Is the Chase Ink Business Cash Card worth it?

If you’re a business owner, Chase’s Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is a great cash back card option. This card offers a lucrative cash back structure, a generous welcome bonus and plenty of other rewards, like travel protections and other business-related perks.

However, this card may not be worth it for all businesses. In some cases, you’re better off getting a business card that offers bigger rewards in specific business-related categories or a different type of reward altogether.

To determine whether this card is worth it, consider your top spending categories, budget and personal preferences.

When is the Chase Ink Business Cash worth it?

The Chase Ink Business Cash Card has plenty of benefits that could make it a good fit for small business owners and the self-employed. Here are some circumstances in which you may find the Ink Business Cash worth it:

You want excellent earnings on office necessities

The Ink Business Cash earns an impressive 5 percent cash back on purchases at office supply stores as well as on internet, cable and phone services, on up to $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year. If your business has a lot of expenses in these categories, this card may be a great fit.

You want to earn cash back on gas, restaurants and more

Cardholders earn 2 percent cash back on purchases at gas stations and restaurants on up to $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year, along with an unlimited 1 percent cash back on all other purchases. These rates align with industry standards and represent a great way to earn money on everyday business expenses.

A generous welcome offer is appealing to you

The welcome offer alone could make this card worth it for many business owners: you can earn $750 in cash back when you spend $6,000 within six months of account opening. This cash bonus may be a stretch to qualify for if your business expenses typically fall under $1,000 a month, but it could be worth increasing your spending if you can afford to.

You’re looking for simple but flexible redemption options

A main attraction of a cash back credit card is the simplicity of redeeming rewards. Rather than calculating the value of the rewards received from a points-earning credit card or choosing redemption options that maximize your earnings, you can simply earn cash back on all of your purchases.

In addition to redeeming for cash back, this card has several other redemption options, including gift cards, travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal or paying with points at select merchants.

You want a no-annual-fee card

Unlike many cards of its caliber, the Ink Business Cash doesn’t charge an annual fee. Combined with Chase’s rewards program’s simplicity and flexibility, the $0 annual fee makes this card an especially attractive option for cardholders who prefer a “set it and forget it” approach to credit card rewards.

You’re looking for an intro APR offer

The Ink Business Cash is an excellent card to consider if you need to pay down a large business purchase over time. This card features a 0 percent intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months, after which the card charges an 18.49 percent to 24.49 percent variable APR.

Travel and purchase protections are important to you

The card comes with several travel and purchase benefits, including purchase protection, extended warranty coverage, an auto rental collision damage waiver, travel and emergency assistance services and pay-per-use roadside dispatch services.

You would enjoy some business perks

Some business-related perks include free employee cards, individual spending limits for employee cards and streamlined expense reporting.

When is the Chase Ink Business Cash not worth it?

The card may not be the best fit for business owners who have many travel expenses or are interested in the luxury perks that come with some more elite or premium cards. It also might not be an ideal fit for larger businesses that expect to charge more than the spending cap each year. Here are some scenarios in which it might not be worth it:

You want to earn travel perks and rewards

While the card does reward travel-related spending for restaurants and gas stations, the Ink Business Cash Card falls short of travel rewards. It doesn’t reward travel purchases or offer as many travel perks or redemption options as other business cards. If you do a lot of traveling for business, you should look for a rewards card that focuses more explicitly on this category.

The rewards structure doesn’t work for you

If you do a lot of spending in select business categories, it may make more sense to choose another top business credit card with even higher rewards potential in those categories. For example, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers 3X points on travel and select business categories — including shipping purchases, internet, cable, phone services and advertising purchases made with social media and search engines — on up to $150,000 each year, then 1X points thereafter. However, note that a $95 annual fee applies.

Alternatively, if you don’t want to keep track of bonus categories or spending caps, you may want to consider a business card that earns flat cash back or points. The Capital One Spark Cash Plus comes with a $150 annual fee, an unlimited 2 percent cash back on all purchases and 5 percent cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

Should you get the Chase Ink Business Cash?

The Ink Business Cash Card is a great option if you’re self-employed, own a small business or are an entrepreneur. However, there are plenty of other Chase business credit cards to choose from, as well as business credit cards from other lenders.

This card could be a good fit for your business if:

• You have a lot of office expenses. If you spend a lot on office supplies or internet, phone and cable services, this card is well worth it.
• You want a simple cash back card. This lucrative cash back card is refreshingly simple for business owners who don’t want to spend too much time figuring out how to maximize their earnings.
• You don’t travel a lot for work. While this card has many advantages, it’s not the best fit if you travel frequently for work or seek travel perks.
• You want a card with no annual fee. Many rewards cards come with hefty annual fees, so this card’s lack of one is a great benefit for those looking to keep upfront costs low.

The bottom line

The Chase Ink Business Cash Card is a great no-annual-fee business credit card. If you have a lot of office supply expenses or are just looking for a simple cash back card with few fees, it’s a solid choice to consider.