Chase Ink Business Unlimited Review: Simple, No-Frills Cash Back

Kelsey Sheehy

Written by

Kelsey Sheehy
Kelsey Sheehy
Ryan Lane

Edited by

Ryan Lane
Ryan Lane

Edited by

Ryan Lane
Last updated on Oct 25, 2018

Fact checked and reviewed

Why trust NerdWallet

Advertiser disclosure

Kelsey Sheehy

Written by

Kelsey Sheehy
Kelsey Sheehy
Ryan Lane

Edited by

Ryan Lane
Ryan Lane

Edited by

Ryan Lane
Last updated on Oct 25, 2018

Fact checked and reviewed

Why trust NerdWallet

Advertiser disclosure

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

Overview

The bottom line:

The Chase Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card delivers with straightforward rewards, a long intro APR period and a top-notch welcome offer. But other cards, even other Chase cards, may provide more bang for your buck if you're OK with monitoring bonus categories.

Credit card details

Annual fee

$0

Regular APR

17.49%-23.49% Variable APR

Intro APR

0% intro APR on Purchases for 12 months

Rewards rate

1.5%

Cashback

Foreign transaction fee

3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars

Intro offer

$900

Pros & Cons

Pros

pros icon

High rewards rate

pros icon

Intro APR period

pros icon

No reward caps

pros icon

New cardholder bonus offer

Cons

cons icon

No bonus categories

More details from Chase

  • Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 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
  • Member FDIC
For entrepreneurs who would rather worry about their business than their credit card rewards program, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card from Chase keeps it simple.
The card has an annual fee of $0, offers an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases and has a long intro APR period. A hefty sign-up bonus doesn’t hurt, either: Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
But business owners aiming to squeeze the most juice out of their business card might find even greater rewards — potentially even from a different option in the Chase business credit card lineup.

This card is best for:

✔️ Simple, flat-rate cash back.
✔️ A long intro APR period to finance large purchases.
✔️ Domestic spending — it has a foreign transaction fee.
✔️ Combining rewards with other Chase credit cards.

Not a fit? Consider these business credit cards

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
If your business expenses are relatively low, but concentrated on office supplies or internet, cable and phone services, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card earns up to 5% back in those categories on up to $25,000 spent. Its 2% cash back on restaurants and gas stations (again, up to $25,000 spent) also tops the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card’s flat 1.5% rate.
» MORE: Chase Ink Business Cash vs. Unlimited
Capital One Spark Cash
The Capital One Spark Cash offers a higher cash-back rate (2%) than the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card and has no foreign transaction fee, making it a great choice for business owners who purchase inventory overseas. The tradeoffs: There is an annual fee — $0 intro for the first year, then $95 (see
rates and fees
) — and there is no intro APR period. Note: Unlike other business cards, the Spark Cash will show up on your personal credit report.
IN THIS REVIEW

At a glance: Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

💳 Card type: Cash-back business credit card.
💲 Annual fee: $0.
💰 Sign-up bonus: Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
🎉 Rewards: Unlimited 1.5% cash back.
📈 APR: 0% intro APR on Purchases for 12 months, and then the ongoing APR of 17.49%-23.49% Variable APR.
📍 Minimum credit limit: $3,000.
💷 Foreign transaction fee: 3%.
🎆 Other benefits:
  • Automatically considered for a credit limit increase every six months.
  • Cash back is earned as Chase Ultimate Rewards points and can be combined with other personal and business Chase cards.
See complete rates and fees on Chase's website.

Benefits and perks

Truly unlimited cash back

The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is true to its name, delivering unlimited 1.5% cash back with no caps or restrictions. While other cards offer higher rewards — anywhere from 2% to 5% — most limit how much you can earn, either with annual spending caps or the use of bonus categories.

Flexible reward redemption

Rewards come in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, worth 1 cent each when redeemed as cash back. You can get that cash back in the form of a statement credit or a direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Points can also be redeemed for:
  • Gift cards (1 cent per point).
  • Travel booked through Chase's travel portal (1 cent per point).
  • Amazon purchases (0.8 cents per point).
It’s also possible to move your rewards to other Chase accounts that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, potentially getting more value for travel.
» MORE: How to maximize Chase Ultimate Rewards

