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Chase's Ink business cards are among the most sought-after business rewards cards, and for good reason. They offer excellent rewards in popular business categories, top purchase and travel protection benefits, and two of them don't charge an annual fee. They also come with strong welcome bonuses.

In this post, we'll compare three Ink cards' welcome bonuses and help you determine whether you could benefit from holding these top small business cards. And if you think you don't qualify for business credit cards, read on. You might be surprised.

How the Chase Ink Cards Work Together

The Chase Ink cards do a great job of rewarding small-business owners for the purchases they make most. Each card has a unique value proposition, and you can combine your rewards with other Chase personal and business cards to help you reach your next redemption faster.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Rates & Fees) is currently offering a 100,000-point welcome bonus after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Savvy travelers can also get plenty of value by transferring points to one of 14 airline and hotel partners.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Welcome Offer Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Welcome Offer Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual Fee:$95
Show moreWhy We Like ItHighlightsEarning Rates
The most valuable Ultimate Rewards signup bonus on offer and our top pick for small business rewards cards. Business owners earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn up to 450,000 points per year on a wide range of 3X bonus categories.
  • Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • 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
  • Earn 5x total points on Lyft rides through 9/30/27.
  • 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
  • Go further when you book with Chase Travel℠. Enjoy competitive rates, seamless booking and premium benefits.
  • Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
  • Receive complimentary access to DashPass by DoorDash.
  • Member FDIC
  • 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

My personal favorite use of Ultimate Rewards points is transferring to the World of Hyatt program. I aim to get at least 2¢ per point. And I've received even more value than that in the past — such as redeeming 24,000 points for a $2,000 hotel stay at the Hyatt House Augusta when I won Masters tickets this year. That's over 8 cents per point in value!

4 men at Amen Corner at Augusta National
This view at The Masters, made possible by Ultimate Rewards points. Credit: Mark Jackson/AwardWallet

Note: Starting October 1, 2026, Ultimate Rewards points will transfer to World of Hyatt at 4:3 instead of 1:1 for all Chase cards except the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Sapphire Reserve for Business℠.

I've also used Ultimate Rewards points for other amazing transfers, like British Airways Avios for short-distance American Airlines flights from my hometown of Phoenix, Singapore Airlines business class from Houston to Manchester, England, and more.

In exchange for paying an affordable $95 annual fee, the transfer capability of the Ink Preferred provides significantly more value than the no-annual-fee Ink cards. However, combining those cards with the Ink Preferred provides maximum earning power.

Related: Chase Ink Preferred full review

Chase Ink cards with no annual fee

Although Chase markets the no-annual-fee Ink Business Cash® Credit Card and Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card as cash-back cards, they technically earn Ultimate Rewards points. Right now, the welcome bonus on Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is $1,000 cash back. That's an excellent bonus for a card with no annual fee.

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Welcome Bonus Earn $750 $1,000 when you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first four months after account opening
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Welcome Bonus Earn $750 $1,000 when you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first four months after account opening
Annual Fee:$0
Show moreWhy We Like ItHighlightsEarning Rates
Features a $1,000 cash back signup bonus, and you earn 5% cash back on a select range of business expenses on the first $25,000 spent each year.
  • Earn $750 $1,000 when you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first four months after account opening
  • Earn 5% cash back at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year on the first $25,000 in combined spend
  • Earn 2% cash back on dining and gas each account anniversary year on the first $25,000 spent in combined spend.
  • Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn.
  • Earn 5% total cash back on Lyft rides through 9/30/27.
  • As a Chase cardmember, you'll be automatically checked for a credit line increase at least every 6 months.
  • Complimentary three-month lnstacart+ membership.
  • No Annual Fee
  • 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 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

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Welcome Bonus Earn $750 $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 4 months from account opening.
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Welcome Bonus Earn $750 $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 4 months from account opening.
Annual Fee:$0
Show moreWhy We Like ItHighlightsEarning Rates
The best business card to earn Ultimate Rewards on non-bonus purchases, you receive a $1,000 cash back bonus after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 4 months from account opening. Earn 1.5% back on all business expenses.
  • Earn $750 $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 4 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
  • Earn 5% total cash back on Lyft rides through 9/30/27.
  • Member FDIC
  • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business

