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4.1
on Chase's secure site
Rewards rate
1%–5% Cash backAnnual fee
$0Intro bonus
$750Regular APR
13.24% - 19.24% VariableRecommended Credit Score
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)If your small business spends a fair amount on office supplies and telecommunications services, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is probably a good fit for you. While the maximum cash back rate only applies to the first $25,000 spent on bonus categories, we love how these categories are consistent with typical business spending.
With features like a 0 percent introductory APR on purchases for 12 months (13.24 percent to 19.24 percent variable APR thereafter) and a no annual fee, it’s clear that this Chase business credit card can offer much-needed respite for businesses with irregular cash flows.
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The Ink Business Cash’s welcome offer of $750 bonus cash back when you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first three months is solid compared with other small business credit cards on the market—particularly those with a $0 annual fee—and the spending requirement can be met if you time your card application with a big purchase.
One of the best things about having the Ink Business Cash Credit Card is being a part of the Chase Ultimate Rewards program since it earns Ultimate Reward points. This coveted program gives you more redemption options so you’re not limited to cash back rewards. What’s also great about the program is that your points won’t expire as long as your account stays open.
You’ll earn 5 percent cash back on the first $25,000 in combined business expenses each account anniversary year, including office supply purchases, Internet, cable and phone services. That’s $1,250 in cash back annually if you meet the full cap. You’ll also receive 2 percent cash back on the first $25,000 spent per account anniversary year on combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants; that’s another $500 in cash back.
Assuming you spend up to the $25,000 limit for these rewards categories, you’ll receive $1,750 cash back each year—plus 1 percent on anything over the $25,000 limit and for all other purchases.
Rewards redemption is where the Ink Business Cash Credit Card comes into its own. You can receive rewards as cash or redeem them as gift cards, travel rewards or pay with points for select products or services. You can also combine points with another Chase credit card that earns Ultimate Rewards in order to utilize Chase’s transfer partners.
Cash back rewards are tracked as points, so every dollar you earn in cash back rewards equals 100 points. This same 1 cent per point value carries over to cash, gift cards and travel through Chase.
However, pairing this card with a premium Chase Ultimate Rewards card allows you to boost your rewards value. For example, pooling your points with the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card will make your points worth 1.25 cents apiece toward Chase travel, or up to 2 cents each with the right transfer partner according to The Points Guy’s latest valuation.
While this card doesn’t come with fancy travel perks, the benefits it offers—a 0 percent introductory APR on purchases for 12 months (13.24 percent to 19.24 percent variable APR thereafter), free employee cards and travel and purchase insurance—are spot-on for small businesses looking to get more from their spending.
Particularly useful for startups with unpredictable cash flows, the 0 percent intro APR on new purchases for 12 months (13.24 percent to 19.24 percent variable APR thereafter) can offer much-needed cash flow respite and save you from interest charges if you’re struggling to repay your credit card balance in full each month.
To accumulate points faster for more rewards, you can request employee cards at no additional cost. For extra security, the account holder can set individual spending limits on employee cards, and you can subscribe to account alerts to monitor spending.
Other useful benefits include purchase protection for up to 120 days against damage or theft (up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account) and a 12-month extended warranty when you make an eligible purchase with your card. The extended warranty only applies to qualifying warranties of up to three years.
Using your card to pay for car rental provides primary car rental coverage, so you can have peace of mind knowing your rented vehicle is covered up to the cash value of the vehicle in case of theft or collision in qualifying locations.
There is no annual fee, but before applying for this business card, you should know a late payment will attract a $39 fee and there’s a 3 percent foreign transaction fee despite the travel perks. Luckily, your purchases are covered by its 0 percent intro APR for the first 12 months, and the 13.24 percent to 19.24 percent ongoing variable rate can be below the current average interest rate too. Unfortunately, a balance transfer with Chase will subject you to the full ongoing rate and a $5 fee or 5 percent of the amount transferred, whichever is greater.
An option is the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card. You’ll get 2 percent cash back on all eligible purchases for up to $50,000 each calendar year (then 1 percent back)—which is a lower rate than the Ink’s rewards structure.
| Card | Annual fee | Rewards | Welcome bonus | Intro APR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ink Business Cash® Credit Card | $0 |
|
$750 after spending $7,500 within three months of account opening | 0% intro APR for 12 months (then 13.24% to 19.24% variable) |
| American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card | $0 |
|
$250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months. | 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening (then 13.24% to 19.24% variable) |
If you spend a lot on travel, then it makes sense to pair this card with a travel credit card. The Ink Business Preferred card, for example, is ideal as it’ll fast track your Ultimate Rewards points by awarding you 3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping, Internet, cable and phone services and advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines. You’ll have to spend enough to justify the $95 annual fee, but that shouldn’t be too hard considering it would only take $132 in your 3X category per month to break even.
Plus, you can use the Ink Business Preferred to redeem your points for 25 percent bonus value toward travel, or potentially get more value by utilizing transfer partners.
It’s clear the Ink Business Cash Credit Card is best suited to small businesses with significant office supplies and telecom service expenses. It comes with a solid welcome bonus, and the introductory 0 percent APR on purchases for 12 months (13.24 percent to 19.24 percent variable APR thereafter) will be handy for those with irregular cash flows or who need to pay off large purchases while establishing their business. However, businesses that spend more outside this card’s categories may question whether the Ink Business Cash Card is worth it compared to a travel rewards card or a flat-rate cash back card.
Bankrate expert Garrett Yarbrough strives to make navigating credit cards and credit building smooth sailing for his readers. After regularly featuring his credit card, credit monitoring and identity theft analysis on NextAdvisor.com, he joined the CreditCards.com and Bankrate.com teams as a staff writer to develop product reviews and comprehensive credit card guides focused on cash back, credit scores and card offers.
* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.
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