Chase Ink Business Cash® vs. Ink Business Unlimited®: Ultimate Guide!

It’s no secret that earning points and miles can save you thousands of dollars each year and help fund incredible family vacations! However, one of the biggest hang-ups that people have is having to pay those pesky annual fees. I get it! Those fees can stack up and you want to make sure that you’re maximizing every dollar (and they can get steep! Both Chase and American Express introduced some cards with a $895 annual fee – yikes!).

There are however, a few incredible card exceptions that offer fantastic welcome offers and have great benefits WITHOUT ANNUAL FEES. Yep, no annual fees! Two of our absolute favorites are the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card and the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card. However, determining which of these Chase Ink cards fits your family best can be a little tricky, which is why we’re here! So let’s dive into what makes these cards so awesome, how to take advantage of their great rewards, how to apply for them, and lastly let’s help you determine which of these cards is right for you!

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🔥 HOT ELEVATED OFFER ALERT!

Both the Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card and the Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card currently have the highest welcome bonus of the year! We’re talking 90,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® points (marketed as $900 bonus cash back) after spending $6,000 in the first three months of account opening, with no annual fee! This is the highest bonus offered on these cards, last seen in January 2024, making now the best time to apply.

🔥 Elevated Business Card Offers Here!

Kam from Our Family Passport with a suitcase and credit cards

Thank you so much for using my links and applying through them! Doing so comes at no additional cost to you and helps support my small business. I appreciate it!

How These Cards Actually Work

Before we dive deep into the comparison, there are a few really important card details to know and it’s important to know exactly how these bonus points work.

Cash Back or Points

While these Ink cards are marketed as “cash back cards,” they actually earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. This is huge for families focused on maximizing travel rewards!

Each dollar you earn in “cash back” is 100 Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, so a $900 elevated offer actually is 90,000 points that you can use! Then, when paired with other Chase cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® or Ink Business Preferred®, these points become transferable to travel partners, multiplying their worth by 3 to 4 times.

There are a myriad of redemption options that we’ll cover in detail below but you can:

Cash these points out for $900
Use them in Chase Travel (Chase’s travel portal) to book $900+ in travel
Or if you hold any of the Chase Sapphire Cards or the Ink Business Preferred Card you can transfer these points to Chase’s Airline and Hotel Partners like Hyatt, United, Southwest, Virgin Atlantic, and more!

Business Card Eligibility: You Probably Qualify!

These cards are classified as business cards, but before you write them off, hear me out! (and these two are some of the best business credit cards on the market). The beautiful thing about these Chase business cards is that you don’t need a traditional brick and mortar business to qualify! Freelancers, sole proprietors and those with any side gigs or the smallest of small businesses are also eligible. Business cards are fantastic because most business cards don’t report to your personal credit like consumer cards do (meaning it’s easier to cancel them if needed) AND they don’t count toward your Chase 5/24. In other words, business cards are game changers if you want to rack up points and I encourage everyone to at least consider them – because more often than not, you or our partner/spouse probably qualifies for them!

Almost all small business owners will qualify, but what if you don’t have an EIN or you aren’t sure if do?

You Likely Qualify If You:

Sell items on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or Poshmark
Have an Etsy shop or craft business
Provide tutoring, babysitting, or pet sitting services
Do any freelance work (writing, design, consulting, photography)
Have any sort of rental property income
Drive for Uber, Lyft, or deliver food
Have a blog, YouTube channel, or any other social media account that you are trying to monetize! (I qualified for my first business card for Our Family Passport in our first year and I had made less than $300 in income that year on this business!)
Do any home improvement or handyman work
Provide services like lawn care or house cleaning

So How Exactly Do I Apply?!

If you have an EIN or Tax ID then you’ll apply with that. If you don’t, you can easily apply as a Sole Proprietor with your SSN here’s how!

You’ll use your Social Security Number as your Tax ID
Report your total annual household income including your projected annual business revenue
Choose Sole Proprietorship as your business type
Use your legal name as your Business Name

But wait, is this allowed? Can I actually get a business card as a sole proprietor in my name?

