Chase Ink Business Cash vs. Chase Ink Business Unlimited

Signing up for credit cards through partner links earns us a commission. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Here’s our full advertising policy: How we make money.

Update: One or more card offers in this post are no longer available. Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers.

You can gain access to a wider range of rewards programs if you can qualify for a small-business credit card, and it’s a lot easier than you may think. As long as you’re in business to make a profit, you’ll typically qualify as a small-business owner. So if you make even one dollar walking dogs, babysitting, or reselling items on eBay, you should be good to go. In fact, I once qualified for a Chase business credit card while making less than $500 annually.

Cards like the Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card and the Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card can add a lot of value to your small business. Both of these Chase Ink Business cards made our list of the best business credit cards because they each offer a strong welcome bonus, rewards for your daily purchases, and a variety of perks and benefits.

Each of these cards offers different things, though, so if you’re trying to decide which Chase Ink card is right for you, you’ll want to look at your daily spending habits and what perks you would value most.

The information for the Ink Business Cash and Chase Ink Business Unlimited card has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Main details

Current sign-up bonus

With the Chase Ink Business Cash, you can earn $500 bonus cash back after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. You’ll earn the bonus in the form of 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points. These points can be redeemed for 1 cent per point, so they can easily be redeemed for an equivalent $500 cash bonus (50,000 Ultimate Rewards points x 1 cent per point = $500).

The Chase Ink Business Unlimited card offers the same welcome bonus.

One of the ways to quickly meet the required minimum spending requirement is to pay a large bill with your new card, such as your auto insurance or property tax bill. If you don’t have any large upcoming expenses and need some ideas, here are a few ways on to meet credit card minimum spending requirements.

Annual fee

The Chase Ink Business Cash and the Chase Ink Business Unlimited credit cards have no annual fee, and thanks to the sign-up bonus, you’ll basically come out ahead from day one. These cards will also stand the test of time because even if your spending habits change, you can continue holding onto them without being charged a penny.

Earning and redeeming rewards

Chase Ink Business Cash 

The Chase Ink Business Cash is one of the best cash back business credit cards, and for good reason. On top of one of the highest welcome bonuses we’ve seen on this card, you can also earn bonus points for many of your daily purchases:

• 5% cash back (5X Chase Ultimate Rewards points) on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on phone, internet and cable TV services each account anniversary year
• 2% cash back (2X Chase Ultimate Rewards points) on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
• 1% cash back (1X Chase Ultimate Rewards point) on all other purchases

Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be redeemed for gift cards or cash back. You can also redeem them for travel through the Chase Travel portal. Or, if you have another eligible card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, or Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can pool your points and transfer them to any Chase travel partner for potentially even more value. 

The information for the Ink Business Preferred card has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Chase Ink Business Unlimited 

As a busy business owner, the last thing you need is one more thing to worry about. So if you’re looking for simplicity, the Chase Ink Business Unlimited might be perfect for you. The card earns an unlimited 1.5% cash back (1.5 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar) on all purchases, with no rotating bonus categories or purchase limits to track.

Rewards are earned in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards points, so you can choose to redeem your points in the same manner as the Chase Ink Business Cash. You can redeem for cash, gift cards, travel through the Chase Travel portal, or pool your points with another eligible card.

If you’re looking for more ideas on how you can redeem Ultimate Rewards points, here is our Chase Ultimate Rewards review.

Cardholder benefits

Beyond just a strong welcome bonus and daily rewards for your purchases, both of these Chase Ink business cards carry some additional benefits which could easily end up saving you time and money.

For instance, simplicity is something that’s something that’s offered in spades with the Chase Ink Business Unlimited. Because you earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back (1.5 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar) on all purchases, it’s a great card to use any of your small-business expenses. Less time spent on managing your cards and finances means more time you can spend on other aspects of running your small business.

You can also pool Chase points and transfer them to any Chase travel partner for potentially even more value through the Chase travel portal. You’ll need to have an eligible card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, or Chase Sapphire Reserve, but it’s an option you can consider if you’re looking to squeeze even more value out of these cards.

Here are some other perks shared by both cards:

Purchase protection 

Both Chase Ink Business cards offer purchase protection, which covers eligible items purchased with the card against damage or theft for 120 days. Coverage limits are pretty high, at up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per cardmember. We hope you’ll never have to use this benefit, but if you do, it could save you from a huge headache.

Extended warranty

Paying extra for an extended warranty can be costly, but with the Chase Ink business cards, you can automatically get up to one extra year of warranty protection on eligible items where the original manufacturer’s warranty is three years or less.

Warranties tend to be pricier on expensive items, so this could not only save you money up front, but also on the back end should you need to file a claim.

This type of coverage is something I’ve used myself. When my laptop was out of warranty and needed a new keyboard, extended warranty coverage paid for that several-hundred-dollar repair bill.

Primary rental car insurance 

If you’re on a business trip and need to rent a car, you can safely decline the rental company’s collision insurance. That’s because both Chase Ink Business cards carry primary rental car insurance which covers damage to the vehicle due to theft or collision.

Some cards offer secondary rental car insurance, which only kicks in after you’ve exhausted the limits from your own insurance policy. But with primary rental car coverage, coverage kicks in right away. In most cases, you won’t even have to file a claim with your own insurance company, which could help in making sure your own insurance premiums are not affected.

Primary rental coverage came in handy for MMS team member Joseph a few years back, as it saved him over $2,000 when his rental car was damaged.

Roadside Dispatch

Both the Chase Ink Business Cash and Chase Ink Business Unlimited offer roadside dispatch. You can call 800-847-2869 for a variety of services, such as:

• Jumpstart for a dead battery
• Tow
• Tire change
• Lockout service
• Gas delivery
• Winching

The cost of the services will be billed to your card, and many people in online forums have reported that the cost is typically around $70.

Which card is best for you?

Both of these Chase Ink Business credit cards have a great deal to offer. You can actually get both cards as long as you’re under 5/24. But if you had to choose between just one of them, you’ll want to think about whether you’re looking to prioritize rewards or simplicity.

The Chase Ink Business Unlimited leans toward the simpler end of the spectrum. The card earns an unlimited 1.5X Chase Ultimate Rewards point per dollar on all purchases, so you won’t have to keep track of spending limits or purchase categories.

The Chase Ink Business Cash, on the other hand, allows you to earn additional bonus points in certain categories, such as office supply stores, phone, internet, cable TV services, gas stations and restaurants. So if you happen to have a lot of spending in these categories, you’ll probably earn more with the Ink Business Cash.

Once you’ve decided on a card, you can apply online through the website. Business card applications are slightly different than a personal application. If you run into something you’re unsure of, you can refer to our guide on filling out a Chase business card application.

Bottom line

If you’re a small-business owner looking for a simple, easy-to-use card when it comes to earning and redeeming rewards, you can’t go wrong with the Chase Ink Business Unlimited. You’ll earn 1.5% cash back (1.5 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar) on all purchases, with no limits or caps on how much you can earn.

If you happen to have expenses in categories such as office supply stores, phone, internet, cable TV services, gas stations and restaurants, you’ll likely do better with the Chase Ink Business Cash because the card offers additional bonus points for purchases in those categories.

No matter which card you choose, you’ll come out a winner. Both cards carry no annual fee and offer the chance to earn a welcome bonus worth $500.

For the latest on how credit cards can save you big on travel, please subscribe to the Million Mile Secrets daily email newsletter.