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Whether you want to earn cash back, flexible points, hotel points, or airline miles, you'll likely find a Chase business credit card that meets your needs. In this post, we'll cover the costs and benefits for each small-business card and highlight the best welcome offers currently available to new cardmembers.
Wondering if you qualify for a Chase business card? We cover this at the end, including an overview of Chase's application rules, how to know if your side hustle qualifies as a business, and what information you'll need to open a new account.
Page Contents
- Chase Business Card Offers & Key Benefits
- Chase Ink Business Cards
- Chase Business Cards for Hotel & Airline Rewards
- Our Methodology
- Other Benefits of Chase Business Credit Cards
- How To Apply for a Chase Business Credit Card
- Why You Should Get a Chase Business Credit Card
- Small Business Credit Card Tips
- Final Thoughts
- FAQ
Chase Business Card Offers & Key Benefits
Before we jump into our top picks among Chase business credit cards, here's a summary of the rewards, key benefits, and welcome offers available to new cardholders.
| Card | Rewards | Welcome Offer | Annual Fee | Key Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card | 3x on $150,000 of spending in popular business categories plus 1x on other purchases. | Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | $95 | Points are worth 25% more in travel redemption or can be transferred to any of 14 airline and hotel partners |
| Ink Business Premier® Credit Card | 2%–2.5% cash back | Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | $195 | High cash-back rewards rate & excellent travel and purchase insurance coverage, plus no preset spending limit |
| Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card | 1.5% cash back | Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | $0 | Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back with no annual fee |
| Ink Business Cash® Credit Card | 5% and 2% cash back on $25,000 of yearly purchases in bonus categories, plus unlimited 1% cash back on other purchases | 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. | $0 | Earn 5% cash back in key business categories without an annual fee |
| Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card | 1X–3X Rapid Rewards points | Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. | $99 | 6,000 annual bonus points & two free EarlyBird check-in each year |
| Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card | 1X–4X Rapid Rewards points | Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | $199 | 9,000 annual bonus points, inflight Wi-Fi credits, and upgraded boarding credits |
| The New United℠ Business Card | 1X–2X United miles | Earn 75,000 bonus miles and 2,000 PQP after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. | $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $150 | Free first checked bag and priority boarding, plus ability to earn 5,000 annual bonus points and a $125 United credit |
| United Club℠ Business Card | 1.5X-2X United miles | 80,000 bonus miles plus 2,000 PQP after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. | $695 | Complimentary United Club membership, two free checked bags, premier upgrades, and more |
| World of Hyatt Business Credit Card | 1X–4X World of Hyatt points | 60,000 Bonus Points plus Explorist status through 2/28/26 after you spend $7,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Offer ends 6/30/25. | $199 | Automatic Discoverist status & the ability to earn additional elite nights through spending, plus earn Hyatt spending credits and a point rebate through spending |
| IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card | 3X–10X IHG One Rewards points | Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening | $99 | Automatic Platinum elite status, 4th night free on award stays & annual free night certificate |
Chase Ink Business Cards
The Chase Ink Business card lineup includes four small business cards. Each card is different, so here's what you need to know about each card's earning rates, annual fee (or lack thereof), and current new-cardmember offer.
Chase Ink Business Preferred— Best for Frequent Travelers
If travel is essential to your business, it's hard to do better than the Chase Ink Preferred. This card earns flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards points and is a great fit if your business spends significantly on travel, advertising, or shipping. It also offers a suite of travel insurance benefits.
One of the few downsides is that it doesn't offer airport lounge access. But that tradeoff is also reflected in the card's affordable annual fee.
- Earn 90k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
- Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
- Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
- With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠
- Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 3X points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year
- 1X point per $1 on all other purchases
Rewards structure
The Ink Preferred earns:
- 3X points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year
- 1X point per $1 on all other purchases
For a limited time (through September 2027), you'll also earn 5 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per $1 on qualifying Lyft rides.
