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.
Ink Business Premier Card vs. Ink Business Cash Card — Summary
We will dive into each section in further detail, but first, here is a high-level overview of what each card has to offer:
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 $750 cash-back after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. |
Earning Potential |
- 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 Ultimate Rewards
- Shopping with select retailers, Gift cards
|
- Cash-back via statement credit
- Travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Shopping with select retailers, Gift cards
- Ability to pool points if paired with a premium Chase Ultimate Rewards card
|
Statement Credits |
|
|
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.
The Value of a Welcome Bonus
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
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
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:
Bonus Category | Ink Business Premier Card | Ink Business Cash Card |
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, 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.
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.
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.
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