Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card Review – 1.5% Cash Back

The Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is a small business credit card with no annual fee and a straightforward cash back rewards program. All eligible purchases earn 1.5% cash back, with no caps, restrictions, or categories to worry about.

Ink Business Unlimited has a lot in common with Chase Freedom Unlimited, a consumer cash back card. It’s a great choice for business owners who spread their spending across a broad range of categories. A generous sign-up bonus adds to its upfront appeal.

If you’re looking to add a new spending aid to your business arsenal, you’d do well to take a look at Chase Ink Business Unlimited. Here’s what you need to know about its features, advantages, drawbacks, and overall suitability.

Key Features of the Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

These are the most notable features of Chase Ink Business Unlimited. Note the extremely generous sign-up bonus, 0% APR intro offer, and unlimited cash-back on eligible purchases.

Sign-Up Bonus

Earning Rewards

Ink Business Unlimited earns unlimited 1.5% cash back on all eligible purchases, with no caps or restrictions on your earning power. Cash back accrues as Ultimate Rewards points: 1.5 points per $1 in eligible purchases.

Redeeming Rewards

You can redeem your accumulated Ultimate Rewards points for cash, merchandise, experiences, and services in Chase’s Ultimate Rewards marketplace.

The most straightforward way to redeem is for cash back, applicable as a statement credit or bank account deposit. You can also redeem for gift cards from dozens of merchants, travel items, (including hotels, rental cars, and airfare), general merchandise such as kitchenware, and bespoke experiences (such as dinner cruises). If you have an Amazon.com account, you can redeem your points directly for purchases at checkout.

There’s no minimum threshold for cash redemptions. Chase may impose minimums for other redemption types, but it’s increasingly common to be able to apply your point balance against purchases without reaching any minimum threshold.

Points are usually worth $0.01 apiece at redemption. Points redeemed for Amazon.com purchases are worth less – $0.008 apiece. Points don’t expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing.

Combining Ultimate Rewards Points and 1-to-1 Point Transfer Options

Chase allows you to pool Ultimate Rewards points from multiple credit card accounts. As long as the card participates in the Ultimate Rewards program and the pooled accounts are in good standing, you’re free to combine as many points as you wish. Participating Ultimate Rewards credit cards include:

• Chase Ink Business Preferred®, a small business card with a $95 annual fee.
• Chase Sapphire Preferred, a travel rewards credit card with a $95 annual fee.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve, an exclusive travel card with a $550 annual fee.
• Chase Freedom Unlimited, a cash back credit card with no annual fee.

Certain Ultimate Rewards credit cards boost point values on travel redemptions. For instance, Sapphire Preferred users’ points go 25% farther when redeemed for travel. Sapphire Reserve users’ points go 50% farther.

Moreover, certain cards (including Sapphire Preferred and Reserve) allow cardholders to transfer their Ultimate Rewards points to select Chase Travel℠ partners at an enviable 1-to-1 ratio. This is far better than typical transfer ratios, which can be as low as 10-to-1 or 15-to-1. If you have a card with 1-to-1 transfer privileges or plan to apply for one soon, you can get a head start on your first transfer with Chase Ink Business Unlimited. Travel partners are subject to change, but include Southwest Airlines and Marriott.

Ink Mobile App

This card comes with the free Ink mobile app. Capabilities include:

• Expense category tagging.
• Authorized user tracking.
• Authorized user privilege customization.
• Real-time purchase alerts.

Introductory APR

Chase Ink Business Unlimited has a 0% APR introductory promotion on purchases for 12 months from account opening. Following the end of the introductory period, the variable regular APR applies, currently 18.49% to 24.49% variable.

Important Fees

There is no annual fee. Foreign transactions cost 3%. Cash advances cost the greater of $15 or 5%. Balance transfers cost the greater of $5 or 5%. There is no fee for additional employee cards (authorized user cards), which earn rewards at the same rate as the primary cardholder’s card.

Travel Coverages

This card comes with complimentary rental car loss and damage coverage when you charge the full cost of your rental to the card. It also boasts 24/7 travel and emergency assistance, including roadside assistance, though additional out-of-pocket fees may come into play when invoked.

