Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card Review

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 it comes to small-business credit cards, the field is packed with contenders all vying for first place. One of the standout players in this arena is the Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card—a $0 annual fee workhorse designed to reward everyday business spending.

With strong bonus categories, a generous welcome offer and additional cardholder perks and protections, this card has the potential to pack serious no-frills value into your wallet.

Let’s dive into what makes the Ink Business Cash a favorite among entrepreneurs and whether it deserves a spot in your business toolkit.

Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card: Overview

Before diving into the details, here’s an overview of the features offered by the Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card.

Let’s now check out each of these features in detail.

Welcome Offer

The Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card has a typical welcome offer between $750 and $900 cash back.  The welcome offer is awarded as Ultimate Rewards points that can be redeemed as cash back.

However, if you pair the card with another Chase-issued card that offers access to Chase’s full list of transfer partners, you can pool your points and transfer your Ink Business Cash earnings to another loyalty program for outsized value.

If you’d struggle to meet the minimum spending requirement to earn the bonus, consider applying during a time period in which you can leverage naturally high upcoming expenses to meet the minimum spend organically—think insurance premiums, business premise renovation costs, capital investments, tax bills and other inevitable expenses.

For a $0 annual fee card, this is a generous welcome bonus that offers significant bang for your buck—between 10X and 12.5X points per dollar spent.

Bonus Spending Categories

The Chase Ink Business Cash offers an impressive suite of bonus spending categories. You’ll benefit from the following rates on eligible spending:

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

Assuming you were to hit the $25,000 spending cap in the 5% and 2% categories, you’d have a total of 175,000 Ultimate Rewards points worth $1,750 in cash back—a significant return for a $0 fee card.

Even if you were to spend less than that, the return on your spending is immediate because there’s no annual fee to offset.

While its baseline rewards rate of 1% doesn’t offer outsized returns, you can combat this by pairing it with another Chase card (more on that later).

Cardholder Perks and Protections

In addition to its bonus spending categories, the Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card offers cardholders the following protection benefits and perks:

• Auto rental coverage. When you decline the rental company’s collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your 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.
• Purchase protection. When you use your Ink Business Cash to purchase eligible items, they are protected against damage and theft for up to 120 days. The coverage extends up to $10,000 per claim (maximum $50,000 per account), providing peace of mind for valuable purchases.
• Extended warranty protection. If you make an eligible purchase with a warranty of less than three years, the Ink Business Cash provides an additional year of warranty protection.
• Employee cards. The Ink Business Cash allows you to issue employee cards at no additional cost. You can also set individual spending limits on each employee card to better manage expenses and monitor company spending.

While these benefits certainly don’t compete with those offered by premium travel cards, they offer solid value for a $0 annual fee card.

Similarly, the ability to issue employee cards free of charge can help you accumulate Ultimate Rewards points faster, resulting in more redemption opportunities.

Fees

While the Chase Ink Business Cash doesn’t have an annual fee, it does charge a 3% foreign transaction fee. So you’ll want to use a different card when it comes to spending abroad and making business purchases in foreign currencies.

Redemption Options

As a Chase Ink Business Cash cardholder, you have a few options when it comes time to redeem your points.

The first option is redeeming your points for cash back or as a statement credit toward your card balance. Each Ultimate Rewards point is worth 1 cent apiece when redeemed in this way.

Redeeming your points for cash back is an easy way to use your rewards to offset the cost of your expenditure, albeit not the most valuable option.

Chase also offers the option of redeeming your points for PayPal and Amazon purchases as well as for gift cards with specific merchants.

Redeeming your Ultimate Rewards points for a gift card isn’t a strong redemption option. Gift cards yield the same value of 1 cent per point as cash back and statement credits do, but they tie you to making purchases with a single merchant.

Similarly, PayPal and Amazon redemptions yield a value of 0.8 cent per point, so you’re better off paying with your card and then redeeming your points as cash back or as a statement credit to cover the purchase.

You can also redeem your points for Apple purchases at 1 cent apiece, but this method doesn’t provide any advantage over paying with your card upfront and then redeeming your points for cash back or statements.

Another way to use your points is to redeem them through Chase Travel℠. Just like with cashback redemptions, your Ultimate Rewards points are worth 1 cent apiece when redeemed through Chase Travel℠. That means an $800 flight would cost you 80,000 Ultimate Rewards points.

The benefit of using your points for Chase Travel℠ bookings is that you’ll always find availability and your booking is treated as a cash booking, insofar as you’ll earn frequent-flyer miles on your flight. However, the drawback is that Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be redeemed for far more than 1 cent per point.

Let’s now look at how to squeeze maximum value out of your Ultimate Rewards points.

Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card Combos

By combining your Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card with another Chase-issued card, you can expand both your ability to earn points and the number of ways you can redeem them.

