Both are no-annual-fee, flat-rate business cards — the difference is the structure: Amex Blue Business Cash pays a higher flat rate up to an annual spending cap (then a lower rate), while Chase Ink Business Unlimited pays one uncapped flat rate on everything. Pick Blue Business Cash if your annual card spend stays under the cap; pick Ink Unlimited if you spend heavily and want no cap.
American Express
Flat 2% cash back up to $50K/year, $0 annual fee.
Pros
Chase
Flat 1.5% cash back, no annual fee, 12-month 0% intro APR.
Pros
Per-spec leads computed from published specs — no single overall winner. Reviewed 2026-07-14.
| Spec | American Express Blue Business Cash Card | Chase Ink Business Unlimited |
|---|---|---|
| Starting APR | 2% | ◈ 1.5% |
| Origination fee | $0 | $0 |
| Best for | Owner-operators spending under $50K/year on the card who want better than 1.5% with zero category tracking. | Service businesses, freelancers, consultants — one card for everything, no categories to track. |
◈ marks the stronger option for that row.
Pick American Express Blue Business Cash Card if: Owner-operators spending under $50K/year on the card who want better than 1.5% with zero category tracking.
Pick Chase Ink Business Unlimited if: Service businesses, freelancers, consultants — one card for everything, no categories to track.
See all picks, methodology, and side-by-side comparison in Best Business Credit Cards.
Amex Blue Business Cash earns 2% cash back on all eligible U.S. purchases up to $50,000 per calendar year; purchases above that threshold earn 1% for the remainder of the year. Chase Ink Business Unlimited earns a flat 1.5% on all purchases with no annual spending cap. For businesses spending more than $50,000 per year on card, Ink Unlimited's uncapped 1.5% often produces more total cash back than Blue Business Cash's 2%/1% tiered structure. (Source: AmericanExpress.com; Chase.com.)
Yes — both cards charge foreign transaction fees. Amex Blue Business Cash charges 2.7% on transactions made outside the U.S. Chase Ink Business Unlimited charges 3% on foreign transactions. Neither card is designed for international business travel; if you spend significantly abroad, a no-foreign-fee business card (such as Ink Business Preferred or Amex Business Gold) would be more appropriate. (Source: AmericanExpress.com; Chase.com.)
Not directly. Ink Business Unlimited earns Chase Ultimate Rewards as cash back and cannot itself transfer to airline or hotel partners. However, if you also hold a premium Chase UR card (Ink Business Preferred, Sapphire Preferred, or Sapphire Reserve), you can pool points and unlock 1:1 transfers to United, Hyatt, Southwest, and other Chase partners. Amex Blue Business Cash earns statement credit cash back only and has no travel transfer pathway. (Source: Chase Ultimate Rewards program terms.)
Yes. Both Amex Blue Business Cash and Chase Ink Business Unlimited allow you to add employee cards at no additional annual fee. Employee card spending earns rewards on the same structure as the primary card. Amex allows you to set individual spending limits per employee card; Chase allows spending alerts and monitoring through its online business portal. (Source: AmericanExpress.com; Chase.com.)
Chase Ink Business Unlimited integrates directly with QuickBooks and supports CSV/QIF transaction exports from the Chase business banking portal. Amex Blue Business Cash integrates with QuickBooks and Xero through American Express's business account tools, also offering downloadable transaction data. Both issuers provide standard accounting connectivity; the right choice depends on your existing software stack, not integration differences. (Source: AmericanExpress.com; Chase.com.)
Amex Blue Business Cash includes purchase protection against accidental damage or theft (up to 90 days from purchase) and extended warranty coverage on eligible purchases. Chase Ink Business Unlimited includes purchase protection (up to 120 days, up to $10,000 per claim) and extended warranty (adds 1 year to eligible U.S. manufacturer warranties of 3 years or less). Both also include auto rental collision damage waiver as secondary coverage. (Source: AmericanExpress.com; Chase benefit guides.)
Both cards typically offer welcome bonuses for new cardmembers who meet a minimum spending requirement within the first few months of account opening. Welcome bonus amounts and spend thresholds change frequently — check AmericanExpress.com and Chase.com for the current cardmember offer on each card before applying. (Source: AmericanExpress.com; Chase.com — current cardmember offers.)
Yes — Amex Blue Business Cash typically includes a 0% introductory APR on purchases for a defined period after account opening. Chase Ink Business Unlimited also typically offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for a comparable introductory term. Check AmericanExpress.com and Chase.com for the current promotional period length and the standard variable APR that applies after the intro period ends — both change periodically. If financing a large business purchase interest-free is the goal, either card can serve that purpose; compare current intro terms at each issuer's site. (Source: AmericanExpress.com; Chase.com.)
Both Amex Blue Business Cash and Chase Ink Business Unlimited target business owners with good to excellent personal credit — generally a FICO score of 670 or higher for consideration, with stronger approval odds above 700. Both issuers evaluate the full credit profile including personal income, business revenue, and existing account history. Neither publishes a guaranteed minimum. American Express offers pre-qualification at AmericanExpress.com; Chase offers pre-qualification for some cards at Chase.com — both use a soft inquiry that doesn't affect your score. (Source: AmericanExpress.com; Chase.com.)
On $30,000 of flat annual spending: Amex Blue Business Cash earns $600 (2% on the first $50,000 per year, so 2% × $30,000). Chase Ink Business Unlimited earns $450 (1.5% flat with no cap, so 1.5% × $30,000). Blue Business Cash wins on flat spend below its $50,000 annual cap. Above roughly $100,000 in annual spend, Ink Unlimited's uncapped 1.5% pulls ahead of Blue Business Cash's blended 2%/1% rate — the exact crossover depends on your spending pattern. For most small businesses under the $50,000 cap, Blue Business Cash produces more cash back on straight comparisons. (Source: AmericanExpress.com; Chase.com — math based on published reward rates.)
Independent editorial comparison. ClearValue Lending is not the issuer of any product compared here; affiliate links may pay a referral commission at no cost to you — selection is independent of compensation.