The Ink Preferred earns transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards points — redeemable for travel, cash, merchandise, and gift cards, or transferable to any of 14 Chase transfer partners.
The Chase Ultimate Rewards points the card earns are worth approximately 1 cent each when redeemed for cash. If you use them to book travel through Chase Travel℠, you'll enjoy a 25% bonus on their value, making them worth 1.25 cents each.
That said, our favorite way to redeem Ultimate Rewards points is by transferring them to travel partners. It's awesome to have this flexibility. Rather than be locked into a specific rewards currency like many other Chase business credit cards (e.g., United miles or World of Hyatt points), you have a plethora of options. AwardWallet users get an average value of 1.95¢ cents per Ultimate Rewards point, in large part due to transferring them to partner programs.
Welcome offer
Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. If you redeem for travel through Chase Travel, these bonus Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth $1,125. If you get the average value AwardWallet users get from your Ultimate Rewards, this offer is worth roughly $1,650.
Annual fee: $95
The annual fee of the Ink Preferred is reasonable. It corresponds to the annual fee of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), a personal Chase card geared toward consumers who prefer to earn travel rewards.
Downsides
- The bonus categories are not especially useful for many types of businesses
- No airport or airline travel perks, such as lounge access
Who is this card best for?
The Ink Preferred is geared toward the frequent business traveler who doesn't want to be locked into a specific airline or hotel chain when earning or redeeming points. The card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points redeemable directly for travel or through any of the three hotel and 11 airline transfer partners.
Transferring Ultimate Rewards to partner loyalty programs is how AwardWallet users get the greatest value from their points. The earning potential of the Ink Preferred is complemented by solid travel insurance protection benefits.
While the rewards redemption is geared toward travel, the Ink Preferred is also an excellent card if you spend a substantial amount on shipping or social media advertising each year.
Related: Ink Preferred review
Ink Business Cash — Best Chase Business Card with No-Annual-Fee
Would you rather not pay a fee every year to have a business credit card? The Chase Ink Cash might fit the bill. It is one of two Chase business cards without an annual fee and offers an excellent return on spending in some common business expense categories. Even better, it has an excellent welcome offer — one of the best for a no-annual-fee business credit card.
- 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
- 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
- Rates & Fees
- 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 card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn
Rewards structure
The Ink Business Cash has a tiered rewards structure:
- 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 card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn
Plus, for a limited time (through September 2027), earn a total of 5% cash back on Lyft rides.
The key to getting the most out of the Ink Business Cash lies in maximizing the bonus categories. These are subject to an annual cap, however. After you reach the $25,000 spend threshold for both the 5% and 2% rewards rates, you'll only earn 1% cash back on all spending. These earning limits are based on your cardmember year, not the calendar year, so make sure you understand when this resets.
Rewards are redeemable for cash, gift cards, and travel, all at a rate of 1 cent per point. It's important to note that the card technically earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which can be transferred between accounts, potentially opening up higher-value redemption opportunities.
Related: How to Combine Chase Ultimate Rewards Points Between Credit Cards
Welcome offer
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. This bonus is worth the stated cash value at a minimum. However, if you have a premium Chase card — such as the Ink Preferred, Sapphire Preferred, or Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees) — you can transfer your points to this other account and redeem them for greater value.
Annual Fee: $0
If you don't want to pay an annual fee, the Ink Business Cash is one of your best Chase business card options.
Downsides
- Transactions outside the United States will incur foreign transaction fees of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
- Bonus categories are subject to an annual cap.
Who is this card best for?
Businesses that spend a lot in the bonus categories offered by the Ink Business Cash could earn significant rewards. The 5% cash back rate at office supply stores and on internet, phone, and cable services is hard to beat.
Some cards offer a better return on gas and at restaurants, but many of these are consumer cards. Based on our analysis, if a good chunk of your spending falls within the bonus categories, this card outperforms the Ink Business Unlimited in its overall earning potential.