If you’re hoping to use your points to travel in business- and first-class cabins across the world, the best thing you can do is combine your Ink Business Cash with a card that gives you full access to Chase’s transfer partners.

The following credit cards offer full access to Chase’s 14 hotel and airline partners:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
• Sapphire Reserve for Business℠

If you’re looking to minimize the amount you pay in annual fees, your best bet is to pair your Ink Business Cash with either the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Ink Business Preferred.

The Ink Business Preferred allows you to diversify your earning ability on business-focused expenditure, offering 3X points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases each year in the following categories:

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

If you were to hit the $150,000 spending cap, that’s an extra 300,000 Ultimate Rewards points you’d earn each year. The card also offers trip cancellation and interruption insurance in addition to cell phone protection—all for an annual fee of $95.

Alternatively, you could pair your Ink Business Cash with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. This way, you’d unlock access to Chase’s full list of hotel and airline transfer partners as well as benefit from the following bonus spending categories—all for an annual fee of $95:

• 5X points per dollar spent on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠ (excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the annual $50 hotel credit)
• 5X points per dollar spent on Lyft rides (through Sept. 30, 2027)
• 5X points per dollar spent on eligible Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $150 (through Dec. 31, 2027)
• 3X points per dollar spent on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out
• 3X points per dollar spent on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
• 3X points on select streaming services
• 2X points per dollar spent on all other travel purchases
• 1X points per dollar spent on all other purchases

By holding the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Ink Business Preferred, you can pool your points with those earned on your Ink Business Cash, allowing you to transfer your earnings to Chase’s transfer partners. Similarly, you can redeem your points at an elevated rate—between 1.5 and 1.75 cents apiece—through Chase Travel℠ by using a Points Boost offer.

If you’re looking to benefit from the welcome offer and earning rates of a $0 annual fee card like the Chase Ink Business Cash while benefitting from luxury travel perks on a premium card, you could instead combine your Ink Business Cash with the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the Sapphire Reserve for Business℠.

Both Sapphire Reserve cards offer more than $2,500 worth of annual credits and travel perks that enable you to offset their $795 annual fees. These benefits include complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, a $300 annual travel credit and a statement credit toward Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or Nexus membership application fees, among numerous other perks.

These cards also allow you to use your pooled earnings for redemptions through Chase Travel℠ at a rate of up to 2 cents per point when using a Points Boost offer.

Similarly, if you’re determined to avoid annual fees at all costs, you could add the Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card to your wallet. By doing so, you’d benefit from a baseline rewards rate of 1.5X points per dollar spent on all purchases—an earning rate that’s equally as useful for small-business owners and consumers alike.

By combining your Ink Business Cash with one of the aforementioned cards, you can boost your earnings and maximize the value of your Ultimate Rewards points, making for even more lucrative award travel opportunities.

Alternatives to the Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card

Whenever you apply for a card, there’s always an opportunity cost involved—namely, the value you could’ve received by getting a different card instead.

If you’re shopping around for business cards, here are a few alternatives to the Ink Business Cash to consider:

• Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Card: As previously mentioned, this card earns a flat rate of 1.5% cash back (or 1.5X points) on all purchases and has a $0 annual fee. If the majority of your business spending falls outside of typical bonus spending categories, this card is likely the better choice.
• Chase Ink Business Preferred® Card: If you spend a significant amount on travel, shipping and online advertising, the 3X points multiplier offers outsized value. Similarly, it’s free of foreign transaction fees and offers full access to Chase’s transfer partners for a $95 annual fee.
• Capital One Spark Miles for Business: Moving out of Chase, the Spark Miles for Business card is another popular option for business owners. This card offers a baseline rewards rate of 2X miles on all purchases and also offers a statement credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years. If your business involves frequent travel, this is another card worth considering—particularly as you’ll enjoy full access to Capital One’s 15+ transfer partners. Capital One does typically report business cards onto your personal credit report, so be mindful of this if you’re trying to stay under Chase’s 5/24 rule.
• The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card: This card offers a 2% cash back on all purchases (up to $50,000 per calendar year, 1% thereafter) and also has a $0 annual fee (see rates and fees). It’s another great no-frills, catch-all card for everyday business spending.

While the above list isn’t exhaustive, it covers some of the Ink Business Cash card’s main competitors that you should consider before hitting that “apply” button.

Final Thoughts

The Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card proves that you don’t need to pay a hefty annual fee to get heavyweight rewards.

Its bonus spending categories and strong welcome offer make it a powerful tool for entrepreneurs who want to maximize everyday spending. If your business spends heavily in office supply stores, internet, cable or phone services, this card can deliver solid value without denting your bottom line.

For small-business owners looking for a straightforward yet rewarding credit card, the Ink Business Cash is a great choice. And by combining it with a card that offers unrestricted access to Chase’s airline and hotel transfer partners, you can squeeze even greater value out of every Ultimate Rewards point you earn.