Two New All-Time High Offers 💎💎 Worth $750

There are two new great offers out that are all-time high offers worth taking a serious look at. One is for the Chase Ink Business Cash and the other is for the Chase Ink Business Unlimited.

These new offers would fall into the new WalletFlo “Diamond” category which I will explain below!

Diamond ranking

One of the goals with the new WalletFlo mobile app is to allow users to quickly evaluate whether or not an offer is worth applying for.

We don’t want you to have to go digging around through old blog posts or web forms to figure out how great an offer is. So we are introducing a ranking system that will give you make it easy to instantly judge if an offer is worth pursuing.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

The new offers

Here are the two new offers:

  • Chase Ink Business Cash is offering $750 cash back (or 75,000 Ultimate Rewards) after spending $7,500 in the first three months.
  • Chase Ink Business Unlimited is offering $750 cash back (or 75,000 Ultimate Rewards)after spending $7,500 in the first three months.

The bonuses for both of these cards have been pretty stagnant at $500 cash back/50,000 points for a couple of years.

So it is a pretty rare and exciting increase which would typically put an offer like these in the Unicorn category. However, since the minimum spend requirement made a pretty significant leap from $3,000 to $7,500, that drops it from Unicorn territory down to Diamond.

Diamond offers are those where the welcome bonus is at or near the highest ever available to the public so they are still extremely worthwhile offers.

The major difference between a Unicorn and Diamond offer will often be that the Unicorn offers a better bang for your buck. Also, those Unicorn offers will likely be more rare or offered on a limited time basis.

The thought with these Diamond and Unicorn offers is that if you are eligible (which you can check using the WalletFlo eligibility checker) and you are interested in the points currency, it will be a good move for you to apply.

And since both of these cards are subject to the 5/24 rule, they should be a priority to consider for anyone eligible.

As for what these cards can do for you, here’s a look at the bonus categories:

The Chase Ink Business Cash earns 5% cash back per $1 on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases in the following categories each account anniversary year:

  • Office supplies stores
  • Internet, cable and phone services

You can also earn 2% cash back per $1 on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases in the following categories each account anniversary year:

  • Gas stations
  • Restaurants

Both of these credit cards come with no annual fee making them some of the most lucrative small business credit cards on the market. They also both offer a 0% APR period for the first 12 months.

Since these are business credit cards, you’ll need to have some type of a business to qualify. Most readers seem to qualify with having a sole proprietorship. These are often people who have side hustles doing things like selling items on eBay or some form of consulting.

A lot of people will apply for the cards with a business name such as “[your name] consulting.”

So I hope the ranking system is making sense.

As we progress with WalletFlo we will incorporate more automated strategy into these rankings but for now the idea is just to save you time on evaluating the value of these offers.

  • Chase Ink Business Cash $750 cash back (or 75,000 Ultimate Rewards) after spending $7,500 in the first three months.
  • Chase Ink Business Unlimited $750 cash back (or 75,000 Ultimate Rewards)after spending $7,500 in the first three months.
 

Chase Ink Business Cash vs Chase Freedom (No Annual Fees) [2020]

Both the Chase Ink Business Cash and the Chase Freedom are two great travel rewards credit cards with no annual fee.

But how do these cards compare to each other and should you get one or the other?  This article will take a close look at both of these great cash back cards and review which card has the better value when it comes to things like sign-up bonuses, bonus categories, and other special perks.

Business vs personal cards

The first thing to note right off the bat is that the Chase Ink Cash is a business credit card and the Chase Freedom is a personal credit card.

This means that you’ll need to have a business in order to apply for the Chase Ink Cash. But that doesn’t mean you have to have a traditional business — there are lot of different types of businesses and even things like selling items on eBay could be a sufficient business. You can read more about how to get approved for business credit cards.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Sign-up bonus

Chase Ink Cash

The Chase Ink Cash comes with a very solid sign-up bonus of $500 in cash back after spending $3,000 in the first three months. The $3,000 spending requirement is lower than many business cards that often force you to spend $5,000 or more to receive the bonus. 

The Ink Cash earns cash back for its sign-up bonus but if you have a premium card like the Chase Ink Business Preferred, Sapphire Preferred, or Sapphire Reserve then you’ll take home 50,000 Ultimate Rewards which can be transferred to a lot of travel partners like:

Chase Ultimate Rewards Airlines

  • Aer Lingus
  • British Airways Executive Club
  • Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)
  • Iberia Airways
  • JetBlue
  • Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
  • Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
  • United MileagePlus
  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Chase Ultimate Rewards Hotels

  • World of Hyatt
  • IHG Rewards Club
  • Marriott Bonvoy

Chase Freedom

Chase Freedom foreign transaction fee

The Chase Freedom comes with $150 after you spend $500 in the first three months. This is obviously much less than what the Ink Cash offers but then again the minimum spend requirement is much lower, too

For a no annual fee card, getting $500 in cash back is not very common so the Ink Cash is definitely the stronger contender here. In fact, the Ink Cash is one of the most valuable no annual fee cards you’ll probably ever come across when it comes to your sign-up bonus. 

Bonus spending

Chase Ink Cash

Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year at:

  • Internet, cable and phone services
  • Office supply stores

Getting 5X is great especially considering that the Chase Ink Plus no longer is available to new applicants.

Office supplies stores like Staples, Office Max, etc. will trigger the 5% cash back, making it a very valuable card for office supplies stores.