Used as standalone products, you can redeem these points at 1¢ apiece as a statement credit or through the travel portal. However, if you also hold the Ink Preferred, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, or the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you come away with multiple benefits:

  1. Combining points earned across all your Ultimate Rewards-earning cards
  2. Redeeming any pooled Ultimate Rewards points for elevated value through Chase's Points Boost program on select flights and hotels with the Ink Preferred or any of the Sapphire cards through the travel portal (redemption rates for these cards depend on the specific redemption)
  3. Transferring points earned on any of the cards to partners to achieve the highest returns

If you hold an Ultimate Rewards-earning card that charges an annual fee, think of the welcome bonus on the Ink Cash and Ink Unlimited as 100,000 transferable Ultimate Rewards points.

For more details, check out our full Ink Unlimited review and full Ink Cash review.

Perks and Benefits Across All Three Cards

Numerous perks apply to all three Ink cards, including:

Plus, all three cards provide primary auto rental coverage for eligible business rentals — and secondary coverage when renting outside of work. In addition to these common benefits, the Ink Preferred offers comprehensive insurance protections for trip delays, trip cancellation, and trip interruption. This card also doesn't charge foreign transaction fees.

Beyond these shared perks, each card has its own specific perks and earning powers. You can find more details on their similarities and differences in our Ink business credit card comparison post.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Welcome Offer Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual Fee

$95Rates & Fees

Credit Score

Excellent, Good

  • 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
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Welcome Bonus Earn $750 $1,000 when you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first four months after account opening
Annual Fee

$0Rates & Fees

Credit Score

Excellent, Good

  • 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
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Welcome Bonus Earn $750 $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 4 months from account opening.
Annual Fee

$0Rates & Fees

Credit Score

Excellent, Good

  • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business

Application Restrictions

All Ink cards are subject to Chase’s 5/24 policy. If you’ve opened five or more credit cards in the past 24 months (based on what's seen on your credit report), Chase generally won’t approve your application. The good news is the Ink cards won’t add to your 5/24 status, as they are business cards and won't show up on your personal credit report.

Chase has tightened Ink bonus eligibility since late 2025. You can generally only earn one welcome bonus between the Ink Cash and Ink Unlimited (they're now treated as a shared family), and the Ink Preferred carries its own once-per-lifetime bonus restriction. It's still possible to hold all three cards, but you may not be able to earn a bonus on all of them. You're also unlikely to be approved for more than one business card in a 90-day period.

Related: Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules and Restrictions

Do You Qualify for a Small Business Credit Card?

Before assuming that you aren't eligible for business credit cards, understand that many activities qualify as operating a business. These can include selling handmade items on Etsy, reselling items on eBay, tutoring your neighbor's kid after school, or running a pet-sitting business. You don't need a storefront or a warehouse to qualify as a business. You can apply as a sole proprietor and use your Social Security number in place of an employer identification number (EIN).

Related: How To Get a Business Credit Card in 3 Steps

Final Thoughts

If you’re eligible, one or more of these Ink cards could be a strong fit for your business spending. The no-annual-fee cards cover complementary earning niches, while the Ink Preferred adds transfer partners and enhanced Chase Travel redemption options for an annual fee.

Just don’t assume you’ll qualify for all three welcome bonuses. Chase’s current application language makes eligibility less predictable, so consider which card best matches your spending and redemption goals before applying.

For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), and Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card (Rates & Fees)

Tip of The Day
Did you know that you can track travel vouchers with AwardWallet? The next time you receive a travel voucher (e.g. $300 voucher valid for 1 year), you can save it in your AwardWallet profile and be notified before its expiration.
Screenshot showing how to add a manually tracked travel voucher or gift card in AwardWallet

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