Which is better, the Ink Business Premier card or the Ink Business Cash card?

Neither card is necessarily better than the other. One might be a better option for your individual business needs depending on what types of expenses your business spends the most on. Consider the bonus categories, perks, protections, and fees of each card, and then decide from there.

What are the benefits of the Ink Business Premier card?

Some of the best benefits of the Ink Business Premier card include its ability to earn an uncapped 2.5% cash-back on purchases larger than $5,000 and 2% cash-back on all other purchases. It also offers cell phone protection, purchase protection, and no foreign transaction fees.

What are the benefits of the Ink Business Cash card?

The Ink Business Cash card can be a strong cash-back earner thanks to its 5% cash-back on combined purchases at office supply stores, and internet, cable, and phone services on up to $25,000 in spend per year, plus 2% cash-back on combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants on up to $25,000 in spend per year. The Ink Business Cash card also has no annual fee and the ability to pool your rewards with a premium Ultimate Rewards card with access to Chase’s transfer partners.

Does the Ink Business Premier card have an annual fee?

Yes, the Ink Business Premier card charges a annual fee.

Does the Ink Business Cash card charge an annual fee?

No, the Ink Business Cash card does not charge an annual fee.

Does the Ink Business Premier card charge foreign transaction fees?

No, the Ink Business Premier card does not charge foreign transaction fees, making it a great choice when you travel overseas.

Does the Ink Business Cash card charge foreign transaction fees?

Yes, the Ink Business Cash card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, so you will not want to use this card when traveling internationally.

Ink Business Premier Card vs. Ink Business Cash Card [Detailed Comparison]

Updated: November 14, 2024, 5:30am CST

Edited by:

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Key Takeaways
Overview
Welcome Bonus Comparison
Earning Potential
Redemption Options
Statement Credits
Travel Protections
Shopping Benefits and Protections
Annual Fees and Adding Authorized Users
Final Thoughts

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Key Takeaways

The Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card offers 2% cash back on all purchases and 2.5% on larger purchases, whereas the Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card provides 5% back in key business categories like office supplies and internet services.
The Ink Business Cash card is a no-fee card offering high-value cash-back for smaller businesses with targeted spending.
The Ink Business Premier works best for companies needing cash-back on diverse expenses, particularly if these amounts exceed $5,000.

The New Business Card! Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card and the Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card are 2 excellent Chase business credit card options, but how should you decide which card is better for your business?

In this guide, we provide a detailed comparison of the rewards structures, fees, earn rates, benefits, and protections that each card has to offer to help you make your decision.

Overview

We will dive into each section in further detail, but first, here is a high-level overview of what each card has to offer:

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Card Name	Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card	Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card
Welcome Bonus	Earn $1,000 cash-back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.	Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 6 months.
Earning Potential	5% total cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel 2.5% cash-back on purchases of $5,000 or more 2% cash-back on all other purchases	5% cash-back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores, and on internet, cable, and phone services each account anniversary year 2% cash-back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year 1% cash-back on all other purchases
Redemption Options	Cash-back via a statement credit Travel through Chase Travel Shopping with select retailers, Gift cards	Cash-back via statement credit Travel through Chase Travel Shopping with select retailers, Gift cards Ability to pool points if paired with a premium Chase Ultimate Rewards card
Statement Credits	N/A	N/A
Travel Protections	Auto rental collision damage waiver, travel and emergency assistance services, roadside dispatch No foreign transaction fees	Auto rental collision damage waiver, travel and emergency assistance services, roadside dispatch No foreign transaction fees
Shopping Benefits and Protections	Purchase protection, extended warranty protection Cell phone protection	Purchase protection, extended warranty protection
Annual Fee	$195	$0
Authorized User Fee	$0	$0

Bottom Line: There are similarities between both the Ink Business Premier and Ink Business Cash card, with the main factor setting them apart being the different cash-back bonus categories they offer. The Ink Business Cash card fares better on purchases at office supply stores, and on internet, phone, and cable services. On the other hand, the Ink Business Premier card fares better when it comes to purchases over $5,000 and non-bonus purchases thanks to its 2% cash-back on all other purchases.

Welcome Bonus Comparison

The welcome bonus you receive from your card is a great way to jumpstart your rewards earnings, and here is what each card offers:

Ink Business Premier Card

Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card

U.P. Rating

Earn up to 5% cash-back for your business without complex bonus earning categories!

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card

Earn up to 5% cash-back for your business without complex bonus earning categories!

