Sign-up bonuses and fees change often — confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before you apply.
The Chase Ink Business Cash® looks like a no-annual-fee 5% cash-back card for office bills — and used alone, that's exactly what it is. The secret is that its "cash back" accrues as Ultimate Rewards points, and the moment you also hold a premium Chase card — an Ink Business Preferred or a Sapphire — every point becomes transferable to Hyatt, United, Flying Blue and the rest, roughly doubling its value. A 5x card on your internet, phone and office-supply spend, for $0 a year, is one of the strongest earners in the entire Chase ecosystem.
Advertiser disclosure: we may be compensated when you're approved through our links. It doesn't affect our editorial take. Terms apply — see the issuer's Rates & Fees.
Quick answer
- Best for: 5x at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone (first $25,000/account year combined)
- Annual fee: $0
- Welcome bonus: $750–$1,000 after $6,000–$8,000 spend, posted as points — the $1,000 limited-time offer ended 17 September 2026 (verify current offer)
- Key benefit: points become transferable when paired with an Ink Business Preferred or a Sapphire Preferred — 1¢ each alone, ~2.0¢ at our valuation once paired
- Earning: 5% office supply + internet/cable/phone, 5% Lyft, 2% gas and restaurants, 1% everything else — an effective 10% back on 5x spend once paired
At a glance
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 |
| Sign-up bonus | $750–$1,000 after $6,000–$8,000 spend — the $1,000 limited-time offer ended 17 September 2026 (verify current offer). Posts as points ($1 = 100 points) — a $750 bonus is 75,000 points, ~$1,500 transferred at our 2.0¢ valuation |
| Best for | 5x on business internet/phone/office-supply spend at no fee |
| Points earned | Chase Ultimate Rewards (transferable only when paired) |
| Points worth | 1¢ each alone; ~2.0¢ each paired (our valuation) |
| Key perk | 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases |
| Foreign transaction fee | 3% — don't use it abroad |
| Card network | Visa (Business) |
What the points are worth
Read this part carefully, because it's the whole card:
- Held alone, the Ink Cash is a cash-back card. Points redeem at a fixed 1¢ each — a $750 bonus is $750, 5% is 5%, and that's the end of it.
- Held alongside an Ink Business Preferred, Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve, its points pool into that card's account and transfer 1:1 to Chase's airline and hotel partners — where we value them at 2.0¢ each and well-chosen awards hit 5–8¢+.
The Ink Cash has no transfer rights of its own; it borrows them from the premium card. If you never add one, treat this as a very good 5% cash-back card and nothing more. If you do, its 5x categories become an effective 10% back in travel value. Points don't expire while the account is open.
Where your points can go
Only once paired with an Ink Preferred or Sapphire, your pooled points transfer 1:1 to these programs — tap any partner to see how to use those miles, what they're worth, and the best redemptions:
Airline transfer partners United MileagePlus · Air Canada Aeroplan · Air France/KLM Flying Blue · British Airways / Qatar Avios · Qatar Qsuite award · Virgin Atlantic · Singapore KrisFlyer · Southwest Rapid Rewards · JetBlue TrueBlue
Hotel transfer partners World of Hyatt · IHG One Rewards · Marriott Bonvoy
For every transfer ratio, transfer time and current bonus, see the complete transfer partners chart.
Earning rates
| Rate | Category |
|---|---|
| 5% | Office supply stores + internet, cable and phone services (first $25,000/account year combined, then 1%) |
| 5% | Lyft rides (through September 30, 2027) |
| 2% | Gas stations and restaurants (first $25,000/account year combined, then 1%) |
| 1% | Everything else |
The 5% telecom category is broader than people expect — internet, cable, cellular, wireless data and landline services all qualify. A business paying $500/month across phone and internet earns 30,000 points a year on bills it was paying anyway.
Benefits & credits
Coverage limits and perks change — verify each is current before you count on it.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases, then a variable APR — rare on a rewards business card and useful for smoothing a big equipment buy.
- Employee cards at no cost, with individual spending limits; every card feeds one points balance.
