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Chase Ink Business Unlimited vs. Amex Blue Business Cash: A Very Tight Race With the Edge to Chase

Published Nov. 27, 2024
Brittney Myers
Author: Brittney Myers
Brittney Myers
Brittney Myers
Writer

Brittney started her writing career in the world of science, putting her physics degree to good use. Her journey into finance started with building her personal credit, but soon grew into a borderline obsession with credit cards and travel rewards. For the last 7 years, she has enjoyed the ability to share her expertise with readers, as well as the opportunity to interview companies and individuals making an impact on our financial lives. She wholly believe most problems can be solved with the right research -- and a good spreadsheet -- and she specializes in translating complex financial topics into actionable advice to help educate and empower readers.

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Nathan Alderman
Fact Checked: Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman
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Nathan Alderman has been a full-time Motley Fool employee since 2005, making errors his arch-enemies in a variety of roles including a six-year stint as the dedicated fact-checker for The Motley Fool's premium newsletter services. As Motley Fool Money's Compliance Lead, he makes sure that all the site's information is accurate and up to date, which ensures we always steer readers right and keeps various financial partners happy. A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan spends his spare time volunteering for civic causes, writing and podcasting for fun, adoring his wife, and wrangling his two very large young children.

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Both the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card and the Blue Business Cash™ Card from American Express are flat-rate cash back rewards cards. One has a higher rewards rate, while the other has the better welcome bonus. Choosing between the two will come down to your priorities and your business revenue.

We'll compare the key features of these two cash back business cards to help you decide which better fits your needs.

Chase Ink Business Unlimited vs. Amex Blue Business Cash comparison

As of Dec. 26, 2024
Image for
Image for
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card Blue Business Cash™ Card from American Express
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Apply Now for Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Read Review

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Earn $750 bonus cash back

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.

$250 statement credit

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business

Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.

1% - 2% cash back

Intro APR: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR on Purchases

Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 12 months

Balance Transfers: N/A

Intro APR:

Purchases: 0%, 12 months

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR:

17.74% - 23.74% Variable

APR:

17.74% to 25.74%, variable

Annual Fee:

$0

Annual Fee:

$0

Highlights:

  • Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
  • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
  • No Annual Fee
  • Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
  • Earn rewards faster with employee cards at no additional cost. Set individual spending limits for greater control.
  • Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
  • With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
  • 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
  • Member FDIC

Highlights:

  • Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
  • Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.
  • From workflow to inventory to floor plans, your business is constantly changing. That’s why you’ve got the power to spend beyond your credit limit with Expanded Buying Power.
  • Just remember, the amount you can spend above your credit limit is not unlimited. It adjusts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us and other factors.
  • 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 17.74% to 25.74%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening.
  • No Annual Fee
  • Terms Apply
Apply Now for Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Show More Arrow graphic to expand and collapse content Show Less Arrow graphic to expand and collapse content

The information for the Blue Business Cash™ Card from American Express has been collected independently by The Ascent. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Why Chase Ink Business Unlimited might be the ideal choice

On pure value alone, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is a winner thanks to its very large welcome bonus. It's so much more than the welcome offer from the Amex Blue Business Cash that it could make up for the lower rewards rate on the Chase card for several years, depending on your spending.

Beyond the welcome offer, owners of this small business credit card earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on purchases, with no caps on how much you can earn. As such, this card will earn more in cash back rewards for businesses with at least six figures in annual spending than the Amex option.

Apply for Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

When Amex Blue Business Cash could be the better option

The Blue Business Cash™ Card from American Express is a good pick if you're more interested in the long-term potential than the size of the welcome offer and don't spend more than $100,000 a year on business expenses.

Cardholders earn a competitive 2% cash back on the first $50,000 in purchases each year (terms apply). After that, the rate drops to 1%, so this Amex card is not ideal for businesses with lots of expenses (unless you use it in conjunction with a backup card -- say, maybe, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card).

