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One of Chase’s undervalued gems is the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card. If your business spends heavily on office supplies, telecommunications bills, gas, or dining, the Ink Cash could put thousands of dollars back in your pocket annually. And you'll get all that without paying an annual fee.
Is the Ink Cash the right card for your small business? Let's take a look.
- Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from 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
- 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.
- 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
- 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
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Chase Ink Cash Pros
- Industry-leading earning rates at office supply stores, internet, cable, and phone services.
- $0 annual fee.
- Accumulates Ultimate Rewards points very quickly when paired with other Ultimate Rewards cards.
Chase Ink Cash Cons
- Need other Ultimate Rewards cards to unlock the ability to transfer points to partners.
- Foreign transaction fee: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars.
- Outside of the 5% earning categories, the earning rates are poor when compared to competitors.
Chase Ink Cash Welcome Offer
Applicants for the Ink Cash can earn a bonus of $900 after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Your earnings can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards, travel, and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Cash-back rewards from Chase do not expire as long as your account is open. This is an excellent value for a card with no annual fee and high earning potential.
The biggest perk is the ability to combine your cash back with cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards. If you have one of the cards that carries an annual fee, you can combine cash back earned on your Ink Cash with Ultimate Rewards points earned on the other card(s) — even if it's a mix of business and personal cards. This will give you access to Chase's 14 transfer partners, unlocking the potential for massive value.
Related: 22 Different Ways To Redeem Ultimate Rewards
Chase Ink Cash Benefits
Introductory APR on purchases
The Ink Cash currently offers a 0% introductory APR for 12 months, then a Variable APR of 18.49% - 24.49%. This flexibility can be useful for financing a large purchase or two, but don't spend more than you can pay off by the end of that introductory period. Once you start accruing interest, it negates the value of your rewards.
Business management tools
With the Ink Cash, you'll get access to detailed reports and will build your business' credit profile. You also can add employee cards (authorized users) at no cost and can control spending limits on these cards.
Travel and shopping insurance protections
This card has some terrific perks for small business owners, including:
- Fraud and zero liability protection
- Extended warranty protection
- Primary auto rental Collision Damage Waiver (when renting for business purposes)
- Purchase protection for 120 days — up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Travel and emergency assistance services (these are referral services only, and you'll pay for any services used)
- Roadside dispatch
- Baggage delay insurance
Chase Ink Cash Earning Rates
The Ink Cash earns 5% cash back at office supply stores and on cellular phone, landline, internet and cable TV services and 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year. Through March 31, 2025, the card also earns 5% cash back on Lyft rides. You'll earn 1% back on other purchases.
Businesses of all types need office supplies, and your business likely has internet and phone bills — whether you've got a physical store for customers or are working online from your home office. However, the bonus earnings at office supply stores also offer a unique opportunity for high earning potential since these stores typically offer gift cards to a variety of retailers. If your business has regular expenses at a store where you'd earn just 1% back on “other purchases,” see if that company has gift cards at your local office supply store. If so, paying with gift cards you've purchased here would bump your earning rate up to 5% (on the first $25,000 of expenses yearly, then 1%).
It's an extra hoop to jump through, but it provides a colossal return. The Ink Cash is the best credit card for office supplies, hands down.
Redeeming Rewards With the Chase Ink Cash
As mentioned above, you can't access Chase's transfer partners with the Ink Cash alone. With this card, you can redeem your rewards at 1¢ apiece in the Chase travel portal, as a statement credit, or gift cards. You also have the option to receive your cash back as an electronic deposit in a checking or savings account at numerous U.S. banks. It's also possible to redeem your rewards through Chase's Pay Yourself Back, offering a list of redemption opportunities that change every few months.
It's possible to use your points to pay for purchases at Apple and Amazon, but these provide less value. The only time it's worth considering the Amazon option is when you're targeted for a promotion to use just a few points for big savings.
Application Restrictions and Strategy
The Ink Cash is subject to Chase's 5/24 policy, meaning you're unlikely to be approved if you've opened five or more credit cards in the past 24 months. However, this applies only to credit cards that appear on your credit report, meaning most business credit cards won't affect this number. Here's how to check your 5/24 status for free, if you're unsure.
That said, opening an Ink Cash card won't count toward your 5/24 status. That's because it won't report to your personal credit report. That makes it a great card to apply for while trying to keep your number of new accounts low. You also should know that Chase doesn't tend to approve the same person for more than two personal credit cards in a 30-day period and one business card in a 90-day period.
Related: Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules and Restrictions
And while you might think, “I don't have a store, so I don't qualify for a business credit card,” that's not the end of the story. If you're a freelancer, gig worker, or run a side hustle selling items on eBay, you are running a business. You may qualify for a business credit card.
Cards That Compete With the Chase Ink Cash
If you don't think the Ink Cash‘s earning categories and benefits align with your needs, there are other options.
- If your business spends across numerous categories and you want simplicity, check out the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card. You'll earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases and won't pay an annual fee. It has the same application rules and ability to combine earnings with other Chase cards that we described above. More details are available in our full review of the Ink Unlimited.
- If you want access to Chase's valuable transfer partners, consider the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. This is the only small business card from Chase that offers access to these partners without needing another card to pair with it. For a $95 annual fee, you'll get 3x earnings in a variety of business categories. See our full Ink Preferred review for more information.
- If you want a card with a simple earning structure and access to transfer partners, look into The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express. You don't need another card to access the 21 Amex transfer partners and can earn 2x points on the first $50,000 of annual purchases, then 1x. More information is in our Blue Business Plus review.
For further details on Chase's business credit cards, check out our comparison of the Ink card family.
Related: Best No Annual Fee Business Rewards Credit Cards
Bottom Line
The Ink Cash is a great cash-back card for small business owners. With substantial cash-back perks, including 5% cash back on easy-to-use bonus categories, you can get a top return when using this card. It's a simple and effective business rewards card with no annual fee, providing outsized value for small business owners whose spending aligns with the card's earning rates.
- Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from 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
- 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.
- 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
- 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
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