Ink Business Cash® vs Ink Business Preferred®
Side-by-side comparison
| Ink Business Cash® | Ink Business Preferred® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | $95 |
| Welcome offer | 100,000 Ultimate Rewards® Points | |
| Advertising | 1% | 3% |
| Shipping | 1% | 3% |
| Office supplies | 5% | 1% |
| Phone & internet | 5% | 3% |
| Travel | 1% | 3% |
| Everything else | 1% | 1% |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $684 | $846 |
| Points type | Pools with Chase → transferable | Transfers to airlines & hotels |
| Network | Visa | Visa |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified July 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Ink Business Cash® | Ink Business Preferred® |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | $1,000 cash back | 100,000 Ultimate Rewards® Points |
| To earn it | $8,000 in 4 months | $8,000 in 3 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $1,684 | $1,761 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $684 | $761 |
The Ink Business Preferred® wins on both fronts: it comes out ahead in year one on the welcome offer and stays ahead every year after. Short term or long, it is the stronger pick on the numbers.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | Ink Business Cash® | Ink Business Preferred® |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Annual credits | None | ~$10/yr (1 credits) |
| Points & redemptions | Transferable (paired with a premium card) | Transferable to airline & hotel partners |
The two are closely matched on perks and redemptions, so the welcome offer and everyday earning above are what should decide it.
Transfer partners and point value
Both cards earn Chase Ultimate Rewards, so they transfer to the identical partners at the same ratios, headlined by World of Hyatt, United, Air Canada, Southwest, and British Airways Avios. On transfers there is no difference between them; the choice comes down to earning and perks, not where the points can go.
Both earn Chase Ultimate Rewards, but they bonus completely different business categories, and only the Preferred can transfer points to travel partners on its own.
The Ink Cash is the free specialist for office and telecom spend at a huge 5x. The Ink Preferred covers the other side of a business budget, travel, shipping, and advertising, at 3x, and adds the transfer unlock and a big welcome bonus for a modest fee. They’re more complements than rivals.
Pros and cons
- 5x on office supplies and internet, cable, and phone (up to $25,000/yr)
- 2x on dining and gas
- No annual fee
- Points pool to transferable with the Preferred or a Sapphire
- 1x on travel, shipping, and advertising, which the Preferred bonuses at 3x
- Can’t transfer points to travel partners on its own
- 5x categories capped at $25,000 a year
- Smaller welcome bonus than the Preferred
- 3x on travel, shipping, advertising, and telecom (up to $150,000/yr)
- Transfers points directly to airlines and hotels
- A large 100,000-point welcome bonus
- Cell-phone protection and travel coverage
- $95 annual fee
- 1x on office supplies, where the Cash earns 5x
- Only worth it if you spend in its categories or value transfers
Where each one wins
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Office supplies & telecom | Ink Cash | 5x vs the Preferred’s 3x on telecom and 1x on office. |
| Travel, shipping & ads | Ink Preferred | 3x vs the Cash’s 1x. |
| Point transfers | Ink Preferred | It unlocks airline and hotel transfers itself. |
| Welcome bonus | Ink Preferred | 100,000 points vs the Cash’s ~$1,000. |
| Annual fee | Ink Cash | $0 vs $95. |
| Best role | Together | Cash for office/telecom, Preferred for travel/shipping/ads plus transfers. |
The verdict
Match the card to where your business actually spends. If your biggest expenses are office supplies, internet, and phone service, the free Ink Cash and its 5x will earn more, no fee required. If you spend on travel, shipping, or advertising, the Ink Preferred’s 3x plus its 100,000-point bonus and transfer unlock make the $95 an easy call.
As with the rest of the Ink lineup, the best answer for many businesses is both, since only one carries a fee. Route office and telecom spend to the Cash for 5x, travel and ad spend to the Preferred for 3x, and let the Preferred (or a Sapphire) make all the points transferable. Together they cover the two halves of a typical business budget for a single $95 fee.