- Purchase protection — up to $10,000 per item for 120 days.
- Extended warranty — one extra year on eligible warranties.
- Primary auto rental coverage when renting for business.
- Instacart+ trial and monthly credits (promotional — verify current terms).
Best uses
Every example uses the same formula: (cash price − taxes) ÷ points × 100 = cents per point (CPP) — and assumes you've paired the card so points can transfer.
- Phone-and-internet bills → Hyatt nights. $400/month of telecom spend at 5x = 24,000 points/year. A Category 4 Hyatt night listing at $350 for 18,000 points: (350 − 0) ÷ 18,000 × 100 = 1.94¢ per point — nearly double cash-back value, earned on utility bills.
- The bonus, sent to Flying Blue. A $750 welcome offer posts as 75,000 points. Transfer 55,000 for a ~$4,000 lie-flat seat to Europe + ~$250 taxes: (4,000 − 250) ÷ 55,000 × 100 = 6.8¢ per point — that "cash" bonus just became ~$3,700 of flights with points left over.
- Office supplies at 10% effective. Printer ink, shipping boxes bought at office-supply stores, software gift cards where appropriate — 5x at our 2.0¢ valuation is an effective 10% back in travel value, on up to $25,000/year.
- Unpaired fallback. No premium card? Redeem at 1¢ for a statement credit. A $500/month telecom-and-supplies business still nets $300/year, fee-free. Fine — just know the transfer path pays roughly double.
Who should get it
Get the Ink Cash if your business has real spend at office-supply stores or on internet/cable/phone service. It's a no-fee keeper that, inside a Chase setup, becomes the highest-rate earner you own. Pair it with an Ink Business Preferred (the $95 transfer key with 3x on ads and shipping) — or a personal Sapphire Preferred — to unlock full value. Skip it as a travel card: it charges a 3% foreign transaction fee.
- Good alternative: Ink Business Unlimited — if you prefer one flat rate, it earns 1.5% on everything with the same pairing trick; many owners hold both and let each do its job.
Check where they fit with Points Path, and track balances in your Rewards Wallet.
Fine print worth knowing
- 5/24 and business cards: Chase applies its 5/24 rule to Ink approvals (5+ personal cards opened in 24 months usually means a denial), but once approved, this business card doesn't add to your own 5/24 count — a big reason to open Inks early in a Chase journey.
- Sole proprietors qualify — freelance, gig or resale income under your own name and SSN is a legitimate business for the application. Don't misrepresent.
- Both $25,000 category caps reset each account year, not calendar year.
- 3% foreign transaction fee — use a no-FTF card abroad.
- Points don't expire while the account is open; keep the paired premium card open or points revert to 1¢-only redemptions.
Bottom line
The Ink Cash is the category workhorse of the Ink family: $0 fee, an outsized bonus, and 5x on bills nearly every business pays. Alone, it's a top-tier cash-back card; paired with an Ink Preferred or Sapphire, it quietly becomes a 10%-effective points machine that funds Hyatt stays and lie-flat seats from your utility bills.
Note: Sign-up bonuses and benefits change. Always confirm current terms on the issuer's site before applying.
FAQ
Can Ink Business Cash points transfer to airlines and hotels? Only when paired. Held alone, points redeem at a fixed 1¢ each. Held alongside an Ink Business Preferred, Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve, they pool into that card's account and transfer 1:1 to Chase's partners.
What counts in the 5% telecom category? Internet, cable, cellular, wireless data and landline services all qualify, along with office supply stores — on the first $25,000 per account year combined, then 1%.
Does the Ink Cash count toward Chase's 5/24 rule? Chase applies 5/24 to Ink approvals, but once approved this business card doesn't add to your own 5/24 count.
Can a freelancer or sole proprietor apply? Yes. Freelance, gig or resale income under your own name and SSN is a legitimate business for the application — just don't misrepresent it.
What happens if I close my premium Chase card? Points don't expire while the account is open, but without the paired premium card they revert to 1¢-only redemptions.
