Advertiser disclosure: Cards and Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Cards and Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers. Compensation may affect how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies or all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to all credit card benefits.
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card from Chase offers small business owners simple 1.5% cash back rewards on all their spending, with no caps or bonus categories to worry about. The card carries no annual fee.
The strength of the Ink Business Unlimited® card’s rewards is simplicity: You get 1.5% cash back on all of your spending. Chase markets the card’s rewards as cash back, but the card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points behind the scenes, which can be transferred to a premium Ultimate Rewards® card and redeemed for greater value.
The card offers a limited, but useful set of perks including primary auto rental collision damage waiver insurance when renting for business, purchase protection, and extended warranty protection.
Learn how to apply.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card sign-up bonus
bonus_miles_full
One of the best welcome bonuses available on a card with no annual fee.
More about this card
Benefit highlights:
Primary auto rental collision damage waiver when renting for business.
Baggage delay insurance.
Lost luggage reimbursement.
Travel accident insurance.
Travel and emergency assistance services.
Roadside dispatch.
Purchase protection.
Extended warranty protection.
Rewards:
5% on Lyft rides through March 2025.
1.5% on all other purchases.
Rewards are marketed as cash back but earned as Ultimate Rewards® points.
Learn more:
Learn more about this card in our guide to the Ink Business Unlimited.
Read more about how to use Ultimate Rewards® points in our complete guide.
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card at a glance
Here’s what you need to know about the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card.
Rewards
| 5% | Lyft (Earn 5% back on Lyft rides through March 2025) | |
| 1.5% | All other purchases |
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is marketed as a cash back credit card, but it earns Ultimate Rewards® points.
Benefits
| Consumer insurance benefits Extended warranty protection Purchase protection | |
| Travel insurance benefits Auto rental collision damage waiver Baggage delay insurance Lost luggage reimbursement Roadside dispatch service Travel accident insurance |
Other important terms
| Annual fee: $0 | |
| Foreign transaction fee: 3% |
My take on the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
I love this card and it is my go-to card for most of my small business spending. I get 1.5% cash back (as Ultimate Rewards® points). Since I’m invested in the Ultimate Rewards® ecosystem, I can transfer the points I earn on this card to my Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card and then either use them to book travel through Chase Travel or transfer them to airline partners for business and first class international flights or stays with Hyatt.
Perhaps the biggest advantage of using a small business credit card like the Ink Business Unlimited® over a personal card is that small business cards typically do not report to your personal credit report. While your credit score won’t benefit from having access to the additional credit, in some months, I spend a lot on my business credit cards. And I don’t get hurt by having a high statement closing balance on my business card.
If I could make one wish for the card, it is that the rewards would mirror the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, which offers 3% rewards on dining and drugstores in addition to 1.5% cash back on general purchases.
Bottom line: If you have a small business of any type (and you probably have a small business) you should get this card for your general business spending.
Welcome bonus
Learn how to apply.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card sign-up bonus
bonus_miles_full
One of the best welcome bonuses available on a card with no annual fee.
More about this card
Benefit highlights:
Primary auto rental collision damage waiver when renting for business.
Baggage delay insurance.
Lost luggage reimbursement.
Travel accident insurance.
Travel and emergency assistance services.
Roadside dispatch.
Purchase protection.
Extended warranty protection.
Rewards:
5% on Lyft rides through March 2025.
1.5% on all other purchases.
Rewards are marketed as cash back but earned as Ultimate Rewards® points.
Learn more:
Learn more about this card in our guide to the Ink Business Unlimited.
Read more about how to use Ultimate Rewards® points in our complete guide.
Card rewards
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase you make for your business. Although the card is marketed as a cash back card, it earns Ultimate Rewards® points, which can be combined across accounts and, if you hold a premium Ultimate Rewards® card, transferred to travel partners.
| 5% | Lyft (Earn 5% back on Lyft rides through March 2025) | |
| 1.5% | All other purchases |
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is marketed as a cash back credit card, but it earns Ultimate Rewards® points.
How to use Chase Ultimate Rewards points
The Ultimate Rewards® points you earn with your card can be transferred between your cards. If you hold multiple cards that earn Ultimate Rewards®, you can earn points on one card and use the enhanced redemption options of another card.
