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The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card checks nearly every box for small business owners looking to maximize returns on their spending. From no annual fee to cash-back rewards on business expenses to important travel and purchase coverage when you hit the road, the card is a strong choice for ventures of all sizes. Read more in our full Ink Business Cash review.


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Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
BLUEPRINT RATING
Our ratings are based on specific use cases for each card. We compared this card to others in the same category and developed our rankings based on this criteria, along with our editorial input. Note that although we chose this card as the best in its category, the right card for you will depend on your own financial circumstances.
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On Chase Bank USA, NA’s secure website

Welcome bonus

Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening.

Earn up to $750 bonus cash back

Annual fee

$0

Regular APR

18.49% – 24.49% Variable

Credit score

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

(700 – 749) Good, Excellent
Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year. Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn.

Editor’s take

Pros
  • No annual fee.
  • Rich rewards rate in areas where businesses are likely to spend the most.
  • Employee cards at no additional cost.
Cons
  • There’s a foreign transaction fee.
  • Bonus categories are capped at $25,000 in spending each account anniversary year.
  • Lackluster rewards outside of bonus categories.
The Ink Business Cash Credit Card earns exceptional cash-back rewards on typical office spending categories and strong rewards in other areas, too. Add in a big welcome bonus, plus travel and purchase coverages and you’ve got a top-notch small business card.

Card details

  • Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening
  • Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
  • Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
  • 10% Business Relationship Bonus If you have the Ink Business Cash card plus a Chase Business Checking account on your first card anniversary
  • With Zero Liability you won’t be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
  • No Annual Fee
  • Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
  • 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
  • Member FDIC

Ink Business Cash Credit Card basics

  • Annual fee: $0.
  • Welcome bonus: $350 after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening. 
  • Rewards: 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year, 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. 
  • APR: 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, then a variable APR of 18.49% to 24.49% applies to purchases and balance transfers. There's a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of each transfer, whichever is greater.
  • Recommended credit score: Good to excellent.
  • Does the card offer preapproval? No.
  • Other benefits: No fee for additional employee cards, first-year anniversary bonus, primary auto rental collision damage waiver, purchase protection, extended warranty, access to roadside dispatch and travel and emergency assistance services.

Ink Business Cash Credit Card review

The Ink Business Cash Credit Card makes its mark as both an excellent starter card for businesses but with enough juice to keep it a wallet staple for years to come. It has no annual fee and you can add additional employee cards at no extra cost. The card earns generous rewards with several bonus categories tailored to the needs of business owners, earning 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year, 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. 

Chase refreshed the card in early 2024, adding a 10% business relationship bonus at the end of the first year for those who also have a Chase Business Checking account on their first card anniversary (only available to new card accounts opened between March 17, 2024 and November 17, 2024). The issuer also made the welcome bonus more attainable by offering it in two stages over a relatively lengthy period of time: $350 after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening.

Someone who can max out each bonus category limit could score a haul of up to 175,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® points every year, worth $1,750 in cash back. Plus, new cardholders can benefit from a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, then a variable APR of 18.49% to 24.49% applies to purchases and balance transfers. There's a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of each transfer, whichever is greater — making the Ink Business Cash card a highly appealing option for those seeking a well-rounded no-annual-fee business card.

Pros

  • No annual fee: You won’t have to pay a membership fee to open this account.
  • Cash back on business expenses: The Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card offers a diverse range of business-related bonus categories.
  • Travel and purchase coverage benefits: From purchase protection to primary car rental insurance, the Ink Business Cash has your business covered on many fronts. 
  • First-year anniversary bonus: If you open an Ink Business Cash card account between March 17, 2024 and November 17, 2024 and also have a Chase Business Checking account on your first card anniversary, you’ll receive a one-time 10% bonus of all eligible cash back earned in your first year.

Cons

  • Low cash-back rate on non-bonus purchases: If your business spending falls outside the main bonus categories, you may want to find another card to sweep up those remaining rewards.
  • Charges a foreign transaction fee: You should leave this card at home when you’re traveling internationally, as it’ll incur a foreign transaction fee of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars.
  • Requires a good to excellent credit score to qualify: When you apply, Chase will do a hard credit pull to review your personal credit score and finances, so you may not qualify if you have less-than-ideal credit history.

Ink Business Cash Credit Card rewards

The Ink Business Cash card earns the following rewards:

  • 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year.
  • 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year.
  • 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Although the welcome bonus and ongoing earning rate is marketed as earning “cash back,” you’ll earn rewards in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards points. The math is simple: You’ll earn points per $1 spent in eligible categories and each point is worth 1 cent each. Therefore, $500 equates to 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

Your rewards balance will update after every statement closing date, and you can redeem points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal for cash back, travel, gift cards and more. 

You’ll also earn a one-time 10% business relationship bonus on all eligible cash back earned in your first year. You’ll need to have a Chase Business Checking account on your first card anniversary to qualify, but if you earn $2,500 in cash back, that would equal a $250 bonus. This offer is only available for new cardholders between March 17, 2024 and November 17, 2024. 

Savvy business owners may also want to open the $95-per-year Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card * The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. in the future. This powerful card duo can not only lead to a surplus of rewards, but you will be able to pool your points balance together and transfer your points to more than a dozen of Chase’s airline and hotel loyalty partners accessible through the Ink Business Preferred. 

