Chase Ink Business Preferred vs. Ink Business Unlimited: Credit Card Comparison

The business credit card market is crowded with so many great options. Deciding which one is best for your business needs can be difficult.

Chase has four small business cards in the Ink family. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card It’s a TPG favorite with a $95 annual fee, various perks, and the chance to earn valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points that can be transferred to travel partners.

The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is a no-annual-fee, cash-back card with an unlimited flat 1.5% earnings rate.

Let’s take a look at both cards and dive deeper into which one is best for your business.

Comparison between Ink Business Preferred and Ink Business Unlimited

Welcome Offer Ink Business Preferred vs. Ink Business Unlimited

With the Preference for ink activityNew applicants will earn 120,000 points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

Based on TPG valuations as of August 2024, this welcome offer is worth $2,460.

Ink Business Unlimited offers new applicants $750 in cash back after spending $6,000 in purchases in the first three months of opening an account. If you have a card that earns Ultimate Rewards points, you can use your cash-back rewards as points and transfer them to one of Chase’s transfer partners.

It’s important to note that both of these cards are subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule.

Winner: The Ink Business Preferred. Its welcome offer is nearly three times the value of Ink Business Unlimited, and its rewards can be transferred without needing another card.

Related: The Power of the Chase Trifecta: Sapphire Reserve, Ink Preferred, and Freedom Unlimited

Benefits of Ink Business Preferred vs. Ink Business Unlimited

Both cards offer similar benefits in terms of travel and purchase protection.

• Primary coverage for car rental: If you use either card for the full cost of your rental and are traveling for business, you are covered for theft and damage in the United States and most countries worldwide. Please note that this does not provide liability coverage, but you are covered up to the actual cash value of the vehicle you are renting.
• Purchase Protection: This policy covers new purchases for up to 120 days against damage or theft, up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
• Extended Warranty: This extends the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty period by an additional year on eligible warranties of three years or less.
• Employee Cards: Get additional cards for your employees for free.

THE Preference for ink activity has some other notable benefits not included in Ink Business Unlimited. These include:

• Cell Phone Protection:If you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your card and your cell phone is stolen or damaged, you can get up to $1,000 per claim, with a $100 deductible, for up to three claims per year.
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance: If you have to cancel or cut short a trip due to a covered issue (such as illness or severe weather), you are eligible for up to $5,000 in prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses per person, providing peace of mind when unexpected problems arise. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per trip.

It is also important to note that Ink Business Unlimited has a 3% foreign transaction fee, while Ink Business Preferred has no foreign transaction fee. If you travel abroad frequently, this is something to keep in mind.

Winner: The Ink Business Preferred. This card beats the Ink Business Unlimited because it includes cell phone protection and trip cancellation/interruption insurance and has no foreign transaction fees.

Related: How to Reach Minimum Spend on Ink Business Preferred: $8,000 in 3 Months

Earn rewards on Ink Business Preferred vs. Ink Business Unlimited

THE Preference for ink activity offers more bonus categories than Ink Business Unlimited. As a cardholder, you’ll earn 5 points for every dollar spent on Lyft rides through March 2025. You’ll also earn 3 points for every dollar spent on up to $150,000 in combined purchases per account year on:

• Voyage
• Shipping purchases
• Internet, cable and telephone services
• Advertising purchases made through social media sites and search engines

On all other purchases or after spending $150,000 in total in the bonus categories above, you’ll earn 1 point for every dollar spent.

Because Chase Ultimate Rewards is worth 2.05 cents per point, based on TPG valuations, you earn a 6.15% return on bonus purchases in your category and a 2.05% return on all other purchases.

For Ink Business Unlimited, cardholders earn 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 2025 and a flat 1.5% cash back on all purchases, with no spending limits.

Winner: The Ink Business Preferred. This card lets you earn bonus rewards in multiple categories.

Related: How to Redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards Points for Maximum Value

Redeem rewards on Ink Business Preferred vs. Ink Business Unlimited

While both cards belong to the Ink family, their redemption options are very different.

With the Preference for ink activityYou can redeem your points in three ways. You can redeem them for cash back, where your points are worth 1 cent each. You can also use them for travel in two different ways.

You can redeem points for travel through the Chase travel portal, where points are worth 1.25 cents each, or transfer them to one of Chase’s 14 valuable airline and hotel transfer partners at a 1:1 ratio.

With Ink Business Unlimited, you can redeem your points for cash back, gift cards, or travel through Chase Travel.

Let’s say you want to take advantage of Chase’s transfer partners. In that case, you’ll want to combine your Ink Business Unlimited rewards with a full-service Ultimate Rewards card like the Ink Business Preferred, Chase Sapphire Preferred, or Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Winner: The Ink Business Preferred. Both cards can redeem for cash rewards or travel through Chase Travel, but the Ink Business Preferred doesn’t require you to carry another card to access Chase’s travel partners.

Related: Why I Chose Ink Business Preferred Over Chase Sapphire Reserve

Should I choose Ink Business Preferred or Ink Business Unlimited?

If you spend a lot in bonus categories like advertising or shipping and want to use Chase’s transfer partners, Preference for ink activity is a great option to help you maximize your rewards earning potential. If you want a single card setup and don’t want to worry about bonus categories, I recommend Ink Business Unlimited with its unlimited and flat cash-back earnings.

In conclusion

Both cards are solid options; it depends on your business needs. Both offer a variety of travel and purchase protections and the ability to earn valuable points or cash back, so your business can’t go wrong with either one.

Choose Ink Business Preferred if you want to maximize your earnings with bonus categories or Ink Business Unlimited if you prefer a simplified approach with a flat cashback rate.

To learn more, read our full reviews of Ink Business Preferred and Ink Business Unlimited.

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Apply here: Preference for ink activity

Apply here: Unlimited Business Ink

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Related: Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Ink Business Preferred: Which Ultimate Rewards Card Is Right for You?