If you're a small business owner and you're not already earning points and miles with a business credit card, you're missing out on valuable rewards that can be used for business travel, personal travel, gift cards, or even cash back.
There are lots of great business cards on the market these days but two of the most rewarding options are the *biz gold* and the *chase ink preferred*. It should come as no surprise that Chase and American Express, two of the best banks for personal credit cards, also offer two of the best travel rewards cards for business owners.
So what makes these two cards stand out from the rest of the field?
For starters, they both pack a punch when it comes to earning bonus points in some of the most frequently used business spending categories. And to jumpstart your point earning, both banks are currently offering new applicants a pile of points for signing up and meeting the card's minimum spending requirement.
But these cards have more to offer than a juicy welcome offer bonus and ongoing point-earning opportunities.
Both cards come with different travel-related benefits like rental car insurance coverage, trip interruption and cancellation insurance, as well as protection if the airline loses or damages your luggage. And since they're business cards, it only makes sense that both cards offer tools to help you better manage your business expenses and extend your purchasing power.
If all of this has piqued your interest but you don't think it applies to you since you're not a business owner, you might want to reconsider! Even the smallest of businesses will qualify for these cards and their corresponding welcome offers.
Just how small, you ask? If you have a side hustle, like driving for Uber or Lyft, or if you do some consulting work on the side, or even if you occasionally buy and sell things online – you have a business!
From annual fees to welcome bonuses and more, there are plenty of differences (and similarities) to dissect between the Chase Ink Preferred and the Amex Business Gold. Read on for a full head-to-head comparison of these two business credit card heavyweights.
Check out our list of the best business credit card offers available right now!
Amex Business Gold vs Chase Ink Preferred: Overview
The *biz gold* and the *chase ink preferred* are hands down two of the best business credit cards on the market today, so it makes sense that a lot of business owners are wondering which card is best. The good news is that you really can't go wrong with either card.
There are many similarities between these two cards – perhaps none bigger than their ability to quickly rack up points – but a few key differences in travel benefits and fees could sway you one way or another.
Here's a brief breakdown of what you get with each card:
| Benefit | Chase Ink Preferred | Amex Business Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome Offer | bonus_miles_full | bonus_miles_full |
| Standard Point Earning | 1x Ultimate Rewards per dollar spent | 1x Membership Rewards per dollar spent |
| Bonus Point Earning | Earn 3x Ultimate Rewards on Travel, Shipping, Online Advertising, and Phone, Cable & Internet purchases up to the $150,000 in combined spending per year | Earn 4x Membership Rewards in the 2 select categories where you spend the most each month (Restaurants, Gas Stations, Transit, Advertising, Wireless Phone Service, Electronic Retailers, and Software & Cloud System Providers) up to $150,000 in combined spending per year |
| Travel Insurance | Primary car rental insurance (when renting for business), trip cancellation/interruption insurance, roadside dispatch | Secondary car rental insurance, trip delay insurance, lost or damaged baggage insurance |
| Point Redemptions | Transfer points to travel partners, use to book travel, redeem for gift cards, cash back, and more | Transfer points to travel partners, use to book travel, redeem for gift cards, statement credits, and more |
| Foreign Transaction Fees | None | None |
| Annual Fee | $95 | $375 (see rates & fees) |
As you can see, both cards offer strong point-earning potential in several key business categories. But depending on where your business spends most, one card might be better than the other.
American Express Business Gold vs Ink Preferred: Welcome Offer
Getting a new business credit card is all about timing. And there's no better time to apply for a new card than when there's a great big welcome offer to kickstart your point earning. Luckily, both Chase and Amex are offering a sizable welcome offer to new card members who can meet the card's minimum spending requirements.
Just how many points are we talking? Let's take a look.
American Express Business Gold
Here's the current welcome offer with the *biz gold*: *biz gold welcome offer*
If it weren't for the current welcome offer bonus on the Ink Preferred (more on that in a minute), 100,000 Membership Rewards would be something worth jumping up and down for. But let me assure you, this is still a really good offer and one that's definitely worth your attention.
First off, there is tons of value to be had with the American Express Membership Rewards program. And even though this bonus requires a little more spending than that of the Ink Card, if you do a good chunk of that spending in one of the card's six bonus categories, you could very easily end up with more points than you'd have with the Chase card.
Chase Ink Business Preferred
Here's the current welcome offer on the *chase ink preferred*: *Chase Ink Preferred Welcome Offer*
It's tough to find a better sign-up bonus than the 120,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards being offered on the Ink Preferred. Those points alone are worth a bare minimum of $1,500 towards travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠ and there's a good chance you can do even better than that by transferring them to travel partners.