Welcome OfferEarn $1,000 bonus cash-back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
$1,000

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$1,000

Annual Fee

$195

APR

Flex for Business Variable APR: 18.99% - 26.99%

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

Chase has introduced the Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card to its business credit card lineup. With straightforward cash-back earnings on everyday purchases and large expenses, tools to help you monitor your business, and multiple ways to redeem your rewards, this is a great card option to consider.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Earn 2.5% total cash-back on purchases of $5,000 or more
Earn 2% cash-back on all other business purchases
Unlimited 5% total cash-back on travel purchased through Chase Travel

Cons

$195 annual fee
Some purchases need to be paid in full each month and don’t qualify for Flex for Business APR

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earn unlimited 2.5% total cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more and unlimited 2% cash back on all other business purchases.
Travel Benefits: Unlimited 5% total cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, No Foreign Transaction Fees and Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance.
The only business credit card with 2.5% cash back on every purchase of $5,000 or more.
Get the buying power you need to make large purchases, cover monthly expenses and help your business grow. While you must pay your Pay In Full balance each month, this card has built-in flexibility. The Flex for Business feature allows for qualifying purchases to be paid over time with interest.
Purchase with confidence with built-in protections like Fraud Protection, Zero Liability Protection, Purchase Protection, Cell Phone Protection, and Extended Warranty Protection.
There's no additional cost for employee cards. Monitor spend with digital tools like purchase alerts, set spending limits, reporting, and more.
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: Flex for Business Variable APR: 18.99% - 26.99%
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

One noteworthy aspect about the rewards that new Ink Business Premier cardholders can earn is that even though they come in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you don’t have access to the Chase travel transfer partners and you cannot transfer your points to a card that does.

Given that, your points will always be worth 1 cent per point regardless of how you decide to redeem them. While this is less flexible than other business cards, being able to earn cash-back is helpful for any business owner.

Ink Business Cash Card

Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card

U.P. Rating

This card offers great rewards and no annual fee. Any new business owner that needs to get going will enjoy this card.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card

This card offers great rewards and no annual fee. Any new business owner that needs to get going will enjoy this card.

Welcome OfferEarn $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.
Up to $750

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
Up to $750

Annual Fee

APR

0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; 17.99% - 25.99% variable thereafter.

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card has a lot going for it that makes it a compelling choice for small business owners. The card features a very lucrative 5% back on up to $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on cellular phone, landline, internet, and cable TV services each account anniversary year.

When you factor in that the card has no annual fee, and 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 17.99% - 25.99% thereafter, you could be adding big value back into your business for no cost out of pocket.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Earn 5% back on up to $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on cellular phone, landline, internet, and cable TV services each account anniversary year
Earn 2% back on up to $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants, and 1% back on all other purchases
Travel insurance and purchase protection

Cons

Spending caps in bonus categories
Low points earning outside of bonus categories

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

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
Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
No Annual Fee
Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards^®.
0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; 17.99% - 25.99% variable thereafter.
Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Similar to the Ink Business Premier card, the rewards on the Ink Business Cash card come in the form of Ultimate Rewards points that can be redeemed at 1 cent per point for a variety of options.

However, while the Ink Business Cash card itself does not have access to transfer partners, you are permitted to pool the points you earn with it with a card that does, such as the Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card, making the points significantly more flexible for those that are willing to hold multiple cards.

Earning Potential

One of the primary reasons to carry a business credit card is the rewards that it can offer you on all of your purchases. Here is how both the Ink Business Premier card and Ink Business Cash card reward you for your purchases:

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Bonus Category	Ink Business Premier Card	Ink Business Cash Card
Travel Booked Through Chase Travel	5% cash-back	1% cash-back
Office Supply Stores	2% cash-back	5% cash-back (on the first $25,000 spent combined with internet, cable, and phone service purchases, then 1% cash-back)
Internet, Cable, and Phone Services	2% cash-back	5% cash-back (on the first $25,000 spent combined with office supply store purchases, then 1% cash-back)
Gas Stations	2% cash-back	2% cash-back (on the first $25,000 spent combined with restaurant purchases, then 1% cash-back)
Restaurants	2% cash-back	2% cash-back (on the first $25,000 spent combined with gas station purchases, then 1% cash-back)
Purchases Larger Than $5,000	2.5% cash-back	1% cash-back
All Other Purchases	2% cash-back	1% cash-back

Taking a hard look at what your business spends the most on each month will help you decide which card’s bonus category setup will earn you more rewards.

