American Express Blue Business Cash Card vs Ink Business Preferred®
Side-by-side comparison
| American Express Blue Business Cash Card | Ink Business Preferred® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | $95 |
| Welcome offer | $250 statement credit | 100,000 Ultimate Rewards® Points |
| Advertising | 2% | 3% |
| Shipping | 2% | 3% |
| Office supplies | 2% | 1% |
| Phone & internet | 2% | 3% |
| Travel | 2% | 3% |
| Everything else | 2% | 1% |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $900 | $846 |
| Points type | Cash back only | Transfers to airlines & hotels |
| Network | Amex | Visa |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
The verdict
On a typical year of business spending, the American Express Blue Business Cash Card earns about $900 a year in rewards and the Ink Business Preferred® about $846, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The American Express Blue Business Cash Card has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Ink Business Preferred® charges $95, but carries about $10 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the American Express Blue Business Cash Card delivers more total value, about $144 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and office supplies. The bigger difference is the ceiling: the Ink Business Preferred® earns points you can move to travel partners for outsized value, while the American Express Blue Business Cash Card pays plain cash back. Favor the Ink Business Preferred® if you will use travel transfers, the American Express Blue Business Cash Card if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the Ink Business Preferred® currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the American Express Blue Business Cash Card if your spending leans toward office supplies, everything else. Pick the Ink Business Preferred® if your spending leans toward advertising, shipping, phone & internet.