CNET’S PICK
Intro Offer
Earn $900 bonus cash back
Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Rating Breakdown
3.5
We rate credit cards using our business methodology for cards tailored to business owners. We rank business cards based on earning power, the value you get weighed against the cost, the card benefits and their rates and fees. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 Months
- Regular APR
- 18.49% – 24.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
1.5%
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
Rating Breakdown
3.5
We rate credit cards using our business methodology for cards tailored to business owners. We rank business cards based on earning power, the value you get weighed against the cost, the card benefits and their rates and fees. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 Months
- Regular APR
- 18.49% – 24.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
1.5%
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
Our take
If you’re looking for a small business card that offers flat-rate rewards on all your business spending, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is one of the best options on the market today. Not only does it offer a flat rate of 1.5% cash back on all purchases made, but the welcome offer is substantial. New cardholders can earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card also comes with an introductory rate offer that can be useful for small business owners who want to invest in their business or carry short-term debt for strategic purposes. Specifically, cardholders get an introductory 0% APR on purchases for 12 months (then 18.49% to 24.49% variable).
The card also earns flexible rewards. You can cash them in for statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, travel through Chase and more. If you have one of Chase’s premium Ultimate Rewards cards — the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card — you can get even more value by consolidating your points from your Ink Business Unlimited to one of the above cards and taking advantage of hotel and airline transfer partners.
In summary, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is a good business card option for entrepreneurs and business owners who want to keep their rewards simple and have lots of flexibility when it comes to how they can cash in their points.
Pros and cons
Pros
-
Earn 1.5% cash back on all spending
-
No annual fee required
-
Introductory APR offer on purchases
-
Free employee cards
-
Points can be pooled with other Ultimate Rewards-earning cards (both personal and business), such as the Sapphire cards or the Ink Business Preferred, to take advantage of additional redemption options like transfer partners.
Cons
-
High APR for spending after the introductory offer ends
-
Rewards don’t transfer to Chase airline and hotel partners like they do with the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card from Chase, unless you also have a premium card with travel partners.
-
Foreign transaction fee
| Tip: While you can’t transfer cash back earned with the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card to Chase airline and hotel partners on its own, you can consolidate these rewards in a Chase travel card account and transfer them that way. To do this, you or one of the household members you want to consolidate with must have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or the Ink Business Preferred. |
Who this card is best for
While the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card can work for a variety of small business owners, it’s best for certain types of spenders.
- Business owners who don’t want to pay an annual fee for a credit card: The Ink Business Unlimited is a good choice for small businesses that want to keep extra fees (especially credit card fees) at a minimum.
- Small businesses who could benefit from a 0% introductory APR offer on purchases: While the introductory rate on purchases for this card only lasts for 12 months from account opening (then 18.49% to 24.49% variable), it could prove useful for business owners who need to make an investment in their company and pay down their balance over time.
- Those who like flexible rewards: With so many ways to redeem and consolidate rewards from this card, there’s really no way to get “stuck” with rewards you cannot use.
Who this card isn’t best for
While it’s hard to complain too much about the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card, many business owners would be better off with a different credit card altogether.
- Business owners who want to redeem rewards for travel: If you want a business credit card that earns flexible travel rewards that transfer to airlines and hotels, this card isn’t the best pick on its own. If you also have a Sapphire card or an Ink Business Preferred that you can transfer your points to, this card becomes a great way to earn travel rewards.
- Small business owners who want travel perks: While the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card does come with a handful of cardholder benefits, including primary auto rental collision damage waiver when you rent a car for business purposes, it doesn’t offer other travel perks like airport lounge access or annual travel credits.
- Those who travel internationally: If you travel overseas for business purposes, you would be better off with a business credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.
A closer look at the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
- Rewards rate: Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
- Welcome offer: Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Annual fee: $0
- Purchase intro APR: 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 Months
- Regular APR: 18.49% – 24.49% Variable
Welcome offer and rewards
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card offers a flat rate of 1.5% cash back on all purchases, and new cardholders can earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Depending on how much your business spends, $6,000 should be fairly easy to reach.
