Ink Business Cash® review: Earn up to 5% cash back

The Ink Business Cash Credit Card is for you if you are a business owner looking for a cash-back rewards card that rewards you for actual business spending. Plus, it comes with a low APR, flexible rewards, and no annual fee.
author Brooklyn Lowery

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Our Rating:   
Excellent, Good
on Chase's secure website

CardRatings Editor's Analysis: Pros & Cons

  • New cardholders can jump start their rewards earning with $750 bonus cash back after spending $6,000 in the first three months of card membership.
  • This card is routinely among our top picks for small business credit cards without an annual fee thanks in large part to its rewards of as much as 5% cash back in popular small business spending categories.
  • Capitalize on a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months (then, RegAPR). It's a nice feature for a business owner with some start-up costs or a major purchase on the horizon.
  • Be mindful of the cap on bonus cash back. If you know you'll spend more than $25,000 in the 2% and 5% categories, you might consider adding the CardName to your wallet so you can earn 1.5% cash back on the non-bonus category purchases or on those purchases after you hit the spending cap.
Terms and Limitations Apply.

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CardName BENEFITS

If you're a business owner looking for a cash-back rewards card that rewards you for actual business spending plus comes with a low APR, flexible rewards and no annual fee, the CardName might be the right fit for you. Plus, new card owners can take advantage of bonus cash-back offerings and a 0% intro APR on purchases in the first 12 months of card ownership (then, RegAPR).

Earning cash back for business spending is easy with the CardName. Even easier for new cardholders who can earn $750 in bonus cash back after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months of opening an account.

The CardName offers flexible cash-back rewards, tracked as points, with no annual fee. The reward opportunities include:

  • 5% back on the first $25,000 spent annually in combined purchases at office supply stores (including computer, hardware, and software purchases) , as well as on cellular, landline, internet and cable television services
  • 2% back on the first $25,000 spent at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
  • Unlimited 1% back on all other purchases

Once you earn 2,000 points, you can redeem those points for a statement credit or an electronic deposit to your checking or savings account. Points can also be redeemed for gift cards and travel, but for those redemptions each point is worth a penny, so you have to earn 100 points to receive $1 in redemption value.

Here's a quick snapshot of some other perks of the CardName:

  • No annual fee
  • 0% intro APR for the first 12 months on purchases (then, RegAPR).
  • Points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
  • Cards are available for your employees at no extra charge, plus you can control spending limits while also earning points on those purchases.
  • Access to the Ink Mobile App so you can avoid surprises with instant purchase alerts, while also allowing you to file receipts and manage employee spending.
  • Purchase protection and extended warranty protection.
  • Auto rental collision damage waiver so you can decline collision insurance when renting a car.

Top Features

 Cash Back on Gas
2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year.
 Cash Back on Groceries
1%
 Cash Back on Other
1%

WHAT OUR EDITORS LIKE MOST ABOUT THE CardName

As a business owner, the ability to earn cash-back rewards on purchases related to your business, including internet and phone services, can mean just a little extra padding on your bottom line - or at least the chance to feel a little better about purchases you'd be making anyway. The added benefit of having cards for your employees, where you can also manage their spending, helps you stay on top of all business expenses.

The no annual fee offering is also a great perk of this card. That, along with intro no APR for the first 12 months of card ownership for purchases (then, RegAPR), means this could be a solid choice for new business owners funding start-up expenses or perhaps business owners who have a bit of debt they need to consolidate.

That said, it will be important to pay off your card each month or any rewards you accumulate will quickly be absorbed by interest charges after your intro period ends.

Having a business credit card is likely an essential part of your small business success, but it also shouldn't be something that requires a lot of your time and attention. Simple rewards-earning opportunities and numerous other tools make this card worthwhile.

CardName FOREIGN TRANSACTION FEE

While the $0 and generous cash back rewards program make the CardName an attractive option for most small business owners, you might want to leave it at home if you plan a business trip overseas.

CardName carries a 3% fee on all foreign transactions. The transaction amount is converted to US Dollars and then the 3% fee is applied. That can add up quickly over the course of an average length business trip.

What does that mean in terms of real expense? According to Travel Leaders Corporate, the average length of an overseas business trip is three days. Should a person spend $1,000 on food and beverages, entertainment, transportation, etc. during their trip, the added expense of the 3% foreign transaction fee would be $30. For someone whose job requires them to make one such trip per month, the added expense would be $360 per year.

It should also be noted that the 5% top tier of the CardName back does include travel related expenses, which is a nice perk, but limited for those traveling abroad often.

CHASE INK BUSINESS CASH® APPROVAL ODDS

So you like the sound of the CardName, but now you might be wondering, do you qualify?

The list of people who can apply for a small business credit card is long, and includes freelancers/self-employed individuals, entrepreneurs, small business owners/officers, owners/officers of established businesses, and owners/officers of startups. Most credit card companies define "business" quite broadly when it comes to considering applicants for small business credit cards. To qualify for a business credit card, you must be an "authorized officer" of a company. Basically, this means that you must have the legal right to enter into borrowing arrangements with financial institutions on behalf of a business. If you are the owner of a sole proprietorship business or the sole owner of a small business, you are already an "authorized officer." You are, after all, the only owner of the company. It can be more complicated determining who ranks for businesses that have multiple owners. In general, though, most owners are also "authorized officers."

Credit card issuers consider each application on its own merits, so don't assume you don't qualify just because your business might not fit that standard business model. Do keep in mind though that your personal credit history will likely be what is used to determine your eligibility and/or credit limit on a business card before you've built up a credit history for your business.

