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The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is one of the best Chase business credit cards for several reasons. For one, it doesn’t have an annual fee. That’s a big help when there is still uncertainty from the pandemic. Second, it earns 1.5% cash back on every purchase. So, no matter what you’re getting for your business, including supplies, lunch, or even that online class that can elevate your business, you can earn rewards.
It is also one of the best Chase business credit cards. There are plenty of reasons to pick up this card. Before you make your decision, let’s talk about the details of the offer.
Chase Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card Review
For starters, earning an unlimited 1.5% cash back on every business purchase is a sweet deal. There is no annual fee for this card and employee cards are available at no additional cost.
Like the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card won’t have an annual fee.
Earn $750 Bonus Cash
The new Chase flat-rate business credit card has a few opportunities for signing up.
New Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card cardholders can earn a $750 bonus cash back after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
And if you hold a personal Ultimate Rewards® earning credit card, like the Chase Sapphire cards, you can combine your points so you can transfer them out to an Ultimate Rewards travel partner.
Every Purchase Earns 1.5% Cash Back
The other Ink Business credit cards earn tiered rewards on select purchase categories.
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card will earn 1.5% on every purchase, regardless of the category. If you own the Chase Freedom Unlimited® as your personal flat-rate cash back rewards card, you’ll be very familiar with how the Ink Ultimate rewards will work.
For every $100 you spend, you will get $1.50 back in cash rewards. It’s that simple.
If you own the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you might also consider adding the Ink Unlimited to your Chase card combo. By doing so, you can earn 1.5 Ultimate Rewards points on your non-bonus spending. The points can be transferred and redeemed for award travel through Chase Travel℠.
You can see here how hard it is to get the Ink Business Preferred and its bonus.
Additional Travel and Purchase Ink Unlimited Benefits
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card’s additional benefits should be very similar to those of the Ink Business Cash Credit Card. After all, both business credit cards don’t charge an annual fee.
Additionally, cardholders may redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel, and more through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
Employers can set individual spending limits for greater control and earn rewards faster with employee cards that come at no extra cost. Fraud protection is also included with the card as well as zero fraud liability. Cardholders won’t be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with their card or with their account information.
Primary Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver Protection
Chase will reimburse up to the cash value of the rental car if it’s damaged by collision or theft. This coverage is available for most rental vehicles in the U.S. and abroad.
Purchase Protection
Select purchases up to $10,000 per claim will be protected for the first 120 days against damage and theft. You can submit up to $50,000 in claims each year.
Extended Warranty Protection
On select manufacturer warranties up to three years in length, Chase will extend the warranty by an additional year.
Roadside Dispatch
If you need a tow, jumpstart, or help replace a flat tire, Chase roadside dispatch is available 24/7 to help you get back on the road again!
Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card vs. Ink Business Cash
Now that Chase will be offering two Ink business credit cards without an annual fee, you might have a harder time choosing which one is the best option.
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card earns 1.5% cash back on every purchase. It can make more sense to choose it over the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card if you can’t maximize the bonus categories.
With the Ink Cash, you have the opportunity to earn 5%, 2%, or 1% on each purchase.
On the first $25,000 in combined annual card purchases, you can earn 5% back each account anniversary year on these purchases:
- Office Supply Stores
- Phone, Internet, and Cable purchases
And, you will earn 2% back on the first $25,000 each account anniversary year in combined annual spending for these categories:
- Gas Stations
- Restaurants
All remaining purchases plus any bonus spending in excess of the $25,000 limit earn an unlimited 1% back.
The Ink Business Cash Credit Card or the new Chase flat rate business credit card are good options because you earn rewards points on every purchase and don’t pay an annual fee. You will have to earn more from the 5% and 2% bonus categories to offset the flat rate of 1.5% back. These four bonus categories can get expensive in a hurry so it might be easier than you think to earn bonus cash back.
Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card vs. Ink Business Preferred
The comparison between the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card might be easier to decide which card is the better option for you. If you prefer to travel regularly, the Ink Business Preferred is probably going to be the better option.
With the Ink Unlimited, what you see is what you get, 1.5% back on every purchase without an annual fee.