This is especially true because you can purchase gift cards at many office supply stores! So instead of earning a standard 1X on many purchases (or even 2X or 3X), you can head to an office supply store and buy a gift card to that establishment and potentially quintuple your earnings! Just take a look at all of the gift cards you can purchase from Staples so see how you can earn 5X on purchases like groceries, travel, and shopping! 

It also just feels good to earn 5% back on monthly phone, internet, and cable bills which can add up to pretty big savings for a lot of people. 

Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year at:

  • Gas stations
  • Restaurants

Getting 2X on gas and dining isn’t a bad bonus category either.

Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases

If you’re interested in the Chase Ink Cash then you might also want to consider the Chase Ink Unlimited which earns 1.5% back on all purchases.

Chase Freedom

The Chase Freedom earns 5% on rotating quarterly categories on up to $1,500 spent per quarter. That means you can earn up to 7,500 Ultimate Rewards per quarter with the 5% bonus and after that you’ll just earn 1% back. 

These categories change each year but in the past we have seen bonus categories such as:

  • Supermarkets
  • Department stores (including WalMart)
  • Gas stations
  • Dining
  • Local commuter transportation
  • Movie theaters
  • Amazon.com
  • Starbucks
  • Pharmacies

If you max out the quarterly bonus spend (which is pretty difficult to do for many people) then you could net $300 in cash back per year based on the 5% alone. One thing to note is that you must remember to activate the bonus each quarter.

Getting 5X back on rotating categories isn’t bad but I really prefer getting 5X on a consistent basis like what the Ink Cash offers. It’s also nice to get 2X on gas and dining, so overall I’d prefer the Ink Cash.

Annual Fee

Both cards come with no annual fee.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Primary rental car coverage

The Chase Ink Cash offers primary rental car coverage when renting for business purposes and provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for most cars in the U.S. and abroad.

Meanwhile the Chase Freedom only offers secondary coverage. This is a huge difference if you rent cars on business travel since the Ink Cash will serve you much better.

Chase application rules

Both of these cards are subject to the Chase 5/24 rule and because of that you will be denied for these cards if you’ve opened up 5 or more accounts within the past two years.

Chase Refer a Friend

Both of these participate in the Chase Refer a Friend program (read more about that program here).

Chase Ink Cash

The Chase Ink Cash is known for offering referrals although currently you might not be able to pull them up. But typically, the Chase Ink Cash referral allows you to earn 10,000 Ultimate Rewards per approval up to a maximum of 50,000 points per calendar year.

Chase Freedom

The Chase Freedom referrals allow you to earn 10,000 points per approval up to a maximum of 50,000 points per calendar year.

Chase Shopping Portal

Both of these cards give you access to the Chase Shopping Portal.

The Chase Shopping Portal is a special website open only to Chase cardmembers that allows you to earn additional bonus Ultimate Rewards when making purchases at various online retailers. It’s a fantastic way to increase your earnings and rack up points — you can learn more about this portal here. 

Chase Travel Portal

Both of these cards will allow you to redeem your Ultimate Rewards through the Chase Travel Portal at a rate of 1 cent per point. With the Chase Travel Portal, you can book flights, hotels, and more, so getting 1 cent back isn’t horrible but you’ll get much better value with other Chase cards.

For example, the Sapphire Preferred will allow you to redeem at a rate of 1.25 cents per point and the Chase Sapphire Reserve will allow you to redeem at 1.5 cents per point. Find out more about the Chase Travel Portal here.

Final word

Both of these cards are top-notch for no annual fee credit cards. The Ink Cash offers much more up-front value with its $500 sign-up bonus and a consistent way to earn 5% on many business purchases. Meanwhile, the Freedom is a great card for someone looking to earn 5% back with diverse spending.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Chase Ink Cash: Which is Better? [2020]

Two of the most popular credit cards issued by Chase are the Chase Ink Cash and the Chase Sapphire Preferred. These cards have some similarities in that they both offer a lot of value but there are some key distinctions to be made between these cards, too.

Here’s a comparison of the Chase Ink Cash vs the Chase Sapphire Preferred and many of the key considerations that you’ll want to review before making your decision on which one to apply for.

Business vs personal cards

The first thing to consider when choosing between these cards is that the Chase Ink Cash is a business credit card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a personal credit card.

This means that you’ll need to have a business in order to apply for the Chase Ink Cash.

But that doesn’t mean you have to have a traditional business — there are lot of different types of businesses and even things like selling items on eBay could be a sufficient business. You can read more about how to get approved for business credit cards here.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Sign-up bonus

Chase Ink Cash

The Chase Ink Cash comes with a very solid sign-up bonus of $500 in cash back after spending $3,000 in the first three months.

The Ink Cash earns cash back for its sign-up bonus. Basically, you’ll earn 50,000 Ultimate Rewards which can be cashed out at a rate of 1 cent per point for a total of $500.

However, if you have a premium card like the Chase Ink Preferred, Sapphire Preferred, or Sapphire Reserve then you’ll take home 50,000 Ultimate Rewards which can be transferred to a lot of travel partners (more on that below).

The Chase Ink Cash also comes with 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases, which adds a lot of value for many people.

Chase Sapphire Preferred

The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers 60,000 Ultimate Rewards after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has two major advantage over the Ink Cash when it comes to using your points. First, you get a 25% bonus on your points when using the Chase Travel Portal which means your points will be worth 1.25 cents per point when using the travel portal.

The travel portal is great for booking flights and not having to worry about open award inventory, black out dates, etc.

Getting that extra bit of value will allow you your points to last longer and it can be a good way to cover the cost of cheaper flights which would usually offer poor value for your miles.

The other advantage that the Sapphire Preferred has over the Ink Cash is that you can transfer your points out to the various travel partners. Transferring your points out to these partners means that you’ll be getting a lot more in value from your points.

For example, you can use your Ultimate Rewards to fly on some amazing first class and business class products like the new Singapore Airlines first class product.

Here’s a list of all of the transfer partners.

Chase Ultimate Rewards Airlines

  • Aer Lingus
  • British Airways Executive Club
  • Emirates
  • Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)
  • Iberia Airways
  • JetBlue
  • Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
  • Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
  • United MileagePlus
  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Chase Ultimate Rewards Hotels

  • World of Hyatt
  • IHG Rewards Club
  • Marriott Bonvoy

So while the sign-up bonuses are very similar, the Sapphire Preferred wins out due to the increased value when using the Chase Travel Portal and for the added flexibility of being able to transfer points to travel partners. It is much more of a true travel credit card than the Ink Cash.

Singapore Airlines first class.

Bonus spending

The bonus categories for these cards are quite different, so you’ll want to make sure that you put proper value on the categories that line up with your spending.

Chase Ink Cash

The Chase Ink Cash will earn you 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year at:

  • Internet, cable and phone services
  • Office supply stores

Getting 5X is great especially considering that the Chase Ink Plus no longer is available to new applicants.

This is really where the “special value” of the Chase Ink Cash is in my opinion. Earning 5X adds up remarkably quickly so being able to pay your everyday bills like internet, cable, and phone services is a great way to supplement your point earnings.

5X at office supply stores can also be very lucrative if you can maximize that as well. Just keep in mind that the $25,000 spending limit is combined for these categories, so if you do whole lot of spending each year, your rewards may be capped (the rewards for the Sapphire Preferred are not capped).

Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year at:

  • Gas stations
  • Restaurants

Getting 2X on dining is the same as the Sapphire Preferred and while 2X on gas is nice, it’s not the most rewarding card for spend on gas purchases.

Chase Sapphire Preferred

The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns the following rates:

  • 2X on dining
  • 2X on travel

The 2X back on dining is basically the same as the Ink Cash but it’s worth more since you can get more value from your Ultimate Rewards than with the Ink Cash.

But besides that, the 2X on travel is where the Sapphire Preferred is most different from the Ink Cash. These aren’t bad earning categories but keep in mind that the Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 3X on both of those categories.

Overall, the bonus categories are very different so this is a situation where it makes sense to pick up both of the cards so that you can have a well-rounded way of earning rewards.

The Ink Cash definitely has the more diverse bonus categories but for someone primarily concerned with travel (and using points for travel), the Sapphire Preferred could still be the better option.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the overall better card for travel.

Primary rental car coverage

Both of these cards come with primary rental car insurance which can save you a lot by allowing you to avoid filing any kind of claim with your insurance provider.

But you should note that the Chase Ink Cash offers primary rental car coverage when renting for business purposes and provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for most cars in the U.S. and abroad.

The fact that you can get primary rental car coverage with a no-annual fee credit card is huge in my opinion but the restriction on travel for business purposes could mean that the protection is not as valuable as the protection offered by the Sapphire Preferred which covers personal use. (The Ink Cash offers personal coverage for international trips.)

Other protections

The line-up of additional protections is very similar between these cards but there’s at least one key difference.

Baggage delay

The Chase Ink Cash provides baggage delay coverage for delays over 6 hours up to $100 a day for three days. Meanwhile, the Sapphire Preferred provides coverage for delays over 6 hours up to $100 a day for five days. It’s pretty rare for baggage delay to (need to) extend to over 3 days but it’s a good idea to be aware that there’s a difference in coverage here.

Lost luggage

Both cards cover up to to $3,000 per insured person per covered trip with a $500 limitation for coverage for jewelry, watches and electronics.

Extended warranty

Both cards extend the time period of the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by one additional year, on eligible warranties of three years or less.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Annual Fee

Chase Ink Cash

  • No annual fee

Chase Sapphire Preferred

  • $95 annual fee

Again, the Chase Ink Cash stands out as being one of the most rewarding credit cards with no annual fee. Meanwhile, the Chase Sapphire Preferred has a pretty standard annual fee of $95.

Chase application rules

Both of these cards are subject to the Chase 5/24 rule and because of that you will be denied for these cards if you’ve opened up 5 or more accounts within the past two years.

One positive thing about the Chase Ink Cash is that it won’t count toward your 5/24 status with Chase. This means that if you have 3 cards opened up in the past 24 months right now and then you open up an Ink Cash, Chase will still view you as someone who has only opened up 3 cards. Thus, it could make sense to apply for the Chase Ink Cash now and then to get on board with the Chase Sapphire Preferred later on.

In addition to 5/24 there are some other Chase application rules you might want to read up on to make sure that you’re not violating any of these rules. If you want to find out your 5/24 status, you can use the new app WalletFlo to help you out!  

Chase Refer a Friend

Both of these participate in the Chase Refer a Friend program, but currently the Chase Ink Cash does not pull up referral offers. This means that with the Sapphire Preferred you’ll be able to earn many more points with referrals which is definitely something to consider.

Also, it’s probably easier for the average person to refer someone to a personal card than it is to refer someone to a business card so that’s another consideration. You can read more about the referral program here.

Chase Ink Cash

The Chase Ink Cash is known for offering referrals although currently you might not be able to pull them up. But typically, the Chase Ink Cash referral allows you to earn 10,000 Ultimate Rewards per approval up to a maximum of 50,000 points per calendar year.

Chase Sapphire Preferred

The Chase Sapphire Preferred referral allows you to earn 10,000 Ultimate Rewards per approval up to a maximum of 50,000 points per calendar year.

Chase Shopping Portal

Both of these cards will give you access to the Chase Shopping Portal. The Chase Shopping Portal is a special website open only to Chase cardmembers that allows you to earn additional bonus Ultimate Rewards when making purchases at various online retailers. It’s a fantastic way to increase your earnings and rack up points — you can learn more about this portal here. 

Approval odds

Both of these credit cards are going to require you to have good to excellent credit scores. And beyond that, you’ll want to have established credit history spanning at least a couple of years before applying.

I wouldn’t apply for either one of these cards if I was brand-new to credit cards and lacked a proven credit profile. If you want to read more about approval odds for the Sapphire Preferred you can do that here. 

Since the Ink Cash is a business card you might need to call in to Chase business reconsideration to try to get your application approved. I’ve got an article on how to deal specifically with Chase business reconsideration, which you can read about here.

Final word

The Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Chase Ink Cash are a duo that can really make sense to pursue. They’ve both got great sign-up bonuses but they have very different bonus categories, making them a good pair to utilize. I think the decision for which cards to choose will often come down to:

  • Spending habits and limits
  • Travel goals (redemption goals)
  • Travel habits and purpose (business vs personal)
  • 0% APR
  • Annual fee
  • 5/24 status
  • Referral potential 

If you get a good grasp on those factors, you should be able to make a sound decision on which card is best for you.

Chase Ink Business Cash Review (Bonus Categories Explained) [2020]

For a card without an annual fee, the Chase Ink Business Cash is a great card with its high sign-up bonus and unique bonus categories like 5X on office supplies stores and cell phone plans.

In this article, I’m going to break down the Chase Ink Business Cash and take a look at all of the value that this card has to offer and go over the benefits like $500 cash back sign-up bonus, bonus spending, insurance perks, and a few others.

Sign-up bonus

The standard sign-up bonus for the Chase Ink Cash was $500 bonus cash back after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. However, higher offers are available at times like $750 after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

What can you do with $500 cash back or 50,000 points?

As a cash back card, you can use the cash back as a statement credit or direct deposit into any bank account.

However, you can convert cash back into more valuable points by transferring the cash back to another Chase card that earns Ultimate Reward Points like the Chase Ink Business Preferred or the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

So, $500 cash back equals 50,000 Ultimate Rewards Points. Once transferred into Ultimate Rewards, you will get more value out of the points versus straight cash back. You can use the points in the Chase Travel Portal and redeem your points for up to $750 worth of travel when holding the Chase Sapphire Reserve. You can also get greater value when transferring to some airlines or hotels that are partners with Chase.

Here is the list of airlines and hotels you can transfer your Ultimate Rewards Points to at a 1:1 ratio.

Chase Ultimate Rewards Airlines

  • Aer Lingus
  • British Airways Executive Club
  • Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)
  • Iberia Airways
  • JetBlue
  • Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
  • Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
  • United MileagePlus
  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Chase Ultimate Rewards Hotels

  • World of Hyatt
  • IHG Rewards Club
  • Marriott Bonvoy

Here are a few examples of what you could do with 50,000 points.

Related: 12 Best Chase Ultimate Rewards First Class Redemptions

United

United is a unique transfer partner for Chase. While the recent changes to United award charts are somewhat random, you can still get great value out of flights, especially if you use the excursionist perk, which allows you to add another city for free without any extra miles.

Southwest

50,000 points transferred to Southwest could get you very far, especially if you have the Companion Pass. You could easily score a handful of roundtrips around the country if you jumped on the right Wanna Get Away fares.

Singapore Krisflyer

You could fly round trip economy to Hawaii from anywhere in North America for 35,000 KrisFlyer miles. If economy isn’t your style, you could fly to/from Hawaii for 30,000 KrisFlyer miles in business class.

Virgin Atlantic

After meeting the minimum spend, you’d have enough to fly Delta One (Delta’s name for business class) to Europe for only 50,000 Virgin Atlantic miles for nonstop routes.

Hyatt

50,000 points transferred to Hyatt could get you 2 nights at a solid property like the Park Hyatt Bangkok, with 10,000 points to spare or 3 nights at a category 6 property for 25,000 points per night, like the Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya. However, if you want to maximize your nights, you could stay 10 nights at the Hyatt Regency Kuantan beachfront resort.

Nearby public beach with the Hyatt Regency Kuantan Resort off in the distance.

Chase Ink Cash bonus categories

The Chase Ink Business Cash bonus categories earns 5% cash back per $1 on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases in the following categories each account anniversary year:

  • Office supplies stores
  • Internet, cable and phone services

Office supplies stores

Office supplies stores like Staples, Office Max, etc. will trigger the 5% cash back. It’s a pretty narrow category, but as long as it’s an office supply store, you can earn 5% cash back making it a very valuable card for office supplies stores.

This is especially true because you can purchase gift cards at many office supply stores! So instead of earning a standard 1X on many purchases (or even 2X or 3X), you can head to an office supply store and buy a gift card to that establishment and potentially quintuple your earnings! Just take a look at all of the gift cards you can purchase from Staples so see how you can earn 5X on purchases like groceries, travel, and shopping! 

Internet, cable and phone services

Out of all the cards out there, this is one of the best for your return for internet, cable, and phone services. It’s best to make sure you use this card for anything related to those categories to maximize the 5% cash back.

