In May of 2018, Chase rolled out a new business credit card with very familiar features. mirrors the in the fact it offers an unlimited 1.5% back for every dollar you spend.
This card’s huge signup bonus will make it a winner among business owners regardless, but it’s lack of an annual fee will make it a card people keep for the long run. If you’re looking for a business card with easy rewards and maximum perks, this is one you’ll want to consider. With an exceptional earning structure and a big signup bonus right off the bat, what’s not to love?
Keep reading to learn why you would want to sign up for this card, what to expect in terms of rewards and perks, and why a different business card might be better for your needs.
New! Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card
Simple Dollar’s Key Takeaways:
- Score a healthy signup bonus. Sign up for the card now to earn 50,000 points after you use your card for $3,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening. Points can be redeemed for $500 cash back.
- Earn unlimited rewards with no gimmicks or categories to keep track of. Earn a flat 1.5% back without having to keep track of bonus categories that change every quarter.
- Pool your points with travel cards for better redemption options. If you have a premier Chase travel credit card like the , you can pool your points for point transfers and better travel options through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
- No annual fee. This card’s lack of annual fee makes it a no-brainer for business owners.
New! Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card: A Solid Business Offering with No-Fuss Rewards and Great Perks
We already mentioned the biggest strength of this card, but it definitely bears repeating. Once you sign up for the , you’ll earn a flat 1.5% back for each dollar you spend. With this flat rate of return, you will never have to worry about tracking bonus categories or surpassing bonus limits or caps. You can use your card for all your business expenses and rack up unlimited rewards no matter what.
This card’s large signup bonus is also pretty spectacular when you consider the fact there’s no annual fee. At the moment, you’ll earn 50,000 points worth $500 in cash-back after you sign up for the card and spend $3,000 on purchases within three months of account opening.
You’ll also score some consumer protections as a cardholder, including auto rental collision damage waiver, purchase protection, extended warranties on qualified products, travel and emergency assistance services, and roadside dispatch.
Another area where this card shines is in the many ways you can redeem your rewards. As a cash-back card, the New! Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card lets you redeem points for statement credits, merchandise purchased through Amazon.com, and travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. You also have the option to cash in your points for gift cards to popular retailers like Staples, Home Depot, and iTunes.
If you have a premier travel card like the or , there are even more options at your disposal. Pool your points with a Chase travel card and you will be able to transfer to popular loyalty partners like Southwest Airlines, Marriott Rewards, IHG Rewards, Hyatt, United MileagePlus, and British Airways. You will also get more bang for your buck when redeeming points for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal this way — but your discount depends on which card you have. If you have the , for example, you get 25% more travel when you book through the portal. With the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you get an extra 50% more travel instead.
New! Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card: Where It Comes Up Short
With no annual fee, a big signup bonus, and the chance to earn a flat 1.5% back on all your business expenses, it’s hard to complain about the New! Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card. However, there are a few areas where it could be considered weak, including its rate of return.
If you are someone who just wants to earn cash-back, for example, you should look for a card that offers the highest rate of return possible. Considering the fact there are several business cards that let you earn 2% cash-back, it should be hard to find one.
Another weakness of the New! Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card is the fact it doesn’t let you redeem for premier travel redemptions on its own. If you sign up for this business card but don’t have other Chase travel credit cards, you will only be able to redeem points for statement credits, gift cards, and purchases made through Amazon.com. Finally, the fact this card does charge foreign transaction fees makes it a poor choice for business owners who make a lot of purchases outside the United States. When you travel abroad and use your card, the foreign transaction fee will tack on an additional 3% to everything you buy.
Who This Card is Good For:
- Business owners who want to earn a flat rate of rewards without an annual fee
- Travel enthusiasts who already have a premier travel credit card from Chase
- Anyone who wants to earn a sizeable bonus without much effort
Who Should Skip It:
- Someone who would rather earn travel rewards
- Anyone who might benefit from bonus categories that are tailored to their business spending
- Someone who is after the highest rate of cash-back possible
How Does it Compare to Other Business Credit Cards?
