Chase Ink Business Cash vs. Ink Business Unlimited

If you’re a small business owner and love cash back, Chase has two great deals: Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card and Credit Card Ink Business Cash®.

Both cards offer cardholders a great signup bonus, a generous starting annual percentage rate on new purchases, and the opportunity to earn multiple rewards for day-to-day business expenses. So how do you decide which is best?

The two cashback Chase calling cards offer very different reward structures, making it easy to align one or the other with your spending habits. While the Ink Business Unlimited Card offers a flat cash back rate on every purchase, the Ink Business Cash Back Card offers bonus cash back rates for certain categories.

Since both of these cards offer comparable benefits for small business owners, such as free employee cards and a mobile wallet app for tracking receipts, choosing between the two comes down to how you plan to use your card.

Map details

Card	Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card	Credit Card Ink Business Cash®
Interest rate	Cashback 1.5% from every purchase	5% cashback on internet, cable, phone, and stationery stores ($25,000 annual purchases) 2% cashback on gas and meals ($25,000 on purchases per year) 1% cashback on other purchases
Bonus for registration	$750 if you spend $7500 in the first three months	$750 if you spend $7500 in the first three months
0% introductory annual	0% per annum at the beginning on purchases within 12 months (from 15.49% to 21.49% after)	0% per annum at the beginning on purchases within 12 months (from 15.49% to 21.49% after)
Annual fee	$0	$0

Ink Business Unlimited and Ink Business Cash

Compensation structure

Winner: Ink Business Cash

While the flat cashback rate on Ink Business Unlimited is great for cardholders who don’t spend a lot of money in either category, Ink Business Cash’s reward structure is generally better. According to CreditCards.com experts, Chase Ink Business Cash has an average reward rate of 1.85%, as opposed to 1.5% for Business Unlimited. If you’re spending around $48,000 a year, close to our estimated average spend for small business owners, Ink Business Cash is your best bet.

Introductory year

Winner: Draw

In addition to rewards, these Chase Ink Business cards boast the same 0% APR starter offer – 0% interest on new purchases for 12 months, after which you will be charged between 15.49 and 21. 49 percent with a variable regular annual interest rate. No matter how you look at it, this is a great feature for a small business card so you can secure yourself a financial cushion when building your business. For those planning something big, like a fancy new printer for the office or new chairs for every employee, this is a useful tool to have on your business card.

Other perks

Winner: Draw

These cards also have the same benefits, which are useful features when you inevitably run into small problems in your business. If your employee rents a car for a business trip, but it’s damaged or stolen—as long as they waive the rental company’s accident insurance and use the Ink Business card to pay for the rental, Chase can cover the cash value of the card. Other convenient benefits are purchase protection and an extended warranty.

One useful feature that you should not forget is that Chase Ink Business cards allow you to convert your cash rewards into Ultimate Rewards points and even transfer them to another Chase Ultimate Rewards card. So, even if you don’t have a personal Chase card, you can still participate in Chase’s flexible and versatile Ultimate Rewards program.

What card should you get?

The two Chase Ink calling cards have a lot in common, but they mostly differ in the reward structure. Chase Ink Business Unlimited provides a flat cash back rate, while Ink Business Cash has bonus tiers where you can earn up to 5 percent cash, albeit up to a point.

• If you are setting up an office. For those who spend on office supplies, phone, and internet services, Ink Business Cash’s 5 percent cashback across these categories (up to $25,000, then 1 percent) will give you significant rewards. Of course, don’t forget to charge this card during setup as you need to spend $7,500 over three months to earn a $750 welcome bonus.
• If you drink and dine with customers. With a 2% cashback (up to $25,000 a year, then 1%) on gas and meals, you can earn money by dining with customers or filling up a tank for commuting or business trips.
• If you spend in different categories. Ink Business Unlimited is great for business owners who don’t have office space and tend to spend money on different product categories, such as home improvement stores, gas, restaurants, and travel. This is a great card for those who find fixed bonus categories limiting rather than enticing.
• If your annual expenses are high. For small businesses that are already spending over $25,000 a year on office maintenance, gas, or food (or both), the Ink Business Unlimited card is the best idea because it doesn’t have a flat rate refund cap.

bottom line

Both the Ink Business Cash Credit Card and the Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card can help small business owners get cash back for their everyday expenses. Deciding what offers you the most value comes down to a careful analysis of your business budget and buying habits.

Distribute purchases into several categories? The flat rate of Ink Business Unlimited is top notch. Do you spend mostly on office supplies, phone and internet services? You can maximize your Ink Business Cash bonus tiers while still getting cash back on food and gas.

You can also apply for both cards. By combining the high Ink Business Cash Card rate on bonus tiers with the flat rate Ink Business Unlimited Card on regular purchases, you can optimize your reward potential without having to pay annual fees for either.

Emily Sherman is a senior editor at CreditCards.com, specializing in news and product recommendations. She is also a founding member of To Her Credit, a two-week series of women’s financial advice for women. When she’s not writing about credit cards, she’s spending her points and miles planning her next big vacation.