However, if you can't take advantage of the bonus categories and are still looking for a no-annual-fee card, check out the Ink Business Unlimited.
Related: Ink Business Cash review
Ink Business Unlimited — Best for a Simple Earning Strategy
The Chase Ink Unlimited has a simple rewards structure that will appeal to business owners who want to earn solid rewards but don't want to track specific bonus categories. However, the real secret is pairing it with a premium Chase card to get the most out of your points.
- Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
- No Annual Fee
- Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Earn rewards faster with employee cards at no additional cost. Set individual spending limits for greater control.
- Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
- With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
Rewards structure
The Ink Unlimited has a simple rewards structure:
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business.
- For a limited time through September 2027, earn a total of 5% cash back on Lyft rides.
There's no tracking of bonus categories here. Rewards are redeemable for cash, gift cards, and travel, all at a rate of 1 cent per point. The card technically earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, though, which can be transferred between accounts.
Welcome offer
Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. This bonus is worth the stated cash value at a minimum, but it also offers the ability to combine rewards with other cards to unlock more valuable redemption options.
Annual Fee: $0
If you don't want to pay an annual fee for a card, the Ink Business Unlimited is one of your best Chase business card options.
Downsides
- Transactions outside the United States will incur foreign transaction fees of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars.
- No bonus categories, if that's what you prefer in a business credit card.
Who is this card best for?
If you prefer simplicity when earning rewards with a business credit card, the Ink Unlimited should be a top choice. It's also one of only two Chase business cards that don't charge an annual fee. So if fees are a turn-off, this may be your card.
For those interested in fielding a whole suite of Chase credit cards, the Ink Business Unlimited complements other cards very well. Consider the Ink Preferred for its travel benefits while also holding the Ink Business Unlimited to earn 1.5X points on everyday business purchases.
Related: Ink Business Unlimited review
Chase Ink Business Premier — Best Card for Large Purchases
As the newest member of the Chase business credit card lineup, the Ink Business Premier is a bit different. It offers a high cash-back rate with additional earnings on purchases over $5,000.
The flip side is that you can only redeem your rewards as cash back, even if you have a premium Chase card offering points transfer to travel partners. The rewards can't be combined like you can do with some other Chase business cards.
- Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Earn unlimited 2.5% total cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more and unlimited 2% cash back on all other business purchases.
- Travel Benefits: Unlimited 5% total cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, No Foreign Transaction Fees and Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance.
- The only business credit card with 2.5% cash back on every purchase of $5,000 or more.
- Get the buying power you need to make large purchases, cover monthly expenses and help your business grow. While you must pay your Pay In Full balance each month, this card has built-in flexibility. The Flex for Business feature allows for qualifying purchases to be paid over time with interest.
- Purchase with confidence with built-in protections like Fraud Protection, Zero Liability Protection, Purchase Protection, Cell Phone Protection, and Extended Warranty Protection.
- There's no additional cost for employee cards. Monitor spend with digital tools like purchase alerts, set spending limits, reporting, and more.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 5% cash back on travel purchases through the Chase Travel℠ portal
- 2.5% cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more
- 2% cash back on all other purchases
Rewards structure
The earning rates are geared toward businesses that make large purchases:
- 5% cash back on travel purchases through the Chase Travel℠ portal
- 2.5% cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more
- 2% cash back on all other purchases
The biggest downside is that the Ink Business Premier doesn't earn transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards points. You can redeem your rewards for cash, gift cards, travel, and more. But you can't combine your rewards with those from another card.
This means you can't get additional value by transferring your earnings to travel partners. Redeeming at face value (1¢ per rewards point) is the maximum value you'll get.
Welcome offer
Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. This offer has a high spending requirement. But if your business has large purchases that make this card an ideal choice, you shouldn't have much of a problem earning the bonus.
Annual fee: $195
The Ink Business Premier‘s annual fee is steep compared to many other choices on this list. Keep this in mind, as you'll need to ensure the additional earning rates make up for it.
