For years, Chase’s Ink business credit cards have been some of the best options for building up a massive stash of Ultimate Rewards points with minimal effort. Open the *Ink Cash* and the *Ink Unlimited*, collect two big welcome offers along the way … then rinse and repeat.
Sadly, that long-standing strategy – one that many small business owners, freelancers, and side hustlers have relied on – has come to an end.
Earlier this month, Chase quietly updated the terms on all three of its Ink business cards by slipping new language into the fine print that disqualifies many would-be applicants from earning a bonus … and even added a new pop-up warning during application process that tells some applicants they’re not eligible.
It’s clear Chase is tightening the screws on the Ink gravy train in a way we hadn't seen before. If you’ve used the Ink lineup as a reliable way to cycle through bonus offers, this change hurts.
The Big Change: A New “Lifetime” Restriction
Chase’s two no-annual-fee business cards – the Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Unlimited – now include brand-new sign-up bonus offer restrictions.
Chase didn’t announce this change publicly, but the updated terms, which you'll find on the application pages for both cards, say it all: “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. We may also consider factors pertinent to your business in determining your bonus eligibility.”
That first sentence effectively wipes out the long-standing strategy of earning both Ink no-annual-fee bonuses or circling back to them every 24 months. Instead, Chase is moving toward something much closer to a lifetime-style restriction across the no-fee Ink family, and giving itself broad discretion to deny bonuses based on your past accounts … or even more subjective “business factors.”
This means Chase has effectively created a two-card family rule for its no-fee Ink card products. If you’ve had one before, you may now be blocked from earning the welcome bonus on the other.
That’s a major shift. Previously, you could earn each card’s sign-up bonus multiple times as long as you didn't already have the card open – or in some cases, even if you did. That made the Ink duo one of the most powerful points-building combinations available.
Even the Chase Ink Business Preferred® Isn’t Immune
The Chase Ink Business Preferred® – Chase’s business travel card with a $95 annual fee also got an update of its own. Its terms now state:
“The new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you have ever had this card.”
This is much more straightforward: If you’ve had Ink Preferred before, you’re likely done earning a bonus on it.
Unlike the no-fee cards, this isn’t a family rule. The Preferred isn’t tied to the Cash or Unlimited or even the new *sapphire reserve for business* for bonus eligibility.
A Handy Flow Chart to Make Sense of It All
With so many moving pieces, Chase’s new bonus rules aren’t exactly intuitive – especially now that different business cards follow different restrictions. To make it easier, we put together a simple flow chart that easily breaks down each card’s restrictions.
If you’re unsure whether you’re eligible for a welcome bonus on Ink Cash, Ink Unlimited, Ink Business Preferred, or the Sapphire Reserve for Business, here's what you need to know:
- Ink Cash & Ink Unlimited now share the same restriction: If you’ve ever had either card, Chase may block you from earning the bonus on the other.
- Ink Business Preferred has its own rule: If you’ve ever had it, you may not be eligible again – but it’s not impacted by Cash or Unlimited.
- Sapphire Reserve for Business stands alone, too: If you’ve had it before, Chase may deny the bonus, but it’s not restricted by any Ink cards.
Bottom Line
Chase has quietly made it much harder to earn welcome bonuses on its Ink business cards. A new family-style restriction now limits business owners to just one bonus between the Ink Cash and Ink Unlimited, while the Ink Business Preferred and Sapphire Reserve for Business now get a one-time-only bonus rule of their own.
To help ease some confusion, Chase now shows a pop-up warning during applications when you won't earn a bonus.
For anyone who relied on the Ink lineup to quickly build a big stash of Ultimate Rewards, this is a significant shift, and a sign that Chase is tightening approval and bonus rules across its business card portfolio.
