Chase Ink Business Preferred vs American Express Business Gold
Head-to-head comparison of every feature, fee, and perk
At a Glance
Annual Fee
$95
vs
$295
Base Rewards
1x
vs
1x
Sign-Up Bonus
$1,125
vs
$1,000
Editor Score
10/10
vs
8/10
Detailed Comparison
| Category wins | 6/6 | 0/6 |
| Fees & APR | ||
| Annual Fee | $95★ Lowest | $295✗ Highest |
| Purchase APR | 21.24% – 26.24% | 19.49% – 27.49% |
| Intro APR (Purchases) | ||
| Intro APR (Balance Transfer) | ||
| Foreign Txn Fee | None★ Lowest | None |
| Balance Transfer Fee | 5% | None |
| Rewards | ||
| Rewards Type | Points | Points |
| Base Rewards Rate | 1x★ Highest | 1x |
| Bonus Categories | 3x Travel · 3x Shipping · 3x Advertising (social/search) | 4x Top 2 spending categories (auto-selected) · 3x Airfare via Amex Travel |
| Sign-Up Bonus | $1,125 value★ Highest | $1,000 value✗ Lowest |
| Eligibility | ||
| Credit Score | Good (670-749) | Good (670-749) |
| Network | Visa | American Express |
| At a Glance | ||
| Best For | Growing businesses with travel and advertising expenses | Businesses with variable top spending categories |
| Ratings | ||
| User Rating | 4.7 / 5★ Highest | 4.4 / 5✗ Lowest |
| Editor Score | 10 / 10★ Highest | 8 / 10✗ Lowest |
| Apply Now | Apply | Apply |
| Full Review | View details → | View details → |
| Pros & Cons | ||
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Our Verdict
The premium business card showdown. The Ink Preferred ($95/yr) earns 3x on the first $150K in travel, shipping, internet, phone, and advertising, with a massive sign-up bonus. The Amex Business Gold ($375/yr) earns 4x on your top two spending categories each month (from a list of 6), with flexible Membership Rewards points. The Ink Preferred wins on value per dollar of annual fee; the Amex Gold wins if you want automatic category optimization and 4x earning power.
Winner: Chase Ink Business Preferred
Much lower annual fee with strong 3x categories
In-Depth Analysis
Earning Structure: Straightforward vs Adaptive
The Chase Ink Business Preferred earns 3x Ultimate Rewards points on the first $150,000 in combined spending per year across travel, shipping, internet/cable/phone services, and advertising on social media and search engines — then 1x on everything else. The Amex Business Gold earns 4x Membership Rewards on your top two eligible spending categories each billing cycle (up to $150,000/year combined), drawn from a list that includes airfare, advertising, gas, shipping, and computer hardware/software. The Business Gold's adaptive 4x rate is higher per dollar, but only on two categories at a time, while the Ink's 3x covers four fixed categories simultaneously.
Annual Fee & Sign-Up Bonus
The Ink Business Preferred charges just $95/year — remarkably low for a premium business card with transfer partner access. The Amex Business Gold costs $375/year, nearly four times as much. Both cards typically offer substantial sign-up bonuses: the Ink often features 100,000 UR points after $8,000 in spending over 3 months, while the Business Gold frequently offers 100,000-130,000 MR points with similar spend requirements. On an ongoing basis, the Ink's lower fee means you keep more of your rewards. A business spending $50,000/year in bonus categories would earn 150,000 UR with the Ink ($95 fee) vs 200,000 MR with the Business Gold ($375 fee) — the extra 50,000 points cost you $280.
Transfer Partners & Point Valuations
The Ink Business Preferred unlocks the full Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer ecosystem: 14 partners including Hyatt, United, Southwest, British Airways, and Air France/KLM. The Business Gold connects to Amex Membership Rewards' 21+ partners including ANA, Singapore Airlines, Delta, Virgin Atlantic, and Hilton. Both ecosystems are world-class for travel redemptions. Chase's Hyatt partnership is often cited as the single most valuable hotel transfer, while Amex's ANA partnership enables some of the best-value business class awards to Asia. Your preferred airlines and hotels should drive this decision more than raw partner count.
Business-Specific Perks & Protections
The Ink Business Preferred includes cell phone protection (up to $600/claim with a $100 deductible) when you pay your monthly bill with the card, purchase protection covering new purchases for 120 days, and extended warranty adding an extra year. The Business Gold offers a 25% airline bonus (pay with points for flights and get 25% of those points back), flexible payment options via Amex's Pay Over Time feature, and purchase protection for 90 days. The Ink's cell phone protection alone can save you $10-15/month on phone insurance, effectively covering the annual fee.
The Verdict
Get the Chase Ink Business Preferred if you want the best value per dollar of annual fee, your business spends heavily on travel/shipping/advertising/telecom, you prefer the Chase ecosystem with Hyatt access, or you want cell phone protection included. Get the Amex Business Gold if your business has concentrated spending in one or two categories that rotate (like heavy Q4 advertising followed by Q1 travel), you prefer Amex's larger transfer partner network, or your top two categories consistently exceed what the Ink's 3x structure would capture at 4x.
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Common Questions
Which is better: Chase Ink Business Preferred or American Express Business Gold?
It depends on your spending habits. The Chase Ink Business Preferred has a $95 annual fee and earns 1x base rewards. The American Express Business Gold has a $295 annual fee and earns 1x base rewards. Compare their bonus categories above to see which aligns better with your spending.
What is the annual fee difference between Chase Ink Business Preferred and American Express Business Gold?
The Chase Ink Business Preferred has a $95 annual fee while the American Express Business Gold has a $295 annual fee. The American Express Business Gold costs $200 more per year, so it needs to deliver that much extra value in rewards and perks to justify the difference.
Can I have both the Chase Ink Business Preferred and American Express Business Gold?
Yes, since these cards are from different issuers (Chase and American Express), you can hold both. Many people pair cards from different banks to maximize bonus category coverage across all their spending.