Downsides
- You must pay your account in full each month. You can get a Flex for Business limit that lets you pay off purchases over time, though this will incur interest charges.
- Inability to combine rewards with other Chase cards.
Who is this card best for?
The Ink Premier is best for those with lots of large business expenses and no desire to earn travel rewards. It has a niche by offering 2.5% cash back on large purchases. Aside from that, it's not a contender in other ways.
Frequent travelers can do better with the Ink Preferred. Assuming you get the average value AwardWallet users get from their Ultimate Rewards points (1.95¢ each), the earning rates are nearly the same. Given the difference in annual fees, you need to have considerable purchases at higher earning rates (5% and 2.5% back) to justify the higher annual fee here.
If you get good value when using transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards points, the Ink Business Premier likely won't hold any real value for you. But if you prefer cash back, simplicity, and make large purchases regularly, this card may suit you well.
Related: Ink Business Premier review
Chase Business Cards for Hotel & Airline Rewards
In addition to the Ink Business card family, Chase offers several co-branded rewards cards in partnership with United, Hyatt, and IHG. Right now, our top picks are the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card—which we cover in more detail below. For more about the other Chase hotel and airline business cards, check out our reviews:
Southwest Performance Business Card — Best Chase Airline Card
Among the airline business credit cards reviewed by our team, the Southwest Performance Business Card performs the best. We caveat that statement with the fact that you need to be a Southwest frequent flyer to maximize its value. If your loyalties lie elsewhere, or if you aren't loyal to a specific airline, you may do better with a different card or a more general credit card earning flexible points.
With that out of the way, we'll show how the benefits offered by the Southwest Performance Business Card stack up so you get far more value from it year after year than the annual fee it levies.
- Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- 9,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
- Earn 4X pts on Southwest® purchases.
- Earn 3X points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
- Earn 2X points on rideshare.
- Earn 2X points on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services and 1X points on all other purchases.
- 4 Upgraded Boardings per year when available.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 4X points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases
- 3X points per $1 spent on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car partners
- 2X points per $1 spent on social media and search engine advertising, Internet, cable and phone services
- 2X points per $1 spent on rideshare
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Rewards structure
The Southwest Performance Business Card earns Southwest Rapid Rewards points at the following rates:
- 4X points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases
- 3X points per $1 spent on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car partners
- 2X points per $1 spent on social media and search engine advertising, Internet, cable and phone services
- 2X points per $1 spent on rideshare
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
If you frequently book flights with Southwest for work travel, you can rack up a lot of Rapid Rewards points. AwardWallet users typically redeem Southwest points at 1.52¢ apiece, meaning the 4X earning provides over a 6% return for every $1 you spend with Southwest — not to mention the base points you earn as a Rapid Rewards member. The other bonus earning categories offered by this card pair nicely with the earnings on Southwest airfare. So if your business involves frequent travel and you're loyal to Southwest, this card is a powerhouse.
Welcome offer
Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual fee: $199
The Southwest Performance Business Card has a fairly high annual fee. However, the annual bonus points, Wi-Fi credits, and upgraded boarding credits easily make up for this. If you fly Southwest frequently for business, this card easily outperforms the Southwest Premier Business Card (Rates & Fees).
Downsides
- You're locked into earning Southwest points instead of flexible points or cash back.
- Card benefits are overwhelmingly geared toward Southwest travelers.
- Southwest has recently announced many negative changes, including slashing earning rates, introducing variable award pricing and adding bag fees and basic fares.
Who is this card best for?
If you fly Southwest as part of your business, even just once per month, this is the card for you. The annual bonus points offset the bulk of the annual fee, and the upgraded boardings and Wi-Fi credits will quickly get you the rest of the way there — without even taking into consideration the card's earning potential. It easily outperforms the Southwest Premier Business Card, even with a higher annual fee ($199 versus $99).
