Chase Ink Cash Review: A Cash-Back Contender for Small Businesses

The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is a capable cash-back business credit card. But it can turn into a lucrative one if you spend heavily on office supplies and internet, cable and phone bills. The card’s 5% cash back in those categories is hard to beat, especially at an annual fee of $0.

With no fee, it doesn’t hurt to keep an Ink Business Cash® Credit Card in your wallet to earn that rate and its generous sign-up bonus. But 5% cash back is capped at up to $25,000 spent. The same goes for the card’s 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants. That means you may want additional cards — including, potentially, other Chase business credit cards — to maximize your overall rewards.

A different card is also likely a better choice if your spending doesn’t align with the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card's bonus categories. For instance, heavy travelers may find a dedicated travel business credit card with rewards tied to items like hotels and rental cars a better fit (even if it comes with an annual fee).

» MORE: Making the most of Ink Business Cash

Key features of the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Card type: Small business.

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.

Ongoing rewards:

• 5% cash back on up to $25,000 a year in spending at office supply stores and on cable, internet and phone service.

• 2% cash back on up to $25,000 a year in spending at gas stations and restaurants.

• 1% cash back on all other spending.

Your cash will come in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. One point equals one penny.

Interest rate: 0% intro APR on Purchases for 12 months, and then the ongoing APR of 18.49%-24.49% Variable APR.

Foreign transaction fee: 3%.

Why you might want the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Bonus rewards match your business spending

The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card's 5% categories are valuable and align with typical small-business spending. It’s especially good for smaller spenders who won’t blow through the annual $25,000 rewards cap in the middle of Q1. If you spend up to that cap, you could get $1,250 per year in cash back.

Double cash back on gas stations and restaurants (2% instead of 1%) isn’t special nowadays, but it’s a fine return if you don’t want to fiddle with other credit cards to earn higher rewards. Plus, you can add employee credit cards for free so any on-the-road staff spending earns you rewards, too.

You’re planning for a big purchase

Even if you’re facing a large expense outside the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card’s bonus categories, the card still packs a pair of features that can make it worth your while: an introductory 0% APR period and notable sign-up bonus.

It's relatively rare to find a business credit card with a 0% intro APR offer, making this a good option for an entrepreneur looking at startup costs or a major purchase and needing extra time to pay.

And if you’re planning to spend big anyway, you could easily earn this sign-up bonus: Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s especially generous for a card with an annual fee of $0.

» MORE: Best business credit cards for startups

Opportunity to pair with other Chase cards for maximum rewards

A common strategy is to use a card like this for its high-value spending categories, in this case to get 5% or 2% cash back on office supplies, phone bills, restaurants and gas. Then, use another card for everything else that offers a better return than this card’s 1%. You don’t even need to leave the Chase family to do that.

For instance, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card offers 1.5% cash back on everything with no rewards cap. The extra half a percentage point will add up on all of your other purchases.

» MORE: 3 things to consider when choosing a Chase Ink credit card

If you’re in the market for travel benefits, you could add the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. Typically, Chase Ultimate Rewards® points are worth around 1 cent each, but the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card boosts that value to 1.25 cents if you use your points to book travel through Chase. You can transfer points from your Ink Business Cash® Credit Card to the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card to earn that higher redemption rate.

Similarly, two Chase consumer cards — the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve®— offer point values of 1.25 cents and 1.5 cents, respectively, when redeemed for travel via Chase. That means, if you use one of those cards for your personal spending, you can combine its points with those earned on Ink Business Cash® Credit Card to truly maximize your travel rewards.

Points on the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® can also be transferred at a 1:1 ratio to other loyalty programs, such as United Airlines, British Airways or Marriott. Potentially, that could net you an even higher effective rewards rate.

» MORE: How a Chase 'trifecta' can be beneficial

Why you might want a different card

The 5% categories don’t fit your business

If your business spends relatively little on office supplies or cable-internet-phone services, you’re missing the primary reason to use this card long-term.

Instead, consider other cash back business cards with different and simpler rewards, also with no annual fee. Good options include:

• The Capital One Spark Cash Select for Excellent Credit gives you 1.5% cash back on every purchase with no limit. You can also earn 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. It has no foreign transaction fees. There's also a sign-up bonus.

• The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card also pays 1.5% cash back with no limit. Its sign-up bonus: Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

You often travel abroad

If you're traveling internationally, look for a business credit card with no foreign transaction fee — such as the Capital One Spark Cash Select for Excellent Credit. The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card comes with a 3% foreign transaction fee, so you should avoid using it abroad unless it’s absolutely necessary.

Should you get the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card?

You don't have to pay an annual fee to carry the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card. So if your business spends significant money in the bonus categories — especially on office supplies or gas, which earn the highest rewards rate — it makes sense to get one. That’s especially true if you can claim the lucrative sign-up bonus and pair it with other Chase cards.