Chase Ink Business Cash Review

There is a lot to like about Chase Ink Business Cash: It has no annual fee, offers a high rate of cash back on some purchases, and currently has a high welcome offer. On the surface, it’s hard not to like Ink Cash.

With a cash back rate that maxes out at 5%, this card is undeniably a good business credit card, but is it the best credit card? More specifically, is it the best credit card for you? 

After doing the math and comparing it to the competition, we concluded that Ink Business Cash is an excellent choice for business owners who spend a lot of money in the high-earning categories but aren’t planning to put hundreds of thousands of dollars on their credit card in a given year.

Is Ink Cash right for your business? Keep reading to find out!

Chase Ink Business Cash At A Glance

Eligibility

We generally recommend that business applicants have good to excellent credit before applying for the Ink Business Unlimited card. That means you’ll probably want a credit score above 640 before filling out the application. Note that this is merely a recommendation — Chase doesn’t market a minimum credit score for this card.

Unsure of your credit score? Learn what it is at one of these free credit score check websites.

Rewards For Spending

What separates most credit cards from each other is what rewards they offer. Ink Business Cash should be suited to a wide range of businesses with its rewards scheme, and it provides one of the highest cash back rates on the market, making it an appealing card when looking at rewards.

A Welcome Offer Worth $750

Welcome offers can be some of the best ways to earn some quick rewards — Chase’s Ink Business Cash card excels here. If you spend $7,500 or more on the card during your first three months after account opening, you’ll get a tidy $750 cash back.

This cash back will be credited to your account in the form of 50,000 points six to eight weeks after you spend the qualifying amount.

5% Cash Back On Select Categories

Chase Ink Business Cash doles out 5% cash back when you spend within several select categories. This 5% rate is among the highest you’ll see compared to other cash back credit cards on the market. At the time of writing, purchases within these categories trigger the 5% rate:

• Office supply stores
• Internet, cable, and phone services

There is a catch to the bonus rate, however. Purchases only pick up 5% back during your first $25,000 spent combined within the bonus categories each account anniversary year. After hitting that threshold, your earn rate will drop to 1% cash back.

This spending cap might irk some businesses that plan to put hundreds of thousands of dollars on their card annually. For example, if you plan to spend exactly $100,000 within the 5% bonus categories, you’ll receive $2,000 cash back ($25,000 × 5% + $75,000 × 1% = $2,000). That number is the same as a flat-rate 2% cash back card — and any amount spent above $100,000 will see the 2% card earning more than the Ink Business Cash card. Plus, the 2% card will earn at a faster clip for purchases outside the bonus categories.

Outside of the card’s base rewards scheme, Chase is currently in a limited-time partnership with the ridesharing service Lyft. This partnership doles out 5% cash back when you book Lyft rides with an Ink Business Cash card. You’ll be able to take advantage of this bonus rate until March 2022. Note that Lyft purchases won’t count towards the $25,000 cap.

2% Cash Back On Gas & Restaurants

Besides the 5% rate, this card features another trick up its sleeve for gas and restaurant purchases: Purchases within those categories will net a solid 2% cash back.

And like with the 5% categories, the same $25,000 cap applies. Once you spend a combined $25,000 on gas and restaurants within an account anniversary year, you’ll drop down to 1% cash back on those categories.

1% Cash Back On Everything Else

All other purchases made with a Chase Ink Business Cash card snags an unlimited 1% cash back. Also, note that purchases made within the bonus categories collect 1% cash back once their respective thresholds have been breached.

Redeeming Rewards

Because Ink Business Cash is marketed as a cash back card by Chase, its primary redemption method will (unsurprisingly) be cash back. However, because Chase technically rewards you in the form of points, you’ll be able to redeem your rewards for other things, too.

Redeem Rewards For Cash Back

When you choose to redeem your Ink Business Cash rewards as cash back, you’ll be able to apply the cash toward your balance or have it directly deposited into your checking/savings account. Chase does not impose a minimum amount to redeem points for cash back.

Additional Redemption Options

Besides cash back, your rewards can be applied toward travel purchases (including airfare, hotels, and car rentals), Apple purchases, or gift cards. To redeem for travel or to apply points toward Apple products, you’ll need to use Chase’s own Ultimate Rewards portal.