Some examples would be paying your cell phone bill at Verizon or T-Mobile to trigger the 5% cash back. Your Comcast/AT&T/etc. internet and TV bill will also trigger the 5% cash back too. Tripling up on 5X earnings each month in these categories is a great way to supplement your Ultimate Rewards balance.

Other bonus earnings

You can earn 2% cash back per $1 on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases in the following categories each account anniversary year:

  • Gas stations
  • Restaurants

Gas Stations

Gas stations are pretty specific, similar to office supplies stores. However, this card isn’t the best as it only earns 2% cash back at gas stations. If you want a better earning card, maybe the Amex Business Gold Card is better.

That card allows you to earn 4X Membership Rewards points on the 2 select categories where your business spends the most each month and it applies to the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these 2 categories each calendar year.

You can choose from the following:

  • Airfare purchased directly from airlines
  • U.S. purchases for advertising in select media 
    (online, TV, radio)
  • U.S. purchases made directly from select 
    technology providers of computer hardware, 
    software, and cloud solutions
  • U.S. purchases at gas stations
  • U.S. purchases at restaurants
  • U.S. purchases for shipping

The Amex Business Gold Card does come with a very high annual fee of $295, though with a 35,000 Membership Rewards Points welcome bonus after spending $5,000. You’d need to do a lot of number crunching to see if those extra earnings and additional benefits like 1 year free of both G Suite Basic for up to 3 users and ZipRecruiter Standard would be worth paying an annual fee. 

Everyday

For every purchase that does not fall into a bonus category, you’ll earn 1% cash back on that purchase. If you can do it, you might want to think about getting another card like the Chase Ink Unlimited or the Chase Freedom Unlimited since both of those cards earn 1.5X on all purchases with no limit.

Another contender might be the Amex Business Blue Plus which earns 2X on all purchases up to $50,000. That’s one of the best everyday spending cards though it is capped at that $50K mark.

Can you use the Ink for personal use?

A lot of people wonder whether or not they can use their Chase Ink cards for personal spend.

The application states the following in the terms and conditions:

I certify, understand and agree that: 1) This is a business account which shall be used only for business purposes and not personal, family or household purposes;

So according to the terms this should be used for business purposes. However, if you’ve ever ran your own business or you’re an entrepreneur you know that it’s not always so black and white and personal and business expenses can overlap.

Also, the terms allow for primary rental car coverage while “renting outside your country of residence for personal reasons” so this seems contradictory.

Thus, I think that it’s perfectly fine to use your Ink card some expenses that could be considered “personal” and many people do this.

Just keep in mind that some consumer protections don’t apply when you use a business card so you could be losing out on some of those. Also, if you’ve structured your business entity to protect your personal assets, it’s always a good idea to keep your personal and business funds and transactions as segregated as possible. 

Related: Chase Credit Card Application Status Guide

Purchase protection and extended warranty

Any purchase you make it will be protected against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account up to 120 days after the original purchase date.

Along with the protection against damage and theft up to 120 days, you also have an extended manufacturer’s warranty for one extra year (up to a total of 3 years).

Primary rental car coverage

This card is one of the few that offer primary business rental car coverage. If you are renting your car for business use, you have primary rental car coverage.

This is huge because it means that you can avoid paying for rental car coverage when renting a car and save some money. But it also means that you can avoid filing a claim with your car insurance provider and avoid seeing an increase in your monthly premium.

It is primary coverage while renting primarily for business purposes or when renting outside your country of residence for personal reasons or if you do not have automobile insurance. You can read more about the rental car coverage here. 

Annual fee

The annual fee is $0. No annual fee is always good.

Foreign transaction fees

This card has 3% foreign transaction fees on every purchase. This card won’t be worthwhile to carry in your wallet when you travel outside the United States. It’s best to have another card with you like the Chase Ink Preferred.

Chase 5/24 rule

This card is subject to the Chase 5/24 rule which means that if you have been approved for 5 or more accounts in the past 24 months you won’t be able to get approved.

However, this card does not count towards your 5/24 status which means that you want to prioritize this card and make it one of the first Chase cards (or any cards) that you apply for.

Business needed

Some ask if they can get the Ink Cash without a real business. Well, this is a business credit card so you will need a business to qualify.

The good news is that just about anything can constitute a business, including selling things on eBay, Craigslist, and doing things like tutoring, etc. If that’s the case, you would likely want to apply as a sole proprietorship.

Chase Ink Preferred Approval odds

You’re going to need a fair to good credit score to get the Chase Ink Business Cash. I’d prefer to have a score of 700+ with a solid few years of credit history to feel comfortable applying but there are a lot of factors at play with approval decisions so the exact score needed will differ with each situation.

Chase does like to see a good credit history so if your credit profile is very thin getting the Chase Ink Business Cash could prove to be difficult to get.

Tip: If you don’t have a relationship with Chase you might consider opening up a Chase business account to start building that relationship.

It probably helps to have business income/revenue for your application but there are reports out there of people getting approved for Chase Ink Cards with very little business income at times (under $2,000 and even $0). Some will resort to a good-faith projection of their income for the upcoming year but you’ll have to decide with what you’re most comfortable with.

You also need to know how to handle a Chase business reconsideration phone call since that might be needed. Note the questions about revenue and profit that will likely come up.

Travel and emergency assistance services

While this isn’t insurance, it’s always nice to have an extra like this. If you run into any trouble, you can call the Benefit Administrator for legal and medical referrals or other travel and emergency assistance. Do note, you are responsible for any costs as this is a concierge-like service.