Big welcome offer, long intro APR period

If your business has a large purchase on the horizon, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card delivers a double-whammy of benefits. First, you can get a massive welcome offer for your spending: Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Then, you can pay off that balance without accruing interest — this card offers 0% intro APR on Purchases for 12 months, and then the ongoing APR of 17.49%-23.49% Variable APR. Those are great perks for a business credit card, especially one with an annual fee of $0.
» MORE: Best 0% APR business credit cards

💬 From our Nerds: Do this before applying

"Even though Chase doesn’t publish it, its '5/24' rule is common fodder in forums like Reddit. (I’ve spotted mentions of it in multiple threads about the Chase Ink Business Unlimited.)
"This unwritten policy means you can’t get a Chase credit card if you’ve been approved for five credit cards in the last 24 months — from any issuer. Personal card approvals go toward that total. But your business cards are murkier. Those that show up on your personal credit report count; others don’t.
"The bottom line? If the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card seems like a fit for you, tally any and all recent approvals before applying. It’s a simple way to eliminate one potential pothole. And once approved, Chase business cards won’t count toward your five-card limit."
Face, Happy, Head

— Ryan Lane, assigning editor covering small business

Drawbacks and alternatives

Lack of bonus categories leaves rewards on the table

Simplicity is one of the main draws of the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card. But opting for a flat-rate card can leave cash back on that table. If you spend a lot in specific categories, like gas, travel or office supplies, consider a card with bonus categories that offer a higher rewards rate where you spend the most.
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card , for example, offers up to 5% in certain categories: Earn 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, Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year, Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn

Foreign transaction fee

The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card charges a foreign transaction fee of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars. While this is common for cash-back cards, its can prove costly for businesses that purchase inventory overseas or travel internationally.
The Capital One Spark Cash has no foreign transaction fee and offers 2% cash back on all purchases, but it does have an annual fee (see
rates and fees
). And frequent international travelers might prefer a business travel rewards card, like the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card or the Capital One Venture X Business . Both cards have no foreign transaction fee and come with travel perks, like bonus points or travel credit. Both cards also have an annual fee, which is typical of business travel cards. (See
rates and fees
for the Venture X Business.)

More competitive cards exist

A flat cash-back rate of 1.5% used to be super competitive, but there are now several business cards that offer a higher base rewards rate of 2% back on all purchases.
For instance, the Wells Fargo Signify Business Cash℠ Card is one of the only business credit cards to offer unlimited 2% cash back and no annual fee. Another option for smaller businesses: the American Express® Blue Business Cash Card . It earns 2% back on the first $50,000 in eligible purchases each year, then the rate falls to 1%. Terms apply.
Other 2% cash-back cards include the Capital One Spark Cash , Ink Business Premier® Credit Card and Capital One Spark Cash Plus . All three of those have annual fees, though, and the latter two are charge cards designed for high-spend businesses.

How we evaluated the Chase Ink Business Unlimited

NerdWallet's business credit card experts compared the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card to other cash-back business cards, evaluating how the card's rewards, perks, fees and features stack up to its peers. We also surveyed Chase, the card's issuer, gathering information about employee cards, spending controls, credit limits and how often cardholders are considered for a credit limit increase. This data, alongside feedback from business owners — solicited directly and gathered via online forums like Reddit — helped inform our review of the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card.
» MORE: How NerdWallet rates small-business credit cards
Notes from card issuers
To view rates and fees of The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, see this page.
View
rates and fees
of Capital One Spark Cash.
View
rates and fees
of Capital One Spark Cash Plus.
The information related to the Wells Fargo Signify Business Cash℠ Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

It depends on how you spend and how you want to earn rewards. The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card offers 5% cash back on office supplies and telecom services and 2% at restaurants and gas stations, up to a limit; other spending earns 1%. The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card earns 1.5% cash back on all spending. Neither has an annual fee, and their sign-up bonuses are comparable.
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card earns an unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase.
You’ll need at least good credit to qualify for the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card. Generally speaking, “good credit” is defined as a personal FICO score of at least 690. But a credit score alone isn’t enough to qualify for any credit card. Issuers take into account your income, existing debts and other information.
The annual fee is $0.
Yes, you can apply for the Chase Ink Business Unlimited even if you don't have a formalized business. Anyone who earns money outside of their formal job, whether through freelance, gig work or a side hustle, can apply for this business credit card. Learn more about who can apply for a business credit card.
It depends on how you spend money with your business and whether you’re willing to pay an annual fee. The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card and the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card are cash-back cards with no annual fee and different rewards structures. The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is more of a travel card. It earns points, has an annual fee of $95 and includes more benefits.
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is a Visa.