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card costs $95 a year but comes with more benefits and doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee. You will also earn 3 Ultimate Rewards points per $1 spent in $150,000 combined annual spending for these purchases:
- Travel
- Shipping Purchases
- Internet, Cable, and Phone
- Search Engine and Social Media Advertising
All remaining Ink Business Preferred purchases earn 1 point per $1 spent, plus any bonus spending in excess of $150,000.
Besides the tiered purchase rewards, some of the other benefits include:
- 1:1 point transfer to travel partners
- Points are worth 1.25 cents when redeemed for travel (1 cent for all remaining redemptions)
- Primary rental car collision damage waiver protection
- Cell phone protection up to $600 per claim
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is the better option when you can maximize the four 3x bonus categories. Because the annual fee for the Ink Unlimited is 1.5%, you can use it for all other business purchases that will only earn 1 point per $1. Although it counts as a card application, the extra half-percent cash back can add up each year.
New Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card cardholders can earn 100k bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.
Does the Chase 5/24 Rule Affect the Ink Unlimited?
Although Chase doesn’t publicize the 5/24 Rule, it appears that it will be applied to the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card because it applies to the other two Ink credit cards. This means you won’t be able to apply for the Ink Unlimited if you’ve applied for at least five credit cards in the past 24 months.
Your application for the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card can potentially jeopardize future Chase card applications as well since it will count as one of the five most recent credit card applications.
Is the application worth the flat rate of 1.5% cash back? That decision is for you to decide. You will also need good to excellent credit for the Ink Business Unlimited.
Summary
You can finally get a flat rate business credit card from Chase. The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card will earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase.
New Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card cardholders can earn a $750 bonus cash back after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
This can be a sound option if you don’t benefit from the tiered purchase rewards from the other two Ink credit cards or if you’re looking for a secondary flat-rate business credit card.
Transfer Possibilities
While you can certainly redeem the signup bonus points for cash, it might be more lucrative to transfer those points to one of the many travel companies that partner with Chase, like Hyatt and United.
Note that this is only possible if you already have a premium Chase card such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.
Keep in mind that transferring your points to travel partners might squeeze even more worth out of them. Current Chase partners include United MileagePlus, British Airways Avios, Korean Air Skypass, Hyatt, and Marriott Rewards.
Earnings For Purchases
Normally, customers can expect a 1-2% cash back rate for their cards. With the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card, customers get 1.5% cash back on all purchases. This isn’t just for a set of qualifying purchases because all purchases qualify! There is also no cap on the number of points that you can earn, meaning there is no limit to the rewards you can redeem.
Remember to keep good track of your points, though. With 1.5x Ultimate Rewards points per dollar, you can easily transfer those points to travel partners where they are often worth more than they would be at face value.
We all know that an enticing sign-up bonus paired with everyday opportunities to stockpile rewards is sometimes insufficient to offset the financial burden of a high annual fee. However, the Chase Ink Business Unlimited Card comes with no annual fee.
Additional Ink Business Preferred Perks
So, while it is good for your FICO and financial health to pay more than the minimum monthly payments and keep a firm grasp on your debt, this card basically doubles as an interest-free, one-year loan that might be beneficial depending on your projected spending habits. Do make sure that your “loan” is paid off before the 12-month period ends because the interest is considerably higher after that free period.
Even though the Ink Business Unlimited Card comes with loads of amazing benefits in tow, now may not be the time for you to apply for one. The most important thing to consider when opening a new credit line with Chase is their notorious 5/24 rule.
If over the past 24 months you have opened more than five new personal cards from any bank or a Capital One or Barclays business card, you may not be approved for this card. If you’re already over the limit, it’s wise to wait until enough time passes so that you’re cleared to apply.
Additionally, this card is one of the best small business credit cards. This means that you need to have a business in order to apply successfully. However, in the world of the sharing economy and freelance digital nomads, loads of things can count as a business. If you have an online shop or a side gig that includes freelance writing, photography, or whatever services your independent contract provides, this qualifies as a business.
Bottom Line
In the end, the Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is pretty impressive in terms of rewards, benefits, and a generous sign-up bonus. The 1.5% cash back on all purchases has the potential to benefit your travel habits, plus savvy consumers can plan ahead. Plus, all of these benefits come with no annual fee – that’s a huge win.
