Chase Ink Cash Benefits: Earn More, Spend Smarter

All information about Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by 10xTravel. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is no longer available through 10xTravel.com.

When choosing a small-business credit card, entrepreneurs often find themselves navigating a plethora of conflicting options. Each card promises big rewards, unique perks and cost-saving opportunities, but not all of them deliver value to small-business owners in equal measure.

Among these contenders, the Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card consistently shines as a $0 annual fee fan-favorite, offering robust rewards for common business expenses, flexible redemption options and a suite of protections that make managing business finances easier and more secure.

This card isn’t about luxury airport lounge access or elite status perks. Instead, it’s about practicality, helping small-business owners earn more and spend smarter by rewarding the purchases they make most often, from office supplies to internet bills and more.

Here’s a deep dive into the Chase Ink Cash’s benefits, what makes it a standout choice, how to maximize its value and whether it deserves a permanent place in your wallet.

Getting Started with the Chase Ink Cash Card

The Chase Ink Cash was designed with small-business owners in mind, especially those who want meaningful rewards without the burden of an annual fee.

At its core, the card is about rewarding everyday business spending in categories where most companies already allocate a significant portion of their budget.

Think of the expenses you can’t avoid: internet connection, office supplies, phone lines, gas for deliveries or client dinners. With the Ink Business Cash, these costs don’t just keep your business running—they also fuel your rewards balance.

The Chase Ink Cash Card also comes with a lucrative welcome offer.

If your business has a few large upcoming expenses, be it new computers, insurance premiums or a bulk office supply purchase, this is the perfect opportunity to meet the spending threshold naturally.

It’s also important to note that even though it’s marketed as a cashback card, the Ink Cash technically earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points. You can redeem them for cash, but the real value comes from pairing the card with other Chase products that unlock transfer partners and elevated redemption rates.

Key Card Features at a Glance

Before we jump into the Chase Ink Business Cash’s benefits, here’s an overview of its features.

Application Requirements and Eligibility

One of the common misconceptions of prospective business cardholders is that you need to own a large business generating significant revenue to be able to apply for a small-business card. Luckily, just like most card issuers, Chase defines “business” broadly.

Freelancers, sole proprietors, gig economy workers and side hustlers can all be eligible, as long as you earn income through self-employment.

When applying, you’ll typically be asked for information about your business, including but not limited to:

• Your legal business name
• Business type (sole proprietorship, limited liability company (LLC), corporation)
• Business address (can be your home address if you’re a sole proprietor)
• Tax identification number (EIN or your Social Security number if you’re a sole proprietor)
• Annual revenue
• Years in business and number of employees

Chase may also request supporting documents for verification, especially for newer businesses. These could include invoices, proof of revenue or business licenses.

For a complete rundown, check out our article on how to qualify for a small-business credit card.

Additionally, to apply for a new Chase card, you’ll need to be under 5/24. Chase’s unofficial 5/24 rule stipulates that if you’ve opened five or more credit cards within the last 24 months, you’ll be ineligible to receive a new card. While Chase business credit cards don’t add to your 5/24 count—as your business credit history is separate from your personal credit history—your 5/24 count is still considered in the application.

Earning Rewards with Your Ink Cash

As previously mentioned, while the Chase Ink Cash is marketed as a cashback card, it earns Ultimate Rewards points.

Each point is worth 1 cent if redeemed for cash, but the real magic happens when you combine points from multiple Chase cards.

If you also hold a premium Chase card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, the Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card or the Sapphire Reserve for Business℠, you unlock the ability to transfer points to Chase’s 14 airline and hotel partners. This can turn your points into significantly more valuable redemptions, like business-class flights that would otherwise cost thousands of dollars.

The earning structure on the Ink Cash is straightforward but powerful when used wisely:

• 5% cash back (5X points) on office supply stores, internet, cable and phone services (on up to $25,000 in combined purchases per year).
• 2% cash back (2X points) on gas stations and restaurants (on up to $25,000 in combined purchases per year).
• 1% cash back (1X points) on all other purchases.

Let’s say your business spends $15,000 annually on phone and internet services, $10,000 at office supply stores, $10,000 on gas and $5,000 on dining with clients. In one year, you’d rack up 155,000 points worth at least $1,550 in cash.

And if you pooled them with the Sapphire Reserve card, you could stretch your points to $3,100 or more in premium travel by using a Points Boost offer or by transferring them to airline and hotel partners.

5% Cashback Categories

The 5% (5X points) categories are the Ink Cash’s unique selling point.

Office supply stores may sound like a niche category, but they’re a significant recurring cost. One study suggests that some small businesses spend up to $1,104 per employee per year on office supplies. If you have a team of five employees, the Chase Ink Cash could earn you 27,600 points or $276 worth of cash back on that spend.

Pair this with recurring expenses like your internet and phone bills, and you’ll easily reach the $25,000 cap if you’re running even a modest-sized business, netting you 125,000 points per year or $1,250 in cash back.

2% Cashback Categories

At first glance, 2% (2X points) on gas and dining may seem modest, but for businesses that log mileage or regularly entertain clients, these categories add up quickly.

Consider a contractor who fuels multiple trucks weekly or a consultant who spends $500 on meals with clients each month. These purchases would generate steady rewards in categories where many other cards offer only 1%.

If your business managed to hit the $25,000 spending cap, that would be another 50,000 points or $500 in cash back to pocket.

Standard Earning Rates and Miscellaneous Purchases

Base Earning Rate

For all other non-bonus category spending, the Ink Cash earns 1% (1X points) per dollar spent. While this is competitive for a $0 annual fee card, it’s not the best return available.

That’s where pairing comes in.

By holding the Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card, which earns 1.5% (1.5X points) on all purchases, you can optimize non-bonus category spending and fill the gaps left by the Ink Cash card.

For instance, spending $10,000 on miscellaneous supplies with the Ink Cash yields 10,000 points or $100 in cash back while the Ink Unlimited would earn 15,000 points or $150 in cash back on the same spending. Over the course of a year, that difference adds up, especially for businesses with high non-category expenses, such as utilities and supplier costs.

So while the Ink Cash drops the ball when it comes to non-bonus category rewards rates, pairing it with a card like the Ink Business Unlimited unlocks higher value while costing you $0 extra in annual fees.

Redeeming Your Rewards

As an Ink Cash cardholder, you’ve got multiple options when it’s time to redeem your rewards.

Keep in mind that your rewards are issued as Ultimate Rewards points, meaning you can choose from several redemption options—not only cash back. However, not all redemption options are created equal, and squeezing the most value out of your points requires a solid strategy.

Let’s check out your options.

Cash Back Redemption Options

The simplest method is to redeem your points for statement credits or direct deposits into a linked bank account. When you redeem your points in this way, each point is worth 1 cent, meaning 10,000 points would give you $100.

Statement credits are ideal for reducing your monthly credit card bill while direct deposits are handy if you prefer seeing the cash in your account.

For businesses that need extra cashflow or would like to put their rewards toward reducing overhead costs, redeeming your points as a direct deposit is a great way to help offset your expenses.

That said, there are more lucrative ways to use your points that will give you a value greater than 1 cent per point.

Chase Travel℠

Through Chase Travel℠, you can book flights, hotels, rental cars and activities, and you can use your points to cover these purchases. When you redeem your points for travel purchases through Chase Travel℠, they’re worth 1 cent apiece.

For instance, an $800 flight booked through Chase Travel℠ would cost you 80,000 points.

The benefit of using Chase Travel℠ is convenience—there are no blackout dates, and the booking is treated as cash, meaning there will be greater availability and that you’ll still earn frequent-flyer miles on your flight.

The drawback of booking through Chase Travel℠ is that the value is capped at 1 cent per point unless you also hold a premium Chase card. Likewise, when booking hotels through Chase Travel℠, any elite status you hold won’t be recognized and you also won’t earn elite night credits toward status.

Pool Your Points and Transfer Them to Airline and Hotel Partners

The Chase Ink Business Cash’s travel benefits are real. Pooling your points with premium Chase cards and transferring them to Chase’s hotel and airline partners offers serious value for your points.