For travelers not loyal to a specific airline, check out the Ink Preferred above as an option instead.
Related: Southwest Performance Business Card review
IHG One Rewards Business Card — Best Chase Hotel Card
Packed with additional benefits for frequent guests of IHG hotels, the IHG Business credit card offers amazing annual value. The card offers automatic IHG Platinum Elite status, an annual free night, and a solid earning structure. For all this, you pay a very reasonable annual fee.
- Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy an Anniversary Free Night at IHG Hotels & Resorts. Plus, enjoy a fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG® hotel stay.
- Earn up to 26 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels and Resorts
- Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, select advertising, and restaurants. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Automatic Platinum Elite status as long as you remain a Premier Business cardmember
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $120 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card
- IHG One Rewards Bonus points are redeemable at hotels such as InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Kimpton®, EVEN® Hotels, Indigo® Hotels & Holiday Inn®
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 26x total points per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- 5X points per $1 spent on travel, dining, social media search engine advertising, and at office supply stores and gas stations
- 3X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
The earning for spending at IHG hotels breaks down as follows:
- Earn 10X points for charging your stay to your IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
- Earn 6X bonus points for having IHG®Platinum Elite Status, a benefit of having this card
- Earn 10X base points for being an IHG® One Rewards Member (Being a cardholder is not required to earn this bonus for participating in the IHG® loyalty program)
Rewards structure
The card earns IHG One Rewards points at the following rates:
- Earn 26x total points per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- 5X points per $1 spent on travel, dining, social media search engine advertising, and at office supply stores and gas stations
- 3X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
The earning for spending at IHG hotels breaks down as follows:
- Earn 10X points for charging your stay to your IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
- Earn 6X bonus points for having IHG®Platinum Elite Status, a benefit of having this card
- Earn 10X base points for being an IHG® One Rewards Member (Being a cardholder is not required to earn this bonus for participating in the IHG® loyalty program)
Assuming you're on the road a lot for work, the return for spending at IHG hotels is fantastic. Even the return on everyday spending is solid. AwardWallet users get an average of 0.68¢ per IHG point, which means the 3X base earning provides a return of just over 2%.
Welcome offer
Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening Based on the average value AwardWallet users get from IHG One Rewards points, this is worth roughly $952.
Annual fee: $99
For a card packed with as many benefits as it has, the annual fee is very reasonable. The annual free night alone more than makes up for the card's yearly cost.
Downsides
- You're locked into earning IHG points. This card won't be useful if you don't enjoy redeeming IHG points.
- Travel protections are weaker than other travel-focused Chase business credit cards.
Who is this card best for?
The IHG One Rewards Business Card offers excellent value to the businessperson frequently on the road for work.
If you're already loyal to IHG — or could be — the card is packed with useful benefits. The annual IHG free night certificate, Platinum Elite status that provides bonus points (and other perks), and IHG fourth night free benefits are easily worth the $99 annual fee.
The card is comparatively weak, however, in travel insurance protections.
Related: IHG One Rewards Business Card review
Our Methodology
Our team uses multiple factors to determine the overall value each Chase business card offers. These are the primary items considered:
- The earning potential offered by the card
- The value of the card's welcome offer
- Value of ancillary benefits and perks offered by the card
- The card's annual fee
Given that business expenses can vary widely in terms of both their amount and category from one business to the next, we assumed that no more than 20% of purchases made with the card would fall within the card's highest bonus category. All other business purchases were assumed to be at the base earning rate offered by the card. For each card's welcome offer, we used either the cash value or determined it using the average value received by AwardWallet users for the points or miles earned on the card.
Finally, the value of the other benefits was assigned based on a review of what they should be worth to most consumers. In some cases, these were given their face value. Otherwise, we assigned a value that reflects the real value cardholders can expect from a specific benefit.
In the end, we sorted through the Chase business cards and reviewed both their first-year value — inclusive of the welcome offer — and ongoing annual value without factoring in the welcome offer. We made our picks from among those with the best value in a specific category. Given the wide variety of business needs and preferences, however, it is possible that the best Chase business credit card for your needs didn't make our list.