Read more: A Review of the Chase Ink Business Preferred Card
Winner: Which Card has the Better Welcome Offer?
This one's pretty simple, we have to give the nod to the Chase Ink Preferred when it comes to getting the best welcome offer. Not only will you get more bonus points with the Ink Preferred's welcome offer, but it will also take less spending to earn the bonus.
Learn more about the *chase ink preferred*.
Amex Business Gold vs Chase Ink Business Preferred: Earning Points
Earning points is the name of the game and this is an area where both the American Express Business Gold and Chase Ink Business Preferred truly shine. While not every business expense can be paid for with a credit card, many of them can, and doing so is a great way to earn a kickback in the form of points and miles.
With how much spending most businesses do for purchasing equipment, advertising, supplies, paying for insurance, and even just keeping the lights on, it's only right to be rewarded for these everyday business expenses.
American Express Business Gold
With the Amex Business Gold, you'll get a whopping 4x Membership Rewards for every dollar you spend in the two select categories where you spend the most each billing cycle. Eligible categories include dining, gas stations, advertising, transit purchases, U.S. wireless providers, and electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers.
The really cool thing about this feature is that you don't need to do anything to ensure you're getting the 4x bonus. Amex will automatically determine which two categories you spent most in and give you the bonus Membership Rewards for every dollar you spent. Bonus rewards are capped at a combined $150,000 in spending each calendar year – just like with the Chase Ink Preferred.
If your business spends a lot in any of these six categories, you'd be looking at a pool of 600,000 Membership Rewards each year by paying with an Amex Gold card.
Chase Ink Business Preferred
The Chase Ink Preferred earns an uncapped base rate of 1x Ultimate Rewards points for every dollar spent. But on top of that, you can earn 3x Ultimate Rewards points on all travel, shipping purchases, and internet, phone, and cable service. You'll also earn 3x Ultimate Rewards on advertising purchases through social media or search engines like Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and Google.
Just be warned: The 3x Ultimate Rewards earning is limited to the first $150,000 of spending across all bonus categories each calendar year.
Still, if your business frequently spends in any of these categories – or better yet, if your business can max out any of these categories – you're looking at an extra 450,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards each year, just for using the right credit card!
Winner: Which Card is Best for Earning Points?
When it comes to earning points, it's tough to beat the Amex Business Gold's 4x point earning in select business categories. If your business has routine expenses that fall within any of these six select categories, this is definitely the card for you.
Do you spend more than $150,000 each year on these categories? There are no restrictions on holding both cards and applying your spending across both.
Learn more about the *biz gold*.
American Express Business Gold vs Chase Ink Preferred: Redeeming Points
Since both of these cards are strong earners, odds are, you're going to be piling up the points quickly with whichever card you choose. So what exactly can you use these points for anyway?
The good news is there's no shortage of options when it comes time to redeeming your points with either card. Our favorite, of course, is going to be using them for travel. But you can also redeem your points for statement credits, gift cards, or even cash back.
Let's take a look at what you can get with the points from each of these cards.
American Express Business Gold
When it comes to using your Membership Rewards points, you’ve got a handful of options at your disposal. Since we’re a travel website, let’s get the obvious out of the way: Using them for travel will get you the best value by far.
And if you want the most bang for your buck, transferring points to one of Amex's many travel partners is almost always the best bet. Here's an example.
Let's say you need to be in New York City for a meeting and planned to fly Delta. You could book a cash fare directly with Delta for your business trip and it would cost you $269.
Another option would be to book the same Delta flights, but instead transfer your Membership Rewards to Delta and book your trip as an award ticket. Booking this way, it'd cost you 21,000 Membership Rewards points and $11.20 in taxes and fees instead of the $269 that Delta is charging when paying cash.
That's just one example of how transferring points can result in a better deal – and it's far from the best. You can come out even further ahead when transferring points to redeem for international travel or first and business class cabins.
But that's not the only way you can use your points for travel. On top of being able to transfer points to any of Amex's travel partners, you can also use them to book flights or hotels directly through the Amex Travel portal.
It's also possible to redeem your points for charges on your recent statements or even gift cards … but many of those redemptions are really poor in value by comparison.
Related reading: 10 Amazing Ways to Redeem Amex Membership Rewards Points
Chase Ink Business Preferred
Just like with the Amex Business Gold, you can get the most value for your Chase Ultimate Rewards by using them for travel.
Similar to Amex, Chase has Chase Travel℠ where you can book flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, and even some activities like a guided tour. When using your points to book travel through Chase Travel℠, you'll get 1.25 cents per point in value. Using your points like this makes them more valuable than if you were to cash them out and book travel directly or if you were to redeem them for gift cards or a statement credit.
