If you run any kind of business—even a small side hustle—Chase’s Ink Business cards represent some of the best value propositions in the credit card world. Massive sign-up bonuses, no annual fees (on two of the three), and access to Chase’s powerful Ultimate Rewards ecosystem make these cards essential for business owners and self-employed individuals alike.

But with three Ink cards to choose from, which one is right for you? And can you get more than one? Let’s break down the complete Ink Business lineup and show you how to maximize these cards.

The Chase Ink Business Card Lineup

Chase offers three Ink Business credit cards, each with distinct strengths:

Ink Business Unlimited®

The simple, flat-rate earner

• Annual Fee: $0
• Welcome Bonus: Typically 75,000 UR points after spending $6,000 in 3 months
• Earning Rate: 1.5x points on every purchase, no categories, no caps
• Transfer Capable: No (requires pairing with Ink Preferred or Sapphire)

The Ink Business Unlimited is the business equivalent of the Freedom Unlimited. Put all your non-category spending here and earn a reliable 1.5 points per dollar on everything.

Ink Business Cash®

The category maximizer

• Annual Fee: $0
• Welcome Bonus: Typically 75,000 UR points after spending $6,000 in 3 months
• Earning Rates:
  • 5x on office supplies, internet, cable, and phone services (first $25,000 annually)
  • 2x on gas stations and restaurants (first $25,000 annually)
  • 1x on everything else
• Transfer Capable: No (requires pairing with Ink Preferred or Sapphire)

The Ink Business Cash shines for specific business expenses. If you’re paying for office supplies, your monthly internet bill, or business cell phone plans, you’re earning 5x points on purchases that would otherwise earn 1x on a generic card.

Ink Business Preferred®

The transfer card powerhouse

• Annual Fee: $95
• Welcome Bonus: Typically 100,000 UR points after spending $15,000 in 3 months
• Earning Rates:
  • 3x on travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone, and advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines (first $150,000 annually combined)
  • 1x on everything else
• Transfer Capable: Yes—unlocks transfers to airline and hotel partners

The Ink Business Preferred is the key that unlocks the full potential of your business card earnings. It’s also the only Ink card that can transfer points to partners like United, Hyatt, and Southwest.

Why Business Cards Matter for Points Strategy

Business credit cards play a unique role in a well-optimized credit card portfolio:

They Don’t Count Against 5/24 (After Approval)

When you’re approved for a business card, it doesn’t appear on your personal credit report. This means it doesn’t add to your 5/24 count, preserving your ability to get more personal Chase cards later.

Important caveat: Chase still checks your 5/24 status when you apply for a business card. You need to be under 5/24 to get approved—the card just doesn’t increase your count afterward.

Separate Sign-Up Bonuses

Business card bonuses are separate from personal card bonuses. You can earn a Freedom Unlimited bonus AND an Ink Business Unlimited bonus. They’re completely independent.

Keep Business and Personal Separate

Using a dedicated business card helps with:

• Expense tracking and bookkeeping
• Tax preparation
• Potential liability separation
• Professional appearance

Do You Qualify for a Business Card?

Many people assume business cards require a formal LLC or corporation. That’s not true. Chase approves business cards for sole proprietors with minimal business activity.

What Counts as a “Business”

• Selling items on eBay, Etsy, or Amazon
• Freelance consulting or creative work
• Rideshare or delivery driving (Uber, DoorDash, Instacart)
• Tutoring or coaching
• Rental property ownership
• Reselling (buying and selling anything for profit)
• Any side income you report on Schedule C

If you earn any money outside a W-2 job—even a few hundred dollars per year—you likely qualify.

How to Apply as a Sole Proprietor

When applying, you’ll provide:

• Business name: Your personal legal name (for sole proprietors)
• Business type: Sole proprietorship
• Industry: Select the closest match to your activity
• Years in business: How long you’ve been doing this activity
• Annual business revenue: Estimate your annual income from this activity
• Tax ID: Your Social Security Number (sole proprietors don’t need a separate EIN)

Chase doesn’t typically verify these details. They’re evaluating your personal creditworthiness, not auditing your business.

Choosing the Right Ink Card

Get the Ink Business Cash If:

• You spend heavily on office supplies (including gift cards at office stores)
• You pay for internet, cable, or phone services for your business
• You want 5x earning on specific categories
• You want a no-annual-fee card

Get the Ink Business Unlimited If:

• Your business spending is diverse without heavy category concentration
• You want simple, predictable earning (1.5x on everything)
• You want a no-annual-fee card
• You’re pairing it with an Ink Business Cash for comprehensive coverage

Get the Ink Business Preferred If:

• You want access to Chase transfer partners (absolutely essential)
• You spend on travel, advertising (Google Ads, Facebook Ads), or shipping
• You can handle the $95 annual fee
• You want the larger 100,000-point welcome bonus

The Power Combo: Why You Want Multiple Ink Cards

Here’s the secret most people miss: you can hold all three Ink cards simultaneously. And you probably should.

The Optimal Three-Card Setup

1. Ink Business Preferred - Unlocks partner transfers for all your UR points
2. Ink Business Cash - Earns 5x on office supplies, internet, cable, phone
3. Ink Business Unlimited - Earns 1.5x on everything else

With this setup:

• Your categorized spending earns 5x (Ink Cash)
• Your non-category spending earns 1.5x (Ink Unlimited)
• All your points can transfer to airlines and hotels (through Ink Preferred)

Combined earning potential:

• Three welcome bonuses: ~250,000 UR points
• Total annual fee: Just $95 (the Preferred; the other two are free)

When to Apply for Each

Space your applications 2-3 months apart. Chase has internal velocity limits on business cards, and applying for multiple cards too quickly often results in denials.