Introductory APR offer
Enjoy 0% introductory APR on purchases for the first 12 months after account opening, followed by a variable APR of 18.49% to 24.49%. If you plan to finance a large, planned purchase, divide the purchase amount by 12 to figure out how much you need to pay monthly to pay it down before the introductory period ends.
Fees
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card doesn’t charge an annual fee, but it does charge a 3% foreign transaction fee if you use it for purchases abroad. Other notable fees include a 5% (minimum $5) balance transfer fee, a 5% (minimum $15) cash advance fee, a $40 late payment fee and a $40 returned payment fee.
Notable business perks
Not only does the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card offer free employee cards, but it comes with expense-tracking tools that can make running a business easier. Other benefits include primary auto rental collision damage waiver when renting a car for business purposes, travel and emergency assistance services, roadside dispatch, purchase protection and extended warranties on eligible items.
Primary rental car insurance — meaning it takes effect before any other insurance you may have — is relatively rare on a card, especially one without an annual fee.
Alternative cards
If you still can’t decide whether the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is right for you, consider a few popular alternative cards from Chase.
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
The Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card also comes with no annual fee, but it offers a tiered rewards structure with bonus categories instead of flat-rate cash back. Specifically, cardholders can 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 (then 1% back), 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year (then 1% back) and 1% back on all other purchases. New customers can also earn $350 after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening.
This card also comes with a 0% introductory APR for purchases for 12 months from account opening, followed by a variable APR of 18.49% to 24.49%. Rewards can be used for the same redemption options as the Ink Business Unlimited, including statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, travel through Chase and more. The card also has many of the same consumer and travel protections as the Ink Business Unlimited.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
The Chase Ink Business Preferred is a good choice for business owners who travel and want the chance to redeem their rewards for premium travel redemptions. Not only can cardholders cash in points for statement credits, gift cards and travel through the Chase portal (with a 25% redemption bonus), but they can transfer their points to Chase airline and hotel partners.
This card has a $95 annual fee, and cardholders can earn 90,000 points worth $1,125 in travel through Chase Travel℠ after spending $8,000 on purchases within three months of account opening.
Cardholders earn 3X points per dollar spent on travel, shipping purchases, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines and internet, cable and phone services (on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year, followed by 1X points). All other purchases earn 1X point for each dollar spent.
How Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card compares to other cards
CNET’S PICK
-
Intro Offer -
Earn $900 bonus cash back
Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 18.49% – 24.49% Variable
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 Months
- Recommended Credit
A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
1.5%
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
-
Intro Offer -
Earn up to $750 bonus cash back
Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening.
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 18.49% – 24.49% Variable
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months
- Recommended Credit
A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
1%
– 5%
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
-
Intro Offer -
Earn 90,000 bonus points
Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Annual fee
- $95
- APR
- 21.24% – 26.24% Variable
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Recommended Credit
A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
1x
– 3x
Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year; Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases–with no limit to the amount you can earn
The bottom line
At the end of the day, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is hard to beat if you want to earn a competitive flat-rate cash back rate without paying an annual fee. The intro APR for purchases is icing on the cake, and the fact you can redeem your rewards several ways makes this card more flexible than most.
That said, you may want to consider other business credit cards based on the way your business spends, your need for travel perks or other factors. The right business card for you is definitely out there, but you may need to do some digging to find it.
FAQs
While Chase doesn’t publish minimum credit score requirements for its card products, you typically need good to excellent credit to qualify. This typically means having a FICO score of 670 or above.
If you only have the Ink Business Unlimited card, you can’t transfer your points to travel partners directly. But if you or someone living in your household (that you want to consolidate points with) has the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or the Ink Business Preferred, you can consolidate your points from your Ink Business Unlimited onto one of the above cards and then take advantage of those cards’ transfer partners.
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card comes with primary auto rental coverage that applies when you rent a car for business purposes, travel and emergency assistance services, roadside dispatch, purchase protection and extended warranties on eligible items. The benefits are considerable for a no-annual-fee card, but you won’t find premium perks like airport lounge access or airline fee credits.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