Using the same Delta flight from our previous example, it's possible to book that same exact flight through Chase Travel℠ for 21,500 points – putting it in line with what you'd get when transferring points directly to Delta.
Like Amex, Chase has a stable of transfer partners you can move your points to at a 1:1 ratio and then use those points to book an award flight or free night at a hotel. And just like with Amex, there is the potential for even greater value when using your points in this way.
Perhaps one of Chase's best transfer partners is the World of Hyatt program. Hyatt is one of the only hotels left with an award chart – the cheat sheet used to determine what a free night should cost – and because of that, it's common to get more than two cents per value out of your points on a regular basis.
Take the Andaz Maui for example: Our team recently found wide open availability to book this high-end property with Hyatt points. A free night here ranges from 35,000 to 45,000 Hyatt points per night, but given that base-level rooms here routinely cost $1,000 or more per night, transferring your points to Hyatt can be a steal.
Additionally, Chase gives card members the option to cash their points out directly to a checking or savings account or redeem them as a statement credit, at a rate of one cent per point. While this isn't the most fun use of points, I can't argue with the versatility of the almighty U.S. Dollar.
You can also use your points for gift cards, shopping with select merchants, or even to pay yourself back for a charitable donation. Safe to say, there's no shortage of options for how you use your Chase points – but some are surely more valuable than others.
Winner: Which Card is Best for Redeeming Points?
This one is close, but the Chase Ink Preferred takes the crown when it comes to redeeming points. Both cards come with a really strong set of transfer partners, but being able to easily redeem points for travel at 1.25 cents per point gives the Ink Preferred the edge.
Learn more about the *chase ink preferred*.
Related Reading: A Master Guide Comparing Amex vs Chase Points
Amex Business Gold vs Ink Preferred: Annual Fee
When it comes to managing business expenses, credit cards can be a great tool for easily making payments and keeping things organized. But you certainly don't want your business credit card to become one of those very expenses that you're trying to manage.
Unfortunately, both of these credit cards come with an unavoidable annual fee – most of the best cards do – but in the grand scheme of things, both are quite reasonable in terms of what you get in return. Anytime you're considering a new credit card, it's important to do the math before ruling out cards with annual fees, as the benefits and bonuses can often nullify even a high annual fee.
American Express Business Gold
The Amex Business Gold's annual fee clocks in at a more middle-of-the-road $375 (see rates & fees). This puts it at a significantly higher price point than the Chase Ink Preferred but lower than other top-tier business credit cards like *biz platinum* and the *venture x business*.
For that annual fee, you'll get one of the best business credit cards on the market. The Amex Business Gold also provides business owners with tools to make running their business more efficient, which can also help justify the card's annual fee.
Chase Ink Business Preferred
With the Chase Ink Preferred, you'll be on the hook for a reasonable $95 annual fee. This is the same price you'll pay for its personal card counterpart – the *CSP*.
For that price tag, you'll get a really well-rounded business credit card that provides lots of travel benefits, business protections, and point-earning opportunities. It also unlocks access to additional point redemption opportunities through Chase Travel℠ and travel partners.
Winner: Which Card Wins on Fees?
The Chase Ink Preferred is the clear winner when it comes to paying an annual fee. While I think both cards are worth their price tag, it always feels better to pay less – and that's exactly what you'll do with the Ink card.
Learn more about the *chase ink preferred*.
Amex Business Gold vs Ink Preferred: Travel Insurance
Since both the Amex Business Gold and Chase Ink Business Preferred slant towards travelers, it makes sense that they'd also want to ensure card members are protected in the event something goes wrong while out on the road.
Things like car rental coverage, trip cancellation, and interruption insurance, lost or damaged baggage insurance, and roadside assistance can provide any business traveler with some added peace of mind knowing that they're covered in the event that plans get flipped upside down.
Related reading: The 4 Best Cards with Travel Insurance
American Express Business Gold
The Amex Business Gold gives you built-in protection for trip delays, lost, delayed, or damaged baggage, and even rental car insurance – although it's important to read the fine print as not all rental car insurance is created equal.
With the card's trip delay insurance, you'll be protected from additional expenses of up to $300 for things like meals, lodging, and personal use items when your covered trip on a common carrier is delayed by more than 12 hours.
This benefit isn't just for the primary cardholder but it also extends to family members and travel companions on the same itinerary. In order to cash in on this benefit, you'll need to have paid for your roundtrip common carrier ticket (either by land, water, or air) with the Amex Business Gold and be stuck somewhere other than your home airport.
In addition to trip delay coverage, the Amex Business Gold also provides protection up to $1,250 per person in the event the airline misplaces or damages your baggage. In order to take advantage of this benefit, you have to book your roundtrip airfare with the Business Gold Card.
