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Chase cards are incredibly popular for a multitude of reasons. You can get outsized value when you transfer points to Chase's 14 transfer partners. Chase also has a slew of co-branded cards with big names like United, Southwest, and Hyatt, to name a few. While Chase shines with these personal cards, small business owners should look to the Ink Business suite of credit cards.
Chase currently offers five Ink Business card options:
- Ink Cash (Rates & Fees)
- Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- Ink Business Premier® Credit Card
- Plus the Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ (Rates & Fees) — which is an Ink product on the back end.
Each card has varying annual fees, benefits, and perks. We're going to break down all of the details for each of these cards to help you decide which one may be the best fit.
Page Contents
Comparing Chase Business Credit Cards
Welcome offers
- Ink Business Cash® Credit Card: Earn $900 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months after account opening.
- Ink Unlimited: Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Ink Preferred: Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Ink Premier: Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Sapphire Reserve Business: Earn 200,000 bonus points after you spend $30,000 on purchases in your first 6 months from account opening and with more than $2,500 in annual value, there's no competition.
Offers on the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card and Ink Unlimited could provide you $900 cash back. These cards are great for small businesses that spend less money overall, considering the spending requirements are the lowest of all the Ink cards.
- Earn $900 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three 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
- Earn $900 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
The Ink Preferred stands out with a welcome offer of 90,000 bonus points. However, it's worth noting that the spending requirement is only slightly steeper than the two aforementioned Ink cards.
- 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
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 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
And last but not least, there's the Sapphire Reserve Business. It's 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.
- Earn 200,000 bonus points after you spend $30,000 on purchases in your first 6 months from account opening and with more than $2,500 in annual value, there's no competition.
- 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.
- Get the most flexible travel credit compared to any other card, with up to $300 in statement credits each anniversary year on travel purchases.
- Enjoy complimentary access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club network and Priority Pass™ Select membership. Two guests may accompany the Primary Cardmember to the lounges free of charge.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & 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 Business Cash® Credit Card and Ink Unlimited have fantastic offers, too. Not only is the spending requirement far less, but these cards charge no annual fee. So, you don't immediately have to try to justify the cost of carrying either to begin with. What's more, their current $900 cash back bonuses match the best offers we've seen on either card.
Annual fee
Ink cards range in annual fees from $0 to $795. The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card and Ink Unlimited feel like no-brainers for those looking for a no-annual-fee business card, along with the solid welcome offer on these cards that we mentioned above.
However, paying the $95 annual fee on the Ink Preferred could be worth it to open the door to Chase's transfer partners. If you value lounge access and can take advantage of numerous statement credits, then it's possible to make the Sapphire Reserve Business‘ 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 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.
- 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?
For this category, 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 Business Cash® Credit Card 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.
- Earn $900 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
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.
- Earn 200,000 bonus points after you spend $30,000 on purchases in your first 6 months from account opening and with more than $2,500 in annual value, there's no competition.
- 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.
- Get the most flexible travel credit compared to any other card, with up to $300 in statement credits each anniversary year on travel purchases.
- Enjoy complimentary access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club network and Priority Pass™ Select membership. Two guests may accompany the Primary Cardmember to the lounges free of charge.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & 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
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 are allowed three claims per 12-month period.
- Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance: If your trip is disrupted or canceled due to a covered incident, you could receive reimbursement up to $5,000 per person and up to $10,000 per trip, per occurrence. There is a maximum of $20,000 per 12-month period.
- 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.
- 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
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. Transferring is key when it comes to maximizing the value of your points. Unfortunately, these cards do not allow you to transfer your points to Chase's partners. To do this, you will need a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Preferred. You also have access to Pay Yourself Back, redeeming points for 1.1–1.25¢ apiece, depending on which category you're using.
- Ink Preferred and Sapphire Reserve Business: These cards are the only ones that allow you to transfer your points to Chase's travel partners. Additionally, if you want a straightforward redemption without extra steps, 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. Points can be used at a value of 1¢ each for travel, cash back, gift cards, experiences, and more through the Chase Travel™ portal. However, they cannot be transferred to travel partners, nor can they be combined 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 without extra steps, 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 bonus categories on other cards.
- The Ink Preferred may be for you if you run a small- to medium-sized business, you don't mind a nominal annual fee, and you want access to increased 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 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 that a registered business or storefront is required 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. These include selling on Etsy, tutoring students, freelance writing or editing, being a rideshare driver, 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 beneficial if you'd like to bump up your Ultimate Rewards stash and maximize your purchases in different spending categories.
For example, you could use the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card for your office supply purchases while using the Ink Preferred for travel and advertising expenses. Maximizing your spending can lead to a huge stash of points, plus you can maximize their value in the Chase Travel portal or by transferring them to travel partners.
Related: All of the Credit Cards that Earn Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
Application notes
It's very important to space out your card applications to a minimum of 90 days apart. See our full guide to credit card application rules and restrictions.
Further, be aware of Chase's 5/24 rule. While business cards should not count against your 5/24 number, you must be under 5/24 to qualify 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, it's important to consider your business spending, the benefits of each card, 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 at a future date 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 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
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
- 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
What 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), and Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ (Rates & Fees)
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