Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card Review

What the Ink Business Cash actually is

This is Chase's no-annual-fee business credit card built around two fat 5% and 2% cash-back categories. You get 5% back on the first $25,000 spent each year combined at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services. You get 2% back at gas stations and restaurants on the first $25,000. Everything else earns 1%. The annual fee is $0.

The welcome bonus is the loud part. Chase regularly runs an offer worth several hundred dollars in cash back after you hit a modest spend threshold in the first few months, and it has occasionally been split into two tiers. For a card that costs nothing to keep, that's a real return on basically zero risk.

How it performs day to day

The 5% categories are where this card earns its keep. Buy your printer paper, ink, and shipping supplies at Staples or Office Depot, and route your monthly internet and cell bills through it, and you'll clear a meaningful pile of cash back without thinking about it. A lot of small businesses spend right up against that $25,000 cap, which is $1,250 in pure rewards before you touch anything else.

Here's the catch owners run into. Those office-supply stores are also where people buy gift cards, and yes, that's a known loophole for hitting the 5% on other spending. Chase isn't dumb about it, so don't treat it as a money printer. The 1% base rate is mediocre, so this is not your everyday card for general purchases. Pair it with something flat-rate and you've got a tidy setup.

The bigger strategic point: this card earns Ultimate Rewards points dressed up as cash back. If you also hold a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Preferred, you can pool the points and redeem them for travel at a higher value. That quietly turns a cash-back card into a travel engine.

The catches worth knowing

It's a business card, so it falls outside the protections of the consumer CARD Act, and approval leans on Chase's 5/24 rule. If you've opened five or more cards across any bank in the past 24 months, expect a denial. Sole proprietors and side hustles can qualify using their own name and Social Security number, but you do need a legitimate business intent.

There's a 3% foreign transaction fee, which makes this a poor choice abroad. The $25,000 annual caps reset each account anniversary, not calendar year, and once you blow past them the bonus categories drop to 1%. High spenders will outgrow it.

Who should get it, who should skip it

Get it if you run a small business or freelance operation with steady office-supply, internet, and phone spending and you want a no-fee card that pays. It's an easy yes for anyone already in the Chase ecosystem who can transfer points to travel partners.

Skip it if you spend heavily overseas, if your costs don't map to its categories, or if you're at or near 5/24. Big spenders who'll smash through the $25,000 caps should look at the Ink Business Unlimited (flat 1.5%) or Ink Business Preferred instead.

The verdict

The Ink Business Cash is one of the best no-annual-fee business cards on the market, full stop. The category rates are generous, the welcome bonus routinely outclasses cards that charge for the privilege, and the Ultimate Rewards link gives it surprising ceiling. Just don't expect it to carry your general spending, and check your 5/24 status before applying.

For most small businesses, this belongs in the wallet. Pair it with a flat-rate card and it's hard to beat for the price of nothing.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Chase Ink Business Cash really free?

Yes, the annual fee is $0. There's a 3% foreign transaction fee and standard interest if you carry a balance, but no cost to hold the card.

Can I get the Ink Business Cash without a registered business?

Often, yes. Sole proprietors, freelancers, and side hustles can apply using their own name and Social Security number, as long as there's genuine business activity. You'll still need to clear Chase's 5/24 rule.

Does the cash back transfer to Chase travel points?

The rewards are Ultimate Rewards points. On their own they redeem as cash. But if you also hold a Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, or Ink Business Preferred, you can pool the points and transfer them to airline and hotel partners for more value.