Chase Ink Business Unlimited vs. Amex Blue Business Cash overview

Other than contrasting issuers -- which I think comes down to personal preference more than anything -- comparing these two cards comes down to the welcome offer, the intro APR offer, and the purchase rewards. We'll consider the winner in each category.

Welcome bonuses

Winner: Chase Ink Business Unlimited

The current welcome offer is more than three times as high for the Chase card, making it the clear winner.

This is an easy win for Chase right now, as the current welcome bonus is worth $750 in cash back when you spend $6,000 in the first 3 months.

The Amex welcome offer is just $250 for $3,000 in spend in the first 3 months (terms apply).

While the Amex card has half the spending requirement, the welcome bonus is less than a third of what the Chase Ink Business Unlimited is offering. If you can meet the higher spending requirement, it's an easy pick.

Intro APR offers

Winner: Tied

Both cards offer nearly identical intro 0% APR offers.

Either way you go will get you the same intro 0% APR terms, which are pretty competitive for business credit cards. The standard APR ranges are fairly similar, as well.

With the Chase Ink Business Unlimited, you get 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months then a standard 17.74% - 23.74% Variable APR.

The Amex Blue Business Cash gives you an intro 0% APR on purchases for 12 months then the go-to 17.74% to 25.74%, variable APR applies.

Purchase rewards

Winner: Tied

The Amex card earns more when you spend less, while the Chase card is better for high-budget businesses.

The Amex Blue Business Cash earns 2% cash back rewards on the first $50,000 in purchases, then it earns 1% back (terms apply). The Chase Ink Business Unlimited earns 1.5% cash back, with no cap.

Doing the math, the break-even point where both cards earn the same rewards is $100,000. If your business spends less than that, the Amex card earns more. If your business spends more than that, the Chase card will earn more cash back.

Pro tip: If you like the Amex's higher rates but want travel rewards instead, consider the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express. It is almost identical to the Amex Blue Business Cash, except it earns Membership Rewards points instead of cash back.

What everyone else is saying

Overall, the internet thinks the Amex Blue Business Cash is a solid option for flat-rate rewards on non-bonus-category purchases. A few people recommend the points version (Amex Blue Business Plus Credit Card) instead, but it's generally a fairly well-liked card.

Although I'm sure there are people out there who love using their Chase Ink Business Unlimited every day, most of the chatter on social media is all about that welcome bonus. This card seems to be very popular with churners.

Final take

Either of these cards could make a great anchor card in your business rewards strategy, or go-to one-card business wallet.

If your business has a six-figure expense sheet, the Chase Ink Business Unlimited could earn you more, and the welcome bonus is huge. Businesses with lower budgets can get a lot of rewards out of the Amex Blue Business Cash and may appreciate the smaller spending requirement for the welcome offer.

As of Dec. 26, 2024
Image for
Image for
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card Blue Business Cash™ Card from American Express
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Apply Now for Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Read Review

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Earn $750 bonus cash back

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.

$250 statement credit

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business

Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.

1% - 2% cash back

Intro APR: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR on Purchases

Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 12 months

Balance Transfers: N/A

Intro APR:

Purchases: 0%, 12 months

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR:

17.74% - 23.74% Variable

APR:

17.74% to 25.74%, variable

Annual Fee:

$0

Annual Fee:

$0

Highlights:

  • Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
  • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
  • No Annual Fee
  • Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
  • Earn rewards faster with employee cards at no additional cost. Set individual spending limits for greater control.
  • Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
  • With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
  • 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
  • Member FDIC

Highlights:

  • Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
  • Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.
  • From workflow to inventory to floor plans, your business is constantly changing. That’s why you’ve got the power to spend beyond your credit limit with Expanded Buying Power.
  • Just remember, the amount you can spend above your credit limit is not unlimited. It adjusts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us and other factors.
  • 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 17.74% to 25.74%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening.
  • No Annual Fee
  • Terms Apply
Apply Now for Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Show More Arrow graphic to expand and collapse content Show Less Arrow graphic to expand and collapse content

The information for the Blue Business Cash™ Card from American Express has been collected independently by The Ascent. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.