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Chase offers one of the strongest lineups of business
Some Chase business cards are built for simplicity, with no annual fee and straightforward cash-back-style earning. Others unlock the full power of
That range is useful, but it also makes the decision more complicated. The right card for a small side hustle may not be the right fit for a business with heavy travel, advertising, or everyday spending.
Here’s how the Chase Ink Business cards compare — including welcome offers, annual fees, earning categories, benefits, redemption options, and key application rules to know before you apply.
Comparing Chase Business Credit Cards
Welcome offers
Here are the current welcome offers on Chase's Ink Business cards:
- Ink Business Cash® Credit Card: Earn
$750$1,000 when you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first four months after account opening. - Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card: Earn
$750$1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 4 months from account opening. - Ink Business Premier® Credit Card: Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Sapphire Reserve for Business℠: Earn 200,000 bonus points after you spend $30,000 on purchases in your first 6 months from account opening and access more than $7,000 in total business and travel value in your first year.
If you're focused on earning cash back, all three cash-back Ink cards are offering compelling bonuses.
Offers on the Ink Cash and Ink Unlimited could provide you with $1,000 cash back. These cards are great for small businesses that spend less overall, since their spending requirements are among the lowest of all Ink cards.
The Ink Premier is offering a bonus of $1,000 cash back. Note that — unlike the Ink Cash and Ink Unlimited cash-back offers — these points cannot be combined with other cards that earn Ultimate Rewards. That means this bonus can only be redeemed for cash back.
- 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 on dining and gas each account anniversary year
- 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
$195Rates & 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
Meanwhile, both of Chase's transferable-points-earning small business cards are offering six-digit bonuses. The Ink Preferred stands out with a welcome offer of 100,000 bonus points.
And the Sapphire Reserve Business is offering a whopping 200,000 bonus points after you spend $30,000 on purchases in your first 6 months from account opening. But with the big bonus (and long list of benefits) comes a massive $795 annual fee.
$195Rates & 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
$795Rates & Fees
- 8X points on all Chase Travel℠ purchases
- 5X total points on eligible Lyft rides through 9/30/2027
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3x points on advertising purchases made with social media platforms and search engines
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases
Which Ink card offers the best welcome offer?
Currently, the Sapphire Reserve Business stands out as the clear winner if you can meet the spending requirements. The current offer of 200,000 points is hard to pass up. That is, if you can justify the annual fee.
However, the Ink Cash and Ink Unlimited have fantastic offers, too. Not only is the spending requirement much lower, but these cards also charge no annual fee. Plus, their current $1,000 cash back bonuses match the best offers we've seen on either card. Keep in mind that these offers are ending soon.
Annual fee
Chase's business cards range in annual fees from $0 to $795. The Ink Cash and Ink Unlimited feel like no-brainers for those looking for a no-annual-fee business card. However, paying the $95 annual fee on the Ink Preferred could be worth it to open the door to Chase's transfer partners.
But if you value lounge access and can take advantage of numerous statement credits, then it's possible to make the Sapphire Reserve Business‘s annual fee feel like a bargain.
Earning categories
- Ink Cash: 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 on dining and gas each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn.
- Ink Unlimited: Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business.
- Ink Preferred: 3x points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, and advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year.
- Ink Premier: Earn unlimited 2.5% total cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more and unlimited 2% cash back on all other business purchases.
- Sapphire Reserve Business: Earn 8x points on Chase Travel℠ for airline tickets, hotels, including The Edit℠, car rentals, cruises, activities and tours. Earn 5x total points on Lyft rides through 9/30/27. Earn 4x points on flights & hotels booked direct. Earn 3x points on social media & search engine advertising. Earn 1x points on all other purchases.
Which Ink card offers the best earning categories?
To figure out the highest-earning credit card, you'll want to have a good handle on what your business typically spends money on. Do the spending categories on one card match your business expenses more closely than the others? Does your business spend broadly across multiple categories that don't really align with any of the cards' bonus categories?