Other Benefits of Chase Business Credit Cards
Chase business cards offer several useful benefits, including the ability to add employee cards for free. Employees can be added as additional cardholders, and any charges they make will earn points or miles in the primary cardholder's account. Employees can have the same credit limit as you, or you can set individual spending limits.
Most Chase business credit cards come with purchase protection, extended warranty protection or both. Some Chase business cards don't charge foreign transaction fees, which is extremely helpful if you have to travel abroad or make purchases from overseas suppliers.
Related: Comparing Chase Ink Business Cards — Which One Is Right for You?
How To Apply for a Chase Business Credit Card
Settled on which Chase business card you want? Now it's time to apply. You can apply for all Chase business credit cards online, which is the easiest method. Alternatively, you can apply in person at a Chase branch.
Applying for a business credit card follows a similar process as applying for a personal card. You'll need to provide basic information about yourself, including:
- Your name, address, and date of birth
- Your annual income, including but not limited to income from the business
- Your Social Security Number (SSN)
You'll also need the following business information:
- The name of your business and the date it was established
- Your annual business revenue
- The business structure (i.e., sole proprietorship, partnership, etc.)
- The type of business
- An estimate of your monthly spending on the card
- The number of business employees
- Your Employer Identification Number (EIN)
While you don't need an EIN to apply for a Chase business credit card, you should use this if you have one. If you're without an EIN, you can just use your SSN as the business owner/sole proprietor. With small business cards, you're held personally liable for the card balance either way.
Once you've entered all the required information, submit your application. Chase will evaluate it and give you one of three responses:
- Instant approval: If this is the outcome, congratulations on your new Chase business credit card!
- Immediate denial: This could be for a variety of reasons.
- A message saying Chase needs more time to review your application.
If you get the third response, I recommend waiting for the response from Chase, which may be either an email or a letter in the mail. Sometimes, the credit card issuer needs more time for an employee to manually review your application. In other cases, you may get a letter asking you to provide additional information.
If your application is denied, whether immediately or after additional review, consider calling the reconsideration line to ask a Chase representative for specifics and to discuss the reason(s) for denial. You may be able to provide additional details that change the credit card issuer's decision. Sometimes, changing a denial to an approval is as easy as reducing the credit line on another card so that Chase is willing to extend credit on a new one.
Here are some key items to keep in mind when applying for a Chase business credit card:
- Check your credit score before you apply. All Chase business credit cards require good to excellent credit. Make sure you know your FICO score before you decide to apply. Otherwise, you may waste a hard pull on your credit.
- Chase business credit cards are subject to the Chase 5/24 rule. This is an unwritten rule, but it has been reported by credit card applicants for years. If you have opened five or more new credit accounts within the past 24 months, it is unlikely Chase will approve you for a new card.
- Be as accurate as possible on your application. If you're starting a new business and you don't know the annual revenue, you can estimate. But make sure you are providing as accurate an estimate as possible.
- Note the specifics of the welcome offer of the card you're applying for. This is best done by a screenshot if you're applying online. If there are any discrepancies later, you have documentation for following up with Chase. The other upside is that you won't forget the minimum spending requirement.
- The window for earning the welcome offer begins when your application is approved. Even if you don't receive your card in the mail for over a week, the date your new account was opened starts the clock for earning the sign-up bonus.
Related: How To Get a Business Credit Card
Why You Should Get a Chase Business Credit Card
The primary reason to get a Chase business credit card is to be able to separate business purchases from your personal expenditures. It can be difficult to track business versus personal charges if you use the same card for both. Having a business credit card helps you separate and organize your expenses. This will make your record-keeping much easier and help you immensely at tax time.
You'll also get access to annual reports and expense-tracking tools. Chase Ink cards can even integrate with bookkeeping software to aid your accounting.
