Chase Ink Business Unlimited vs. Ink Business Cash: The Battle of the Chase Business Cards

There are many business credit cards available on the market, making it difficult to decide which one is best. Chase loyalists or those looking to open a Chase credit card have four business credit cards to choose from, all with the Ink Business moniker.

If you need a business credit card, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card and the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card are two great options.

Both cards are solid offerings, and depending on your business purchases, you may benefit more from one than the other. Let’s explore what sets these cards apart and which card might be right for you.

Comparison between Ink Business Unlimited and Ink Business Cash

Ink Business Unlimited vs. Ink Business Cash Welcome Offer

With Ink Business Unlimited, you’ll earn $750 in cashback after spending $6,000 in purchases in the first three months of account opening.

Ink Business Cash offers a tiered welcome bonus, with a $350 cashback after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening, and an additional $400 cashback after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of account opening.

New cardholders will also earn an additional 10% cash back on the card’s first anniversary if they have a Chase Business Checking account. This portion of the offer is only available to those who opened an Ink Business Cash between March and November 2024.

When you try to open either card you will be subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule, but since these are corporate cards, they will not count toward the 5/24 rule.

Related: The Power of the Chase Trifecta

Winner: Ink Business Cash. The ability to earn an additional 10% cash back makes it a better deal.

Benefits of Ink Business Unlimited Vs. Ink Business Cash

Neither Ink Business Unlimited nor Ink Business Cash provide any account credit or travel benefits. This is not uncommon for cards with no annual fee.

Both cards offer the same benefits when it comes to car purchase and rental protection. With both cards, you will receive:

• Purchase Protection: If an eligible item is damaged or stolen within the first 120 days of purchase, you are covered up to $10,000 per claim ($50,000 per account).
• Primary coverage for car rental: If you use either card for the full cost of your rental and are traveling for business, you are covered for theft and damage in the United States and most countries worldwide. Please note that this does not provide any liability coverage, but you are covered up to the actual cash value of the vehicle you are renting.
• Extended Warranty Protection: Purchases with a U.S. manufacturer’s warranty of three years or less will receive coverage for an extra year. This can be extremely helpful when an item stops working shortly after the scheduled warranty expires.

Neither card offers any other exceptional benefits beyond these, so if you want to purchase travel with this card, first evaluate the cards you already have in your wallet.

Winner: Tie. Both cards offer the same benefits.

Earn cashback on Ink Business Unlimited vs. Ink Business Cash

Ink Business Unlimited offers a simple earnings rate of 1.5% unlimited cash back on all purchases and 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 2025.

The card is suitable for businesses that make purchases in different categories, as it guarantees 0.5% cash back more than other cards, which offer 1% cash back on purchases that do not fall into the bonus categories.

On the other hand, Ink Business Cash guarantees 5% cash back at office supply stores and on Internet, cable and telephone services (on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year); 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year); and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

As a new Ink Business Cash cardholder, you’ll receive an additional 10% cash back on your card’s first anniversary if you have a Chase Business Checking account.

This is a useful first-year earnings rate; however, since it is only for business account holders, you may want to open a business checking account before applying for the card. Note that you will only be eligible if your Ink Business Cash is opened between March and November 2024.

If your business has significant expenses in the Ink Business Cash bonus categories, applying for the card is a no-brainer. However, if your business’s purchases fluctuate from month to month or if you shop across a wide variety of categories, you’re better off using Ink Business Unlimited.

Winner: Ink Business Cash. Its bonus categories and the ability to earn an additional 10% cash back on your card’s first anniversary make it the winner here.

Redeem Cash Back on Ink Business Unlimited vs. Ink Business Cash

Both cards are eligible for cash back, which can be redeemed through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal for cash back or other rewards, like statement credits, gift cards, and travel through Chase Travel℠.

There is a more profitable method of getting a cash refund, which we will discuss later.

Winner: Tie. Both cards offer the same redemption options.

Reward Transfer with Ink Business Unlimited vs. Ink Business Cash

If you also have a Chase Sapphire Preferred®, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® credit card, you can transfer rewards earned from Ink Business Unlimited or Ink Business Cash to that card.

From there, you can take advantage of Chase’s 14 transfer partners and redeem your rewards for award tickets or hotel stays.

As an Ink Business Cash cardholder, I transfer my rewards to my Sapphire Reserve, which then allows me to transfer them to partners like Air Canada Aeroplan and Air France-KLM Flying Blue.

I recently needed to top up my Sapphire Reserve account before transferring points to Aeroplan, and moving the rewards was easy. I logged into my account and moved the rewards, which happened instantly.

Should I choose Ink Business Unlimited or Ink Business Cash?

If your business has expenses within the bonus categories and spending limits of Ink Business Cash, then it is an easy card choice since you can use it to maximize your rewards earnings. On the other hand, if you have purchases in multiple categories and don’t want to be bogged down by spending limits on bonus category spending, then Ink Business Unlimited and its 1.5% cash back rate is better for you.

How to switch from Ink Business Unlimited to Ink Business Cash

You can switch from Ink Business Unlimited to Ink Business Cash or vice versa. To switch products, call the customer service phone number on the back of your card and speak to a representative.

However, you can open both cards, allowing your business to use the Ink Business Cash bonus categories for some purchases and the flat 1.5% cash back from Ink Business Unlimited for all other purchases. Remember that switching products from one card to another will disqualify you from that card’s welcome offer, so I recommend opening both cards.

In conclusion

Chase’s Ink Business card lineup can be confusing, but Ink Business Unlimited and Ink Business Cash are both cash-back cards for business owners. While you may feel limited by the cash-back alone, the rewards earned from both can easily be used for travel with Chase’s transfer partners if you have a credit card that lets you earn Ultimate Rewards.

If your business would benefit from its bonus categories, Ink Business Cash is the right choice. Otherwise, choose Ink Business Unlimited to take advantage of its flat 1.5% cashback rate.

To learn more, read our full reviews of Ink Business Unlimited and Ink Business Cash.

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Apply here: Ink Business Unlimited

Apply here: Ink Business Cash

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Related: Ink Business Unlimited vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited