Review: Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Review Summary: Although the card_name is marketed as a cashback card for small business owners, savvy award travel enthusiasts have long realized that its generous cashback rewards can actually be combined with points from other Chase cards that offer Ultimate Rewards points.

Pros	Cons
Earn 5x rewards on the first $25,000 spent each year at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services Earn 2x rewards for gas and restaurant purchases Combine rewards with other Chase cards to transfer them to airline miles and hotel points, or for travel reservations No annual fee	Rewards don’t transfer to airline miles or hotel points with this card alone 3% foreign transaction fee

How the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card Works

Table of Contents

• Earning Rewards
• Redeeming Rewards
• Additional Cardholder Benefits
• Other Cards to Consider

How to Earn Rewards 

This card starts off by offering you the opportunity to earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening. You earn 5% cash back/5x points on your first $25,000 spent each year in combined purchases at office supplies stores and on internet, cable and telephone services.

It also offers you 2% cash back/2x points on your first $25,000 spent each year in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants, and 1% cash back on all other purchases with no limit on the amount you can earn.

How to Redeem Rewards 

You can redeem your points for one cent each as cash back, but I wouldn’t.

Instead, you should combine your rewards with those earned from your other Chase travel rewards cards, like the card_name, card_name and card_name. Then, you’ll be able to transfer your rewards to airline miles and hotel points, where they can be worth a lot more than one cent each.

Additional Cardholder Benefits 

The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card credit card offers 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months. Afterwards, the Variable APR will be 18.49% – 24.49%, based on creditworthiness.

Other benefits include purchase protection and extended warranty coverage, as well as an auto rental collision damage waiver.

Alternatives to the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

While this card is a great offer, there are other strong alternatives:

• card_name: This card works much like the Ink Business Cash, but it offers 1.5x rewards on all purchases with no limits. Like the Ink Business Cash, you can combine these rewards with the points you earn from other Chase cards, enabling you to transfer them to airline miles and hotel points.
• card_name:  This small business card offers you double miles on all purchases, and miles are worth one cent each as statement credits toward travel reservations. You can also transfer your miles to 15+ travel loyalty programs. There’s a $95 annual fee for this card that’s waived the first year.
• Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards credit card: This card offers you 3% cashback on your choice of one of the following six categories: gas stations (default), office supply stores, travel, TV/telecom & wireless, computer services or business consulting services. You also receive 2% cash back on dining and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. There’s no annual fee for this card.

Can I Qualify for a Small Business Credit Card?

It might surprise you to learn that you don’t need to be incorporated to qualify for a small business credit card. Anyone can apply as an unincorporated sole proprietor, which just means that you work by yourself and you haven’t filed any paperwork to incorporate.

Instead of using an Employer Identification Number (EIN), you can just use your Social Security Number (SSN) to apply for the card. For your company name, you can use any name that you do business under, including your own name.

Most small business credit cards still rely on your personal credit and your personal guarantee of repayment. And as with any credit card, you should always use your small business cards responsibly. For more information, see Clark’s Philosophy on Credit Cards.

Final Thought

With this card, I find myself going out of my way to make purchases from office supply stores instead of other retailers just to earn the amazing 5x rewards. And by setting up my mobile phone and internet service accounts to charge this card, I earn thousands of additional points each year that I use for award travel. When you consider how quickly you can earn rewards at 5x per dollar, you’ll see how the Ink Business Cash card can be an indispensable tool.