Why Chase Ink Business Credit Cards Are Some Of My Favorites (2024)

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As a credit expert, personal finance and travel writer, it’s no surprise that I’m a fan of credit card rewards. By using credit cards for everyday purchases, I’m able to earn valuable points and cash back, plus take advantage of a wide variety of perks that debit cards and cash don’t offer.

But I don’t just use rewards credit cards in my personal life. As a small business owner, I also use business cards to keep my personal and business spending separate, and enjoy solid benefits and rewards along the way.

Two of my favorite small business rewards credit cards are part of the Chase Ink family—the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. While I didn’t open these cards at the same time, I often use them in tandem to get the most bang for my buck in business rewards.

Here are four reasons why I decided to open these two Chase Ink credit cards and why I plan to keep them for the foreseeable future.

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Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

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4.4

Why Chase Ink Business Credit Cards Are Some Of My Favorites (3)

Forbes Advisor created additional star ratings so that you can see the best card for specific needs. This card shines for this use, but overall the star ratings may differ when compared to other cards.

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1.5% Reward Rate

Earn unlimited 1.5% Cash Back rewards on every purchase made for your business

Welcome Bonus

Earn $750 bonus cash back

Annual Fee

$0

Regular APR

18.49% - 24.49% Variable

Credit Score

Excellent, Good(700 - 749)

Editorial Review

Busy business owners will appreciate this card’s simple flat-rate rewards program which doesn’t require time to manage and optimize.

Pros & Cons

  • Unlimited 1.5% cash-back rewards on purchases
  • No annual fee
  • Generous welcome bonus
  • 0% Intro APR on purchases for 12 months
  • Cash back awarded as Ultimate Rewards, which can be combined with premium Chase credit card accounts for better reward redemption options
  • High foreign transaction fees
  • High balance transfer fees

Card Details

  • 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

Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

1. Welcome Bonus

Ink Business Preferred

The first Ink business credit card I opened was the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. And, of course, one of the biggest draws of the card was its attractive welcome bonus for new cardholders. At present, new cardholders have the opportunity to earn 120,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

For me, the welcome bonus alone more than offsets the cost of the card’s $95 annual fee for the first year I opened the account (and several years to come). However, it’s important to evaluate your budget and make sure you won’t have trouble meeting the minimum spending requirements on the card. The spending threshold might be a little steep for some small businesses, freelancers, or sole proprietors.

Ink Business Cash

A couple of years after I opened the Ink Business Preferred Card, I opened the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card as well. The Ink Business Cash also comes with a generous welcome offer: $350 bonus cash back after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening.

Right now, cardholders that open an account between March and November 2024 also have a chance to score a 10% business relationship bonus on all the eligible cash back they earn during their first year. This offer wasn’t available when I opened the Ink Business Cash, but it’s a nice added perk. To qualify, you need to have both an eligible Chase Ink Business Cash card and a Chase Business Banking Checking account.

2. Rewards Bonus Categories

Ink Business Preferred

One of my favorite parts of the Ink Business Preferred Card is the attractive bonus categories the card offers on small business purchases. This card gives me 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 I spend each account anniversary year on the following types of purchases.

  • Travel
  • Shipping
  • Internet, cable, and phone services
  • Advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines

Plus, through March 2025, I can earn 5 points per dollar on Lyft rides.

The card only earns 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. So, outside of the bonus categories, I don’t use this card for most regular business spending.

Ink Business Cash

I’m also a fan of the bonus categories that the Ink Business Cash offers—especially for a no-annual fee business credit card. This card gives me either 5% or 2% cash back on the first $25,000 I spend each account anniversary year on the following purchases.

  • 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
  • 1% cash back on all other purchases

I can also use the card to earn 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 2025.

For the most part, I maximize my spending on this card on internet and phone services. I also use the card anytime I need to make purchases at office supply stores—especially new technology purchases or the regular supplies I need to keep my small business running. Yet aside from the bonus categories, the card only offers 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases. Therefore, it’s also not my go-to card for everyday business expenses.

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Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

On Chase Bank USA, NA's Website

Welcome Bonus

Earn up to $750 bonus cash back

Annual Fee

$0

Credit Score

Excellent, Good

Regular APR

18.49% - 24.49% Variable

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

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.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

On Chase Bank USA, NA's Website

Welcome Bonus

Earn 120,000 bonus points

Annual Fee

$95

Credit Score

Excellent, Good

Regular APR

21.24%-26.24% Variable

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Earn 120,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

On Chase Bank USA, NA's Website

Welcome Bonus

Earn $750 bonus cash back

Annual Fee

$0

Credit Score

Excellent, Good

Regular APR

18.49% - 24.49% Variable

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

3. Option to Combine Points

Although I earn cash back on my Ink Business Cash card, I don’t opt to redeem the rewards I earn that way. I can turn my cash back into Chase Ultimate Rewards® points by transferring them to my Ink Business Preferred or my Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

I can transfer the points I earn with my Ink Business Preferred to my Sapphire Reserve as well, and it’s wise for me to do so. With my Ink Business Preferred, my Ultimate Rewards points are worth a valuable 1.25 cents per point when I redeem them through Chase Travel℠. But that redemption value jumps to 1.50 cents per point for Chase Travel℠ bookings when I transfer the points to the Sapphire Reserve.

Of course, both the Ink Business Preferred and the Chase Sapphire Reserve allow me to transfer points to Chase airline and hotel partners. And since it’s sometimes possible to find Chase partner redemptions that are worth more than 1.5 cents per point, transferring to partners might be the best use of your Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

4. Other Benefits

There are other reasons why I decided to apply for both the Ink Business Preferred and Ink Business Cash and keep them open today. Below are a few of the most notable benefits I appreciate from each card.

Ink Business Preferred

  • Cellphone protection. Receive up to $1,000 per claim in cell phone protection against covered theft or damage when you pay your monthly mobile phone bill with your Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.
  • Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance. If you use your Ink Preferred Card to pay for travel, you’ll receive up to $5,000 per person ($10,000 per trip) if your trip is canceled or interrupted due to eligible sickness, weather, or other covered scenarios.

Ink Business Preferred and Ink Business Cash

  • Auto rental collision damage waiver. When renting a car using your Ink Business Preferred Card or Your Ink Business Cash Card and declining the rental car company’s collision insurance, you’ll receive primary rental car insurance coverage. But keep in mind that you should be renting the car for business purposes.
  • Extended warranty. Use either your Ink Business Preferred or Your Ink Business Cash to make a purchase and get an extra year of protection on top of eligible U.S. manufacturer’s warranties of three years or less.

Ink Business Cash

  • Intro APR offer. The Ink Business Cash comes with a 0% introductory APR on purchases for 12 months, then a standard APR of 18.49% - 24.49% variable applies for purchases and balance transfers. A balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies. If you need to make a large business purchase, this offer could help you save on interest charges for a limited time. But it’s important to make a plan to pay off your balance before the introductory offer comes to an end.

Bottom Line

Both the Ink Business Preferred and the Ink Business Cash are solid small business rewards credit cards. With no annual fee, there’s no reason I would consider closing the Ink Business Cash.

In my opinion, the Ink Business Preferred offers far more value than the cost of its $95 annual fee. Both cards offer respectable category bonus options for my small business and plenty of other benefits to earn an ongoing place in my wallet.

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Why Chase Ink Business Credit Cards Are Some Of My Favorites (2024)
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