With a business credit card, you typically can add employee cards at no additional cost, which can further aid with business expense tracking. Chase lets you set individual employee card spending limits.
Having a business credit card also can help with cash flow management. Rather than paying by check or debit card, where the money is removed from your account immediately, you can charge your business purchases to a credit card, giving you additional time to receive income to cover them. That being said, we always recommend paying off your credit cards in full each month so you don't incur interest charges. If you're being charged interest, it wipes out the value of the rewards you earn.
Many business credit cards also offer bonus-earning opportunities tailored more toward businesses than consumers. For example, most people don't spend thousands of dollars at office supply stores. But some businesses might. And that's especially true with social media advertising. Before deciding on a Chase business credit card, research which will fit your business the best in terms of bonus categories and ancillary perks.
Small Business Credit Card Tips
Regardless of which business credit cards you hold, there are a few best practices to bear in mind.
- Always pay your statement balance in full each month and on time. If you don't pay your balance in full, you'll incur interest charges. This will negate the value of the rewards you earn. If you don't pay on time, you could negatively impact your credit score. Business credit cards already tend to have higher interest rates than consumer cards, so don't get hit with an additional penalty APR.
- Don't put personal expenses on your business credit card. One of the primary purposes of a business credit card is to separate your personal and business expenses. Let it make expense tracking and financial management easier, not harder.
- Set employee spending limits. All Chase business credit cards allow this. If you have employees who don't need to spend a ton on their cards, reduce their spending limit. This will prevent them from potentially abusing their spending privileges or from losing the card and someone else running up a large, fraudulent bill.
- Take advantage of 0% introductory APR offers. Have a large purchase you need to make? Use a new credit card with a 0% APR offer on purchases to defer the cost. Just make sure you pay your card off before the intro APR period ends. This is another way to let your business credit card aid your cash flow management.
- Make sure you earn the welcome offer on your new card. If part of the reason you're getting a new card is the one-time bonus it offers, make sure you meet the required spending to earn it.
- Make sure you use all the benefits of the card to maximize its value. If you decide to get the IHG One Rewards Business Card, for example, ensure you use the annual free night. I wish I could say that I didn't know people who have forgotten about the various credits and certificates offered by their credit cards and let them expire without using them.
- Evaluate each business credit card when the annual fee comes due. How much value did you get from the card during the past year? Are you expecting to get the same from it during the coming year? Will it continue to be worth its annual fee? These are the questions you need to ask. If the annual fee isn't worth it for another year, consider closing or downgrading the card to avoid paying for something you don't need.
Final Thoughts
Whether you're looking for a general travel card, a cash-back card, or a card that lets you maximize benefits with a specific airline or hotel chain, there should be a Chase business credit card that fits your needs. In a nutshell, here's what we recommend among Chase's business card lineup:
- Best for frequent travelers: Ink Preferred
- Best no-annual-fee card: Ink Cash
- Best flat-rate earning card: Ink Unlimited
- Best for large business purchases: Ink Premier
- Best airline card: Southwest Performance Business Card
- Best hotel card: IHG One Rewards Business Card
Consider your specific business needs and preferences when choosing a new card. There's a lot to consider. Make sure you understand the card's benefits, earning potential, and annual cost before you apply.
FAQ
What credit score is needed for a Chase business card?
Chase business credit cards require a good to excellent credit score.
Do you need an EIN to apply for Chase business credit card?
No, you do not need an EIN to apply for a Chase business card. Business owners can use their SSN to apply.
Does Chase do a hard pull when applying for business credit card?
Yes, Chase will perform a hard pull on your personal credit report for a business credit card. The majority of business credit cards require them to be guaranteed by the primary cardholder. Thus, Chase must determine the applicant's personal creditworthiness.
Can an individual get a Chase business card?
You can get a business credit card as an individual / sole proprietor of a business.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees), Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Ink Business Premier® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card (Rates & Fees), and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
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