Here are the best Ultimate Rewards® redemption options by card:
| Cards with no annual fee | Premium cards | High-tier premium cards | |
|---|---|---|---|
    |   |  | |
| Chase Freedom Flex Chase Freedom Unlimited® Ink Business Cash® Ink Business Unlimited® | Chase Sapphire Preferred® Ink Business Preferred® | Chase Sapphire Reserve® | |
| Cash back 1 cent per point | |||
| Travel through Chase Travel℠ | 100% of cash value | 125% of cash value | $150 of cash value |
| Transfers to travel partners See list of transfer partners below. | – | ||
| Gift cards 1 cent per point, with occasional sales on select brands |
The Ink Business Premier® Credit Card is marketed as an Ultimate Rewards® card, but it doesn’t allow you to transfer points to other cards, so it is not included in this table.
Ultimate Rewards Transfer partners
Point transfers to Ultimate Rewards® transfer partners are widely believed to be the best way to get the most value from your Chase points. When you transfer points to a partner, your Ultimate Rewards® become point in that partner’s loyalty program. You can then redeem your points for awards offered by a partner loyalty program. Point transfers cannot be reversed, so be sure you know what you’re going to use your points for before transferring them.
Here are the airlines and hotels you can transfer to if you hold a premium Ultimate Rewards® credit card:
| Transfer partner | Program highlights | |
|---|---|---|
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Easy-to-use Star Alliance awards, with the option to spend extra miles to make flights cancelable. | |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | Great for monthly Flying Blue promo awards. | |
| Avios Aer Lingus AerClub British Airways Executive Club Iberia Plus | Distance-based programs with good value on shorter flights like USA-Ireland (AerClub) and short-haul flights on Oneworld partners (Executive Club). | |
| Emirates Skywards | One of the few ways to book Emirates first class with points. | |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | Reward prices tied to cash prices of tickets, usually around 1.3 cents per point. | |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | One of the few ways to book Singapore first class tickets with points. | |
| United MileagePlus | Good value off-peak international economy awards. Generous award change/cancel policies. | |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | Some opportunities to book good-value premium cabin awards with partners. | |
| IHG One Rewards | Offers a fourth night free on point redemptions if you hold an IHG-branded credit card, but generally not a good use of Ultimate Rewards® points. | |
| Marriott Bonvoy | May be a reasonable use if you need just a few points to top off an award, but generally not a good use of Ultimate Rewards® points. | |
| World of Hyatt | Offers excellent redemption value at some properties due to its award chart. |
Redemptions options you shouldn’t use
The table above shows you the best Ultimate Rewards® redemption options. But there are some ways to redeem points that provide less value. Here are the redemption options you should avoid:
- Most gift card redemptions only offer 1 cent per point. You’re not getting any additional value and you’re giving up the flexibility of cash when you redeem for gift cards. Only redeem for gift cards when select brands are on sale.
- Pay with points usually offers less value than 1 cent per point. You can get more value from your points through a cash back redemption.
- Shop with Apple only offers 1 cent per point. If you use your points for cash back and charge your Apple purchases to your card, you can earn rewards for your purchases.
- Chase Dining only offers 1 cent per point. Use your points for cash back instead and get rewards on your dining purchases.
Benefits of the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
In addition to earning 1.5% cash back on all your spending, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card offers a limited suite of benefits for small business owners who travel or purchase durable goods using the card.
| Consumer insurance benefits Extended warranty protection Purchase protection | |
| Travel insurance benefits Auto rental collision damage waiver Baggage delay insurance Lost luggage reimbursement Roadside dispatch service Travel accident insurance |
Consumer insurance benefits
Many cards offer consumer insurance benefits that can protect the things you buy. Here are the consumer insurance benefits offered by the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card. Terms and restrictions apply to all benefits.
Extended warranty provides additional warranty coverage on items you purchase with your card. Chase extended warranty protection extends the time period of the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year, on eligible warranties of three years or less.
Purchase protection protects the things you buy with your card from damage or theft for a certain amount of time after you buy them. Chase purchase protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
Travel insurance benefits
Cards targeted toward travelers often offer travel insurance benefits that can protect you when you are traveling away from home. Terms and restrictions apply to all benefits.