Chase Ink Business Cash FAQ

How much is the bonus worth for the Chase Ink Business Cash?

If you catch the bonus at 50,000 points then your bonus will amount to $500 in cash back.

However, if you have a premium Chase card you can transfer those points out to various travel partners and get even more value.

What kind of bonus points can you earn with the Chase Ink Business Cash?

You can earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases in the following categories every year:

Office supplies stores
Internet, cable and phone services

You can also earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases for gas and restaurants.

Does the Chase Ink Business Cash have an annual fee?

No, there is no annual fee.

Can I upgrade from the Chase Ink Business Cash?

Yes, you can upgrade to the Chase Ink Business Preferred.

Typically, it is recommended to wait 12 months before requesting an upgrade.

Does the Chase Ink Business Cash have primary rental car insurance?

You can get primary business rental car coverage with the Chase Ink Business Cash.

This is designed to cover you for business travel while in the US but you can get coverage for personal reasons when traveling outside of your country of residence.

Is the Chase Ink Business Cash subject to Chase 5/24?

Yes, This card is subject to the Chase 5/24 rule which means that if you have been approved for 5 or more accounts in the past 24 months you won’t be able to get approved.

You can use WalletFlo to help you find out when you might be eligible.

What kind of credit score do I need to get approved?

It’s recommended that you have a good to excellent credit score which generally means a credit score over 700.

It also helps to have a solid few years of credit history.

Final word

The Chase Ink Business Cash is a great business starter card and keeper as it has no annual fee along with a solid sign-up bonus equal to the Reserve. Plus, if you couple this card up with an Ultimate Rewards earning card, you can get great value out of your cash back turning them into points.

This article was originally published by Steve Smith.

Chase Business Reconsideration Line (Tips if Denied, Phone Number) [2020]

If you’re denied or not instantly approved for a Chase business credit card, theres a good chance you’ll need to call the Chase business reconsideration line.

Chase recon calls for business credit cards can be much tougher than calls for personal cards. 

But don’t sweat it, this article will show you tips on exactly how to get through a Chase Business reconsideration line phone call and give you the phone number to call.

Update: Some offers are no longer available — click here for the latest deals!

What is the Chase business reconsideration line?

The Chase Business reconsideration line is your chance to get your business credit card application approved by showing Chase why you need or want the card and verifying facts about your business.

Chase business reconsideration line phone number

The Chase business reconsideration line phone number is: 1-800-453-9719.

The business hours are 8am to 5pm EST, M-F. EST. (Note: this is accurate as of March 22, 2016.)

You should be able to call this number for the following cards:

  • Chase Ink Preferred
  • Chase Ink Cash
  • Chase Ink Unlimited
  • United MileagePlus Club Business Card
  • United MileagePlus Explorer Business Card
  • Marriott Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
  • Southwest business credit card 

Tip: Check out the free app WalletFlo so that you can optimize your credit card spend by seeing the best card to use! You can also track credits, annual fees, and get notifications when you’re eligible for the best cards!

Should you call?

The general consensus is to not call for the business reconsideration line until you have been denied. There are a few reasons for not calling in….

The thinking is that you’re removing your application from a pool of applications that could be auto approved and potentially allowing the discretion of a banker to determine your credit card fate.

Bank discretion can become a big problem if you have a lot of accounts recently opened, hard inquiries, or any other potentially damaging factors on your credit report, so many like to avoid recon until they’re forced to face it.

Another reason is that a lot of people just aren’t good with answering questions on the fly and might screw up their chances by saying something stupid or something that the bank rep (whether rightly or wrongly) finds suspect.

And finally, the numbers just seem to be against you. I’ve done a fair amount of research (although not exactly scientific in nature) and from what I’ve gathered, calling in appears to not do you any favors in getting approved.

All of the above are legitimate reasons to avoid calling and that’s why my recommendation is to not call reconsideration until you have been denied. At that point, you have nothing to lose and there’s no harm in calling.

What to expect when you call

Every time I’ve called business recon I’ve been greeted almost instantly by a live representative. I give them my social security number and then they look up my file and ask what they can do for me.

I always remain as friendly as possible and just tell them that I want to “inquire into the status of my recent credit card application.”

After some verification questions, they’ll usually put you on hold for a while and then come back, ready to look over your app.

At this point, they may only ask you a few quick questions about your business or they might go into extreme specifics — I’ve encountered both ends of the spectrum with my prior dealings with Chase. Because you don’t know how they are going to come out for you, it’s important to make sure that you’re ready for them.

So here are some things you really need to know.

Know your business

This should be easy for you assuming you’re not trying to game the system with a “business.”

In my first recon call, I was only asked about the name and age of my business but in the second recon call they went in depth about the nature of my business and what in particular I do, sell, etc. It was much more difficult than the first recon call but still not entirely daunting.

They asked such questions as:

  • What is your business? (name, legal name, type of organization, etc.)
  • Can you describe your industry?
  • What products do you sale, how much, etc.?
  • How old is your business?
  • How long have you been in the trade?
  • What is your job title?
  • Number of employees?
  • Why does your business need this credit card?

I had a memorized one sentence description of my business that I spit out and then just starting to go into detail about what it is I do. All of the business reps I’ve dealt with have been nice but I’ve heard reports of some reps being a bit aggressive and approaching the call like an interrogation.

Know your business figures

This is the portion of the call that most people stumble on because if you’re not prepared for it, then it’s easy to say something contradictory or something that doesn’t sound right.

