Chase Ink Business Preferred vs Ink Business Cash
Two different jobs in Chase's Ink lineup. The Ink Business Preferred ($95) earns 3x on travel, shipping, internet/cable/phone, and advertising (up to $150,000/yr) and its points transfer to airline and hotel partners for real travel value. The Ink Business Cash ($0) earns 5% at office supply stores and on telecom (up to $25,000/yr) and is built for straightforward category cash back. Pick by whether you'll use the travel-transfer value or just want no-fee rewards.
Chase Ink Business Preferred
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 Hyatt/United at our 1.5 cpp benchmark for real value.
Chase Ink Business Cash
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.
Pick Chase Ink Business Preferred if
Businesses spending $5,000+/yr on travel, shipping, or advertising that will redeem points for travel
The 3x categories cover a broad $150,000 annual bucket, and the points are worth 1.25 cpp in the Chase travel portal — or more when transferred to Hyatt or United at sweet-spot rates. If your P&L has real travel and ad spend, the $95 fee pays for itself several times over.
Pick Chase Ink Business Cash if
Businesses with office-supply and telecom spend that want rewards with no annual fee
5% at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services (first $25,000 combined per year) is the best $0-fee earn rate for that spend profile. The rewards are Ultimate Rewards points — worth 1 cpp as cash, and 1.5+ cpp only if you also hold a Preferred or Sapphire to transfer through.
Skip both if
Businesses whose spend doesn't concentrate in either card's categories — a flat-rate business card returns more on general spend. Note the split on travel too: the Ink Cash carries a 3% foreign transaction fee, while the Preferred charges none.
Head-to-head
| Dimension | Chase Ink Business Preferred | Chase Ink Business Cash |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 | $0 |
| Top earn categories | 3x on travel, shipping, internet/cable/phone, and advertising (up to $150,000/yr) | 5% at office supply stores and on internet/cable/phone (up to $25,000/yr combined); 2% at gas and dining (up to $25,000/yr) |
| Points value | 1.25 cpp in the Chase travel portal; more via Hyatt/United transfers | 1 cpp as cash; 1.5+ cpp only if paired with a Preferred or Sapphire to transfer |
| Travel redemption | Transfers to airline and hotel partners | No transfer partners on its own — needs a premium Chase card |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | 3% |
| Intro APR | None | 0% on purchases for 12 months, then 17.49% – 25.49% variable |
| Honest knock | The categories are narrowly defined — audit your P&L against them before the $95 pencils out | The 5% is capped at $25,000/yr combined, then drops to 1% — and it's a poor abroad card at 3% FX |
Reviewed by the ClearValue Editorial Team · Last updated 7/8/2026. ClearValue Cards may earn a commission when readers take the quiz and match through links on this site. See disclosure.