Chase Ink Business Cards [2024]: A Side-by-Side Comparison

CREDIT CARDS - BUSINESS CREDIT CARDS
Get the most out of your business purchases with the right Ink Business card.
Updated March 14, 2024
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Woman comparing Chase Ink Business cards

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The four Chase Ink Business credit cards all provide generous welcome offers and robust rewards on business purchases, and cardholders also have the added convenience of being able to easily track business expenses and employee spending.

But which Ink Business credit card is right for you? That depends on the scope of your business and your spending needs. Consider how much you’ll spend on business-related purchases, whether you’ll travel for business, and which perks are most important to you.

In this article

Key takeaways

  • You can’t go wrong with any of the Chase Ink Business cards, but we especially love the Ink Business Cash for its $0 annual fee and high earning potential.
  • One of the best ways to maximize your earning and redemption value is to use the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card, Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card, and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card in categories where they earn the most points and then combine your points together. 

The Chase Ink Business cards, compared

Do you travel internationally for business? You’ll likely want a card with no foreign transaction fees and added travel perks. Do you have expensive startup costs? You may want a card with a 0% introductory APR (annual percentage rate) and a high credit limit.

To decide which Ink Business card is the best credit card for you, consider how you’ll use your card and check out our side-by-side comparison.

Card name Welcome bonus Earnings rate Annual fee

Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card 

5.0

Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; unlimited 2.5% cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more; unlimited 2% cash back on all other business purchases $195

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card 

4.8

Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening 3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year; and 1X points per $1 on all other purchases $95

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card 

4.8

Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase $0

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card 

4.8

Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening 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; and 1% cash back on all other purchases $0

How the Ink Business cards stack up

The best business credit card for you will depend on what kind of purchases you need to make for your business, how much you’ll spend, and how you plan to redeem your rewards. 

Consider the following factors when deciding which Ink Business credit card to apply for.

1. Earning rates and bonus categories

There’s no clear winner when it comes to earning rates since getting the best bang for your buck depends on your regular expenses and redemption needs. But all the Ink cards are part of a robust rewards program.

Card name Earnings rate

Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card

5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; unlimited 2.5% cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more; unlimited 2% cash back on all other business purchases

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year; and 1X points per $1 on all other purchases

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

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; and 1% cash back on all other purchases

If you often make large business purchases, you may enjoy the earning rate of the Ink Business Premier Card. This card earns 2.5% on purchases of $5,000 or more.

Frequent business travelers will likely get the most value out of the Ink Business Preferred Card since it offers 3X on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. That rate means you can effectively get $3.75 toward travel for every $100 you spend on travel purchases.

If you’re mainly using your card for common business expenses, the Ink Business Cash offers the best earning rates, including 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 and 2% on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year.

But if most of your business purchases fall outside those categories, you’ll likely get the best overall rewards from the Ink Business Unlimited credit card, which offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase.

2. Welcome offer

The most valuable welcome offer varies depending on what's available, but the Ink Business Preferred card tends to have an excellent offer, especially if you plan to travel for business. You can earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

You may also enjoy the welcome bonus of the Ink Business Premier card. You can earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. However, this card comes with a $195 annual fee compared to the $95 annual fee on the Ink Business Preferred.

Card name Welcome bonus

Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card

Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

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

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

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

If your business expenses don't align with the bonus categories on the Ink Business Premier or Ink Business Preferred, consider the Ink Business Cash or the Ink Business Unlimited, both of which also provide valuable welcome offers.

3. Introductory purchase APRs

While it’s generally ill-advised to put purchases you can’t afford on a credit card, business startup costs might be an exception, and these Chase credit cards can help.

If you need to make costly purchases to get your business up and running, you’ll likely want to opt for the Ink Business Cash or Ink Business Unlimited since both of these credit cards come with intro APR offers on purchases. This can help you pay back any startup costs interest-free for a certain number of months.

Card name Introductory purchase APRs

Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card

None

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

None

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases (then 18.49% - 24.49% Variable)

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases (then 18.49% - 24.49% Variable)

4. Redemption options

With any of the Ink Business cards, you can redeem points for cash back (including statement credits and direct deposits into eligible U.S. checking and savings accounts), gift cards, Apple purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards, and travel bookings through Chase Ultimate Rewards. 

Card name Redemption options

Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card

Cash back, gift cards, Ultimate Rewards travel bookings, and Ultimate Rewards shopping purchases, but you can't combine points with other Chase cards

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Cash back, gift cards, Ultimate Rewards travel bookings, Ultimate Rewards shopping purchases, certain other online shopping purchases, transfers to other eligible Chase cards, and transfers to airline and hotel partners

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

Cash back, gift cards, Ultimate Rewards travel bookings, Ultimate Rewards shopping purchases, certain other online shopping purchases, and transfers to other eligible Chase cards

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Cash back, gift cards, Ultimate Rewards travel bookings, Ultimate Rewards shopping purchases, certain other online shopping purchases, and transfers to other eligible Chase cards

With the Ink Business Preferred Card, you typically get more value out of your points when you use them toward travel. That's because the Ink Business Preferred gives your points 25% more value when redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

The Ink Business Preferred also allows you to transfer Ultimate Rewards points to Chase travel partners at a 1:1 ratio. For example, you can transfer points to Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt, and the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards program. This gives you more flexibility (and possibly more value) when you redeem your travel rewards.

