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The Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Unlimited are two popular business credit cards Chase offers. One offers elevated rewards in a few select spending categories, while the other offers unlimited spending rewards. The best card for you depends on your business needs and preferences. Keep reading to see how these cards compare and which is best for your business.
Ink Business Cash vs. Ink Business Unlimited comparison
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| FinanceBuzz star ratings |
4.8
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4.8
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| FinanceBuzz valuations1 <p class="">These values are based on the <a href="https://financebuzz.com/financebuzz-credit-card-valuation">FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model</a>, which takes a look at rewards earned via spending, the welcome offer, and the annual fee. We used a valuation of 1 cent/point unless otherwise stated above. These are estimated values - your actual earnings will depend on how much you spend and in what categories.<br></p> | Year 1: $1,223
Year 2: $473 |
Year 1: $1,130
Year 2: $380 |
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 |
| Welcome offer | 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 | Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening |
| Earning rate | 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 | Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase |
| Intro APR | 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases (then 17.74% - 25.74% Variable) | 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases (then 17.74% - 23.74% Variable) |
| Foreign transaction fee | 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars | 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars |
| Credit needed | Excellent, Good | Excellent, Good |
| Learn more | Learn more |
When to go with the Ink Business Cash
The Ink Business Cash rewards businesses that spend a lot of money in certain categories. It’s likely the right card for you if one of the following is true:
- You run a brick-and-mortar business
- Your spending is within the annual limits
Let’s talk more about why these situations are a good fit for the Ink Business Cash.
You run a brick-and-mortar business
You’ll get the most bang for your buck on the Ink Business Cash if you spend a lot in the bonus categories, and that’s likely to be the case for businesses with physical locations. After all, if you have a physical storefront or office, a lot of your annual budget probably goes to communication services and office supplies, making the elevated cash back on those purchases a huge perk.
Let’s compare your earning potential in the Ink Business Cash’s bonuses categories between the two cards:
| Ink Business Cash | Ink Business Unlimited | |
| Rewards rate on office supplies and communication services | 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 | 1.5% |
| Rewards rate on gas stations and restaurants | 2% on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year | 1.5% |
| Potential rewards on $25,000 of spending in each category | $1,750 | $750 |
Your spending is within the annual limits
Ink Business Cash has spending caps in its bonus categories. You’ll only get the elevated cashback rate 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 the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year.
If your spending is within these $25,000 limits, you’ll get the most value possible from the Ink Business Cash. Unfortunately, spending over the $25,000 limit is only eligible for 1% cash back.
If you expect to spend more than the annual limit, consider choosing a different card or combining your Ink Business Cash with another business card like the Ink Business Unlimited. We’ll talk more about the best way to do that later on.
When to go with the Ink Business Unlimited
The Ink Business Unlimited is a straightforward rewards card. Though it has a lower rewards rate than the Ink Business Cash’s bonus categories, it makes up for it in its simplicity. Here are some situations when the Ink Business Unlimited might make the most sense:
- You want a simple reward structure
- You run a business from your home
- You want to avoid spending caps
Let’s take a more in-depth look at these card benefits:
You want a simple reward structure
The true beauty of the Ink Business Unlimited is its simplicity. With this card, you don’t have to worry about keeping track of bonus categories. You’ll earn the same unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase. And unlike the Ink Business Cash, this card has no spending limits. You’ll earn the same rate whether you spend $1,000 or $100,000.
You run a business from your home
When you run a business from your home, your spending probably looks a bit different from a brick-and-mortar business, and therefore, so do your credit card needs.
In this case, your communications services — think internet, cell phone, etc. — are probably paid with a personal card or account rather than a business one. And depending on your line of work and whether you have to leave the house, you may not be spending money at gas stations and restaurants.
For example, I run my small business from the comfort of my own home. My internet and phone bills come out of my household budget rather than going on a business card. I need minimal office supplies and don’t spend money on gas for business purposes. The Ink Business Cash would be a poor choice for me, but the Ink Business Unlimited might make sense.
For these reasons, the Ink Business Unlimited could be a better fit.