Yes, absolutely! In fact, here is an article Chase Bank titled “Can I get a Business Card Without a Business” and the short answer is you can 100% get a business card without a registered business and without a bunch of business income- it’s a quick and great read if you’re worried about it!

Need more guidance? Our Complete Guide to Applying for Business Cards walks you through the entire process!

How Do You Transfer These Points?

Chase’s rewards program is one of our favorites because of the incredible transfer partners. We’ll talk more about the best ways to use these points below, but it is super important to note that you or your partner or spouse will need to have ONE of the following cards to be able to transfer these points. If either you or your partner or spouse has one of these cards, you easily combine your points within your Chase online account and then you can transfer to your hearts content!

Cards that you can combine with and then transfer your points to transfer partners:

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Sapphire Reserve for Business℠
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

*If you don’t have one of these cards above yet, it’s okay! Because of the elevated offer, I suggest starting with either the Ink Business Cash or the Ink Business Unlimited. Then once you earn the welcome offer, keep your points (so don’t cash them out) and apply for one of the cards above. Then you can combine points and transfer. It’s the strategy we are recommending to all of our new TRU students.

A few other things to note:

You can hold both of these cards at the same time!
Both Jason and I hold both of these cards and it’s great. Since they don’t have any annual fees, it’s a no brainer for us.

You can get the welcome offer again and again!
This is one of my favorite things about these cards! You’re eligible for the welcome offer again as long as you haven’t had a welcome offer on the same card in the last 24 months. So if you applied for Ink Unlimited in Jan. 2024, got the welcome bonus in March 2024 then you are eligible to get the welcome offer on the Ink Unlimited again in March 2026. If you have the Ink Unlimited but you’ve never had the Ink Cash then you are eligible for the Ink Cash offer anytime!

Hot Tip:
If you are transferring Chase Ultimate Reward points between you and your spouse, you’ll need to call the first time to initiate it and your spouse/partner needs to live in your same household.

We had an incredible summer vacation with our entire family at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point all on points. We booked two rooms for our crew of six on points and we saved thousands! We loved the waterpark, the private island beach, and all of the local activities like boating and shelling. I LOVE transferring these points to maximize their value!

HOT ELEVATED OFFER ALERT!

Remember, both of these cards currently have elevated offers that you do NOT want to miss!

Elevated Business Card Offers Here!

So, Which Of These Two Cards Should You Get?

Now that we’ve got the facts covered! Let’s help you decide which of these no annual fee, Chase business credit cards are right for you!

Chase Ink Business Cash®: The Category Maximizer

This card is best for those who have specific spending needs and requirements!

Earning Structure
The Chase Ink Business Cash card earns:

5x points on up to $25,000 annually at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services
5x on Lyft rides until September 2027 (must link your Chase and Lyft accounts for this to work!)
2x on up to $25,000 annually at gas stations and restaurants
1x on all other purchases

This Card is Perfect for Families & Small Businesses/Side Gigs Who…

Pay substantial monthly bills for internet, cable, and phone services
Have children in activities requiring office supplies (homeschool families, this is incredible!)
Who use and purchase gift cards at Office Supply stores
Frequently dine out as a family or with clients
Have consistent gas station spending from driving to activities and weekend trips

Chase Ink Business Unlimited®: The Simple Choice

This card is for people who don’t want to have to think about category multipliers and want a flat 1.5x the points on every purchase. This is the card I recommend for most people between the two, simply because it’s just so simple and easy to use.

Earning Structure

Earns a flat 1.5x Ultimate Rewards points on every purchase with no caps.

