Chase Ink Business Cash® vs. Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Calculator
Chase Ink Business Cash® and Chase Ink Business Unlimited®both have no annual fee, but they reward business spending very differently. Ink Cash earns 5% cash back on the first $25,000 in combined purchases each account anniversary year at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services, plus 2% on the first $25,000 in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants. Ink Unlimited earns an unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase.
Enter your monthly business spending below and we'll automatically apply the category limits to show which card would earn more for your business.
These are two of our favorite small business cards because they have no annual fee, rich welcome bonus offers, and they offer cash back in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points which can be moved to a Sapphire Preferred®, Sapphire Reserve®, Ink Business Preferred®, or Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ card to utilize transfer partners for even more value.
We know they are great cards and the no annual fee makes an easy decision - but which one is right for you? That's what our calculator will figure out!
Advertiser disclosure
Your Best Credit Cards has partnered with CardRatings and MyBankTracker for our coverage of credit card products. Your Best Credit Cards and our partners may receive compensation from card issuers when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened. Some or all of the offers that appear on Your Best Credit Cards are from advertisers and may influence how and where products are displayed on the site, as well as their rankings in tables. Your Best Credit Cards does not include all card companies, banks, or all available card or bank offers. Commissions do not affect or prioritize placement within our Card Explorer results, and not all cards displayed earn us a commission. The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned, and has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone.
For this calculator, compensation does not affect the calculations or which of these two cards earns more.
5% on office supply stores and internet, cable and phone services and 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants up $25,000 annual cardmember year limits per group; 1% on other purchases and after the caps.
Year 1 includes the current welcome offer based on your projected spending. Assumes you are eligible for the offer and satisfy all offer terms. Note that if you have ever had a no annual fee Ink card before, you may not be eligible for the bonus offer.
Year 1 includes 5% on Lyft rides through September 30, 2027, then standard rates. Year 2+ uses the post-promotion rates: 1% for Ink Cash and 1.5% for Ink Unlimited.
Based on $0.00 in eligible annual spending. The result is determined by rewards, independent of compensation to Your Best Credit Cards.
Year 2+ rewards breakdown
Ongoing annual cash-back value at 1 cent per point
5% Office supply stores and internet, cable and phone services
Office supply stores and internet, cable and phone services share one $25,000 cap per account anniversary year. Purchases above that combined cap earn 1%.
2% Gas stations and restaurants
Gas stations and restaurants share a separate $25,000 cap per account anniversary year. Purchases above that combined cap earn 1%.
Cash back now. More redemption options with an eligible card.
Both cards earn rewards tracked as Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. This calculator values those points at 1 cent each for cash back.
No enhanced travel value is assumed here. Actual redemption value depends on how you use your points. See our Guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards® for more information on maximizing your points.
How Does the Ink Cash vs. Ink Unlimited Calculator Work?
The calculator compares the rewards you could earn based on the monthly business spending you enter. For Ink Cash, it automatically applies the 5% and 2% bonus-category limits and the 1% rate that applies outside those categories or after the applicable limits are reached. Ink Unlimited earns a flat 1.5% on eligible purchases with no annual rewards cap.
Year 1 includes one year of rewards from spending plus the current welcome offer when your projected spending meets the offer's requirement. Year 2+ (ongoing) shows annual rewards from spending alone. For an apples-to-apples comparison, rewards are valued at 1 cent per point.
Both cards earn 5% total cash back on eligible Lyft rides through September 30, 2027, outside the two $25,000 category limits. Year 1 starts today and estimates Lyft spending evenly across the next 12 months, applying 5% only through that date. Year 2+ shows ongoing rewards after the promotion, with Lyft earning 1% on Ink Cash and 1.5% on Ink Unlimited.
The calculator's recommendation is based only on the spending you enter and each card's rewards structure. Compensation does not affect the result.
Estimates assume the same spending each month and a full account anniversary year starting with unused category limits. Purchases must qualify under the card's terms. Interest, fees and other benefits are not included in rewards value.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: Ink Cash or Ink Unlimited?
Neither card is better for every business. Ink Cash can earn more when a meaningful portion of your spending falls into its 5% and 2% bonus categories, while Ink Unlimited can earn more when most of your spending falls outside those categories. The calculator applies your spending to both rewards structures to show which earns more.
How does the $25,000 Ink Cash limit work?
Office supply stores and internet, cable and phone services share one $25,000 combined limit each account anniversary year for 5% cash back. Gas stations and restaurants share a separate $25,000 combined limit for 2% cash back. Purchases above either applicable limit earn 1%.
Does Year 1 include the welcome offer?
The bonus is included in your Year 1 totals only when your projected spending meets the offer's minimum spend requirement in the specified timeframe.
You must also be eligible for the offer and satisfy all offer terms.
If your projected spending falls short, the bonus is not included.
Does the calculator use my saved Your Best Credit Cards spending profile?
Not at this time. This simplified two-card comparison calculator currently uses only the spending entered on this page.
Advertiser disclosure
Your Best Credit Cards has partnered with CardRatings and MyBankTracker for our coverage of credit card products. Your Best Credit Cards and our partners may receive compensation from card issuers when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened. Some or all of the offers that appear on Your Best Credit Cards are from advertisers and may influence how and where products are displayed on the site, as well as their rankings in tables. Your Best Credit Cards does not include all card companies, banks, or all available card or bank offers. Commissions do not affect or prioritize placement within our Card Explorer results, and not all cards displayed earn us a commission. The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned, and has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone.
For this calculator, compensation does not affect the calculations or which of these two cards earns more.
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