Why the Ink Business Unlimited is a good flat-rate cash back card for businesses

Business owners typically have their hands full, juggling multiple tasks at once — everything from sales and marketing to accounting and human resources. With so many things to take care of, keeping up with a rewards program on a business credit card likely falls near the bottom of the list. Luckily, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card from Chase not only offers cash back for businesses in the form of valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points, but its flat-rate approach is perfect for business owners seeking simplicity.

Why the Ink Business Unlimited is a good cash back card for businesses

Easy to earn rewards on all purchases

You’ll earn 1.5 percent cash back for every dollar spent on purchases with Ink Business Unlimited. There aren’t any rotating rewards categories to keep up with or tiered bonus categories where you’ll earn more points than others. That means you’ll know exactly how much cash back you’re earning no matter what you buy. Furthermore, this card doesn’t charge an annual fee, so you won’t have to worry about making up for the cost of card membership through rewards earnings.

Chase markets this as a “cash back card,” but you’ll technically earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points on your purchases. You can redeem those points for cash back at a 1:1 value, meaning for every $1,000 you spend in business-related purchases per month, you’ll earn 1,500 points or $15 in cash back value.

You can earn rewards more quickly if you have employees who are authorized to use the card, too. There isn’t a fee for employee cards, so you can earn points on their purchases without any additional costs.

Flexible redemption options

Since Ink Business Unlimited technically earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you’ll have more redemption options to choose from. You can redeem your rewards for cash back at any time, which is what makes this a cash-back credit card. There is no minimum amount of points needed to cash out, and you can receive funds in the form of a statement credit or direct deposit.

You can also redeem points for travel through Chase, gift cards or purchases with select merchants. For instance, you can pay with points through Amazon or PayPal as well as through the Apple Ultimate Rewards Store.

You can increase your redemption value, however, by moving the rewards you earn through Ink Unlimited under a premium Ultimate Rewards-earning card such as the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. When you redeem points through either of these premium cards for travel through the Chase portal, those points are worth 25 percent more. For every $1,000 you spend, you’ll earn 1,500 points that are worth $18.75 when redeemed for travel through the portal. Having one of those premium cards also opens the possibility of transferring points to Chase hotel and airline loyalty partners, which is where the potential for the greatest reward redemption value exists.

This redemption flexibility is one way the card can support your business since you can pick a redemption option that suits your business’ needs. That may involve choosing cash back in the form of statement credits to offset a high bill, redeeming points for gift cards to use as employee incentives or using points for travel.

How to maximize cash back earned with the Ink Business Unlimited

Take advantage of the welcome offer

New cardholders can earn $750 in cash back after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. That $750 cash back goes straight to your bottom line and may be easier to earn than you realize.

Although $6,000 is a fair amount to spend in three months, the $750 in cash back is also a much larger welcome bonus than other no-annual-fee business cards offer. To earn this welcome bonus, use the Ink Business Unlimited for as many expenses as possible within the first three months — such as internet bills, annual dues, travel expenses and anything else related to running your business. Consider paying annual insurance charges or other large periodic payments to help meet that spending threshold.

Be strategic with the 0% intro APR offer

This card also offers a 0 percent intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months, after which a 17.99% - 23.99% Variable will apply. This is an ideal time to make the larger purchases your business requires. For example, that could be a new laptop computer or software licensing you need to run your business more efficiently.

By taking advantage of this offer, you could potentially save hundreds of dollars in interest (or more). Of course, be sure to pay off the balance before the intro APR offer ends to avoid any potential interest fees.

Pair with other Chase credit cards

The best way to maximize your earnings with Ink Business Unlimited is to pair it with a premium Chase credit card that also earns Ultimate Rewards points. Transfer rewards earned with the Ink Business Unlimited to the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, for instance, so you can redeem those points for travel through the Ultimate Rewards portal for 50 percent or 25 percent more value, respectively.

How does the Ink Business Unlimited compare to other cash back business cards?

Let’s take a look at how the Ink Business Unlimited stacks up against other cash back business credit cards.

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

• Bankrate’s view

  Like Ink Business Unlimited, The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card comes with no annual fee and allows cardholders to earn cash back on all eligible business purchases. With the Amex Blue Business Cash, though, you’ll earn 2 percent cash back on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year. Once you reach that threshold, you’ll earn 1 percent cash back on all remaining eligible purchases for the year.

  The Amex Blue Business Cash also offers a 0 percent intro APR on purchases for 12 months (followed by a 17.74% – 25.74% Variable).

Capital One Spark Cash Plus

• Bankrate’s view

  Capital One Spark Cash Plus is another simple cash back business card option. You’ll earn 2 percent cash back on all purchases throughout the year (without any caps on spending) and an unlimited 5 percent cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

  There is an annual fee of $150, which makes it a more expensive business card option. There’s also no introductory APR offer on purchases or balance transfers. However, the Spark Cash Plus doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees (unlike the Ink Business Unlimited, which charges a 3 percent foreign transaction fee), so it would be a better option for business owners who frequently travel overseas or make purchases in foreign currency.

  Lastly, Spark Cash Plus does offer a welcome bonus, and the required spend is quite high: Earn a one-time cash bonus of $1,200 once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months.

Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card

• Bankrate’s view

  The Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card* features higher cash back rewards rates, but with a caveat: Maximizing your rewards will require a fair amount of strategy and planning, which you may not want to invest right now.

  You’ll earn 3 percent cash back in one eligible category of your choice including gas stations and EV charging stations, office supply stores, travel, TV/telecom and wireless, computer services or business consulting services. You’ll also earn 2 percent cash back on dining purchases. Note that the 3 percent and 2 percent categories are limited to the first $50,000 in combined spending annually, then you’ll earn 1 percent back.

  There’s no annual fee, and you can also enjoy a 0 percent intro APR on purchases for the first nine billing cycles (17.99% – 27.99% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers thereafter). In terms of a welcome bonus, you can earn a $300 online statement credit after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days of account opening.

  *The information about the Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card was last updated on October 16, 2024.

The bottom line

There is more to the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card than initially meets the eye, which is one reason it continues to be a popular option among business owners. With a simple rewards structure, flexible redemption options when it’s time to cash out, no annual fee and a generous 0 percent intro APR on purchases for 12 months (then a 17.99% – 23.99% Variable APR), this business cash back card is worth considering.

*The information about the Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.