A business credit card can help reward you for your business expenses and offer other perks important to business owners. And you may already know that Chase offers some of the top business credit cards around (as well as an amazing rewards program).
If you just can’t choose between the company’s lineup, you may have considered applying for more than one card. But exactly how many Chase Ink business cards can you have at once?
There’s technically no limit on the number of Chase business cards you can have. However, there are some limitations in place, including the number of cards you can qualify for in a certain period and the maximum credit limit you can have.
This guide will help you find out if you’re eligible for more than one Chase business card, whether it’s a good idea to open more than one, and which Chase Ink business card is best for you.
So what’s the deal? Let’s find out.
How many Chase business cards can I have?
The short answer is that there’s likely no hard limit to how many Chase Ink business credit cards you can have. Some users have reported successfully getting two or three Chase business cards, even with other personal cards open.
Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean every business owner will be successful in getting multiple Chase cards. There are still some limitations, including your maximum credit limit and the number of cards you can apply for in a given timeframe. Additionally, you’ll have to meet the eligibility requirements for each card individually when you apply.
4 things to consider when applying for multiple Chase business cards
Generally speaking, you can apply and qualify for more than one Chase business credit card. However, there are a few limitations to consider when applying for another card.
Chase 5/24 rule
Though it’s not an official rule disclosed by Chase, the 5/24 rule is common knowledge in the credit card space. Under Chase’s 5/24 rule, you could be automatically denied if you’ve opened five or more new credit cards within the past 24 months, even if the cards were from a different credit card issuer and even if you have an excellent credit score.
For example, if you were approved for two Discover credit cards, a Capital One card, and two personal Chase credit cards, all within the past two years, then you may have difficulty getting approved for another Chase credit card because you’re exceeding the 5/24 rule.
There is an exception to this rule: not all business credit cards count toward your 5/24 limit. The reason business cards don’t necessarily count is that they may be attached to your business credit, not your personal credit. If you have a business credit card, including some Chase Ink business cards, and they don’t appear on your personal credit report, they won’t count toward the 5/24 limit.
Chase 1/30 rule
In addition to the 5/24 rule, there’s another unofficial guideline to be aware of: the Chase 1/30 rule, which indicates that you probably won’t be approved if you’ve already applied for a Chase business credit card within the last 30 days.
There are exceptions to every rule, of course, but if you’re worried about getting approved for multiple Ink business cards, it may be wise to space out your credit card applications over a few months. If you apply for too many cards at once, you could risk being denied automatically.
This is similar, but more restrictive, than the 2/30 rule that applies to qualifying for a personal Chase credit card.
Limits on welcome offers
Another reason to consider the timing of your application has to do with welcome offers. For some Chase business cards, you may be ineligible for the bonus if you’ve recently received a bonus on the same or a related card.
For example, the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card doesn’t allow you to earn the welcome offer if you’ve already received a bonus from a personal Southwest Rapid Rewards card within the past 24 months.
Read the fine print of any business card you’re considering to be sure you’re eligible for the bonus. And remember, it’s not when you got the card that counts — it’s when the bonus was deposited into your account.
Maximum Chase credit limit
A final consideration when applying for multiple Chase business cards is your maximum potential credit limit. Chase typically offers a maximum amount of credit it’s willing to give you, which may affect your potential approval.
For example, if Chase is willing to offer you $20,000 of credit, that may be the same if you have it all on one card or spread across multiple cards. If you have a high credit limit on your existing Chase card and it’s preventing you from qualifying for additional cards, consider calling Chase and asking them to lower the limits on your existing business cards.
The total credit limit you’re approved for depends on a number of factors — both personal and business-related — including your income, credit history, and how much debt you already have.
Does it make sense to have more than one Chase business card?
We’ve established that you can have multiple Chase business cards, but does that mean it’s a good idea? The short answer is that it depends.
For many business owners, having multiple Chase business cards can be a great way to take advantage of varying card benefits. For example, you could open the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card to earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year, and then use the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card to earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase.
Another reason you may want to consider multiple Chase cards is if you’re able to take advantage of multiple welcome offers.
Finally, remember that you can combine the points and cash back you earn on your Chase credit cards (though this doesn’t apply to the Ink Business Premier® Credit Card). For example, if you earn $500 cash back on one card and $500 cash back on another, you can combine those amounts.
Maximizing rewards when you have several Chase cards
Where this really becomes powerful is if you have the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, which gives you 25% more value for your points if you redeem them for travel through Chase Travel. So, if you had both the Ink Business Preferred and another Chase business card (or even another personal card), you could transfer the points from your other card to the Preferred and take advantage of the higher redemption value.