Suggested timeline:

1. Month 1: Apply for Ink Business Preferred (largest bonus)
2. Month 3-4: Apply for Ink Business Cash
3. Month 6-7: Apply for Ink Business Unlimited

Transfer Partners: Why the Ink Preferred Is Essential

Without the Ink Business Preferred (or a Sapphire card), your Ink Cash and Ink Unlimited points are worth exactly 1 cent each—redeemable only for cash back or gift cards.

With the Ink Preferred, you can:

• Transfer points to World of Hyatt (often 2+ cents per point)
• Transfer to United, Southwest, and other airlines
• Pool points from all your Chase UR cards
• Redeem through Chase Travel at 1.25x value

Example: 100,000 points from Ink Cash

• Without Ink Preferred: $1,000 cash back
• With Ink Preferred → Hyatt transfer: $2,000+ in hotel value

The $95 annual fee pays for itself many times over if you’re earning significant points on your other cards.

Maximizing Ink Business Cash Categories

The 5x categories on the Ink Business Cash deserve special attention.

Office Supply Stores

“Office supply stores” includes:

• Staples
• Office Depot / OfficeMax
• Amazon Business (selected purchases coded as office supplies)

Pro tip: Many office supply stores sell gift cards. Buying gift cards at Staples effectively earns you 5x on spending at other retailers. Check what’s available in-store.

Internet, Cable, and Phone

This covers your business connectivity expenses:

• Business internet service
• Cable or streaming for business purposes
• Business cell phone lines
• VoIP services

If you work from home and pay for internet, this alone can earn thousands of bonus points annually.

The $25,000 Annual Cap

Both 5x and 2x categories are capped at $25,000 combined per year. After reaching the cap, purchases earn 1x. For most small businesses, this cap is generous—$25,000 in office supply and phone purchases alone is substantial.

Business Card Application Tips

Apply When You’re Under 5/24

Chase checks your 5/24 status for business cards. Apply while you’re still under the limit.

Have an Existing Chase Relationship

Having a Chase checking account or prior credit card history improves approval odds. If you’re new to Chase, consider opening a checking account first.

Be Prepared for Verification

Some applications trigger a verification call. Be ready to explain your business simply and confidently. They’re not looking for a business plan—just confirming basic information.

Watch the 1/30 Rule

Chase typically won’t approve a second business card within 30 days of a previous Chase business card approval. Space your applications accordingly.

Common Questions About Ink Cards

Can I use a business card for personal expenses?

Technically yes, but it’s not recommended. Mixing personal and business expenses complicates bookkeeping and could create issues if your business is ever audited. Use business cards for business purchases.

Will a business card affect my personal credit?

The account won’t appear on your personal credit report (it doesn’t count toward 5/24). However, the hard inquiry from your application will appear, and the account could affect your personal credit if you miss payments.

Can I have employee cards?

Yes. Ink cards allow you to add employee cards at no extra cost. Employee spending counts toward your point earning and sign-up bonus minimums.

What’s the credit limit like?

Business card credit limits are often higher than personal cards. Limits of $10,000-$30,000 are common for applicants with good credit, and you can request increases over time.

Ink Cards vs. Sapphire Cards

If you’re deciding between Ink Business Preferred and Chase Sapphire Preferred, consider:

Ink Business Preferred advantages:

• 100,000-point bonus (often higher than Sapphire)
• Doesn’t count toward 5/24 after approval
• 3x on advertising and shipping (unique categories)
• Separate from personal card bonuses

Sapphire Preferred advantages:

• 3x dining category
• Trip delay and travel insurance
• Easier to meet spending requirements for non-business owners

Best answer: Get both eventually. They have separate bonus eligibility, and holding multiple transfer-capable cards gives you flexibility.

Key Takeaways

• Chase offers three Ink Business cards: Cash (5x categories), Unlimited (1.5x everything), and Preferred (transfer access)
• Business cards don’t count toward 5/24 after approval but Chase still checks your status when applying
• You can hold all three Ink cards simultaneously for comprehensive earning
• The Ink Business Preferred unlocks transfers to 14 airline and hotel partners—essential for maximizing points
• Sole proprietors with any side income qualify for business cards
• Space applications 2-3 months apart to avoid velocity denials
• The 5x categories on Ink Cash (office supplies, internet, phone) offer exceptional value

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my business only makes a few hundred dollars per year?

That’s fine. Chase doesn’t have minimum revenue requirements. Many successful applicants have very small side businesses. Be honest about your revenue, and you’ll likely be approved based on your personal credit profile.

Can I transfer points between Ink cards?

Yes. You can freely combine UR points between your own Chase cards. Move Ink Cash points to your Ink Preferred account, then transfer to partners.

Do Ink cards report to personal credit bureaus?

Generally no. Chase business cards typically don’t appear on personal credit reports (Experian, TransUnion, Equifax). They may report to business credit bureaus like Dun & Bradstreet.

Can I product change an Ink card to a different Ink card?

Yes, but options are limited. You can product change between Ink Cash and Ink Unlimited. Product changing to/from Ink Preferred has more restrictions due to the annual fee difference.

How do I combine Ink points with Sapphire points?

If you have both Ink and Sapphire cards, you can transfer points between them freely. Many people combine all their UR points into their Sapphire Reserve for the 1.5x portal redemption value.

Is there a business version of the Sapphire Reserve?

Chase has occasionally offered business-focused premium products, but the Ink Preferred remains the primary business card with transfer partner access. For premium travel benefits, most business owners pair Ink cards with a personal Sapphire Reserve.

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Disclaimer: Credit card offers, bonuses, and terms change frequently. Verify current offers and business card requirements on Chase’s website before applying. Business card approval depends on personal creditworthiness and Chase’s internal criteria.

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