If your business spends a significant amount each year at office supply stores, and/or internet, phone, and cable services or travel booked through Chase Travel, then earning 5% cash-back on these purchases with the Ink Business Cash card would be the better option for you. Just keep in mind that these 5% cash-back rewards are limited to $25,000 in spend per year.

Outside of those categories, you’d likely be better off opting for the Ink Business Premier card since it earns an uncapped 2% cash-back on all purchases and a whopping 2.5% cash-back on purchases larger than $5,000.

Redemption Options

Ink Business Premier Card

As mentioned, you’ll technically earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points with the Ink Business Premier card, but those points don’t have the capabilities of other cards, and you don’t have the ability to pool them with those that do.

Given that, your redemption options with the Ink Business Premier card are limited to cash-back to offset purchases made with your card, towards travel purchases made through the Chase Travel portal, gift cards, or toward Apple products purchased through Chase. Your points are worth 1 cent per point for all of these redemption options, so you’ll likely want to opt for cash-back as it is the most flexible.

Ink Business Cash Card

The Ink Business Cash card has identical redemption options to the Ink Business Premier card. You can opt for cash-back, to offset travel purchases made through the Chase Travel portal, gift cards, and Apple products at a rate of 1 cent per point.

However, unlike the Ink Business Premier card, the Ultimate Rewards points you earn with your Ink Business Cash card can be combined with other premium Ultimate Rewards cards that offer access to Chase transfer partners or higher redemption rates through the Chase Travel portal.

Bottom Line: While both cards on their own have identical redemption options, the Ink Business Cash card has the ability to become significantly more flexible if you’re willing to pair it alongside a premium Chase Ultimate Rewards card, while the Ink Business Premier card does not have this ability.

Statement Credits

Neither the Ink Business Premier card nor the Ink Business Cash card offers any sort of statement credit.

Travel Protections

If you’re often on the road for your business, here is how each card keeps you covered.

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Benefit	Ink Business Premier Card	Ink Business Cash Card
Foreign Transaction Fees	None	3%
Rental Car Insurance	Primary	Primary
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services	Yes	Yes
Roadside Assistance	Yes	Yes

Both the Ink Business Premier card and the Ink Business Cash card have nearly the same travel protections — which are pretty limited. The main differentiator is that the Ink Business Cash card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, making it a terrible choice for any purchases you need to make overseas.

That said, if you’re looking for a business credit card that offers great travel protections, cards like the Ink Business Preferred card or The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express would be much better options.

Shopping Benefits and Protections

Both cards offer nearly the same shopping benefits, with the exception of one key perk: cell phone protection.

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Benefit	Ink Business Premier Card	Ink Business Cash Card
Chase Offers	Yes	Yes
Purchase Protection	Covers new purchases against damage or theft for up to 120 days from purchase with up to $10,000 in coverage per claim and $50,000 per account	Covers new purchases against damage or theft for up to 120 days from purchase with up to $10,000 in coverage per claim and $50,000 per account
Extended Warranty Coverage	Extends a U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year on eligible warranties of 3 years or less	Extends a U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year on eligible warranties of 3 years or less
Cell Phone Protection	Offers up to $1,000 in coverage per claim against covered theft or damage for you and any employees listed on your monthly bill when you pay it with your card, up to 3 claims in a 12-month period with a $100 deductible per claim	Not offered

Annual Fees and Adding Authorized Users

Annual Fees

The annual fee for the Ink Business Premier card is $195, while there is no annual fee for the Ink Business Cash card. Given that, if you are considering the Ink Business Premier card, you’ll want to make sure the rewards and benefits you receive from the card are greater than the $195 annual fee you’ll pay.

Authorized Users

A great perk of both cards is that they do not charge anything to add employee cards. This adds the convenience of not having to share a single card amongst all of your employees while allowing you to set individual spending limits and monitor transactions.

Final Thoughts

Both the Ink Business Premier card and Ink Business Cash card are excellent cards that can offer a lot of value to business owners.

To determine which card is right for you, you need to assess what type of purchases your business regularly spends the most on, and what type of perks you are looking for out of your new card.

Those with purchases that fall within the 5% cash-back categories of the Ink Business Cash card, or who are looking to pool these rewards with a card like the Ink Business Preferred card, might want to go for this option.

If your business expenses are more diverse, and if you have purchases that regularly exceed $5,000, then the Ink Business Premier card would be a fantastic option.

For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, click here.