If you combine Chase rewards points earned on the Ink Cash with a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, the Sapphire Reserve or the Ink Business Preferred, you can transfer them at a 1:1 ratio to any of the following partners:

Having access to rewards programs such as Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and World of Hyatt offers serious potential for lucrative redemptions.

Suddenly, instead of 100,000 points giving you $1,000 worth of cash back or flights, it might be enough to cover business-class award travel to Japan, Europe or beyond.

Similarly, having access to domestic airline rewards partners like United MileagePlus, JetBlue TrueBlue and Southwest Rapid Rewards gives you tons of options for domestic award travel.

Another benefit of pooling your points is the ability to redeem them for higher fixed rates through Chase Travel℠ by using Points Boost offers.

When you pool your points with the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Ink Business Preferred, you can redeem your points for 1.5 to 1.75 cents apiece if you find a Points Boost offer. If you pool your points with the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the Sapphire Reserve for Business, you can redeem your points for up to 2 cents apiece by using a Points Boost offer.

Points Boost offers apply to premium-cabin fares and with select airlines only, which can make them difficult to find. However, if you can find the offers and they fit your itinerary, you can get a solid redemption rate for your hard-earned Ultimate Rewards points.

Extra Redemption Opportunities

Beyond redeeming your points for cash back and travel, Chase offers several other redemption methods. These may look appealing, but they generally deliver less value and offer less flexibility than the other options.

Gift Card Redemptions

You can redeem your Ultimate Rewards points for gift cards with retailers like Amazon, Starbucks or Home Depot at a rate of 1 cent per point.

Occasionally, Chase runs promotions offering 10% to 20% off, effectively boosting point value. For seasonal spending, such as holiday gift shopping for employees, this can be a creative use of points.

However, in most cases, you’re typically better off purchasing the item with your card and then using your points to offset the cost of the purchase. This affords you more flexibility through not tying you to spend with a specific merchant.

Amazon Redemptions

Linking your Ultimate Rewards account to Amazon lets you pay with points at checkout. The catch is that your points are worth only 0.8 cent apiece here. For example, 10,000 points cover just $80 in purchases instead of $100. Therefore, you’ll want to avoid Amazon point redemptions in most cases.

PayPal Credits

Similar to Amazon, you can apply points to PayPal purchases. Again, the value is reduced to 0.8 cent per point, making it less attractive than cash back or travel redemptions.

The only upside to this redemption method is that it occasionally allows you to use points to cover purchases you couldn’t otherwise pay for using points.

For example, Walt Disney World® Resort tickets aren’t always available to purchase through Chase Travel℠. If you’re flush with points or are determined to cover your tickets using points, you could buy your tickets using PayPal and then use your points to cover your PayPal purchase.

While this method doesn’t offer much value, it’s an easy way to cover purchases using points that you otherwise couldn’t.

Apple Purchases

Chase also allows redemptions for Apple products at a rate of 1 cent per point. Although this can make sense if you’re investing in devices for your business, you’re not getting any extra value compared to paying directly and redeeming your points as a statement credit.

Additional Card Benefits

While rewards and cardholder perks always make the headlines, the Ink Cash also delivers solid protections that safeguard your purchases.

Let’s check them out.

Auto Rental Coverage

When you decline the rental company’s collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your Ink Cash card, you’ll receive primary coverage when renting for business purposes.

You can be reimbursed up to $60,000 for theft and collision damage for most rental vehicles with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $125,000 or less.

This is a solid benefit if your employees are frequently on the road driving rental cars.

Purchase Protection

When you buy an eligible item with your Ink Cash, it’s covered against theft or damage for up to 120 days. The benefit provides up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.

For example, if a laptop purchased for your business is stolen within the coverage period, you can file a claim and be reimbursed. This provides you peace of mind for those expensive purchases.

Extended Warranty

If you purchase an eligible item using your Ink Cash with a warranty of three years or less, you’ll receive an extra year of coverage.

This can be invaluable for high-usage electronics or office appliances. For instance, if a printer breaks after the manufacturer’s warranty expires, Chase’s extended warranty may step in to cover repairs or replacement.