Remember, these bankers deal with applications all day long and it wouldn’t surprise me if some of them have developed an intuition for identifying applicants who are trying to game the system with their “eMerchandise business” (aka “I sold a watch on eBay two years ago”).

Have figures/charts ready to answer the following questions:

  • What is your annual revenue, expenses, and profits?
  • Did you pay taxes on that revenue?
  • What were your annual revenue, expenses, and profits for the previous year? Year before that?
  • Are you currently operating at a profit or loss?
  • What is your expected revenue, expenses, profits for the next year? The year after?
  • Why do you suspect they will increase or decrease?

Sound like you know what you’re talking about

I think one key to the reconsideration calls is that you need to sound confident.

A true business owner should know his or her business like the back of his or her hand and shouldn’t be stumbling around with basic questions. It really helps to have a cheat sheet on hand when you make the call so you can just spit out the answers needed.

In my experience, the above questions were all that were covered. However, don’t be surprised if they start getting into your recent account history. Chase seems to be doing this more and more with both personal and business cards. So be prepared for some potentially intrusive questioning about why you have so many new accounts.

Verifying identity

Verifying your ID for a business card typically involves standard procedures like faxing in a copy of your license or submitting some form of notarized document from a financial institution.

However, in some (I believe rare cases), you might have to submit tax forms and/or business filing documents relating to your business. Hopefully that won’t happen to you but if you’ve done nothing but told the truth you should have nothing to worry about.

If you’re denied

It’s always a good idea to call back and try at least once or twice with a different representative.

Keep in mind that they notate your account when you call back so the reps will likely know that you’ve called once, twice, or more than that, which may affect their attitude towards you. If calling back doesn’t work then you may just have to try again 3 to 6 months down the road.

That’s it for Chase business recon. Just be prepared with a cheat sheet for the above questions and you should be just fine. Oh, and if you’re interested in the Chase Ink+ check out my tips on how to get approved

Chase Ink Rental Car Insurance Explained (Preferred, Cash, Unlimited) [2019]

The Chase Ink cards include the impressive line-up of the: Ink Business Preferred, Ink Cash, and and Ink Unlimited. All three of these cards offer extremely valuable rental car coverage. However, there are some limitations and restrictions for this coverage that you need to be aware of.

This article will explain everything you need to know about Chase Ink rental car insurance including important exclusions and will also show you how to file a claim.

Interested in finding out the top travel credit cards for this month? Click here to check them out! 

Chase Ink cards

Before getting into the nitty-gritty of the rental car coverage, here’s a breakdown of the main benefits of each of the Chase Ink cards.

Chase Ink Preferred

The Chase Ink Preferred has a high sign-up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 in the first three months. The card also earns 3X per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on all of the following categories:

  • Travel, including airfare, hotels, rental cars, train tickets and taxis
  • Shipping purchases
  • Advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines
  • Internet, cable and phone services

With its high sign-up bonus of 80,000 points and solid bonus categories, this is the #1 business card offered by Chase and I would be looking to get the Chase Ink Preferred first and then add one of the cards below.

Chase Ink Cash

The Chase Ink Cash comes with a great sign-up bonus of 50,000 Ultimate Rewards after you spend $3,000 in the first three months along with a 0% APR period. That’s worth at least $500 which is very competitive for a no annual fee credit card but the card also has some fantastic bonus categories.

The Chase Ink Cash earns 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year at:

  • Internet
  • Cable
  • Phone services
  • Office supply stores

And it also earns 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each year at:

  • Gas stations
  • Restaurants

The Ink Business Unlimited

Ink Business Unlimited

The Ink Business Unlimited earns 1.5% back on all purchases and comes with a $500 sign-up bonus after you spend $3,000 in the first three months. It also has no annual fee and comes with  a 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers.

Chase Ink Plus

The Chase Ink Plus is no longer available for new applicants.

Chase Ink rental car insurance policy

The Chase Ink cards come with primary rental car coverage while renting for business purposes or when renting for personal reasons outside your country of residence. Coverage is secondary and supplements any valid and collectible insurance when renting for personal reasons inside your country of residence, or if you do not have automobile insurance.

The big thing to note is that if you are traveling inside the US, you’ll need to be traveling on business for the benefits to kick in but if you’re traveling abroad, you’ll be able to get coverage.

This is the major distinguishing factor for the Ink cards versus the personal Chase cards like the Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Preferred. Those cards offer primary rental car coverage for personal travel regardless of where you’re renting your vehicle.

Other cards like the Chase Freedom and Chase Slate will also provide rental car coverage regardless of where you travel but those cards do not offer primary rental car coverage.

Why this coverage is special

Getting primary rental car coverage is special because it means you do not have to file a claim with any other source of insurance before you can receive coverage.

This means that you can usually avoid dealing with your auto insurance company and won’t have to worry about your premiums rising or potentially paying fees associated with the claim.

Primary rental car coverage is also special because the Chase Ink Unlimited and the Chase Ink Cash both have no annual fees. It’s extremely rare for a card to offer primary rental car coverage and not force you to cough up an annual fee.

Consider that the Business Platinum Card from American Express doesn’t even offer primary rental car coverage and it comes with a hefty $450 annual fee. If you do a lot of traveling that requires rental cars, you’ll be able to get out ahead big time with a card like the Chase Ink Cash.

How to get coverage

It’s very important that you pay attention to the requirements for getting rental car coverage with the Ink cards.

Here are two things you must do to get coverage. 

Use your Ink card

You need to initiate and complete the entire rental transaction using your Chase Ink card — don’t split up your payments with other cards if you want to use this perk.

