Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Review
All-around business credit card with good point multipliers and access to Chase Travel℠.
By Sebastian F.|Updated on 4/4/2024
Back
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is ideal for business owners with high spending who want more value from their points.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a great option if you spend a lot in business categories and want to get elevated value from your Ultimate Reward points.
Point Multipliers
With the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (CIP), you earn 3x points on the first $150,000 combined spending in various categories. The $150,000 cap is based on the account anniversary year.
3x categories include:
- Shipping
- Internet, cable, and phone
- Advertising through social media sites and search engines
- Travel
You also earn 1x on all other purchases.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Calculator
Cardonomics calculates the expected value of the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card based on the information you provide. The expected value is calculated based on the dollar value you input into the calculator.
The default figures in the calculator are just an example, so you should enter your own information for more accurate results. The methodology for this calculator is explained at the bottom of the post.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Intro Offer
Are you eligible for the intro offer? You are not eligible if you have the card.
Are you able to complete $8,000 of spend in the first 3 months?
The current public offer is 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points (UR). What bonus are you considering?
points earned from intro offer:
0Point Multipliers: Category Spend
Yearly points earned from spend breakdown:
*Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases in the following categories each account anniversary year; then 1X after that.
How do you plan on redeeming points?
Chase gives you many ways to redeem your points. Here are some common examples:
- Points are denoted as CPP = "cents per point"
Given how you value points...
Expected Value of Points
(Intro offer + spend - annual fee)
Calculation Methodology
The calculator's results are determined by several factors, including your ability to meet the minimum spending requirement to earn the welcome offer, spending habits in different categories, point redemption strategy, and how much relative value you place on other benefits.
The "Years" in the calculator refer to the cardmember year, which begins when you are approved for the card. The first year of membership is the first 12 months after approval, and the second year is the 12 months following that.
Optimal Strategy
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is useful if you have high spending in the 3x categories and also if you’re running a setup like the Chase Business Trifecta or modified Trifecta.
Redeeming Points
The card earns Ultimate Reward (UR) points, and the base value (redeeming as a statement credit) is 1 cent per point (1 CPP). This means 3x = 3%.
If you redeem points via “Pay Yourself Back” or by booking travel through Chase Travel, you get 25% elevated value (1.25 CPP). This means that 3x would be worth 3.75%.
Other Chase core cards like the Chase Freedom Flex℠, Chase Freedom Unlimited®, Ink Business Cash® Credit Card, and Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card also earn UR points (despite the “cash back” marketing). This means 5% (5x) might be worth 6.25% with the CIP.
Like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®, the CIP can transfer points to airline and hotel partners. This is useful if you’re interested in aspirational travel (think first and business class flights).
Alternatives
If you want to earn Ultimate Reward points but don’t want to pay an annual fee, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card and Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card are worth considering. One earns 5% on office supply stores, and the other earns 1.5% on all your transactions.
The American Express Business Gold might also be a fit if you’re comfortable with an annual fee and want a higher earning potential for similar business categories.
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening.
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is one of the best no-annual fee options available that has competitive multipliers for common business categories. The cash back earned is in points and has substantial upside if used in conjunction with other Chase cards.
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is a great “everything else” option for your business. If combined with other Chase cards, the points can be substantially more valuable whether you’re using the “Pay Yourself Back” program or redeeming for travel.
American Express® Business Gold Card
Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
The American Express® Business Gold Card is one of the best cards to earn points for business owners. The card is ideal for businesses with moderate to high spend on relevant categories like U.S. advertising, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. restaurants.
Main Takeaway
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a great option if you spend a lot in business categories and want to get elevated value from your Ultimate Reward points.