While I don’t have Chase business cards, the ability to combine points across my multiple Chase personal cards has helped my points go further when I’m booking travel.
Of course, there are also downsides to opening multiple Chase business cards. First, a couple of the Ink Business cards charge annual fees. It may not be worth it for you to pay multiple fees (though you could get around this by choosing one or more no-annual-fee business cards).
What to do if you’re denied a Chase business card?
Even if you meet the requirements, you may apply for a Chase business credit card and learn that your application was denied. In that case, there are a few steps you can take.
First, you can call the Chase’s reconsideration line to challenge your application. It might not result in an approval, but being friendly and explaining why you want the card you’ve applied for even though you have other business cards can be helpful.
Next, if the reason your application was denied is because you’re up against Chase’s 5/24 or 1/30 rules, you can simply wait until more time has passed before applying for a new card.
Finally, it could be something else in your finances is preventing you from qualifying for a card, including your personal or business credit history, your income, or something else. In that case, work on fixing whatever the issue is before trying again.
A few Chase business credit cards to consider
If you're ready to apply for a new business credit card, then you'll need to know what's available to you. Here are our recommendations for the best business credit cards from Chase to consider. We've chosen cards that will fit the bill whether you're seeking travel rewards or cash back too (and as you probably know, Ultimate Rewards points are both powerful and flexible).
If you are a small business owner and/or looking for a small business credit card with no annual fee, you'll find some good matches when it comes to the bonus categories for spending. On the flip side, some of these card products will be a good fit for business owners with large business expenses in business categories.
Card name | Card basics | Annual Fee |
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card |
|
$0 |
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card |
|
$0 |
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card |
|
$95 |
Ink Business Premier® Credit Card |
|
$195 |
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is ideal for small business owners seeking streamlined rewards. It can help you earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase.
The card has an annual fee of $0 and a generous welcome offer. You can earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
On top of that, you can also benefit from the 0% intro APR the Ink Business Unlimited offers on purchases for 12 months, then 17.74% - 23.74% Variable.
Apply now or learn more in our Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card review.
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card can provide significant rewards by helping you earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year; 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year; and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
It has a $0 annual fee and helps you earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening.
You can also enjoy an intro APR offer on purchases that can help you pay them over time. The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card offers 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, then 17.74% - 25.74% Variable.
Apply now or learn more in our Ink Business Cash® Credit Card review.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is excellent for business owners who want to earn travel rewards. You can earn 3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year; and 1X points per $1 on all other purchases.
While this card has an annual fee of $95, you can earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
The fact that you’d pay no foreign transaction fees when you use the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card abroad also further boosts its travel-related benefits.
Apply now or learn more in our Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card review.
Ink Business Premier® Credit Card
The Ink Business Premier® Credit Card is geared toward business owners who want to earn cashback rewards on their large purchases. It can help you earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; unlimited 2.5% cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more; unlimited 2% cash back on all other business purchases.
It has an annual fee of $195, however, you could offset this fee by earning its welcome offer.
You can use the Ink Business Premier® Credit Card to earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Just like the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, the Ink Business Premier® Credit Card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, making it suitable for usage within the U.S. and abroad.
Apply now or learn more in our Ink Business Premier® Credit Card review.
A few Chase personal cards to consider
Chase also offers a range of personal credit cards that could complement your business card or even be used instead of a business card. Keep in mind that it's a good practice to keep your personal and business spending separate, so choose a dedicated card or a few cards to use exclusively for your business expenses. However, as we mentioned, you can combine points across your personal and business cards, which makes it especially appealing to stay in the Chase ecosystem.
Card name | Card basics | Annual Fee |
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card |
|
$95 |
Chase Sapphire Reserve® |
|
$550 |
Chase Freedom Unlimited® |
|
$0 |
FAQs
Can I have more than one Chase business card?
You may be able to get more than one Chase business card. And it might make sense to so you can make the most of your Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Keep in mind that new approvals may be subject to 5/24. Also keep in mind that you can't combine rewards points with the Ink Business Premier card.
Is there a limit to how many Chase cards you can have?
There is no set limit to the number of Chase cards you can have. Chase may have a total credit limit maximum, which you may be able to manage by lowering your limit on one or more cards so you can apply for a new one. Chase will also look at your credit, income, and other facts at the time you apply.
Bottom line
As a savvy business owner looking to cut costs and maximize every dollar spent, there’s no better way than to maximize rewards on credit cards. And the Chase business credit card lineup, along with the Chase Travel program, offer a huge opportunity along with perks designed for travelers and business owners alike. However, you need to plan out your strategy carefully — or you could find yourself with a pile of rejected applications.