6 reasons to get the Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card

A few years back, Chase rounded out its business card line by introducing the no-annual-fee Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card, the perfect complement to the no-annual-fee Ink Business Cash Credit Card and the higher-end Ink Business Preferred Credit Card.

Even if you already have one or both of the other Ink credit cards — or if you have other business credit cards with bonus categories — here are six reasons why you might want to take a look at the Ink Business Unlimited.

Solid welcome bonus

There are a lot of good reasons to get a business card, one of the biggest being the hefty welcome bonuses that come with business credit cards. And because they’re completely separate from your personal finances, you can double dip on welcome bonuses.

With the Ink Business Unlimited, you get a $750 bonus after you spend $6,000 on the card within the first three months after account opening.

However, along with other cash-back cards in the Chase portfolio — including the Chase Freedom Unlimited and Ink Business Cash — you have the opportunity to convert the cash back into Ultimate Rewards points by pairing them with a higher-end card in the Chase family — like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve. Doing this will get you the best value out of the welcome bonus and the rewards you’ll earn on everyday spending.

That cash back becomes 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points when you transfer it to another card. Based on TPG’s valuations, those points are valued at $1,500.

You can potentially achieve an even greater return when you transfer your points (at a 1:1 ratio) to partners like United Airlines, Emirates and Hyatt. While this isn’t the most lucrative welcome bonus for a business card, it’s solid — especially considering the next reason to add this card to your wallet.

No annual fee

The already attractive welcome bonus looks even better when you consider that the Ink Business Unlimited charges no annual fee. You’d think that any card that offers the potential for more than $1,000 in first-year value would have an annual cost. This one doesn’t, and it mirrors a welcome offer by the other no-annual-fee card in the Ink lineup, the Ink Business Cash.

You may be reluctant to add yet another card that charges an annual fee to your wallet, especially if you’re already carrying a bunch of them. The Ink Business Unlimited solves that problem.

1.5% back on all purchases — with the potential for more

This card also answers the question: How do I get more value out of my non-bonus purchases? The Ink Business Unlimited offers a flat 1.5% cash back on all purchases. You might be tempted to compare that return to another card that offers a flat-rate reward on everyday spending — don’t.

That’s because, as discussed previously, you can transfer your Ink Business Unlimited rewards to a Chase credit card that earns Ultimate Rewards points, so the value is potentially greater than 1.5% cash back. TPG currently values Ultimate Rewards points at 2 cents each, meaning you could see a return of 3% for every dollar spent.

Use this card on non-bonus spending — such as for hardware store items to fix up your office or for filing your taxes — to maximize your rewards.

0% introductory APR

You really shouldn’t be focused on earning points and miles if you can’t pay off your credit card on time and in full every month (it’s one of TPG’s 10 commandments). But things happen. Maybe you’re looking to expand and need to make capital investments that will take months to affect your revenue stream or are stocking up on inventory ahead of the holiday shopping season.

The Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card offers a nice cushion that can be useful for new business owners or if you need to finance a large purchase.

You’ll receive an introductory 0% annual percentage rate (APR) for 12 months from account opening on purchases. After that, you’ll pay a 17.99%-23.99% variable APR. So buy those laptops now, but make sure to pay them off by this time next year.

Primary (business) rental car coverage

The Ink Business Unlimited includes a number of benefits you might find on other credit cards, including purchase protection and extended warranties. But it also offers primary rental car coverage — a benefit that’s relatively rare. Many credit cards offer what’s called secondary coverage, which only applies after taking into consideration what your own personal car insurance covers.

Primary coverage takes your personal coverage out of the equation and protects you from deductibles or losses above a certain threshold. The Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card allows you to decline the rental car company’s collision insurance and be covered by the card up to the cash value of the vehicle in the case of theft or collision damage, as long as you’re using the car for business purposes.

Employee cards at no additional cost

If you run a business that often requires employees to run errands or expense things, make life easier by getting them their own card. That way you’re not always chasing down the card when you need it and won’t have to deal with expense reports.

While some premium cards require an additional fee when you add an authorized user, the Ink Business Unlimited does not. However, you should be aware that you are still responsible for paying all charges accrued on the account whether you made them personally or not. (If there was an unauthorized charge made on any card, Chase has you covered. All you have to do is call them immediately with the issue.)

How to maximize the Ink business card family

There are currently four cards in the Ink family available to new applicants online. Choose the best combination to work for your business needs, and you’ll have your bases covered when it comes to maximizing Ultimate Rewards points on your business purchases:

• Use the Ink Business Unlimited for non-bonus spending. It pays a fixed rate on all purchases, which could earn you a return of up to 3% based on the most recent TPG valuations.
• Use the Ink Business Cash for office-related expenses. You’ll earn 5% back on the first $25,000 you spend in combined purchases at office supply stores and on cellular phone, landline, internet and cable TV services each account anniversary year.
• Use the Ink Business Preferred for travel and advertising purchases. It earns 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 you spend in combined purchases on travel; shipping purchases; internet, cable and phone services; and advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. (And remember, Chase has a pretty liberal definition of what qualifies as a travel-related purchase.)

Then, there are plenty of outstanding ways to use these rewards.

Note that the fourth Ink card, the Ink Business Premier Credit Card, provides an excellent cash-back return (2.5% on every purchase of $5,000 or more, 2% unlimited cash-back on all other purchases), but these rewards can only be redeemed as cash back and are not able to be transferred to another card to be redeemed for maximum value.

Bottom line

The Ink Business Unlimited has plenty to offer new users, even ones who already own multiple business credit cards.

With a solid introductory offer, a simple earning structure and no annual fee, the card can offer a promising return for businesses big and small — especially when combined with other Ink Business offerings.

Apply here: Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

Additional reporting by Emily Thompson, Nick Ewen, Mike Cetera and Liz Hund.