Chase Ink Business Cards [2023]: A Side-by-Side Comparison

Whether you’re running a small business with several employees, reselling items online, or tutoring out of your home, a business credit card can provide you with attractive benefits you wouldn’t get from a personal credit card.

The three Chase Ink Business credit cards all provide generous sign-up bonuses 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.

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
New Business Card! Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card	Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after spending $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months	5% cash back on travel purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards; 2.5% cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more; 2% cash back on all other business purchases	$195
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card	Earn 100,000 points after spending $15,000 in the first 3 months	3X points on the first $150,000 spent each year on travel, shipping, internet, cable, or phone services, and advertising purchases with social media and search engines; and 1X points per $1 on everything else	$95
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card	Earn $900 bonus cash back after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months (limited time offer)	1.5% cash back on all spending	$0
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card	Earn $900 bonus cash back after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months (limited time offer)	5% cash back at office supply stores and on internet, cable, or phone services (up to $25,000 combined annually); 5% cash back on Lyft; 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (up to $25,000 combined annually); and 1% cash back on everything else	$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.

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. Not only does it offer 3X points on travel purchases, and 5X points on Lyft rides, but your points stretch 25% further when used to book travel via Chase Ultimate Rewards. That 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 business lunches; gas; office supplies; or internet, cable, or phone services, the Ink Business Cash offers the best earning rates in those select business categories. 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 1.5% back on every purchase.

2. Welcome bonus

The most valuable welcome bonus comes with the Ink Business Preferred card, especially if you plan to travel for business. The 100,000 bonus points (earned after spending $15,000 in the first 3 months) surpass most personal credit card sign-up bonuses and are equal to $1,250 toward travel redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards. That’s enough to offset the $95 annual fee for a decade.

You may also enjoy the welcome bonus of the Ink Business Premier card. You can earn $1,000 bonus cash back after spending $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. However, this card comes with a $195 annual fee.

If you won’t be purchasing business-related airline tickets, consider the Ink Business Cash or the Ink Business Unlimited, both of which offer a $900 cashback bonus. You can earn the bonus by spending $6,000 on either card in the first 3 months. 

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 a 0% introductory APR on purchases for 12 months. After that your balance will be subject to the regular variable APR of 17.49% to 23.49% (variable).

But that gives you a full year to pay back any startup costs interest-free. On the other hand, the Ink Business Preferred card comes with an APR of 20.24% to 25.24% (variable), and the Ink Business Premier has an APR of 18.49% to 26.49% (variable) right off the bat.

4. Redemption options

With any of the Ink Business cards, you can redeem points for cash back, statement credits, gift cards, Apple store purchases, or travel. The Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Unlimited cards are virtually identical when it comes to redemption options.

With the Ink Business Preferred Card, on the other hand, you’ll get more value out of your points when you use them toward travel. The Ink Business Preferred may be your best best if your goal is to earn free flights and hotel stays, as booking through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal will give your points 25% more value.

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 IHG Rewards Club. You can even transfer points to the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards program. This gives you more flexibility (and possibly more value) when you redeem your travel rewards.

Surpringly, 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, but you don't earn an additional value. You also can’t transfer your points to travel partners or to 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.

The Ink Business Preferred and Ink Business Premier, however, have some added perks for travelers. There are no foreign transaction fees, and the cards provides trip cancellation and interruption insurance. You’ll also get cell phone protection included with your card, which gets you up to $600 if your phone is stolen or damaged as long as you pay your phone bill with your card.

FAQs

Choosing the right card

Between the generous sign-up bonuses 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.

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 Sign-up Bonus

Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card

Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card

Learn How to Apply

Current Offer

Earn 100,000 points after spending $15,000 in the first 3 months

Annual Fee

$95

Rewards Rate

3X points on the first $150,000 spent each year on travel, shipping, internet, cable, or phone services, and advertising purchases with social media and search engines; and 1X points per $1 on everything else

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Earn 100,000 points after spending $15,000 in the first 3 months
• 3X points on travel and common business spending categories
• Flexible redemption options
• Additional employee cards at no extra cost

Drawbacks

• Has annual fee
• No intro 0% APR promotion offered
• Limited business-specific benefits

Card Details

• Earn 100,000 points after spending $15,000 in the first 3 months
• 3X points on the first $150,000 spent each year on travel, shipping, internet, cable, or phone services, and advertising purchases with social media and search engines; and 1X points per $1 on everything else

Author Details

Brandon Neth Brandon Neth is a credit card and award travel expert. He runs social media and audience growth for FinanceBuzz, including the FBZ Elite Facebook travel group. He’s spent the last 11 years using credit card points and miles to travel the world, taking him to 600 cities in 76 countries and counting. He's well-versed in credit cards, early retirement, real estate investing, and frugal living. He's been featured in Business Insider, Yahoo, MSN, Credit.com, U.S. News, Reader's Digest, and The Wirecutter (A New York Times Company).

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