Ink Business Unlimited credit card review: Great perks with no annual fee
| 1.5% | Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business |
Chase Ink Business Unlimited Overview
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is one of the best business cards with no annual fee because it earns 1.5% back on every purchase. That cash back can be turned into valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points when paired with an eligible card. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
*Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
The Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card is a small-business card that closely mirrors the popular Chase Freedom Unlimited®. There is no annual fee, and its simple reward structure is more valuable than it looks at first glance.
Although other cards earn 1.5% cash back (or more), the Ink Business Unlimited card allows you to earn cash back in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Those Chase points can become significantly more valuable if you also have a premium Ultimate Rewards card. That's because you can combine Chase points from your accounts and then transfer them to the Ultimate Rewards program's various airline and hotel partners.
The Ink Business Unlimited is a business credit card and is thus tailored to those with small businesses. While not everyone is eligible for a business credit card, it may be easier to be approved than you think — provided you have a "good to excellent" credit score of 670 or above — because freelancing and other sole-proprietor enterprises can count as a business in the eyes of Chase and many other issuers.
Let's dive into the details.
Ink Business Unlimited pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
Ink Business Unlimited welcome offer
Currently, the welcome offer on the Ink Business Unlimited is $750 bonus cash back after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
You can redeem the cash back at a rate of 1 cent each as cash back, gift cards or travel booked through Chase Travel℠.
However, you can more than double your return (potentially) if you pair the Ink Business Unlimited with a card that earns transferable Ultimate Rewards points, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. According to TPG's September 2024 valuations, those 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points are worth up to $1,538.
That's a solid haul on a card that charges no annual fee.
One TPG reader shared enthusiasm for the positive impacts the Ink Business Unlimited had on their business:
"No annual fee, high approval limit, great sign up bonus! The list of value can go on and on!" — Dean M via X
Note: Reader-submitted responses have not been edited, reviewed or approved by the issuers nor reflect TPG's opinions of these cards.
Related: The best time to apply for these 9 popular travel credit cards based on offer history
Ink Business Unlimited benefits
You get what you pay for when it comes to benefits, so it's no surprise that the Ink Business Unlimited doesn't offer as many perks as other cards with higher annual fees. Its benefits are identical to those offered by the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card but they're not quite as good as the perks offered on the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. Most notably, you will not get cellphone protection or trip cancellation/interruption insurance.
Here's a quick rundown of what's included:
- Purchase protection: This covers new purchases for up to 120 days against damage or theft, up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Auto rental collision damage waiver: When you rent a car for business purposes using Ink Business Unlimited, you can decline the rental car company's collision insurance and be covered by the card up to the vehicle's cash value in the case of theft or collision damage. This is valid on most rentals in the U.S. and abroad, and coverage is primary, which means it applies before your own car insurance policy.
- Extended warranty: This extends the time period of a U.S. manufacturer's warranty by an additional year on eligible warranties of three years or less.
- Employee cards at no additional cost: If employees are allowed to use the account, they will be authorized users and will have equal charging privileges unless you establish individual spending limits.
Earning rewards on the Ink Business Unlimited
The Ink Business Unlimited earns 1.5% cash back on all purchases using a straightforward rewards structure that requires no thinking about rotating or bonus categories. This represents both the beauty of this card and its potential downside.
For example, if you buy airfare with this card, you could be forgoing rewards of up to 5 points per dollar that a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers (when booked through Chase Travel℠).
The same goes for paying for office supplies or internet service. The Ink Business Cash Credit Card earns 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable, cellphone and landline services each account anniversary year (1% thereafter). It also earns 2% back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account year.
Be careful about evaluating this card only on its cash-back value. The unlimited cash-back offered by this card won't give you the highest return among cash-back business credit cards — if you redeem for cash, anyway.
Redeeming rewards on the Ink Business Unlimited
There are a few key ways to redeem your rewards: cash back, gift cards, travel or goods and services offered through Chase's rewards program.
If you redeem for cash, you can receive your money as a statement credit or through an electronic deposit into an eligible U.S. checking or savings account. Points redeemed for cash, gift cards or travel are worth 1 cent apiece.
Transferring rewards on the Ink Business Unlimited
You can boost your redemption rate to an effective return of over 3% (based on TPG's September 2024 valuations) on all spending if you move your points to a full-fledged Ultimate Rewards personal or business card, such as:
The other card must be registered to you, the owner of the company or a member of your household to qualify for a transfer.
The Ink Business Unlimited can represent an incredible value proposition when partnered with any of these other cards. Once you move points to an account that earns Ultimate Rewards, you can transfer them to valuable airline and hotel partners, or book travel directly through Chase Travel℠ and receive a flat value for your points (1.5 cents per point with the Chase Sapphire Reserve; or 1.25 cents per point with the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Preferred).
You could get well over 2 cents per point in value, depending on which transfer partner you choose. For example, you could transfer 97,000 points to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer to book a one-way, first-class flight from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) that regularly costs $5,000 or more, getting you nearly 6 cents value per point.
Related: The power of the Chase Trifecta: Sapphire Reserve, Ink Preferred and Freedom Unlimited
What cards compete with the Ink Business Unlimited?
The Ink Business Unlimited's competitors are cards that offer a similar return on all spending. Business credit cards that offer fixed-rate rewards include:
- Capital One Spark Miles for Business: Earn 2 miles per dollar on all purchases. The introductory annual fee is $0 for the first year, then $95 after (see rates and fees). For more information, read our review of the Capital One Spark Miles for Business.
- Capital One Spark Cash Select : Earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases. This card has no annual fee (see rates and fees). For more information, read our review of the Capital One Spark Cash Select.
- The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express: Earn 2 points per dollar on all eligible business purchases up to $50,000 per calendar year (1 point per dollar thereafter). This card has no annual fee (see rates and fees). For more information, read our review of the Amex Blue Business Plus.
Read more: The best business credit cards
Is the Ink Business Unlimited worth it?
The Ink Business Unlimited is a valuable option for everyday spending if you pair it with the right card. Also holding a premium Chase card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve can really maximize your business credit card rewards. However, watch out for the restrictions of the Chase 5/24 rule.
Bottom line
The Chase Ink Business Unlimited can play a valuable role in maximizing your rewards from business spending.
One advantage to opening Chase business credit cards is that they won't add to your Chase 5/24 count once they're open, even though applying for them in the first place is subject to the rule. So, if you qualify for business credit cards, it's a smart strategy to apply for a Chase business card, like the Ink Business Unlimited, before you apply for personal credit cards from Chase or other banks, which will count toward that 5/24 limit.
And this card offers a great return on everyday spending that can be supercharged if you have another card earning Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
Apply here: Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card
For rates and fees of the Blue Business Plus Card, click here.