Businesses whose spend doesn't concentrate in a specific bucket — unlimited 1
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% on purchases for 12 months
Ongoing APR
16.74% – 24.74% variable
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Balance transfer fee
$5 or 5%
Late payment fee
Up to $40
Pros
Businesses whose spend doesn't concentrate in a specific bucket — unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, no annual fee, and no earning cap makes this the simplest 'set it and forget it' card in Chase's Ink lineup. There's also 5% total cash back on Lyft rides through September 30, 2027.
Trade-offs
Businesses whose spend clusters in a specific category — Ink Business Cash's 5% office-supply/telecom rate or Ink Business Preferred's 3x travel/shipping/ad rate both beat 1.5% flat for that spend — and owners who want a card that builds personal credit (Chase business cards generally don't report positive activity to personal bureaus).
The catch
Flat 1.5% is the entire pitch — there's no category to optimize around, so a business with real office-supply, telecom, travel, or advertising spend is leaving money on the table versus Ink Business Cash or Ink Business Preferred. The rewards are Ultimate Rewards points redeemable as cash at 1 cpp; they're only worth more if you also hold a Preferred or Sapphire to transfer through.
Businesses that want a flat, no-annual-fee cash-back rate with no categories to track: 2% back, automatically applied as
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% on purchases for 12 months
Ongoing APR
16.74% – 28.49% variable
Foreign transaction fee
2.7%
Balance transfer fee
See issuer terms
Late payment fee
Up to $39
Pros
Businesses that want a flat, no-annual-fee cash-back rate with no categories to track: 2% back, automatically applied as a statement credit, on the first $50,000 in purchases each calendar year (1% after). A 12-month 0% intro APR on purchases gives new equipment or inventory spend real runway before interest applies.
Trade-offs
Businesses whose annual spend regularly clears $50,000 — the rate drops to 1% on everything above that line, and a card built for category or travel spend (Ink Business Cash, Amex Business Gold) out-earns a flat 2% at that volume.
The catch
The 2% only applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year — cross that threshold and every additional dollar earns just 1%, with no notification when you do. Track your spend if you're anywhere near the cap; this is a strong card under $50k/yr and a mediocre one above it.
Small businesses with real office-supply and telecom spend
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% on purchases for 12 months
Ongoing APR
16.74% – 24.74% variable
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Balance transfer fee
$5 or 5%
Late payment fee
Up to $40
Pros
Small businesses with real office-supply and telecom spend. The 5% back at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services (first $25,000 combined per year) is the best $0-fee business earn rate for that spend profile — and the points are Ultimate Rewards when paired with a premium Chase card.
Trade-offs
Businesses whose spend doesn't concentrate in the 5%/2% categories (a flat-rate business card returns more on general spend), and owners who want a card that builds personal credit — Chase business cards generally don't report positive activity to personal bureaus.
The catch
The headline 5% is capped at the first $25,000 in combined 5%-plus-2% category spend each year, then drops to 1%. The card earns 'cash back' that is really Ultimate Rewards points — worth 1 cpp as cash, but 1.5+ cpp only if you also hold a Sapphire Preferred/Reserve or Ink Preferred to transfer through.
Small business owners spending $5,000+/yr on travel, shipping, internet/cable/phone, or advertising (search + social) —
Key specs
Annual fee
$95
Ongoing APR
17.74% – 26.74% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Balance transfer fee
$5 or 5%
Late payment fee
Up to $40
Pros
Small business owners spending $5,000+/yr on travel, shipping, internet/cable/phone, or advertising (search + social) — the 3x category at $150k cap annually transfers to United at our 1.5 cpp benchmark for real value. Chase cut Ultimate Rewards → Hyatt transfers from 1:1 to 4:3 for this card (June 2026); United remains 1:1.
Trade-offs
Sole proprietors with under ~$2,000/yr in the bonus categories (the $95 AF doesn't pencil) and businesses that aren't ready to maintain separate business credit reporting (Ink reports to commercial bureaus, which is the upside but also the discipline).
The catch
The $150k annual cap on 3x is generous, but the categories are narrowly defined — Google + Facebook ads count, Amazon ads don't always; FedEx/UPS shipping counts, in-store local courier doesn't. Audit the categories against your actual P&L before scoring AF math.
Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards
Bank of America and Merrill business customers enrolled in Preferred Rewards for Business — the flat 1
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases for 7 billing cycles
Ongoing APR
16.74% – 26.74% variable
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Balance transfer fee
5% of the transaction amount
Pros
Bank of America and Merrill business customers enrolled in Preferred Rewards for Business — the flat 1.5% base rate scales up with combined balances: 25% higher (1.87%) at the Gold tier ($20,000+), 50% higher (2.25%) at Platinum ($50,000+), and 75% higher (2.62%) at Platinum Honors ($100,000+). No annual fee, no category tracking, uncapped earning.
Trade-offs
Businesses without a Bank of America or Merrill deposit relationship — the plain 1.5% flat rate is beaten by several no-fee 2% cards (Amex Blue Business Cash on spend under $50k/yr, Chase Ink Business Unlimited's 1.5% has no such ceiling either) — and businesses that spend abroad, where the 3% foreign transaction fee applies.
The catch
The headline value lives entirely in the Preferred Rewards for Business multiplier, which requires parking real combined balances at BofA/Merrill business and personal accounts. Without that relationship you're holding a plain 1.5% flat-rate card with a 3% foreign transaction fee — no better, and in most cases worse, than the no-fee alternatives.
Established businesses spending $50,000+/yr who want flat 2% on everything with no rotating-category tracking and an ann
Key specs
Annual fee
$150
Ongoing APR
Charge card (no APR, balance due in full)
Foreign transaction fee
None
Late payment fee
2.99% of past due amount
Pros
Established businesses spending $50,000+/yr who want flat 2% on everything with no rotating-category tracking and an annual $200 cash bonus once you hit $200k in spend (recovers most of the AF). Charge-card structure — pay in full monthly.
Trade-offs
Newer businesses without $50k+ annual spend (the $150 AF + charge-card pay-in-full requirement is more friction than the $0-AF Spark Cash Select justifies). Also not for businesses that need revolving credit.
The catch
Capital One markets the $200 bonus at $200k spend as a near-zero net AF. True — but you have to actually hit $200k each year, and the bonus only triggers in years you do. Treat the AF as $150 and the bonus as upside, not as core math.
Small-business owners and LLCs who want a flat 2x-miles travel card with no foreign transaction fee at a straightforward
Key specs
Annual fee
$95
Ongoing APR
24.49% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Late payment fee
Up to $40
Pros
Small-business owners and LLCs who want a flat 2x-miles travel card with no foreign transaction fee at a straightforward $95 AF — well below the $395 Venture X Business's price tag.
Trade-offs
Businesses that won't use the $50 travel credit or $50 advertising/software statement credit — without capturing those, this is a plain 2x-miles product at a $95 fee that a no-fee flat-rate business card can beat.
The catch
The 5x rate only applies to hotels booked through Capital One Business Travel — everywhere else, including flights and hotels booked directly, it's a flat 2x. Model your actual booking habits before assuming the promoted 5x applies to your spend.
Service businesses with concentrated spend in two clear top categories (Amex picks your 2 highest categories each month
Key specs
Annual fee
$375
Ongoing APR
17.74% – 28.49% variable (Pay Over Time)
Foreign transaction fee
None
Late payment fee
$39, or 2.99% of the past-due Pay in Full amount, whichever is greater
Pros
Service businesses with concentrated spend in two clear top categories (Amex picks your 2 highest categories each month from a list of 6: airfare, advertising, gas, restaurants, computing/hosting, shipping). The 4x on top-2 categories at our 1.4 cpp MR benchmark beats most business flat-rate cards.
Trade-offs
Businesses with spend spread evenly across 6+ categories (the 4x carve-out underperforms a flat 2% card), and businesses that need predictable monthly cashflow (the Pay Over Time structure is operationally different from a revolving card).
The catch
Amex auto-selects your top 2 categories monthly from THEIR list — if your real top categories are payroll, rent, or SaaS subscriptions, they don't count. Match your P&L to the 6 eligible categories before scoring the $375 AF.