Auto rental collision damage waiver protects you against damage to or theft of your rental vehicle. For coverage to apply, you need to reserve and pay for your vehicle using your card and decline your car rental company’s collision damage waiver. The coverage provided by your Chase Ink Unlimited is primary when renting for business purposes.
Baggage delay insurance – Reimburses you for essential purchases like toiletries and clothing for baggage delays over 6 hours by passenger carrier up to $100 a day for 5 days.
Lost luggage reimbursement offers reimbursement if your bags are lost, damaged or stolen while traveling on a common carrier. Coverage is included up to $3,000 per passenger.
Roadside dispatch service provides a single number that you can use to get connected to local providers for roadside services like towing, lockout service, tire changes, fuel delivery, and more. Services are provided for a pre-negotiated, per-service fee.
Travel accident insurance pays set benefit amounts for loss of life or limb while traveling, as long as you book your common carrier tickets with your card. Chase travel accident insurance provides coverage both while being transported by a common carrier and during your trip.
Who is the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card best for?
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is best for the small business owner who wants a single card to use as their default business credit card for most business expenses. Here’s who will benefit most from the Ink Unlimited:
- Small business owners looking for simplicity and cash back rewards. The Ink Unlimited provides 1.5% cash back rewards on an unlimited amount of spending. Other small business cards can offer more cash back rewards, but they very frequently come with annual fees or reward caps. The Ink Unlimited keeps it simple: No annual fees and no caps.
- Business who have an Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card and want to earn more Ultimate Rewards®. The Ink Unlimited is perhaps most powerful as part of a Chase Ink small business wallet. When you also hold the Ink Preferred card, you can get more value from your points. See the cards that complement the Ink Unlimited, below.
Cards that complement the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Since the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card earns Ultimate Rewards®, you can make the points you earn more valuable if you pair the card with a premium Ultimate Rewards card. The natural choice is the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, but the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® are two personal cards that can also increase the value of your Ultimate Rewards.
Make your rewards more valuable: Pair the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card with a premium card
When you pair the Ink Unlimited with a premium Ultimate Rewards card, you can transfer your Ink Unlimited points to your premium card and redeem them for increased value through Chase Travel℠. Here’s the value you can get from Chase Travel℠ redemptions on the points you earn with the Ink Unlimited when you transfer your points to a premium card:
| Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card | Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Chase Sapphire Reserve® | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |   |  | ||
| Lyft rides through March 2025 | 5% | 6.25% | 7.5% | |
| General purchases | 1.5% | 1.875% | 2.25% |
Earn more rewards with cards that offer complementary rewards earnings
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card offers an excellent baseline of 1.5% rewards for your business, but you could earn more rewards in other categories by adding these cards to your wallet and using them for spending:
- Office supplies, telecommunications. The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is perhaps the best card to use for office supply purchases because it earns 5% cash back on the first $25,000 you spend in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services.
- Travel. The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card earns 3x points on the first $150k you spend on shipping; advertising with social media sites and search engines; internet, cable and phone services; and travel each account anniversary year. The card also features premium travel insurance protections and lets you redeem your Ultimate Rewards® points for increased value through Chase Travel℠.
Alternatives to the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
If you’re looking for a card that earns a good rate of cash back on all of your business purchases, here are a few other cards to consider:
- The Capital One Spark Cash Plus has offers 2% cash back rewards for a $150 annual fee, which you’ll get refunded each year when you spend at least $150,000 on the card. The Capital One Spark Cash Select offers a similar card with no annual fee and 1.5% cash back rewards.
- If you can put your business expenses on a personal card, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® will match the Ink Unlimited’s 1.5% rewards, but adds 3% rewards on dining and drugstores. The card also earns its rewards as Ultimate Rewards® points.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an LLC for Chase Ink?
No. You don’t need an LLC or any formal business structure to apply for a Chase Ink credit card. As long as you have some sort of business, you can apply.
Can I get a better welcome offer on the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card in-branch?
Chase sometimes offers better offers on the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card and its other small business cards in-branch. We cover the best Ink Business Unlimited sign-up bonuses, including in-branch offers we know about in an article that we constantly update.
Advertiser disclosure: Cards and Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Cards and Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers. Compensation may affect how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies or all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to all credit card benefits.