Perfect for Families & Small Businesses/Side Gigs Who…

Want simplicity without category management
Have diverse family spending and business purchases across many categories
Spend heavily on categories not covered by the Cash card
Prefer consistent earning over category optimization
Spend a lot at places like Costco & Walmart where a 1.5X multiplier can really come in handy

Additional Benefits on Both Cards

Travel Protection Benefits When Using These Cards

Primary rental car coverage for car rentals (incredibly valuable – you can decline the rental company’s expensive coverage!)
Lost Luggage Reimbursement

Hot Tip!
These cards DO have foreign transaction fees so it’s best to pick another card when you are actually traveling, but if you pay for your rental before you leave from a US rental company you’ll be good!

How to Use These 90,000 Points: From Good to AMAZING!

There are a bunch of ways you can use these points and we’ll cover each of them from good, better, and best! If you’re looking for some specific trip ideas and to get an idea of just exactly what you can book with these points, check out this Instagram post here.

Good Option: Cash Out

You can directly cash out these points for $900

Better Option: Chase Travel Portal

You can book $900+ in travel within Chase Travel

Best Option: Transfer to Partners

Pool these points with either a Chase Sapphire Preferred®, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred®, and Sapphire Reserve for Business℠
Combine all your Chase points from different cards between you AND a spouse/partner (this is exactly what we do at our house! I have one card that allows transferring and my husband and I combine and share across our accounts!)
Transfer these points to 14+ transfer partners including Marriott, Hyatt, United, Southwest, Virgin Atlantic, AirFrance, JetBlue British Airways AND more!

Need Help Figuring Out How to Transfer Your Chase Points?!
We’ve got you with our Ultimate Guide to Transferring Chase Points here!

The Bottom Line – Which Card Should You Choose?

If you’re just starting your points journey or want maximum simplicity, go with the Ink Business Unlimited®. If you have heavy spending in dining, gas, and office supplies, the Ink Business Cash® will earn you more. But honestly? With no annual fees and this elevated offer, you really can’t go wrong with either choice! Remember though, you want to snag these cards during this elevated offer period so act fast!

Again, thank you so much for using my links if you do end up applying. It comes at no extra cost to you and means so much to my small business!

I can’t wait to see where these points take your family!

🔥Check Out The Elevated Business Cards Here!

FAQs about the Chase Ink Cash and the Chase Ink Unlimited

Can I hold both of these cards?
Yes! We do at our house, and it’s the best because they don’t have any annual fees.

Can I get the welcome offer on these cards more than once!
YES! This is one of my favorite things about these cards! You’re eligible for the welcome offer again as long as you haven’t had a welcome offer on the same card in the last 24 months. So if you applied for Ink Unlimited in Jan. 2024, got the welcome bonus in March 2024 then you are eligible to get the welcome offer on the Ink Unlimited again in March 2026. If you have the Ink Unlimited but you’ve never had the Ink Cash then you are eligible for the Ink Cash offer anytime!

Do these cards count toward Chase’s 5/24 rule
Both cards are subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule, but approvals do not count against this limit. This means you need to be under 5/24 to get approved, but getting approved won’t add to your 5/24 count – a huge advantage!

Can I do a product switch?
Switching between these products is possible, but doing so will forfeit eligibility for a new card’s welcome offer, so it’s better to just apply for each of them since they don’t have an annual fee.

When will the elevated offer end?
We don’t have an end date yet but these elevated offers usually only last a few weeks to a month so I’d apply stat!

How should I build my Ultimate Rewards Strategy?
For maximum value, consider this order:

Start with your no annual fee Ink card (Cash or Unlimited) because of the elevated bonus
Add a Chase Sapphire Preferred® later to unlock transfer partners and pool points
Then consider other Chase cards like the Freedom Unlimited® for additional earning categories or a more luxe card for luxury benefits
Consider applying for one of these cards and then referring your spouse to one to get a referral bonus on top of your elevated offer!

This creates a powerful ecosystem where all your Chase points work together for maximum travel value.

What if I already have both of these cards and it’s been less than 24 months since I got them?

If you already have both of these cards but you are looking for some other options, I highly suggest taking a look at The Business Platinum Card® from American Express it has an elevated offer as does the Sapphire Reserve for Business℠. However, both of these cards do have high annual fees so keep that in mind!