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

If you own a business, regardless of the size, you know the importance of keeping personal and business expenses separate. A smart business owner also realizes that earning rewards on all those expenses can make a positive impact on your business’s bottom line.

Holding a business credit card that helps you manage your expenses and rewards every purchase should be something every business owner considers. However, there are plenty of cards that can meet both of those requirements, and choosing the right one for your business may be difficult.

So today, we’re comparing 2 popular business credit cards that are known for their generous rewards.

The New Business Card! Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card and Ink Business Unlimited^® Credit Card are 2 cards that offer robust and uncomplicated earning structures, plus other benefits and perks a business owner may find useful.

If you’re considering a Chase business credit card, read further to learn how these 2 cards could be good picks for your wallet.

Overview

We’ll dig deeper into the features and benefits of the Ink Business Premier card and Ink Business Unlimited card shortly, but first, let’s look at a high-level summary and comparison of these 2 cash-back business credit cards.

Here’s a summary of how our 2 featured cards earn rewards, the options at redemption time, and some of the key features and benefits:

Comparing Welcome Offers

You’ll be earning rewards on every purchase your business makes with the Ink Business Premier card or Ink Business Unlimited card, but you’ll have an opportunity immediately after you’re approved for either card to earn a large welcome bonus that can jump-start your rewards balance immediately out of the gate.

The welcome bonus is earned after meeting minimum spending requirements in the first few months after card approval.

Here are the current welcome bonuses on our featured cards:

Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

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 Offer

Earn $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

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

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

Ink Business Unlimited^® Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Ink Business Unlimited card is a stellar option for business owners looking for a no-fuss uncapped 1.5% cash-back card without an annual fee.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Ink Business Unlimited^® Credit Card

The Ink Business Unlimited card is a stellar option for business owners looking for a no-fuss uncapped 1.5% cash-back card without an annual fee.

Welcome Offer

Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

$750

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$750

Annual Fee

$0

APR

0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 17.99% - 23.99% thereafter

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

As a business owner, you likely keep pretty busy and probably prefer a credit card that just keeps things simple.

If so, the Ink Business Unlimited^® Credit Card might be just the card for you. From zero annual fee to a flat cash-back rate, the card is a no-frills option that you don’t have to think twice about.

Don’t forget too, 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 17.99% - 23.99% thereafter

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 1.5% cash-back on all purchases
• No annual fee
• 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 17.99% - 23.99% thereafter

Cons

• 3% foreign transaction fee

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
• No Annual Fee
• Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards^®.
• Earn rewards faster with employee cards at no additional cost. Set individual spending limits for greater control.
• Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
• With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
• 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 17.99% - 23.99% thereafter
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars

Rewards Center

• Chase Ultimate Rewards

Bottom Line: You can earn a hefty welcome bonus of cash-back with both the Ink Business Premier card and Ink Business Unlimited card after you meet the minimum spending requirements within the first 3 months after card approval.

Earning Potential

You’ll earn cash-back on every purchase with either the Ink Business Premier card or the Ink Business Unlimited card, even after you’ve earned the welcome bonus. The amount of rewards you can earn on either card is unlimited.

Here’s how the 2 cards earn rewards on purchases:

The Ink Business Premier card has a better rewards-earning structure than that of the Ink Business Unlimited card. However, the Ink Business Premier card has a $195 annual fee, which means you’ll have to make enough purchases throughout the year to offset the fee. Our calculations indicate that you’ll need to make about $10,000 in purchases at 2% cash-back to come out ahead after accounting for the annual fee.

If your business makes a lot of large purchases, the Ink Business Premier card will also be a better choice. Just making 5 $5,000 purchases each year would equal $625 cash back on the Ink Business Premier card and just $375 on the Ink Business Unlimited card.

Earning potential is just one major factor to consider, however, as how you redeem your rewards could deliver additional potential value.

Bottom Line: The Ink Business Premier card offers robust earnings with 5% cash-back on travel via the Chase travel portal, 2.5% cash-back on purchases over $5,000, and 2% cash-back on every other purchase. The Ink Business Unlimited card offers a lower earning rate of 1.5% cash-back on everything, but no annual fee. You’ll need to make nearly $10,000 in purchases on the Ink Business Premier card to offset the $195 annual fee.

Redemption Options

Both of our featured cards offer several ways to redeem your rewards. While the Ink Business Premier card may have the edge when it comes to earning rewards, the Ink Business Unlimited card could offer greater potential value at redemption time.

It’s important to note that while our featured cards are marketed as cash-back earning cards, rewards are actually earned first as rewards points that can be subsequently redeemed for cash-back. As a result, you’ll technically be redeeming points when choosing your rewards.

Here are your redemption choices for points earned on each card.

The most valuable redemption option you’ll find on the Ink Business Unlimited card, which you won’t find on the Ink Business Premier card, is the ability to transfer points to premium Chase travel rewards cards for greater potential value.

Points earned on the Ink Business Unlimited card can be transferred to the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®, and the Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card, then subsequently be redeemed for up to 50% more in value for travel via the Chase travel portal.

For even potentially greater value, points can also be transferred from those premium cards to airline and hotel partners where you can book award flights or free hotel nights. For example, you can transfer 50,000 Ultimate Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic to book a flight in Delta One business class from the U.S. to Europe, which is a flight that normally costs thousands of dollars. Learn more about Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners and how to get the best value at redemption time.

Additionally, you can redeem points earned on either card for cash-back, gift cards, statement credits, shopping with select merchants, through Pay Yourself Back, booking and paying for dining experiences with Chase Dining, or donating your points to charity.

Bottom Line: Having flexibility at redemption time adds more value to your rewards. Although the Ink Business Premier card has better earning rates, if you want to redeem your rewards for travel, the Ink Business Unlimited card will provide more options and potentially greater value. 

