Why the Ink Business Unlimited is essential for small business owners
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“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.
BLUEPRINT
Published 5:34 p.m. UTC June 3, 2024
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If you own a growing business, it’s only a matter of time until you need a small business credit card, and the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is a great place to start.
I operate multiple small businesses and have an Ink Business Unlimited for each one. I love that the card offers substantial rewards on everyday purchases with no annual fee. And since it earns Chase Ultimate Rewards®, I can redeem them for cash back or get outsized value by redeeming them for travel.
You don’t have to have employees to be a small business owner. In fact, you might be a small business owner and not even know it
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Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Why the Chase Ink Business Unlimited is a great starter card
When looking for a business credit card, the Chase Ink Business Unlimited is a great place to begin. First, this card offers new applicants a generous welcome offer of $750 cash back after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
There’s no annual fee, and when used for spending, you’ll earn 1.5% cash back on purchases. That’s a strong rate of return for a small business card with no annual fee.
Beyond its cash-back potential, this card also comes with a 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases, then a 18.49% to 24.49% variable APR applies to purchases and balance transfers. A balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies. While this isn’t as lengthy an offer as what you might find on some personal 0% APR credit cards, it’s very competitive for small business cards, and it can give your operation a little bit of breathing room as you expand. I enjoy having a full year where I don’t have to worry about making my payments in full to avoid interest charges.
Other benefits include primary auto rental collision damage waiver, extended warranty coverage and a purchase protection policy that covers you against theft and accidental damage.
Rewards can go far beyond cash back
What truly makes this card essential is that its rewards can be redeemed for more than just cash back. Although Chase markets this card as earning cash back, the rewards actually come in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards points. These points can be redeemed for cash back, but they can also be redeemed for gift cards or merchandise at a value of one cent each — and you can get even more value if you use them to book travel reservations.
And because these are the same Ultimate Rewards points offered by other Chase cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® and 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. , you can combine the rewards earned from your Ink Business Unlimited with one of these other cards. That makes these points worth much more when used for travel redemptions.
Points redeemed from the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred are worth 1.25 cents each when used for reservations made through Chase Travel℠. However, points from the Chase Sapphire Reserve are worth 1.5 cents each towards travel booked through Chase. By earning 1.5 points per dollar from your Ink Business Unlimited and redeeming them through your Sapphire Reserve for 1.5 cents each towards travel, you realize a rate of 2.25% back on your purchases, which is outstanding.
And when you transfer your rewards to Chase’s airline and hotel partners, you can receive even more value. It’s not uncommon for me to receive two or three cents in value when I transfer my points to Hyatt and book award nights. I also receive strong value from transfers to airline partners like United, Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic and Flying Blue (Air France/KLM).
Final verdict
By combining the Chase Ink Business Unlimited with other Chase cards, you’re always able to earn at least 1.5 points per dollar on your business purchases, and you don’t have to worry about paying an annual fee. Plus, rewards can be redeemed at a higher value than a penny per point. That’s why the Ink Business Unlimited is an essential credit card for small business owners.
*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.
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.
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