Full Review
The Ink Business Premier® Credit Card
card is the newest in the Chase Ink lineup. It boasts a solid standard cash-back rate of 2
% and makes a splash with a big-time signup bonus: Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
But the card’s annual fee ($195
) will land with a thud for businesses that don’t spend on big-ticket items, which negates the benefit of the Ink Business Premier’s marquee feature: a cash-back boost (2.5%) on purchases of $5,000 or more. Businesses with regular large expenses, however, can quickly recoup the annual fee and enjoy a high rewards rate with this cash-back business card — without the hassle of managing bonus categories. And there are a few travel perks to sweeten the pot, including no foreign transaction fee, available travel insurance, and 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase. Your cash will come in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. One point equals one penny. Just don’t expect to transfer points to travel partners or net a higher redemption value by using your points for travel — two perks offered by other Chase business cards. Also worth noting: The Ink Business Premier® Credit Card
card is essentially a charge card. Chase does offer some wiggle room with its Flex for Business program, which allows cardholders to finance qualified purchases of $500 or more, up to a set limit. All other purchases must be paid in full each billing cycle. Keep that in mind if you’re racking up big charges. Key features
Recommended credit score: FICO score of 690 or higher.
Sign-up bonus: Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Rewards: Earn unlimited 2.5% total cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more and unlimited 2% cash back on all other business purchases. Earn unlimited 5% total cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠.
APR: 19.49
%-27.49
% for qualifying Flex for Business purchases. Foreign transaction fee: None.
Other benefits:
Why you might want the
Ink Business Premier® Credit Card
credit cardGenerous welcome bonus
The Ink Business Premier® Credit Card
card boasts one of the most lucrative welcome offers out there: Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
The bonus easily offsets the card’s $195
annual fee, assuming you meet the spending requirement (which is a substantial one). Cash-back boost for big purchases
Purchases of $5,000 or more earn 2.5% back with the Chase Ink Business Premier, a boost over the card’s normal 2
% rate. That’s an extra $25 back on a purchase of $5,000, for a total reward rate of $125 back. Or an extra $50 on a purchase of $10,000, for a total of $250 cash back. If your business regularly makes large purchases, that can add up quickly. And since it’s technically a charge card, there’s no preset spending limit to hold you back, as long as you can pay in full.
🤓 Nerdy Tip
Purchases that ship and bill at different times won’t qualify for the 2.5% if the amounts posted to your account are less than $5,000, regardless of the initial purchase price.But if you rarely have a single purchase totaling $5,000 or more, consider The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
. This card has no annual fee and a high rewards rate: Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement. Terms Apply.
(See rates and fees.) Businesses that spend heavily on office supplies and telecom services (cable, phone and internet) might reap higher rewards from the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
, which pays 5% on those services. Payment flexibility, to a point
The Ink Business Premier® Credit Card
card is one part charge card, one part regular credit card. Chase’s Flex for Business program gives business owners the option to finance qualified purchases of $500 or more, up to a set credit limit (Flex for Business Variable APR: 19.49%-27.49%
). Charges that don’t qualify must be paid in full each month. This hybrid structure offers flexibility if you need it — a bonus for a card built to attract big spenders — but keeping tabs on what needs to be paid and when adds a layer of complexity that could be off-putting for some business owners. If you have the cash flow and want a straightforward charge card that rewards big spending, consider the Capital One Spark Cash Plus
card. This charge card offers a comparable bonus and rewards (2
% on all purchases). Why you might want a different card
There’s an annual fee
Most cash-back cards don’t charge an annual fee, which makes the Ink Business Premier® Credit Card
’s $195
annual fee a tough pill to swallow, especially if your business doesn’t regularly have big-ticket expenditures to capitalize on the Premier’s higher rewards rate. Consider The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
or the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
if you want big cash-back rewards without the annual fee. There’s no introductory 0% APR period
While Ink Business Premier® Credit Card
rewards big expenses with a higher cash-back rate (2.5% on purchases of $5,000 or more), you need to pay those purchases off right away or interest charges will negate that cash-back boost. (Note: Only certain purchases qualify for Flex for Business; all others must be paid in full each month.) You log a lot of business miles
For a cash-back business card, the Ink Business Premier® Credit Card
card actually has some decent travel perks: no foreign transaction fees, trip cancellation insurance and 5% total cash back on travel booked through the Chase Rewards Portal. But the card doesn’t allow you to transfer points to travel partners and it doesn’t give you a higher value on rewards if they’re redeemed for travel, something other Chase business cards do offer. And the Ink Business Premier’s basic benefits still pale in comparison to the perks offered by premium business travel cards. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
offers perks like airport lounge access and airline fee credits, plus reimbursement for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry and an annual statement credit for the Clear membership fee, allowing you to breeze past long security lines. This card does have a hefty annual fee ($695
), which is offset if you use all of the card's perks and credits. Should you get the
Ink Business Premier® Credit Card
credit card?The Ink Business Premier Credit Card is best suited for businesses with frequent, big-ticket purchases totaling $5,000 or more. If that’s not your business, skip the annual fee. There are plenty of other cash-back business cards on the market with similar or higher rewards rates, especially if your spending aligns with certain bonus categories.
To view rates and fees of The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
, see this page.