Travel Protections and Benefits

Travel protections can provide value when traveling and if something goes wrong. Travel benefits can make your travels more comfortable.

Here are some of the travel protections and benefits you’ll find on both the Ink Business Premier card and the Ink Business Unlimited card:

• Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver — Use your card to reserve and pay for your rental car, decline the rental agency’s CDW/LDW coverage, and receive coverage for damage, theft, loss of use, and associated towing. Receive primary car rental insurance when renting for business purposes or when renting outside the U.S. When renting for personal use or within the U.S., coverage is secondary. Secondary means that you must first file a claim with any other applicable insurance before card coverage kicks in.
• Baggage Delay Insurance — If your baggage is delayed more than 6 hours, you could receive up to $100 per day, up to $500 per trip, for eligible incidentals.
• Roadside Dispatch — Make just 1 call if you should become stranded and receive emergency fuel delivery, limited towing, standard winching, jumpstart service, lockout service, and flat tire change with inflated spare. The cardholder is responsible for all services received but just 1 pre-negotiated flat fee will apply.
• Travel and Emergency Assistance Services — Receive help when traveling to arrange emergency transportation, legal or medical referrals, and more. Cardholders are responsible for actual services received.
• Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection — Enjoy elite-style benefits at over 900 luxury properties worldwide including upgraded rooms when available, daily breakfast for 2, late checkout when available, a $25 food/beverage credit, VIP guest status, and complimentary Wi-Fi.
• Visa Signature Concierge — Need help with a dinner reservation, finding a gift for a valued client, or assistance booking a meeting venue? The Visa Signature Concierge can assist with a variety of tasks.

Ink Business Premier Card

In addition to the above protections and benefits, you’ll find additional coverage on the Ink Business Premier card:

• Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance — If your eligible trip, paid for with your card or points earned on your card, is disrupted due to a covered reason, you could receive up to $5,000 per trip for eligible prepaid non-refundable expenses.
• Trip Delay Reimbursement — If your trip is delayed for more than 12 hours due to a covered reason, you could receive up to a $500 reimbursement for eligible expenses, per trip.

Bottom Line: Both the Ink Business Premier card and Ink Business Unlimited card offer key travel protections and benefits. The Ink Business Premier card, however, has the additional benefits of trip cancellation, trip interruption, and trip delay coverage. 

Shopping Protections and Benefits

Should something go wrong with an eligible purchase, you’ll find protection coverage on both the Ink Business Premier card and the Ink Business Unlimited card. You’ll also enjoy additional cash-back opportunities when you use Chase shopping benefits.

Here are the shopping protections and benefits you’ll find on both cards:

• Purchase Protection — Purchase an eligible item with your card and receive coverage for damage or theft for 120 days from the purchase date. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per item, up to $50,000 per account.
• Extended Warranty — For qualifying items, purchased with your card, that have manufacturer’s warranties of 3 years or less, coverage will be extended for 1 additional year. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per item, up to $50,000 per account.
• Chase Offers — Login to your online Chase card account and select Chase Offers that can earn you additional cash-back on select purchases with retailers and service providers.
• Shop through Chase — Never make an online purchase without checking for extra rewards-earning opportunities in the Shop through Chase section of your online card account.

Ink Business Premier Card

• Cell Phone Protection — Pay for monthly cell phone bills (you and/or your employees’ cell phones) with your card and receive up to $1,000 per claim for damage or theft. All phones must be listed on the monthly bill and there is a limit of 3 claims per 12-month period. There is also a $100 deductible per claim.

Check out all of the key benefits (and their estimated value) of the Ink Business Premier card.

Ink Business Unlimited Card

• Introductory 0% APR on Purchases — If you have a large purchase (or purchases) coming up, you could benefit from a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 17.99% - 23.99% thereafter. Having a business credit card with 0 APR can be hugely beneficial for business owners.

Annual Fees and Authorized Users

The Ink Business Premier card charges an annual fee of $195 while the Ink Business Cash card does not charge an annual fee.

Additional employee cards allow you to manage your business expenses and earn more rewards. Neither card charges an extra fee to add employee cards.

Everything Else You Need To Know

If your business involves international travel, you’ll want to be aware that the Ink Business Unlimited card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee. The Ink Business Premier card does not charge this fee.

You will need a good to excellent credit score, generally considered 670 to 850, to be approved for either of our featured cards, although having a score of 700 or better will increase your chances for approval.

The Ink Business Premier card requires that the card be paid off in full each statement period. You can, however, select to utilize the Flex for Business option to pay back eligible purchases over time with interest.

Keep in mind that the features and benefits we’ve included for these 2 business credit cards are not all-inclusive and we have abbreviated benefit and coverage descriptions. You’ll want to review the cards’ terms and conditions and Guide to Benefits for full information.

Final Thoughts

If earning rewards is your priority, the Ink Business Premier card could offer the best cash-back earnings overall of the 2 cards, especially if you’re making large purchases of $5,000 or more. If your business also involves a lot of employee cell phone usage, having that protection could add significant value.

If you don’t want to pay an annual fee and want the additional flexibility of transferring rewards to premium Chase cards for access to airline and hotel partners, the Ink Business Unlimited card may have some appeal. The card could also make a good choice if you have major purchases coming up and want to utilize the introductory 0% APR on purchases to avoid interest charges for 12 months from card approval.

These are just 2 possible Chase business credit card options, however, and the best card for you may be another one of Chase’s offerings.  You may want to review all the options before you apply, and our article on the best Chase business credit cards can help you find the card that best matches your spending mix, redemption preferences, and benefits your business can use.