The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card checks nearly every box for small business owners looking to maximize returns on their spending. From no annual fee to up to 5% cash back on business expenses to important travel and purchase coverage when you hit the road, the Ink Business Cash is a strong choice for ventures of all sizes.
About the Ink Business Cash Credit Card
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is an excellent starter card for businesses that also has lasting power to keep it a wallet staple for years to come. It has no annual fee and you can add cards for your employees at no extra cost.
There are several bonus categories that earn high rewards on the Ink Business Cash, including 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined annual purchases at office supply stores, and internet, cable and phone services; 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined annual purchases at gas stations and restaurants and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
If you’re able to maximize each bonus category limit, you could take home up to 175,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® points every year, worth $1,750 in cash back. Plus, you can benefit from 0% intro APR on purchases made within the first 12 months from account opening, adding to the Ink Business Cash’s standing as one of the top business cards on the market.
The information for the Ink Business Cash Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Ink Business Cash Credit Card basics
- Annual fee: $0.
- Welcome bonus: $750 cash back after you spend $6,000 or more within the first three months of account opening.
- Rewards: 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; 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year; then 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
- Intro APR: 0% intro APR for purchases only during the first 12 months that your account is open.
- Regular APR: 17.99% to 23.99%, depending on your creditworthiness.
- Balance transfer fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater.
- Other perks and benefits: No fee for additional employee cards, primary auto rental collision damage waiver, purchase protection, extended warranty and access to roadside dispatch and travel and emergency assistance services.
- Does the issuer offer a preapproval tool? No.
- Recommended credit score: Good to excellent.
Ink Business Cash Credit Card other details
Ink Business Cash Credit Card rewards
The Ink Business Cash card earns the following rewards:
- 5% on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year.
- 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year.
- 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
Although the welcome bonus and ongoing earning rate is marketed as earning “cash back,” you’ll earn rewards in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards points. The math is simple: Each point is worth 1 cent each. Therefore, the current $750 welcome bonus equates to 75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points, and earning 5% cash back means you’ll earn 5 points per dollar spent in eligible categories.
Your rewards balance will update after every statement closing date, and you can redeem points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal for cash back, travel, gift cards, and more.
Savvy business owners may also want to open the $95-per-year Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card in the future. This powerful card duo can not only lead to a surplus of rewards, but you will be able to pool your points balance together and transfer your points to more than a dozen of Chase’s airline and hotel loyalty partners, only accessible if you carry the Ink Business Preferred.
Ink Business Cash Credit Card rewards potential
Businesses can range from sole proprietorship, small or large storefronts, or even side hustles like Uber or DoorDash. To predict the rewards potential you could earn on the Ink Business Cash, we’ll use estimates from government data and other publicly available information on U.S. household spending. However, be sure to tailor these metrics to your own business finances.
We estimate that a household in the U.S. that would be in the market for this card has an annual income of $84,352 and $25,087 in expenses they are likely to be able to charge to a credit card.
This sample business owner could earn a grand total of 41,689 Ultimate Rewards points annually, worth $416.89.
Ink Business Cash Credit Card APR
There’s a 0% intro APR for the first 12 months of account opening that applies to new purchases made on the card. After that, a 17.99%-23.99%, variable APR applies, based on your creditworthiness.
Ink Business Cash Credit Card pros
- No annual fee: You won’t have to pay a membership fee to open this account.
- Up to 5% cash back on business expenses: The Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card offers a diverse range of bonus categories.
- Travel and purchase coverage benefits: From purchase protection to primary car rental insurance, the Ink Business Cash has your business covered on many fronts.
- Add employee cards at no additional cost: You won’t have to worry about additional fees; plus, all of the points will pool into your rewards balance.
Ink Business Cash Credit Card cons
- Only earns 1% cash back on non-bonus purchases: If your business spending falls outside of the bonus categories, you may want to find another card to sweep up those remaining rewards.
- Charges a 3% foreign transaction fee: You should leave this card at home when you’re traveling internationally, as it’ll incur a 3% transaction fee on purchases made in another currency.
- Requires a good to excellent credit score to qualify: When you apply, Chase will pull your data from your personal credit score and finances, so you may not qualify if you have less-than-ideal credit history.
How the Ink Business Cash Credit Card compares to other small business cards
Ink Business Cash Credit Card vs. Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Within the same Chase Ink business card family is the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card. At first glance, it offers similar benefits — with no annual fee and an identical welcome offer. However, where the Ink Business Unlimited card is different is in its earning rate. You’ll earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, which is best-suited for businesses with unpredictable or varying expenses.
There’s no reason why you can’t hold both business cards, in theory. However, you’ll want to be mindful of too many credit checks in a short time frame as it can impact your credit scores, so it’s best to apply for a second card at least six- to 12 months down the line.
Ink Business Cash Credit Card vs. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card is a step above the Ink Business Cash Credit Card and is a great partner to the Ink Business Cash Credit Card. Although it carries a $95 annual fee, it offers 3 points per dollar spent in combined shipping, advertising, internet, cable and phone services and travel purchases (on the first $150,000 spent in combined categories each account anniversary year; then 1 point per dollar). You’ll still earn 1 point per dollar on all non-bonus purchases.
The Ink Business Preferred is a travel-focused card, and you’ll get a 25% bonus when redeeming your points for travel through the Ultimate Rewards portal — that elevates your point redemption rate from 1 cent to 1.25 cents. Not only that, but you can transfer your points directly to Chase’s airline and hotel partners, which include British Airways, Southwest, United Airlines, JetBlue and World of Hyatt.
The information for the Ink Business Unlimited and Ink Business Preferred cards has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Ink Business Cash Credit Card vs. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Also with no annual fee, the Amex Blue Business Plus (terms apply) offers a straightforward earning rate. You’ll earn 2 points per dollar on all eligible expenses, up to the first $50,000 spent per calendar year, then 1 point. If you’re able to maximize this limit, you can easily accrue up to 100,000 points per year.
The Amex Blue Business Plus comes with a smaller welcome bonus, but the spending requirement is lighter. You’ll earn 15,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the card within the first three months of account opening.
Should you get the Ink Business Cash Credit Card?
With its generous welcome bonus, valuable earning rate and slew of protections and benefits, the Ink Business Cash is a top-notch choice for businesses whose spending patterns align with the rewards offered on the card.
Ink Business Cash Credit Card summary
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
The Chase Ink Business Cash is a Visa Signature card.
You’ll likely need a good to excellent FICO credit score to qualify — ideally 670 or higher.
Chase doesn’t provide an official maximum credit limit on the Ink Business Cash, but it could be $25,000 (or higher) depending on your creditworthiness, income and other factors.
Yes, Chase will check your personal credit with the Social Security number (SSN) or individual tax ID number (ITIN) you provide in order to approve you for this business credit card.
