with earning cash back or if you need a card with no preset spending limit when making large purchases.
The application terms allow you to open each card, earn the sign-up bonus on each, and even earn the bonus on each card for each of your separate businesses. However, the issuer's standard application restrictions will apply; if you want to add a new Ink product to your wallet, consider these guidelines to maximize your approval chances.
Bottom line
As with Chase's consumer cards, you can amplify your rewards strategy dramatically by combining two (or more) Ink business cards that offer you the most points and benefits for your business spending.
If you plan to apply for one or more of these cards, it's generally recommended to apply for no more than one personal and one business card with Chase within a 90-day window.
When planning your strategy, remember Chase's 5/24 rule, which means that you could be rejected automatically for most Chase cards if you've opened five or more cards in the last 24 months. However, while you need to be under 5/24 to be approved, opening a new business card from Chase will not add to your 5/24 status.
If you aren't immediately approved and need to call for reconsideration, you may need to answer questions about your business or provide supporting documents before your application is approved. But that bit of extra effort could be well worth it to reap the rewards these cards offer.
Apply here: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
Apply here: Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card
Apply here: Ink Business Cash Credit Card
Apply here: Ink Business Premier Credit Card