Note that the Ink Business Premier Card doesn't offer the same benefits as the Ink Business Preferred. It does allow you to use your points toward travel bookings through Ultimate Rewards, but you don't receive any additional value. You also can’t transfer your points to travel partners or combine them with other Chase credit cards.

5. Other perks

You’ll get identical perks from the Ink Business Unlimited and Ink Business Cash cards, and the benefits are common to most credit cards. Both cards offer you the opportunity to pick up employee cards at no additional cost; they also provide purchase and extended warranty protection along with travel assistance and rental car insurance coverage.

Card name Other perks

Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card

  • Auto rental collision damage waiver (primary coverage)
  • Roadside dispatch
  • Free employee cards
  • Purchase protection
  • Extended warranty
  • Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
  • Cell phone protection

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

  • Auto rental collision damage waiver (primary coverage)
  • Roadside dispatch
  • Free employee cards
  • Purchase protection
  • Extended warranty
  • Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
  • Cell phone protection

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

  • Auto rental collision damage waiver (primary coverage)
  • Roadside dispatch
  • Travel/emergency assistance
  • Free employee cards
  • Purchase protection
  • Extended warranty

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

  • Auto rental collision damage waiver (primary coverage)
  • Roadside dispatch
  • Travel/emergency assistance
  • Free employee cards
  • Purchase protection
  • Extended warranty

The Ink Business Preferred and Ink Business Premier have some added perks for travelers. There are no foreign transaction fees, and the cards provide trip cancellation and interruption insurance. 

You also have cell phone protection included with these cards, which can get you or an employee listed on your monthly cell phone bill up to $1,000 if your phone is stolen or damaged and you pay your phone bill with your applicable card.

Which Chase Ink Business credit card should you choose?

When you should choose Chase Ink Business Cash

  • You want a $0 annual fee
  • You want a high rewards rate in common business categories

When you should choose Chase Ink Business Unlimited

  • You want a $0 annual fee
  • You want a simple rewards rate for making various business purchases

When you should choose Chase Ink Business Preferred

  • You want an elevated rewards rate in common business categories
  • You want access to Chase transfer partners
  • You want a 25% boost to travel redemptions made through Chase Ultimate Rewards
  • You want no foreign transaction fees

When you should choose Chase Ink Business Premier

  • You want a simple rewards rate for making various business purchases
  • You want an elevated rewards rate for making large purchases
  • You want no foreign transaction fees

What factors to consider before choosing

We recommend using multiple Chase Ink Business cards in unison to fully take advantage of the opportunity to combine points across cards.

But if you have to choose only one or two of these cards, consider what your personal finance and business goals are and see how a card’s benefits might help you.

For example, if you want to take advantage of earning rewards on office supply expenses, the Ink Business Cash has an excellent rewards rate for doing just that.

If you don’t want to worry about different spending categories, we recommend the Ink Business Unlimited and Ink Business Premier. For increased travel benefits, the Ink Business Preferred makes sense.

FAQs

Which Chase Ink business card is the best?

The best Chase Ink card for you depends on which card’s benefits most align with your business expenses and needs. Here are some of our recommendations:

Can I apply for Chase Ink without a business?

All Ink cards are business cards, which means you need a business to qualify for one. But this doesn’t mean you have to run a large business with hundreds of employees. Small businesses are also eligible, including side hustles and independent contractor work. For example, if you earn income from selling items on Amazon or you work as a freelance writer, that’s technically business income and could qualify you for a business card.

Does a Chase Ink business card report to personal credit?

Chase business cards don’t typically report to personal credit bureaus, but they could if you default on your credit card payments. You should still expect a hard credit check with personal credit bureaus when applying for an Ink business card.

Are Chase business cards or Amex business cards better?

The better business cards between Chase and Amex depends on your goals and business needs. The Chase Ink cards work well together, offering many options to earn bonus rewards on common business expenses. And you’re able to pool Chase points together for quicker redemption opportunities. However, many of the American Express business cards tend to focus on travel rewards and offer valuable travel benefits. So if you travel frequently, certain Amex cards might be useful for you.

Does Chase Ink have foreign transaction fees?

Some Chase Ink cards have foreign transaction fees, while others don’t. Here are the foreign transaction fees on all the Chase Ink Business credit cards:

  • Chase Ink Business Cash: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
  • Chase Ink Business Unlimited: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
  • Chase Ink Business Preferred: None
  • Chase Ink Business Premier: None

Bottom line

Between the generous welcome offers and rewards-earning potential associated with the Chase business credit cards, applying for one of them is a smart move for many small business owners. This is especially true if you already hold a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® card and want to combine your points between eligible cards.

But Chase isn’t the only credit card issuer to offer some of the best business credit cards with impressive rewards. And there are other credit card offers you may qualify for, even if you’re self-employed, are worried about your credit score, or have a limited credit history. To choose the right card for you, consider your spending needs and how you plan to redeem your rewards. And be sure to read through our business credit card application tips before getting started.

Hot Welcome Bonus

4.8

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Current Offer

Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Annual Fee

$95

Rewards Rate

3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year; and 1X points per $1 on all other purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks
Card Details

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