Key Points
- Both cards currently offer the same $1,000 welcome bonus after $8,000 in spending, so the bonus itself won't decide this for you.
- The Ink Business Cash wins if you can max out its 5% and 2% bonus categories; the Ink Business Unlimited wins if your spending is scattered or unpredictable.
- You can hold both cards, but Chase only pays out one welcome bonus across its no-annual-fee Ink lineup, so pick the one that fits your long-term spending first.
Picking between the Chase Ink Business Cash and the Chase Ink Business Unlimited usually comes down to one question: does your spending cluster into specific categories, or is it all over the map? Both cards charge no annual fee, both currently carry the same $1,000 sign-up bonus, and both are genuinely good no-fee business cards. But the earning structures are built for different kinds of businesses, and picking the wrong one can leave real money on the table over a year of spending.
This guide breaks down exactly how each card earns, runs the actual math on what a year of spending looks like on each one, and gives you a clear way to decide which one belongs in your wallet.
The current offer: $1,000 on both cards, but it won't last
As of this writing, Chase is running a limited-time welcome offer on both cards: earn $1,000 after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first four months from account opening. That's up from the standard $750 offer, and it's a meaningfully strong bonus for a card with no annual fee. Since both cards share the identical offer right now, the sign-up bonus doesn't break the tie. Your day-to-day spending does.
One important catch: Chase limits you to one welcome bonus across its no-annual-fee Ink cards. You're allowed to hold both the Ink Business Cash and the Ink Business Unlimited at the same time, but you can only collect the bonus once. If you're planning to eventually carry both, apply for the one that matches your near-term spending first and pick up the second card later for the ongoing rewards rather than a second bonus.
Ink Business Cash: built for concentrated spending
The Ink Business Cash rewards you for spending in specific, common small-business categories:
- 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent annually (combined) at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services
- 5% cash back on Lyft rides through September 30, 2027
- 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent annually (combined) at gas stations and restaurants
- 1% cash back on everything else, with no cap
Those category caps reset each year on your account anniversary, not the calendar year, which matters if you're timing big purchases. If your business regularly pays for internet, phone plans, software subscriptions billed as "office supplies," or client meals and gas for a sales team, this card can generate serious cash back fast. For more detail on the full terms, our Ink Business Cash review covers the fine print.
Ink Business Unlimited: built for simplicity
The Ink Business Unlimited skips the categories entirely. You earn a flat 1.5% cash back on every purchase, with no caps and nothing to track. If your spending doesn't fit neatly into "office supplies" or "gas and dining," or if it shifts month to month depending on what the business needs, that consistency is worth something. You never have to think about where you're swiping. Our Ink Business Unlimited review walks through the rest of the card's benefits, including its purchase protection and rental car coverage.
The actual math: when Ink Cash pulls ahead
Here's where the decision gets concrete. Say your business spends $60,000 a year, and you can direct $25,000 of it into the Ink Cash's 5% category and another $25,000 into its 2% category, with the remaining $10,000 falling into the uncategorized 1% bucket.
On the Ink Business Cash, that's $1,250 from the 5% category, $500 from the 2% category, and $100 from the rest, for $1,850 total. On the Ink Business Unlimited, that same $60,000 at a flat 1.5% earns $900. The Ink Cash comes out nearly $1,000 ahead, purely from category spending most small businesses already have (internet, phone, office supplies, gas, and meals).
Now flip it. If that same $60,000 is spread across categories the Ink Cash doesn't reward, like inventory, contractor payments, or shipping, the Ink Unlimited's flat 1.5% wins outright since none of that spending would earn more than 1% on the Cash card.
There's a useful way to think about the break-even point. Every dollar you route through the Ink Cash's bonus categories earns either 3.5 or 0.5 percentage points more than the Unlimited would pay on that same dollar. Every dollar outside those categories earns 0.5 percentage points less. If you're maxing out both category caps ($50,000 combined), you'd need roughly $200,000 in additional uncategorized spending on the Unlimited to erase that head start. For most small businesses, that's simply not realistic, which is why hitting the caps tends to settle the decision in the Ink Cash's favor.
Other differences worth knowing
Beyond the earning structure, the two cards are nearly identical. Both charge no annual fee, both carry a 3% foreign transaction fee (a real drawback if you have international vendors or travel for work), and both offer a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months. Both come with free employee cards, purchase protection, and extended warranty coverage. Redemption is also identical: cash back from either card can go toward statement credits, direct deposit, or gift cards, and if you also hold a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you can transfer those rewards into Chase Ultimate Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio for potentially higher value through travel transfer partners.
If your business skews heavily toward travel spending rather than office overhead, neither of these cards is really the right tool. Our Ink Business Preferred review and Ink Business Premier review cover the two Ink cards built specifically for travel and high-volume spending, both of which come with an annual fee attached.
How to decide
Choose the Ink Business Cash if your biggest recurring costs are internet, phone, cable, or office supplies, and you can reasonably reach or come close to the $25,000 category caps. It also makes sense if gas and dining are a meaningful chunk of your spending, since the 2% rate there still beats the Unlimited's flat rate.
Choose the Ink Business Unlimited if your spending doesn't map cleanly to those categories, if it varies significantly month to month, or if the mental overhead of tracking bonus categories just isn't worth it to you. A reliable 1.5% on everything, with zero effort, is a perfectly good outcome for a no-fee card.
Since neither card charges an annual fee, there's genuinely no wrong answer here. You're choosing between "optimized for a specific spending pattern" and "simple and consistent," not between a good card and a bad one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have both the Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Unlimited?
Yes. You're allowed to hold both cards at the same time, and many points enthusiasts eventually do, using the Cash for bonus categories and the Unlimited for everything else. Just know that Chase only pays one welcome bonus across its no-annual-fee Ink cards, so you won't be able to collect $1,000 twice by opening both right away.
Do I need an LLC to apply for a Chase Ink card?
No. Sole proprietors can apply using their own name and Social Security number. Freelance work, gig income, or a side hustle all count as self-employment for the purposes of a business card application, as long as you report that income accurately.
What credit score do I need?
Chase generally looks for good to excellent personal credit, typically in the 670 to 850 range, along with your income and how many new accounts you've opened recently. There's no published hard minimum, but approval odds improve significantly above 700.
Will the $1,000 bonus stay this high?
No. This is a limited-time increase from Chase's standard $750 offer, and it can revert or change without much notice. If you're planning to apply for either card, treat the current bonus as time-sensitive rather than a permanent feature.
Bottom line
Both the Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Unlimited are strong no-annual-fee options right now, and with an identical $1,000 welcome bonus on the table, the decision really does come down to your spending pattern. Run your last three months of business expenses through the numbers above, and it should be obvious which one earns you more.
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