Chase offers several business credit cards that aren’t co-branded. That is cards that do not directly earn hotel points or airline miles. They are the Chase Ink cards. Each one has different bonus spending categories and benefits. Depending on your needs and spending, one might make more sense than others. Thus, choosing one that isn’t the best for you is more than possible. Here’s a roundup of each Chase Ink card and their respective benefits.
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Table of Contents
Chase Ink Cash
Despite the name, the Chase Ink Cash doesn’t have to be a cash-back card, but more on that a little later. It earns 5% (or 5 points per dollar*) at office supply stores and Internet/phone/cable services – up to $25,000 per cardmember year. It also gets 2 points per dollar at gas stations and restaurants and 1 point per dollar everywhere else. All with no annual fee!
Earn 5x Anywhere
Staples and Office Depot sell Visa and MasterCard gift cards, sometimes with no activation fee. You can then use these gift cards anywhere else, meaning you’re earning 5 points per dollar everywhere you go!
Apply for the Chase Ink Cash
Sign up Bonus: 75,000 points after spending $6,000 within first three months
5x at office supply stores and Internet/Phone/Cable services
Zero Annual Fee
Chase Ink Unlimited
The Chase Ink Unlimited is a straightforward card. It earns 1.5% (or 1.5 points per dollar*) on every purchase. There is also no annual fee. This card is good if you know you will spend less money at office supply stores and want a straightforward business card.
Apply for the Chase Ink Unlimited
Sign up Bonus: 75,000 points after spending $6,000 within first three months
Zero Annual Fee
Chase Ink Preferred
The Chase Ink Preferred is the most complex among the Chase Ink business cards. This is mostly because of the bonus categories it earns points on. It earns 3 points per dollar on shipping purchases, online (social media & search engine) advertising, Internet/cable/phone services, and travel. Anything that is not covered with those earns 1 point per dollar.
This card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards (UR) points. These points can be transferred to one of the UR Transfer Partners (Hyatt, Marriott, United, Southwest, and more), giving the UR points a lot of potential value. They can also be redeemed using the Ultimate Rewards Travel portal at 1.25 cents per point. I advise transferring them, but using them in the portal may be easier for you.
Apply for the Chase Ink Preferred
Sign up Bonus: 100,000 points after spending $8,000 within first three months
Transfer points to 14 airlines and hotels
$95 Annual Fee
* The points earned from the Chase Ink Cash & Chase Ink Unlimited can be combined with the points earned from Chase Ink Preferred (or another UR-earning card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred) – i.e., they would then become Ultimate Rewards points as well – not just cash back.
Chase Ink Premier
This is the newest Ink card and by far the weakest. It earns 2% cash back on every purchase or 2.5% on purchases of $5,000 or more. The Chase Ink Premier has a $195 annual fee. For a card earning only 2% and no other benefit worth mentioning, it’s $192 too high. This is especially true when it is compared with Chase Ink Unlimited! So really, don’t apply for this card. I have an affiliate link for this card but I won’t put it in this article because I don’t want you to get it.
If you’re still interested, please let me know beforehand so we can ensure there aren’t better options for you!!
Which Chase Ink Card Is the Best?
There isn’t a clear winner; however, there is a clear loser: Chase Ink Premier. With that eliminated, it leaves three others. If you don’t already have the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve, you will likely get more value from the Chase Ink Preferred. Choosing between the Chase Ink Cash and Ink Unlimited comes down to figuring out where you spend money. If you don’t have any office supply stores near you, the Ink Unlimited is likely the right choice. Otherwise, get the Chase Ink Cash and be creative with your spend. But really, at least consider both – it’s what I did!
Guidelines for Applying
You should be aware of a couple of guidelines before applying. First, you should not have been approved for any credit card in the last thirty days. Second, you should not apply for the same card if you already have it. Being approved for a second card is possible, but you should have a good reason for it in case you have to call for reconsideration.