While it's possible to earn significant rewards in the bonus categories on the Ink Cash and Ink Preferred, remember that categories have limits. Moreover, if your business's spending doesn't match these categories, the Ink Unlimited may be a better option since it earns a standard 1.5% back on all spending.
But if your business spends a lot on things like flights and hotels, social media and search engine advertising, the Sapphire Reserve Business will reward those purchases more than any other Ink-branded business card.
Card benefits
The travel and purchase benefits vary across the Chase Ink Business cards, but all five include these perks:
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver (CDW): Decline the rental company's collision insurance and charge the entire rental fee to your card to get this benefit. Primary coverage is provided when renting for business purposes and covers the vehicle's cash value for theft and collision for most cars in the U.S. and abroad.
- Travel and emergency assistance services: If you have any legal or medical troubles while traveling, call the Benefit Administrator for help and referrals. You are responsible for all costs associated with the services obtained.
- Roadside assistance: If you have a roadside emergency, call 800-847-2869 for help. You will be notified of the fees when you call, and they will be billed to your card.
- Purchase protection: This covers new purchases for up to 120 days, covering $10,000 per claim, and up to $50,000 per account.
- Extended warranty protection: When the manufacturer's warranty covers three years or less, this adds one additional year of coverage.
- Baggage delay insurance: Get reimbursed for necessary expenses while you wait for delayed luggage.
Furthermore, all five cards offer fraud protection, plus employee cards at no additional cost.
A few benefits are exclusive to the Ink Preferred, the Ink Premier, and the Sapphire Reserve Business. They are:
- Cell phone protection: Receive up to $1,000 per claim in protection against theft and damage when you use your card to pay your monthly wireless phone bill. Each claim has a $100 deductible, and you may file up to three claims per 12-month period.
- Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance: If a covered incident disrupts or cancels your trip, you could receive reimbursement of up to $10,000 per covered traveler and up to $20,000 per trip for eligible prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Which Ink card offers the best travel and shopping protections?
All five Ink-branded cards offer solid benefits in travel and purchase protection. However, if you are a frequent traveler, trip coverage and no foreign transaction fees may give the Ink Preferred, Ink Premier, and Sapphire Reserve Business a leg up.
Using Your Rewards
As we stated above, all of these cards earn Ultimate Rewards — even the ones advertised as earning cash back. However, they differ in how you can use those rewards.
- Ink Cash and Ink Unlimited: Redeem your rewards at 1¢ per point for travel, cash back, gift cards, experiences, and more through the Chase Travel℠ portal. To unlock access to Chase's transfer partners, you will need a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Ink Preferred, or Sapphire Reserve Business. You also have access to Pay Yourself Back, which lets you redeem points for 1.1–1.25¢ apiece.
- Ink Preferred and Sapphire Reserve Business: These cards are the only ones that allow you to transfer your points to Chase's travel partners without extra steps. Additionally, you can redeem your rewards for up to 2¢ each when you book travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal (depending on the card and the specific redemption). Lastly, you can redeem them at a 1¢ per point value as a statement credit.
- Ink Premier: This card has the most limited options for using your rewards. You can use points at 1¢ each for travel, cash back, gift cards, experiences, and more through the Chase Travel℠ portal. However, you can't transfer them to travel partners, and you can't combine them with points from other
rewards cards
Which Ink card offers the best reward redemptions?
If you want to maximize your value through transfer partners or a high redemption rate, the Ink Preferred or Sapphire Reserve Business are the best options here. If you prefer a straightforward cash-back redemption, consider one of Chase's other three Ink business cards.
How to Choose Between the Five Chase Business Credit Cards
- The Ink Cash may be for you if you run a small business with low spending, prefer a no-annual-fee card, and spend a decent amount at office supply stores, internet services, and/or phone services.
- The Ink Unlimited may be for you if you run a small business with low spending, prefer a no-annual-fee card, and want to use your card for all purchases without worrying about how to maximize your spending categories. This card is also ideal for those whose spending doesn't align with other cards' bonus categories.
