Chase Ink Business Cash Review
A no-fee business card whose 5% categories cover exactly what small businesses actually spend on.
Welcome bonus
$350 cash back after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, plus an additional $400 after $6,000 total in the first 6 months.
Rewards structure
- 5%office supply stores, phone, internet, and cable services (on the first $25,000 per year)
- 2%gas stations and restaurants (on the first $25,000 per year)
- 1%everything else
Perks & benefits
- No annual fee
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months
- Purchase protection and extended warranty
- Cell phone protection when you pay the phone bill with the card
- Employee cards at no cost
- Business does not count toward Chase 5/24 for personal cards
Who this card is for
- Small business owners with any office supply or telecom spend
- Freelancers who need a real business card without an annual fee
- Chase Trifecta builders adding a business card for combined UR points and 5/24 bypass
Pros & cons
Pros
- No annual fee — a permanent business hold
- 5% at office supply stores includes Amazon Business, Staples, Office Depot — real spend for most SMBs
- When paired with a Sapphire Preferred or Reserve, cashback becomes 5x transferable Ultimate Rewards points
- Getting a business card does not count toward Chase 5/24, unblocking personal Chase applications
Cons
- Requires actual business use — hobby income and side hustles technically qualify but require honest representation
- 5% categories cap at $25,000 combined per year (still a lot for most small businesses)
- Foreign transaction fee of 3% — do not take this card abroad
- Requires solid personal credit for approval — no shortcut
Our take
The Ink Cash is the most-recommended business card in points-and-miles circles for a reason: 5% on office supplies and telecom, transferable when paired with a Sapphire, and no annual fee. Any freelancer, consultant, side-hustle owner, or small business operator who spends anything on Amazon Business, Staples, or phone/internet service should hold this card.
The strategic angle is 5/24. Chase declines applicants who have opened five or more personal cards in the past 24 months — but business cards from most issuers, including Chase, do not count. Opening an Ink Cash gives you a Chase card without adding to your 5/24 count, which unblocks future Chase personal applications (like a Sapphire Preferred). This is the standard entry point into the Chase ecosystem for anyone approaching or over 5/24.
The card works best as part of a system. Paired with a Sapphire Preferred, the Ink Cash's 5% at office supply stores becomes 5x Ultimate Rewards points on Amazon Business spend — worth roughly 7.5% back at Hyatt. That is materially better than any personal card can do on that spending category, and it is why every serious points optimizer with legitimate business spend holds at least one Ink.