While there are many business credit cards on the market, we believe this card’s greatest competitor is one from the same family of cards. The has similar benefits and perks, but if offers a different earning structure and better travel benefits. Consider this card to see how these two cards compare side-to-side:
| New! Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card | Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Signup Bonus | Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, which can be redeemed for $500 cash back. Terms Apply. | Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Terms Apply. |
| Earning Structure | Earn a flat 1.5 cash back $1 spent. Rewards are unlimited. | Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. |
| Transfer to Travel Partners? | This is not a possibility unless you also carry a premier Chase travel credit card. | Yes |
| Redeem for Cash-Back? | Redeem for statement credits at a rate of one cent per point. | Redeem for statement credits at a rate of one cent per point. |
| Annual Fee | $0 | $95 |
| Foreign Transaction Fees | 3% | None |
As you can see, both cards offer an interesting earning structure and a big signup bonus. The big difference here is in the annual fee (or lack thereof) and how you can redeem your rewards. While the does charge a $95 annual fee, it stands on its own as a travel credit card since it lets you transfer points to travel partners at a 1:1 ratio. It’s signup bonus is also noticeably larger (80,000 points!) and more than enough to cover the annual fee for the first few years. Finally, the fact that the comes with no foreign transaction fees makes it a much better option for business owners who travel or make purchases abroad.
Also notice the 3x bonus categories on the Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card. Once you sign up, you earn three points per dollar on travel, shipping, internet, cable and phone services, and advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines (up to your first $150,000 in combined purchases) each account anniversary year. You also earn a flat 1 points per $1 spent on all other purchases. If your business spending falls within those 3x categories and you have a lot of expenses every month, you would be crazy not to sign up for this card instead.
Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card
On the flip side, the Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card’s 3x earning categories won’t work for everyone. If your business spending falls outside those categories, the could be a much better deal. Remember that this card earns a flat 1.5% cash back per $1 spent on all categories. If you mostly want to earn cash-back and don’t want to worry about bonus categories or limits, this card could simplify your rewards game and give you peace of mind.
Want a Higher Rate of Return? Consider This Card
While the New! Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card is a solid card for business owners, there are several cards in this space that offer a higher ongoing rate of return. This includes the , which offers a flat 2% cash-back on all your purchases.
This card lets you redeem for statement credits at a rate of one cent per point. It does charge a $95 annual fee, but the first 12 months are waived. Finally, the Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business doesn’t charge any foreign transaction fees on purchases made outside the United States.
Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business
Best Strategy with the New! Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card: Pair it with a Chase Travel Card
If you want to earn a flat 1.5% on all your business expenses but also want to travel, your best bet is pairing the New! Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card with a Chase travel card. One option to consider is the . This card lets you earn 2x points on travel and dining and 1 points per $1 spent on all other purchases. It comes with a $95 annual fee, but that fee is waived the first year.
Once you have both cards, you can pool them in one account for 1:1 transfers to Chase travel partners.
Chase Sapphire Preferred®
Final Thoughts
The New! Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card is hard to beat if you want to earn a flat rate of rewards without much work. And since it doesn’t charge an annual fee, this card is a no-brainer if you want to earn cash-back without a lot of work.
Still, there are plenty of other business cards out there to consider. Before you sign up for a card to earn rewards on all your business expenses, make sure to compare all the options and find the best one for your business spending style and needs.
Related:
Editorial Note: Compensation does not influence our rankings and recommendations. However, we may earn a commission on sales from the companies featured in this post. To view a list of partners, click here. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by our advertisers. Reasonable efforts are made to present accurate info, however all information is presented without warranty. Consult our advertiser's page for terms & conditions.
The post New! Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card Review: This No-Fee Chase Business Card is Unreal appeared first on The Simple Dollar.