- The Ink Preferred may be for you if you run a small- to medium-sized business, don't mind a nominal annual fee, and want to access more value from your points by transferring them to travel partners.
- The Ink Premier may be for you if you run a medium- to large-sized business that spends heavily each year, want to earn at least 2% back on all purchases, and don't mind using your rewards directly in the Chase Travel℠ portal or for cash back.
- The Sapphire Reserve Business may be for you if you can keep track of various statement credits and take advantage of key benefits like airport lounge access. This card has the highest annual fee of all the cards above — and the most benefits — so you'll need to do the math before you apply.
Chase Ink Business Credit Card Application Rules
Now that we've covered each card's ins and outs, let's briefly go over the details of applying for and holding business cards.
Who qualifies?
Many assume you need a registered business or storefront to open a business card. Luckily, this is not true. People with side hustles or small work-from-home businesses usually qualify for business cards. Examples include selling on Etsy, tutoring students, freelance writing or editing, rideshare driving, and more. We cover all of these details in our post on how to get a business credit card.
If you do have a registered business, apply using your business information. However, when using your small side hustle as your business, apply as a sole proprietor using your Social Security number and all your personal information — including your total household income, not just your business income.
Carrying more than one card
Chase allows you to carry more than one of its Ink business cards at a time. You can hold one of each type of Ink business card. This is helpful if you want to boost your Ultimate Rewards stash and maximize purchases in different spending categories.
For example, you could use the Ink Cash for your office supply purchases while using the Ink Preferred for travel and advertising expenses. Maximizing your spending can build a huge stash of points, and you can maximize their value in the Chase Travel portal or by transferring them to travel partners.
Welcome bonus eligibility
Pay close attention to the terms and conditions for each welcome bonus to make sure you're eligible before you apply. For instance, you'll find this restrictive language on the Ink Cash application page:
“The new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you have ever had this card or any other Chase for Business card without an annual fee. We may also consider factors pertinent to your business in determining your bonus eligibility.”
In other words, you generally won't be able to earn the bonus on the Ink Cash if you've already earned one on the Ink Unlimited. Here's a quick rundown of what to know:
- Ink Cash: The new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you have ever had this card or any other Chase for Business card without an annual fee. We may also consider factors pertinent to your business in determining your bonus eligibility.
- Ink Unlimited: The new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you have ever had this card or any other Chase for Business card without an annual fee. We may also consider factors pertinent to your business in determining your bonus eligibility.
- Ink Preferred: The new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you have ever had this card. We may also consider factors pertinent to your business in determining your bonus eligibility.
- Ink Premier: The new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you have ever had this card. We may also consider factors pertinent to your business in determining your bonus eligibility.
- Sapphire Reserve Business: The new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you have ever had this card. We may also consider factors pertinent to your business in determining your bonus eligibility.
Related: All of the Credit Cards that Earn Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
Application notes
It's very important to space out your card applications by at least 90 days. See our full guide to credit card application rules and restrictions.
Further, be aware of Chase's 5/24 rule. While business cards shouldn't count against your 5/24 number, you must be under 5/24 to qualify for and be approved for a business card. Here's how to check your 5/24 status for free.
Final Thoughts
Each Ink card brings value in its own way. When deciding between them, consider your business spending, each card's benefits, and how much you're willing to pay in annual fees.
Thankfully, you can open more than one of these cards. If you decide one is a good fit now but your business changes over time, you can open a different card later without giving up your first card and everything it offers.
- 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 on dining and gas each account anniversary year
- 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
$795Rates & Fees
- 8X points on all Chase Travel℠ purchases
- 5X total points on eligible Lyft rides through 9/30/2027
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3x points on advertising purchases made with social media platforms and search engines
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases
Which of the Chase Ink business credit cards do you think is best? Does one stand out for your earning strategy?
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Ink Business Premier® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), and Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ (Rates & Fees)