If your business doesn't have a tax ID number (EIN), you can enter your personal social security number instead. In general, try to have the following information handy when you apply:

  • Business name
  • Business name as you want it to appear on the card
  • Business address
  • Type of business
  • Tax ID number (or your social security number)
  • Number of employees
  • Annual revenue/sales
  • Monthly expenses
  • Number of years in business
  • Ownership type (publicly traded, privately owned, etc.)
  • Business structure (LLC, corporation, non-profit, etc.)

Learn more about how to apply for a business credit card.

CardName CARDHOLDER SCORES

CardRatings conducts a survey annually to learn what actual cardholders think of their cards. Here are the results:

Current Scores Past Scores
Overall Score 78 78.7
Features Satisfaction 7.7 7.7
Customer Service 7.8 8
Website/App Usability 7.9 8.2
Likelihood of Continuing to Use 8.1 7.6
Recommend to a Friend/Colleague 7.7 8

*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.

HOW THE CardName COMPARES TO OTHER BUSINESS CARDS

CardName vs. CardName

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For small business owners who like to travel, the CardName is a great alternative to the CardName. New cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus points after $8,000 spent on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That's $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Rewards. With no foreign transaction fees and additional travel perks like trip cancellation/interruption insurance included, the CardName provides excellent travel benefits for the AnnualFees annual fee. The CardName is no slouch itself with a valuable bonus offer of $750 cashback after $6,000 in purchases made in the first three months from account opening, with a $0 annual fee.

The bonus point categories for the CardName categories are also geared towards frequent travelers, with cardholders earning three points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year, and one point earned per $1 spent on all other purchases. For an in-depth breakdown of how these two cards line up side-by-side, see our full Ink Business Cash® vs. Preferred® comparison.

CardName vs. CardName

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If you spend heavily in multiple categories, the CardName is another card in the Ink family you might want to consider. Instead of earning tiered reward rates in various categories, this card offers a flat 1.5% cash back on every purchase made with the card. It's an ideal option for those business spenders who just want to spend and earn, and not really have to think about how they're earning. It's also similar to the Business Cash card in that it has no annual fee and offers an introductory 0% APR period: intro 0% APR on purchases for 12 months (then RegAPR).

Other card perks include a new cardholder bonus of $750 cash back earned once spending $6,000 in the first three months of opening an account; fraud protection, travel and emergency assistance services, zero liability protection, purchase protection, extended warranty protection and auto rental collision damage insurance; and free employee cards.

One important thing to note is that this card does charge foreign transaction fees (foreign_fee) so it's not the best option for international travel.

Learn more about which Chase Ink business credit card is right for you.

CardName vs. CardName

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The AnnualFees annual is substantial compared to the CardName's $0 annual fee, however, there are a lot of perks that come with the CardName.

To start, new cardholders can earn 70,000 Membership Rewards points once spending $10,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months of account opening. On an ongoing basis, earn 4x Membership Rewards points on the two categories where your business spends the most (each billing cycle) from six eligible categories. While your top two categories may change, you will earn 4x points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1x thereafter). Only the top two categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap. Additionally, earn 3x Membership Rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold card. Plus, get 25% of your points back when you use points for all or part of an eligible flight booked via Amex Travel, up to 250,000 points back per calendar year. This card is most rewarding if your spending generally occurs in predictable categories. If that's the case, the spend thresholds for rewards are much higher with this card.

IS THE CardName A GOOD CARD?

This is a good card for business owners who have substantial expenses from office supplies to internet, cable and phone services. The more you spend, the more you earn and those higher points can be redeemed for cash rewards or other products and services that support your business needs or bottom line.

With no annual fee, and the ability to control employee spending and limits, this card is a good option for business owners who want to effectively and efficiently manage spending, while earning money back that can be reinvested into their business.

See Rates and Fees for the CardName

Survey Methodology: CardRatings commissioned Op4G in September 2023 to conduct surveys among 1,869 cardholders nationwide. CardRatings website analytics from Jan. 1, 2023-Aug. 31, 2023 were used to determine a selection of the most popular cards and additional cards were included to add survey breadth. Responses to each of nine questions were given on a scale of 1-10 and respondents' scores were then averaged under broad topics. To determine the overall score, responses from questions 1-8 were summed and the answer to "How likely are you to recommend this card to a friend, coworker or family member?" was double weighted. “Current Scores” reflect scores from the most recent survey (2023); "Past Scores" reflect scores from the 2022 survey.

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card Compared to Other Cash back Cards

Apply online for CitiBusiness<sup>®</sup> / AAdvantage<sup>®</sup> Platinum Select<sup>®</sup> Mastercard<sup>®</sup>
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
Apply online for Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Apply online for The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Cash Back on Gas
2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. 
Cash Back on Gas
Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on purchases at gas stations 
Cash Back on Gas
1.5% 
Cash Back on Gas
N/A 
Cash Back on Groceries
1% 
Cash Back on Groceries
N/A 
Cash Back on Groceries
1.5% 
Cash Back on Groceries
N/A 
Cash Back on other
1% 
Cash Back on other
Earn 1 AAdvantage® mile per $1 spent on other purchases 
Cash Back on other
1.5% 
Cash Back on other
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. 

Disclaimer: The information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the date it was written. Please keep in mind that credit card offers change frequently. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this article. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. See the online credit card application for full terms and conditions on offers and rewards. Please verify all terms and conditions of any credit card prior to applying.

This content is not provided by any company mentioned in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed here are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any such company. CardRatings.com does not review every company or every offer available on the market.