Zero Liability Protection

Chase offers zero-liability protection on unauthorized purchases, meaning you won’t be held responsible for fraudulent charges as long as you report them promptly and follow the required steps.

Business Management Tools

The Ink Cash doesn’t just reward spending, it also helps organize it. For busy entrepreneurs juggling multiple expenses, these tools can streamline accounting and increase financial control.

Employee Cards

You can issue free employee cards and even set custom spending limits for each user. This allows you to delegate purchasing power to staff while maintaining control over expenses and spending allowances.

For instance, a manager can have a card with a $2,000 limit for project supplies while a salesperson could have a $500 cap for client entertainment.

What’s more is that all your employees’ spending will earn rewards that are credited directly to your Chase account, enabling you to rack up rewards even faster. Whether you choose to use these rewards to offset company travel expenses or operating costs, they’re a real asset.

Year-End Summary

At the end of each year, Chase provides a detailed spending summary. This can be a lifesaver during tax season, offering categorized breakdowns of your expenditures. Instead of sifting through thousands of receipts, you’ll have a consolidated report ready for your accountant.

What’s even better is that you can integrate your spending reports with software such as QuickBooks, making for even more efficient bookkeeping and reconciliation.

Account Alerts

Chase offers customizable account alerts that notify you of unusual activity, large transactions or when you’re nearing spending caps. This can help prevent fraud, keep budgets on track and ensure you never miss a payment deadline.

It also allows you to focus on more important tasks without worrying about needing to micromanage your company’s finances.

Maximizing Your Ink Business Cash Value

Getting the most out of the Ink Cash requires strategy. To reap the greatest value out of the card, you’ll want to align purchases with high-earning categories and pair the Ink Cash with other Chase cards.

Category Spending Optimization

The key to maximizing rewards is deliberately channeling spend into the 5% and 2% categories.

For example, instead of paying internet and cable bills through a bank account, charge them to your Ink Cash card.

You should also issue employee cards to each of your employees and ensure they charge bonus category expenses to the card. Whether it’s office supply store purchases, gas or restaurant expenditure, you can rack up thousands of extra points simply by leveraging your workforce.

Combining with Other Chase Cards

The Ink Cash is a powerful tool on its own but even more valuable when paired with other Chase products.

Here are some solid two-card Chase combos that enable you to maximize your rewards and redemption opportunities:

• Ink Cash and Ink Business Unlimited: This $0 annual fee two-card combination covers both high-category spending and a flat 1.5% (1.5X) rate on non-bonus category spending. This combo is a powerhouse that ensures you never miss out on a lucrative rewards rate, no matter the purchase.

• Ink Cash and Chase Sapphire Preferred: This two-card combo unlocks Chase’s 14 transfer partners as well as more lucrative redemption options through Chase Travel℠ and a robust set of travel protections. It’s ideal for business owners and employees who travel while keeping annual fees to $95 per year. The Sapphire Preferred is also one of the top credit cards with the best travel insurance.

• Ink Cash and Chase Sapphire Reserve: This two-card combo blends practicality with luxury. For an annual fee of $795, you’ll unlock airport lounge access perks, a $300 annual travel credit and more than $2,700 worth of annual cardholder perks. Combined with a rewards rate workhorse (the Ink Cash), this strategy balances lucrative points multipliers with luxury travel perks.

By pairing Chase cards, you can turn what might look like an ordinary cashback card into the foundation of a lucrative rewards strategy.

Long-Term Strategy and Next Steps

The true power of the Chase Ink Business Cash lies in its longevity. With a $0 annual fee, there’s little reason to cancel it, even if your business spending habits change. Over time, it can serve as the reliable backbone of your wallet, offering strong earning rates and filling in the gaps of other cards.

For businesses with heavy recurring expenses in internet, phone or office supplies, the Ink Cash can generate thousands of dollars in value over the years. If you pair it with other Chase cards, you can unlock luxury travel experiences and perks for a fraction of the cost.

The Ink Cash is a practical, cost-effective tool designed for small-business owners who want to earn more, spend smarter and keep their focus where it belongs—on growing their business.

To learn how to leverage your everyday business expenditure for business-class award travel, sign up to the free 10xTravel course today.