Purchase Protection Plan

Ink Business Unlimited cardholders enjoy complimentary purchase protection insurance, which covers theft and damage to purchased items, up to $10,000 per item and $50,000 total (lifetime) per account. This benefit applies to repair or replacement costs, and must be invoked within 120 days of a covered item’s purchase.

Extended Warranty Coverage

Ink Business Unlimited extends original warranties for an additional year. Coverage applies only to original warranties that last no longer than 3 years.

Credit Required

Chase Ink Business Unlimited requires excellent credit. Any noteworthy blemishes on your credit report will reduce your chances of qualifying.

Advantages of the Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

Ink Business Unlimited has a lot of advantages when compared with other no-annual-fee business credit cards.

• No Annual Fee. Chase Ink Business Unlimited has no annual fee. That’s great news for frugal business owners who’d struggle to earn rewards sufficient to offset any annual levy. If you’re a light spender, you’ll want to seriously consider this card over fee-bearing alternatives.
• Very Generous Sign-Up Bonus. This card’s sign-up bonus has a manageable spend requirement during the first 3 months. If you use Ink Business Unlimited as your primary credit card, that should be more than doable.
• Straightforward Cash Back Program That Covers All Business Spending. This card’s straightforward cash back program doesn’t require a college degree to understand: you’ll earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all eligible spending, with no spending caps or categories to trouble you.
• 12-Month 0% APR Promotion on Purchases. This card is one of the few no-annual-fee business cards with a 0% APR introductory promotion on purchases. The promotion lasts 12 months from your account opening date, leaving plenty of runway to finance major business purchases.
• Favorable Point Pooling and Transfer Options. If you have another Ultimate Rewards credit card, you can pool your Ink Business Unlimited points with points earned on those accounts to juice your redemption power. This is particularly beneficial for cardholders with premium travel cards that offer elevated redemption values on travel purchases made through the Ultimate Rewards travel portal and facilitate transfers to participating travel loyalty programs at a highly favorable 1-to-1 ratio.
• Lenient, Flexible Redemption Framework. You can redeem your accumulated cash back – Ultimate Rewards points – for pretty much anything, from cash and cash equivalents to travel and bespoke experiences. Or, if you prefer, you can redeem your points directly for Amazon.com purchases. This is a big advantage over more restrictive branded credit cards, which require or encourage cardholders to redeem in a narrower band.
• No Fees for Employee Cards. Chase doesn’t charge for employee cards. That’s great news for cardholders who plan to add multiple authorized users to their Ink Business Unlimited accounts.

Disadvantages of the Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

The Ink Business Unlimited Card does have some notable downsides, including a cap on the cash-back earning rate and limited value-added benefits.

• Cash-Back Earning Rate Capped at 1.5%. Chase Ink Business Unlimited’s cash back earning rate tops out at 1.5%. If you’re looking for a card with a higher average rate of return on spending, check out Chase Ink Business Preferred®, which earns up to 3 Ultimate Rewards points per $1 spent on select purchases.
• Limited Value-Added Benefits. This card doesn’t have much in the way of fringe benefits. If you’re seeking a card with complimentary airport lounge access, travel credits, or exclusive consumer perks, look to higher-end products like The Business Platinum Card from American Express.
• Has a 3% Foreign Transaction Fee. If business frequently takes you overseas, you’ll want to consider a credit card without foreign transaction fees. Most fee-bearing business travel cards waive FTFs.

How Chase Ink Business Unlimited Stacks Up

Now that you know what to expect from the Chase Ink Business Unlimited card, find out how it stacks up against another no-annual-fee business card from Chase: the Ink Business Cash Credit Card.

Final Word

The Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card isn’t the most generous business credit card on the block. Some premium competitors allow high-spending business owners to earn double its 1.5% rate of return on a consistent basis. Top-shelf airline and hotel rewards credit cards may offer even higher earning potential for users well-versed in the ins and outs of travel loyalty programs, though their redemption options tend to be more circumscribed.

Still, Chase Ink Business Unlimited gets points for simplicity. If your top priority is earning the same flat cash back rate on every business purchase, this card needs to be on your shortlist. And if not? Well, with such clear terms, it shouldn’t be too tough to figure out.