Lastly, you'll get secondary car rental coverage when paying for your rental with the Amex Business Gold and declining the car rental agency's collision damage waiver. Since this coverage is secondary, you'd need to run it through your personal or business insurance before making a claim with Amex. This coverage is inferior to that offered by other top travel credit cards.
Chase Ink Business Preferred
The Chase Ink Preferred provides a really robust set of benefits for travelers. With this card, you'll get things like primary car rental insurance, roadside dispatch, and trip cancellation and interruption insurance.
One of the biggest benefits the Ink Preferred has is its car rental coverage. Since this coverage is primary when renting for business purposes and provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage, you can rest easy when declining the rental company's pricey insurance policy.
The fact that you need to be renting for business purposes is an important detail with this card's coverage, as personal rentals won't get the same benefits.
With the Ink Preferred's trip cancellation and interruption benefit, you'll be reimbursed up to $5,000 per person and $10,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses, including passenger fares, tours, and hotels when your trip is canceled or cut short by sickness, severe weather, and other covered situations.
If you're stuck on the side of the road – needing anything from a tow or jumpstart to a tire change, lockout service, winching, or gas delivery – the Ink Preferred has you covered. If you have a roadside emergency, call (800) 847-2869 anytime to dispatch the help you need, and be sure to charge the service fee to your card for reimbursement.
Winner: Which Card Has the Best Travel Insurance?
The Chase Ink Preferred's primary car rental coverage, trip cancellation, and interruption coverage, and roadside assistance is a tough combination to beat – making it the best card for travel insurance.
Learn more about the *chase ink preferred*.
Amex Business Gold vs Chase Ink Preferred: Business Tools
Sure, the points and miles these cards earn are worth getting excited about – but helping business owners get the job done and making their business run more efficiently is the real reason for having either of these cards.
Business owners have a lot to juggle and in many situations, time is quite literally money. Thankfully, both cards provide tools and perks that can save them both time and money.
American Express Business Gold
The Amex Business Gold card includes tools like a year-end spending summary, extended warranty & purchase protection, and comes with no preset spending limit.
When you make a covered purchase with your Business Gold Card, American Express will cover that purchase for up to 90 days from the purchase date. If your purchase is stolen or damaged during that 90-day period, you're eligible for reimbursement of up to $1,000 per claim and $50,000 per year. Some purchases are excluded from this protection, but it still offers some additional peace of mind as you're buying things for your business.
The fact that the American Express Business Gold Card is a charge card, or pay-over-time card, it works a little differently than a traditional credit card.
With this card, there is no preset spending limit – although Amex does reserve the right to deny transactions when the card's balance gets too high. This means that as your business demands grow, you can put more purchases on your card when needed. This increased purchasing power can be a lifesaver for many businesses who get caught in the middle of a sales cycle and are struggling with cash flow.
At the end of every year, Amex provides cardmembers with their year-end spending summary for easy tax preparation and expense analysis. This report can really save businesses a ton of time with their bookkeeping.
Chase Ink Business Preferred
The Chase Ink Preferred also comes with a handful of business tools with benefits like extended warranty, purchase protection and cellphone protection.
If you make a business purchase with your Ink Preferred Card, you can extend the time period of the U.S. manufacturer's warranty by an additional year, on eligible warranties of three years or less. This can be a big benefit for companies that are constantly having to purchase new equipment in order to keep their business moving.
With the card's purchase protection, you can cover your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account. Just like with the benefit from Amex, some purchases are excluded from this protection, but it still offers some additional peace of mind as you're buying things for your business.
Lastly, you can skip paying for your cellphone provider's expensive insurance policy. You and every employee listed on your cell phone bill are covered when you pay it with your Ink Business Preferred card.
If the unexpected happens, you have theft and damage coverage up to $600 in protection per claim, with a $100 deductible. Hopefully, a broken or lost phone isn't a regular occurrence, but if so, you can use this benefit up to three times per year.
Winner: Which Card has the Best Business Tools?
This category is another draw as there's no clear-cut winner for the best business tools.
Both cards come with an extended warranty and purchase protection, while the Ink Preferred adds coverage for lost or damaged cell phones. The fact that the Amex Gold doesn't have a preset spending limit could be the best feature of all for some business owners.
Bottom Line: American Express Business Gold vs Chase Ink Preferred
You really can't go wrong with having either of these business credit cards in your wallet, but in terms of bang for your buck, most businesses are likely to do better long-term with the Chase Ink Preferred and its lower annual fee.
However, if your business spends a lot in one of the American Express Business Gold's select 4x Membership Rewards earning categories, a case could certainly be made for that being the better option. And if your business really spends big, maybe you don't have to choose – just get both cards!