Businesses can range from sole proprietorship, small or large storefronts, or even side hustles like driving for Uber or DoorDash. To predict the rewards potential you could earn on the Ink Business Cash, we’ll use estimates from government data and other publicly available information on U.S. household spending. However, be sure to tailor these metrics to your own business finances.

We estimate that a household in the U.S. that would be in the market for this card has an annual income of $84,352 and $25,087 in expenses they are likely to be able to charge to a credit card.

SPENDING CATEGORYSPENDING AMOUNTPOINTS PER DOLLARPOINTS EARNED
Office supply stores, internet, cable and phone services
$2,712
5 points
13,560 points
Gas stations & restaurants
$5,754
2 points
11,508 points
Other
$16,621
1 point
16,621 points
TOTAL
$25,087
41,689 points

This sample business owner could earn a grand total of 41,689 Ultimate Rewards points annually, worth $416.89.

Ink Business Cash Credit Card APR

There’s a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, then a variable APR of 18.49% to 24.49% applies to purchases and balance transfers. There's a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of each transfer, whichever is greater. 

How the Ink Business Cash Credit Card compares to other business cards 

Ink Business Cash Credit Card vs. Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

Within the same Chase Ink business card family is the Chase Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card. At first glance, it offers similar benefits — with no annual fee and a welcome offer worth the same amount, although the Ink Business Cash offer is tiered. However, where the Ink Business Unlimited card is different is in its earning rate. The Ink Business Unlimited earns an unlimited 1.5% cash back on purchases, which is best-suited for businesses with unpredictable or varying expenses.

There’s no reason why you can’t hold both business cards, in theory. However, you’ll want to be mindful of too many credit checks in a short time frame as it can impact your credit scores, so it’s best to apply for a second card at least six-to-12 months down the line. 

Ink Business Cash Credit Card vs. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card * The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card is a step above the Ink Business Cash Credit Card and together these cards make a great pair. Although it carries a $95 annual fee, it offers 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.

The Ink Business Preferred is a travel-focused card, and you’ll get a 25% bonus when redeeming your points for travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal, which means your point redemption rate gets a boost from 1 cent per point to 1.25 cents. Not only that, but you can transfer your points directly to Chase’s airline and hotel partners, which include British Airways, Southwest, United Airlines, JetBlue and World of Hyatt. The increased points potential may make the card’s annual fee worth it to you, but the better choice between the two ultimately depends on your spending patterns.

Ink Business Cash Credit Card vs. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express * The information for the The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The American Express Blue Business Plus Card (terms apply) also carries no annual fee and offers a straightforward earning rate of 2 Membership Rewards® points per $1 on everyday business purchases up to the first $50,000 spent per year, then 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. Depending on how you spend, this could be a better fit than the tiered earning rates on the Ink Business Cash card.

The best card for you between the two will depend on where you spend and how you feel about tracking categories vs. flat-rate rewards.

Is the Ink Business Cash Credit Card worth it?

With its generous welcome bonus, valuable earning rate and slew of protections and benefits, the Ink Business Cash is a top-notch choice for businesses whose spending patterns align with the rewards offered on the card. 

The Ink Business Cash Credit Card is right for you if:

  • You typically spend a lot on office supplies and telecommunications for your business, or if you’re often driving or having lunches with clients.
  • You’re looking for a decent intro APR for a large upcoming purchase but also want ongoing rewards value from a card.
  • You anticipate big spending in your first year and want to take advantage of the cash-back bonus on your first card anniversary (given that certain requirements are met).

Methodology

Our credit cards team has spent hours analyzing hundreds of credit cards. We took a deep dive into the details of each product and that analysis, combined with our years of experience covering credit cards, informed us as we developed these credit card rankings. Factors we considered include:

  • Annual fees.
  • Rewards rates.
  • Welcome bonuses.
  • Any intro APR offers.
  • Credits for services business owners might find helpful.
  • Any protections and insurances like cellphone coverage, purchase protection or extended warranty coverage.
  • Any other perks that make the card useful to the cardholder.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

The Chase Ink Business Cash is a Visa Signature card. 

You’ll likely need a good to excellent FICO credit score to qualify — typically defined as 670 or higher.

Chase doesn’t provide an official maximum credit limit on the Ink Business Cash, but it could be $25,000 (or higher) depending on your creditworthiness, income and other factors. 

Chase will automatically consider cardholders for a credit limit increase at least every six months.

Yes, Chase will check your personal credit with the Social Security number (SSN) or individual tax ID number (ITIN) you provide in order to approve you for this business credit card.

*The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card and The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Stella Shon

BLUEPRINT

Stella Shon is a freelance writer that connects the dots between personal finance and travel. Her work has appeared in The Points Guy, ValuePenguin and MoneyUnder30, and she's been interviewed by The New York Times, CNBC and more.

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.

Grace Pilling

BLUEPRINT

Grace Pilling is a deputy editor for credit cards at USA TODAY Blueprint. She believes credit cards are the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure tools of the financial world and gets excited about helping people discover the best credit card strategy for their unique goals. Prior to joining Blueprint, Grace worked on and led personal finance teams at Bankrate, CreditCards.com, MoneyUnder30 and MoneyGeek. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and writing and a diploma in editing and publishing.

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