You want to avoid spending caps
One of the biggest downsides of the Ink Business Cash is its spending caps. Let’s be honest: even if you still get the benefit of the elevated rewards rate on the first $25,000 spent, few of us want the added task of tracking our spending in that way.
The Ink Business Unlimited is an attractive option for businesses who spend a lot of money and want to avoid spending caps and earn the same reward rate on all of their spending.
Read our Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card review.
What both cards excel at
The Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Unlimited share many of the same benefits, which businesses of both kinds are likely to appreciate:
- Welcome offers: Both cards often have similar, if not identical, welcome offers and spending requirements to qualify for these offers.
- Introductory APR offers: Both the Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Unlimited offer 0% intro APR on purchases:
- Ink Business Cash: 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases (then 17.74% - 25.74% Variable)
- Ink Business Unlimited: 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases (then 17.74% - 23.74% Variable)
- Chase Ultimate Rewards points: Both cards earn cash back in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards bonus points, which we recommend as one of the most flexible credit card currencies available.
- Card benefits and perks: You can take advantage of purchase protection, extended warranty protection, roadside dispatch, rental car insurance, and more with either card.
- Redemption options: Redeem your rewards for travel through the Chase Travel portal, cash back, Apple products, gift cards, Pay Yourself Back options, and more.
- Employee cards: Both cards allow you to issue employee cards at no additional cost. You’ll earn cash back from your employees’ spending and can set spending limits.
- 5% cash back on Lyft rides: Both cards currently offer 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 2025.
Keep in mind
Although both the Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Unlimited are labeled as “cashback cards,” they actually earn cash back in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards points. These can be considered a type of travel rewards currency, but you can also use them for cash back and other types of redemptions.Which credit card should you choose?
Both the Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Unlimited have some major benefits for business owners. When you’re trying to decide which makes the most sense for your business, you have two options: choose the card that best aligns with your business spending or use both cards.
The Ink Business Cash makes sense if you want to maximize your earning potential with a high rewards rate but don’t necessarily spend enough to worry about the spending limits.
The Ink Business Unlimited makes sense if you want a simple rewards rate and don’t want to stress about spending limits. It also makes sense if you have a high-spending business where a spending cap might restrict the number of rewards you could earn.
Your other option is to use these two cards together. Neither card charges an annual fee, so there’s no real downside to having them both in your collection. You’ll have the benefit of always earning the highest rate possible on your spending.
When I’m eyeing two credit cards that have complimentary benefits, I think of how I can pair them together to get the most value. Here’s what that might look like with these two cards:
- Use the Ink Business Cash for the bonus categories.
- Use the Ink Business Unlimited for all other spending.
- Switch your bonus category spending to the Ink Business Unlimited once you’ve reached the annual spending limit.
Tip
If you want to take this card combination to the next level, consider pairing these cards with the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card together if you want to maximize your earning potential and redemption value. You can combine points between these three Ink Business credit cards, and having the Ink Business Preferred allows you to redeem your points for 25% more on travel through Chase Travel or transfer them to Chase travel partners.FAQs
Is the Ink Business Cash hard to get?
It’s generally not hard to qualify for the Ink Business Cash from Chase if you:
- Have a good credit score, which is at least 670 according to the FICO scoring model
- Have business income
- Are under the unofficial Chase 5/24 rule, which means you’ve opened fewer than five consumer credit cards from any credit card issuer in the past 24 months
Does the Ink Business Unlimited have an annual fee?
No, the Ink Business Unlimited doesn’t currently have an annual fee. Our Ink Business cards comparison shows the Chase Ink Business Cash also has a $0 annual fee, while the Ink Business Preferred has a $95 annual fee, and the Ink Business Premier® Credit Card has a $195 annual fee.
Can anyone get an Ink business card?
Chase business credit cards are for small business owners, so you must have a legitimate business to qualify. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to run a company with multiple employees to become a cardholder. You may also qualify for a business credit card as a sole proprietor with freelance, side hustle, or gig economy income.
Unlimited Cash Back
Current Offer
Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase
Up to 5% Cash Back
Current Offer
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
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
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