Chase Ink business card comparison: Preferred vs Unlimited vs Cash

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Over the last few months, all three of the Chase Ink business credit cards have come out with the highest bonus offers we have ever seen. The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card and Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card are offering $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Further, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is offering an enormous bonus of 100,000 points after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening — worth $1,250 in travel booked through the Chase travel portal.

With all these huge bonuses available, you may be wondering which of these business credit cards would work better for your needs. It really depends on how you want to use the rewards you earn, where your business spends the most money, and whether or not you want to pay an annual fee.

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card	Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card	Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Annual fee $0	Annual fee $0	Annual fee $95
Rewards rate 5% cash back (5x points) at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services* 2% cash back (2x points) at gas stations and restaurants* 1% cash back (1x points) on all other purchases	Rewards rate 1.5% cash back (1.5x points) on all purchases with no cap	Rewards rate 3x points on travel, shipping, phone/cable/internet, and search engine or social media advertising purchases** 1x points on all other purchases
Welcome bonus $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening	Welcome bonus $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening	Welcome bonus 100,000 points after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Foreign transaction fee Yes	Foreign transaction fee Yes	Foreign transaction fee No
Rewards options Redeem rewards for cash back, statement credits, merchandise, or travel through Chase	Rewards options Redeem rewards for cash back, statement credits, merchandise, or travel through Chase	Rewards options Redeem rewards for cash back, statement credits or merchandise;get 25% more value when you redeem points through the Chase travel portal, or transfer to Chase Ultimate Rewards airline and hotel partners
Learn more	Learn more	Learn more

*5% cash back and 2% cash back on the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card on up to $25,000 in combined purchases each year, then 1% cash back.

**3x points on the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card on up to $150,000 in combined purchases each year, then 1x.

We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card stands out because it offers more rewards in popular business categories. Along with $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening you’ll earn:

• 5% cash back (5 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar) on the first $25,000 spent (then 1x) in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services each account anniversary year
• 2% cash back (2 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar) on the first $25,000 spent (then 1x) in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year 
• 1% cash back (1 Chase Ultimate Rewards point per dollar) on all other purchases with no cap

If you spend a lot in the bonus categories, your rewards can add up quickly.

Another benefit of the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is its introductory 0% APR offer on purchases for the first 12 months (then a 13.24%–19.24% variable APR), which is great for small-business owners who have expenses they want to pay off over time. In terms of benefits, perks you’ll get with this card include primary rental car coverage when you rent a car for business purposes, purchase protection, extended warranty, travel and emergency assistance, and roadside dispatch.

Chase Ink Cash: Pros

• No annual fee
• Generous sign-up bonus and earning rates in common business categories
• Good benefits for a no-annual-fee credit card
• Introductory 0% APR on purchases for the first 12 months 

Chase Ink Cash: Cons 

Who is the Ink Business Cash best for?

The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is best suited to small-business owners who don’t want to pay an annual fee but want to earn more rewards at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and cell phone service purchases each year. If you don’t spend a lot on these categories, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is probably a better choice.

The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is another option to consider with no annual fee, although this card offers a flat rate of rewards for each dollar your business spends instead of bonus categories. Once you sign up, you’ll earn 1.5% cash back (1.5x Chase Ultimate Rewards points) on all eligible purchases charged to your card. The rewards you can earn are unlimited, but you don’t have the opportunity to maximize your rewards in bonus categories.

You’ll also get the same $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Further, the same introductory 0% APR on purchases for 12 months applies, followed by a 13.24%–19.24% variable APR.

If you’re someone who is eager to take advantage of cardholder benefits, you should also know that you’ll get the same suite of perks with this card — primary auto rental coverage when you rent a car for business purposes, travel and emergency assistance services, purchase protection, extended warranty, and roadside assistance.

Chase Ink Unlimited: Pros

• No annual fee
• Generous sign-up bonus and flat-rate rewards on all spending (no categories to track)
• Introductory 0% APR on purchases for the first 12 months

Chase Ink Unlimited: Cons

Who is the Ink Business Unlimited best for?

The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is a good option for business owners who want to earn flat-rate rewards without an annual fee, especially if they spend a lot in many different categories.

If you’re intrigued about the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you should know that it offers more perks on the travel front. You can use the Chase Ultimate Rewards points you earn with the card to book travel through the Chase portal just like the other cards, but you’ll get 25% more value for your points if you have this card instead.

When you have the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you’re able to transfer your points to Chase Ultimate Rewards airline and hotel partners like United Airlines, British Airways, and Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio.

The sign-up bonus on the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a lot higher than the other cards. You can redeem the 100,000 points you’ll earn for $1,000 in cash back or statement credits, or $1,250 in travel through the Chase portal. However, you also have to meet a higher spending requirement of $15,000 within three months to unlock this bonus.

This card also earns 3x points on up to $150,000 spent each year in popular business categories including travel, shipping purchases, internet, cable and phone purchases, and advertising with select social media and search engines, after which you’ll earn 1 point per dollar.

In terms of cardholder benefits, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers the same perks as the other Chase Ink cards, plus trip cancellation and interruption insurance worth up to $5,000 per person and up to $10,000 per trip, and cell phone protection worth up to $600 per claim.

Just be aware that a $95 annual fee applies, and it is not waived the first year. However, there are no foreign transaction fees charged on purchases made abroad.

Chase Ink Preferred: Pros

• Get 25% more value for points when you redeem them for travel through the Chase portal
• Transfer points to airline and hotel partners for award travel
• Qualify for added benefits like trip cancellation and interruption insurance and cell phone insurance
• Larger sign-up bonus
• No foreign transaction fees on purchases made outside the US

Chase Ink Preferred: Cons

• Sign-up bonus has a high spending requirement of $15,000 within three months 
• Card also has cap on earning rate for bonus categories
• There’s a $95 annual fee that’s not waived for the first year

Who is the Ink Business Preferred best for?

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a better option for anyone who travels, even infrequently. You won’t pay foreign transaction fees, and you’ll get more insurance protection for travel purchases.

You’ll also get 25% more value when you redeem points for travel through Chase, and you open up tons of award travel possibilities when you transfer points to airline and hotel partners.

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