Blue Business® Plus Credit Card vs. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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Business owners need a credit card specifically for their business. It’s helpful come tax time and to keep personal and business expenses separate. But which card is right for you? Here are two excellent contenders for your next business credit card.
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express vs. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: Side-By-Side Comparison
Both of these cards made our list of the best business credit cards. Here are the details of each card:
Our Rating
Welcome Offer
Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points (Terms Apply)
Earn 90,000 bonus points
Rewards
1x - 2x
1-3x points
Annual Fee
No annual fee
$95
Regular APR
18.49% - 26.49%
21.24%-26.24%
0% APR on Purchases
12 months from date of account opening
N/A
0% APR on Balance Transfers
N/A
N/A
AmEx Business Plus
Ink Preferred card
Welcome Offer Winner: Ink Preferred card
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express has this offer for new cardholders: Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership. (Terms Apply.)
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers this: Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
American Express membership points are worth between 0.6 cents and a penny each, depending on how you redeem them. That makes this offer worth about $150 if you use it for travel or up to $300 if you transfer points to a travel partner. Every little bit helps, and the spending to earn the bonus is easily achievable for most business owners.
The offer from Chase is worth much more especially when you redeem the points for travel through Chase Travel(SM). We give the nod to the Ink Preferred.
Rewards Winner: Ink Preferred card
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express offers cardholders 2x Membership Rewards® points on everyday eligible business purchases, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and 1x points on purchases after you pass that threshold. Plus you earn an additional point for each dollar you spend on eligible travel purchases at Amextravel.com. *Terms Apply Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers cardholders 3x points per $1 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year including:- Shipping purchases
- Advertising purchases made with social media and search engines
- Internet, cable, and phone services
Plus you get 5x points on Lyft rides through March 2025 and 1x points on all other purchases. Your points are also worth 25% more with this card when you use them to book travel through Chase Travel(SM). We give Chase the nod for this category.
Here are the details for each card.
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express Rewards
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Rewards
Interest Rates Winner: AmEx Business Plus
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express offers slightly lower interest rates than the Chase card, plus there’s no annual fee. However, it does charge foreign transaction fees. If you’re traveling internationally, take the Chase card. If you’re staying home, the American Express card is a slightly better deal.AmEx Business Plus
Ink Preferred card
Annual Fee
No annual fee
$95
Foreign Transaction Fee
2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.
$0
Regular APR
18.49% – 26.49%
21.24%-26.24%
Fee Winner: AmEx Business Plus
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express has no annual fee and offers 0% introductory APR on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening. The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card card has an annual fee, and there is currently no 0% intro APR offer, so we give American Express the win here.Features and Benefits: Ink Preferred card
For features and benefits, Ink Preferred card wins. You get more travel benefits, plus 5x on Lyft rides. It’s not a big difference, but it might tip the balance towards the Chase card if you’re on the fence.
AmEx Business Plus
Security | EMV Chip Enabled, Fraud Monitoring, Zero Liability, Alerts |
Contactless Payments | Tap to Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay |
Benefits | Extended Warranty Coverage, Purchase Protection, 24/7 customer service |
Travel Perks | Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver |
Ink Preferred card
Security | EMV Chip Enabled, Fraud Monitoring, Zero Liability |
Contactless Payments | Tap to Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay |
Benefits | Cell Phone Protection, Extended Warranty Coverage, Purchase Protection, 24/7 customer service |
Travel Perks | Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Roadside Assistance, Trip Cancellation Insurance |
Who the The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is Best For
Newer business owners and small business owners who don’t want to keep track of categories will appreciate the straightforward earning structure of the The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express. You won’t have to pay an annual fee (which always seems to come around at the worst possible time), and you’ll have a whole year of interest-free payments on purchases. That can help get a new business off the ground, or make some improvements to take an established business to the next level.
Who the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is Best For
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers good rewards on typical business expenses. The welcome offer is generous, especially for a card with only a $95 annual fee. Your points are worth 25% more when you use them to book travel through Chase Travel(SM). Or, you can transfer your points to Chase’s travel partners, which could potentially boost their value. And you get elevated rewards on common business purchases, plus no foriegn transaction fees. It’s a good choice for many small businesses.Does it Make Sense to Get Both Cards?
Maybe. The Chase card has a better bonus and better rewards in specific business categories. You could put purchases in those categories on the Chase card and then take advantage of the 0% intro APR on the American Express card for every other purchase. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express doesn’t have an annual fee, so it’s not that big a deal to get both cards, but keep in mind that you will have to spend $11,000 to earn both bonuses.
Approval Odds
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Both cards require excellent credit. Technically, business cards don’t count towards Chase’s 5/24 rule, but you must be below 5/24 to get approved for a Chase business card. American Express doesn’t have this rule, so if you are going to apply for both cards, apply for the Chase one first.
Bottom Line
Both the Amex Business Platinum and the Ink Preferred card offer excellent value for business owners. One will probably suit your spending style more than the other, but if you really can’t decide, you could get both.