Decline the rental company coverage

When you go to check out your rental car, you’ll need to decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver or similar provision if it is offered to you.

Rental car companies may refer to the collision damage waiver as CDW or LDW in their contract or when speaking with you so be on alert. Sometimes they can be quite pushy when trying to get you to sign up for their policies.

But resist the temptation because if you accept the collision damage waiver offered by the rental company, you will not be eligible for Auto Rental CDW.

Who is covered by the policy?

You as the cardholder of the Ink card will be covered as the primary renter of the vehicle and any additional drivers permitted to operate it under the terms of the rental agreement are also covered. Basically, if their names are on the contract as additional drivers then they will be covered as well.

Where does the coverage apply?

The benefit is available in the United States and most foreign countries. If you want assurance that you’ll be covered then simply call the rental car company and inquire about the benefit.

Let them know that you have a card that offers primary rental car coverage and that you would like to use that for your rental and tell them that you’d like to verify that your coverage applies.

What is covered

Coverage time limits

The CDW coverage only covers vehicle rental periods that do not exceed or are not intended to exceed 31  consecutive days within or outside of your country of residence.

It’s a little unclear what a rental that did not intend to exceed 31 days would look like but my guess is it would involve some sort of weather or logistical mishap that prevented you from returning the vehicle within the required time.

Covered losses

The Chase Ink rental car coverage will cover you for;

  • Physical damage and/or theft of the covered rental vehicle
  • Valid loss-of-use charges assessed by the rental company while the damaged vehicle is being repaired and is not available for use, as substantiated in the company’s fleet utilization log
  • Reasonable and customary towing charges related to a covered loss to take the vehicle to the nearest qualified repair facility.

Excluded vehicles

The Ink cards will not provide coverage for: expensive, exotic, and antique automobiles; certain vans; vehicles that have an open cargo bed; trucks; motorcycles, mopeds, and motorbikes; limousines; and recreational vehicles.

Expensive or exotic automobiles could include the following brands:

  • Alfa Romeo
  • Aston Martin
  • Bentley
  • Corvette
  • Ferrari
  • Jaguar
  • Lamborghini
  • Lotus
  • Maserati
  • Maybach
  • McLaren
  • Porsche
  • Rolls Royce
  • Tesla.

*However, selected models of Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, Infiniti, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, and Range Rover are covered.

An antique automobile is defined as any vehicle over 20 years old or any vehicle that has not been manufactured for 10 years or more. Also, the coverage only applies to those vans manufactured and designed to transport a maximum of 8 people and which are used exclusively to transport people.

Luxury vehicles are excluded.

Not liability insurance!

The Chase Ink cards provide a collision damage waiver (CDW) which isn’t the same as car insurance. Collision damage waiver just means you won’t be responsible for the damage done to your rental vehicle. If you were to get into an accident and damaged another vehicle or caused injuries to passengers, the collision damage waiver would NOT cover you in those instances, since that has to do with liability insurance.

How to file a claim

Call the Benefit Administrator immediately to report theft or damage, regardless of whether your liability has been established.  You must report the incident no later than 60 days following the date of the theft or damage. If the claim is reported after this time frame, your claim may be denied.

To report a claim you can call the Chase Benefits phone number at: 1-888-320-9656 or 1-888-320-9956. 

Gather your documents

Once you call, you’ll have to submit documents to substantiate your claim. Here are some of the documents you’ll need to submit. Note that the required documents are different from the personal cards since they require you to show that you were traveling on business.

Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver Claim Form

The completed and signed Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver Claim Form: Your completed claim form must be postmarked within 100 days of the date of theft or damage, even if all other required documentation is not yet available. If your claim form is not postmarked within this time frame, your claim may be denied.

Billing statement

A copy of your receipt or monthly billing statement showing that the entire vehicle rental was charged to and paid for with your eligible card.

Employer confirmation

A written confirmation from your employer that the rental was primarily for business purposes.

Personal use proof

If the rental was for personal use, enclose a statement from your insurance carrier showing the costs for which you are responsible and any amounts that have been paid toward the claim. Or, if you have no applicable insurance, please provide a notarized statement to that effect.

Statement from your insurance carrier

A copy of the declaration page from your primary automobile insurance carrier if the rental was for personal use.

Rental car company documents

You should also ask the rental company for these documents immediately at the time of the theft or damage or when you return the vehicle to the company:

  • A copy of the Accident Report Form and claim document: this should indicate the costs you are responsible for and any amounts that have been paid toward the claim.
  • A copy of the entire auto rental agreement(s)
  • A copy of the repair estimate or itemized repair bill
  • 2 photographs of the damaged vehicle, if available
  • A police report, if obtainable
  • Any other documentation deemed necessary, in the Benefit Administrator’s sole discretion, to substantiate the claim

Be prepared to have to fight a little to get the required documents. I’ve had some nightmare experiences dealing with companies like Avis and it’s been like pulling teeth to get them to respond to calls, emails, etc.

How long will it take to receive payments for coverage?

Generally, the claim will be paid within 15 days after the Auto Rental CDW Benefit Administrator has received all documentation needed to fully substantiate your claim.

Final word

The Chase Ink cards offer great value all around but the primary rental car coverage is certainly one of the more valuable perks, especially when it comes to the no annual fee cards like the Chase Ink Cash and Chase Ink Unlimited. Make sure you pat attention to the distinctions between business and personal use and some of the other limitations, and you’ll be able to take a lot of value from this benefit.