Card Benefits

When it comes to benefits, Ink Business Cash is no slouch. There’s plenty of “oomph” here to compliment the card’s solid rewards scheme.

Free Employee Cards

A must for any business credit card, free employee cards come bundled with Ink Business Cash. That means you’ll be able to dole out cards to employees and rack up rewards whenever they make a purchase. Plus, you can set spending limits, too.

Auto Rental Damage Waiver

You will be eligible to receive coverage against theft or damage to a rental car when you rent said car with an Ink Business Cash card. To access this coverage, you must first pay in full with your card and decline any damage waivers shown to you by the rental car company. Chase’s protection will act as your primary insurance when using a rental car for business use.

Travel & Emergency Assistance Services

Should you have a travel emergency, Chase’s assistance service can give legal and medical referrals over the phone as well as other travel and emergency assistance services. Note that any goods or services obtained will need to be paid for by you.

Roadside Dispatch

In case of a roadside emergency, Chase provides a roadside dispatch service. This service can aid with numerous car troubles, including jump starts, tire changes, gas delivery, and lockouts. As with the above travel service, you’ll be responsible for any charges that come your way.

Purchase Protection

With purchase protection, new purchases made with the Ink Business Cash will be covered against damage or theft for up to 120 days. Chase allows up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.

Extended Warranty Protection

If you buy an item with Ink Business Cash, it may be eligible for Chase’s extended warranty protection, which can double a warranty for up to one year. Note that warranties already three years or longer won’t be eligible for this additional protection.

Account Management Tools

You can also take advantage of a few tools to manage your account. Chase includes:

• 24/7 access to view account details, quarterly reports, and more
• Integration with bookkeeping software
• Account alerts

Rates & Fees

An unfortunate fact of life is that most credit cards tack on various fees. While Ink Business Cash avoids one — an annual fee — it includes another — a foreign transaction fee.

A Competitive APR

With an APR that ranges from 13.24% - 19.24% (variable), Ink Business Cash features a rate that will beat many comparable credit cards. The lower end sits well below industry standard, while the upper end is actually lower than some of the better rates offered by other competitors. Of course, as long as you pay off your balance each month, you won’t need to worry about the APR.

No APR For The First 12 Months

New account holders won’t have to worry about interest on purchases for their first 12 months. That’s because the Ink Business Cash offers a 0% introductory APR for the first year. Such a perk could make this card appealing to businesses that need to make a big purchase and can’t afford to pay it off all in one go.

No Annual Fee

Finding a card with a 5% cash back rate is a rarity. Finding such a card with no annual fee is almost unheard of. And yet, Ink Business Cash manages just that — every purchase you make with the card will earn you cash back; there’s no worrying about offsetting an annual fee first.

A 3% Foreign Transaction Fee

Frequent flyers may want to avoid Chase Ink Business Cash or get a different card for overseas adventures — this card carries a 3% foreign transaction on purchases. This fee shouldn’t be a deal-breaker, however, if you plan to do most of your buying domestically.

Other Fees

Credit cards routinely bundle in a few additional fees. With this card from Chase, you’ll be dinged either $5 or 5% for balance transfers (whichever is higher) and either $15 or 5% for cash advances (again, whichever is higher). There’s also the standard $39 late/returned payment fee too.

Is Chase Ink Business Cash Right For You?

Five percent cash back is one of the highest rates you’ll see in the credit card realm. The lack of an annual fee makes the Ink Business Cash card doubly appealing. However, if you won’t often be spending within the bonus categories, you may prefer a different card that matches your spending profile better. Plus, the $25,000 cap means that those who will spend much higher may prefer a flat-rate card with no spending cap. Frequent travelers may also find sunnier shores with a different card.

You might want to apply if…

• You spend a fair amount within the bonus categories
• You won’t be spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on the card
• You can’t afford an annual fee
• You will spend enough to trigger the welcome offer

You might want to look for a different card if…

• You don’t spend much within the bonus categories
• You will spend enough that a flat-rate card with no spending cap makes more sense
• You travel abroad frequently and don’t want a foreign transaction fee
• You want a dedicated card for points or travel

The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned and has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone.

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