Chase's two no-annual-fee business cards look alike and earn very differently. The Ink Business Cash pays 5 percent on a short list of business essentials and 1 percent on the rest. The Ink Business Unlimited pays a flat 1.5 percent on everything. This guide compares what Chase lists in October 2026 and gives you a rule you can apply to your own bills in a couple of minutes.
The two cards at a glance
- 5%
- Cash, business essentials
- 2%
- Cash, gas and restaurants
- 1.5%
- Unlimited, everything
- 0
- Annual fee
Office supply stores, internet, cable and phone, up to the cap
Up to the cap
Chase lists unlimited 1.5 percent cash back
On both, as recorded in the card library
Which one earns more: the seven-to-one rule
Cash beats a flat 1.5 percent by 3.5 points on each dollar in the 5 percent group and by 0.5 points in the 2 percent group. It loses 0.5 points on each dollar at 1 percent. That gives you a rule. Within the caps, Cash earns more when seven times your 5 percent spending plus your 2 percent spending is greater than your 1 percent spending.
- Business essentials
- The 5 percent group on Cash: office supply stores and internet, cable and phone services.
- Anniversary year
- The twelve months counted from your account's opening date, the period the card library uses for the caps.
- Flat rate
- The same cash back on every purchase, as on Unlimited.
Other things Chase lists
On the Unlimited page, Chase lists a 0 percent intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases, and built-in benefits for the business. For rentals, coverage is primary when you rent for business purposes, and it reimburses up to $60,000 for theft and collision damage on most rental vehicles. Purchase protection covers eligible new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft, up to $10,000 per item. Extended warranty adds one year to eligible manufacturer warranties of three years or less. Check the Cash card's own page for its list.
Chase also lists time-limited extras for the Unlimited with end dates in 2027, such as a total of 5 percent cash back on Lyft rides. A three-month Instacart+ membership is listed for both cards, and it renews at $99 a year when the free period ends.
For how to compare a card's rate against other cards, see rewards math: cents per point.
The bonus rule that shapes the order
Chase's wording is that the new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you have ever had this card or any other Chase for Business card without an annual fee. Treat that as a reason to pick the card you want first, because you may not be able to collect a bonus on the second. Bonus amounts change, so read the offer terms on the day you apply. For how to value a bonus, see how to price a sign-up bonus.
Total up a year of bills
Add up what you spend on office supplies, internet, cable and phone, then on gas and restaurants, then everything else.
Apply the rule
Compare seven times the first number plus the second with the third.
Check the caps
Make sure the first two numbers stay under $25,000 each, or the extra earns less.
Choose which card to open first
The bonus wording favours opening the card you will use most.
Is it right for you?
Fits you
- Cash fits you if your office supply, internet, cable and phone bills are large next to your other spending.
- Unlimited fits you if your spending is spread across many kinds of vendors.
- You want no annual fee and employee cards under your own limits.
Think twice
- Cash is weaker if most of your spending is at the 1 percent rate.
- Unlimited is weaker if you spend heavily at the Cash card's 5 percent vendors.
- A bonus may not be available if you have held another no-annual-fee Chase for Business card.
For a card with a fee and travel points, see Chase Ink Business Preferred.
Questions people ask
Which card earns more?
It depends on how your spending splits. Within the caps, Cash earns more when seven times your 5 percent spending plus your 2 percent spending is greater than your spending at 1 percent. If not, the flat 1.5 percent of Unlimited earns more.
Can I collect the bonus on both cards?
Chase's wording is that the new cardmember bonus may not be available if you have ever had this card or any other Chase for Business card without an annual fee. Read the offer terms before you apply for a second one.
Do the rewards expire?
Chase's rewards agreement says points do not expire as long as your account remains open. Cash back is tracked as points, and each dollar of cash back is 100 points.
Can my employees use the card?
Employees you allow to use the account are authorized users with equal charging privileges, unless you set individual spending limits for them.
What about the Instacart+ perk?
Chase lists a complimentary three-month Instacart+ membership for Ink Cash and Ink Unlimited cardmembers, with a monthly credit while it is active. It renews at $99 a year after the free period unless you cancel.
Sources
Written from these pages and checked against them on October 9, 2026. Programs and rules change, so check the provider’s current terms before you decide.
Cards in this guide
General information, not financial, legal or travel advice. Your own card terms and the provider’s current rules always come first.