Why I love the Ink Business Cash Credit Card

I’ve signed up for quite a few credit cards over the years, including both personal cards and business credit cards. This is partly due to the fact that I love earning big sign-up bonuses for regular spending, but it’s also because I like to be strategic with rewards.

By carrying multiple rewards credit cards, I’m able to use different cards in categories that earn more bonus points. And since my household and business spend quite a bit of money each month, this strategy has helped my family earn a lot more in rewards over time.

Of course, there are some credit cards I love more than others, and one of those is the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card. Read on to learn why the Ink Business Cash is one of my priority cards when it comes to business spending, including the steps I take to maximize its benefits.

What to love about the Ink Business Cash Credit Card

Why do I adore the Ink Business Cash so much? And why is this card such an integral part of my rewards strategy? The biggest reasons to love this card are highlighted below.

No annual fee

The Ink Business Cash doesn’t charge an annual fee, which is important in the first year and beyond. With my own personal situation, the lack of an annual fee makes this card easy to carry for the long haul — even during seasons when I’m not using it as much as the other business credit cards I own.

Generous bonus offer for new customers

The Ink Business Cash’s welcome offer is excellent for people who have plenty of business expenses to cover with a card. When you sign up, you can earn $750 in bonus cash back when you spend $6,000 on purchases within three months of account opening.

Stellar bonus categories

My favorite part about this card — and the reason I plan to keep it for the foreseeable future — is its amazing bonus categories for small business spending. This card lets you earn 5 percent 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 percent back) and 2 percent cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year.

I mostly use this card in its highest cash back categories, which has allowed me to maximize rewards on our business phone bill and office supply store purchases over the years. By earning 5 percent back (on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year), I’ve maximized the points I earn on everything from office furniture to new computers and software.

However, it’s worth noting that I don’t use this card for regular, non-bonus spending. For purchases that don’t earn bonus rewards with my Ink Business Cash or with my Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, I switch to the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card to earn 1.5 percent cash back on all purchases.

Combine points with ease

Truth be told, I never redeem rewards from the Ink Business Cash for cash back. Instead, I combine all my household’s rewards in my Chase Sapphire Reserve® personal credit card account.

I turn my cash back into Chase Ultimate Rewards points and transfer them to my Chase Sapphire Reserve for a few reasons. First, in doing so, I get 50 percent more value when I redeem points for airfare, hotels, rental cars and other travel through Chase. Second, the Sapphire Reserve lets me transfer points to Chase airline and hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio.

Fortunately, Chase makes combining all your travel points into one account a breeze.

Important cardholder protections

If you’re thinking of applying for the Ink Business Cash so you can earn cash back at office supply stores, you should also know about consumer protections that can apply to your purchases. The Ink Business Cash comes with two important benefits for items you buy with your card:

• Purchase protection against damage or theft, which is good for up to 120 days after purchase with a maximum benefit of $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account
• One additional year of extended warranty protection on eligible items that come with a manufacturer’s warranty of three years or less

These consumer protections can help you qualify for repair or replacement of important items your business buys, from software to furniture and computers.

Intro APR offer

Finally, potential cardholders should know that the Ink Business Cash lets you skip interest on purchases for a limited time. Specifically, this card offers a 0 percent intro APR on purchases for 12 months, followed by a variable APR of 18.49 percent to 24.49 percent.

If you need to make a large investment in supplies or equipment, having a year to pay down your balance without any interest charges can be a boon for your small business.

The bottom line

The Ink Business Cash has earned a permanent spot in my wallet, and I think it’s easy to see why. With no annual fee, a high cash back rate in popular business spending categories and the ability to combine points with other Chase cards, what’s not to love?

Still, you should compare any business card against other options, such as those on our list of the best small-business credit cards, to make sure the Ink Business Cash is right for you. By comparing this business card to similar options from Chase, American Express and Capital One, you can find the right fit based on how your business spends.