Chase Ink Business Cash: The No-Fee Card That Earns Like a Premium Card
The Chase Ink Business Cash earns 5x at office supply stores and on internet and phone bills, has no annual fee, and pairs with Sapphire cards to unlock transfer partners.
The Chase Ink Business Cash is one of the most valuable no-annual-fee cards available. It earns 5x Ultimate Rewards points on office supply store purchases and on internet, cable, and phone bills — categories that represent real recurring costs for most small businesses and freelancers. No annual fee means there's no break-even calculation to worry about.
Here's what the card does and who should have it.
Card Details
Annual fee: $0
Welcome offer: $750 cash back (as Ultimate Rewards points) after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months
Earning Rates
5x on the first $25,000 per year at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone purchases
2x on the first $25,000 per year at gas stations and restaurants
1x on everything else
The 5x categories cover a wide range of common business expenses. Internet and phone bills are recurring charges that most businesses pay monthly — setting this card as the payment method for those bills earns 5x points passively with no additional spending required.
Office supply stores (Staples, Office Depot) sell gift cards for many major retailers. Buying a gift card at an office supply store with the Ink Business Cash earns 5x on the full face value of the card — effectively giving you 5x at Target, Amazon, or wherever the gift card is accepted. This is one of the more durable strategies in the points world because it's based on a structural feature rather than a limited promotion.
Statement Credits
$20 monthly Instacart credit (through December 31, 2027)
The card includes a $20 monthly credit on Instacart purchases when you link an eligible Instacart+ membership. That's up to $240 per year in grocery delivery savings. The credit applies automatically when you use the card at Instacart checkout.
The card also includes 3 months of complimentary Instacart+ membership for new activations.
Benefits
Purchase protection: Up to $10,000 per claim, up to $50,000 per year, for 120 days after purchase. Covers theft and damage.
Extended warranty: Adds one additional year to manufacturer warranties of 3 years or less.
Primary rental car insurance: Up to $60,000 in coverage when you decline the rental agency's collision coverage. This is primary coverage, not secondary — it applies without needing to file a claim with your personal auto insurance first.
Employee cards: Free, with individual spending limits you set.
The Transfer Partner Connection
On its own, the Ink Business Cash earns cash back — $750 from the welcome offer, and percentages on purchases. But if you also hold a Chase Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, or Ink Business Preferred, you can transfer all your Ink Business Cash points to that card and gain access to Chase's full roster of transfer partners: United, Hyatt, Aeroplan, British Airways, and more.
This is what makes the no-fee Chase cards so powerful in combination. You're earning 5x points on office supply and telecom spending with a free card, then moving those points to a Sapphire to redeem at 1.5 cents each in the travel portal or at potentially 2–6 cents each through partner transfers.
Who Should Apply
Freelancers and self-employed: Monthly internet and phone bills are almost universal. Setting the Ink Business Cash as the payment method for those bills earns 5x on autopilot.
Small business owners: Office supply purchases, shipping, and telecom costs are common. 5x on those categories, 2x on restaurant business meals, and the gift card strategy for other purchases.
Chase Ultimate Rewards ecosystem builders: If you already have a Sapphire card, adding the Ink Business Cash is one of the best ways to increase your earning rate on key categories without paying an additional annual fee.
The 5/24 note: Chase's 5/24 rule applies to business cards too — this card appears on your credit report and counts toward 5/24. If you're near the limit, factor that in before applying.
Realistic Annual Value
For a business with:
- $200/month in internet and phone: 12,000 points/year
- $300/month in office supply and other 5x spending: 18,000 points/year
- $300/month in gas and dining (2x): 7,200 points/year
- $20/month Instacart credits (unused otherwise): $240/year in savings
Total: 37,200 points + $240 savings per year. At 1.25 cents per point (Chase travel portal), the points are worth $465. Combined with the Instacart credits: approximately $705 in annual value from a card with no annual fee.
The welcome offer of $750 cash back adds to this in year one.
Bottom Line
The Chase Ink Business Cash is straightforward to justify: no annual fee, strong earning rates on common business categories, and the gift card strategy at office supply stores extends 5x earning to virtually any spending category. For anyone building a Chase Ultimate Rewards portfolio, it's a foundational card.
Track this card and all your rewards on Card Curator.