Chase Ink Business Preferred vs Amex Business Gold
By Alex Compton · Updated
The Ink Business Preferred and Amex Business Gold are the two workhorse cards for business points, aimed at the same ad-and-shipping-heavy operators. The Ink is the value play: elite bonuses and 3x categories at $95. The Business Gold is the earning play: 4x that adapts to your top categories, at four times the fee.
Chase Ink Business Preferred
Chase
- Our rating
- 9.1/10
- Welcome bonus
- 90,000 points
- Bonus value
- ≈$1,845
- Annual fee
- $95
- Credits, max/yr
- $0
- Foreign txn fee
- None
Top earning rates
- 3x Travel, shipping, internet/cable/phone, social media ads ($150k/yr cap)
- 1x All other purchases
American Express Business Gold Card
American Express
- Our rating
- 8.2/10
- Welcome bonus
- 100,000 points
- Bonus value
- ≈$2,000
- Annual fee
- $375
- Credits, max/yr
- $395
- Foreign txn fee
- None
Top earning rates
- 4x Top 2 of 6 eligible categories each cycle (up to $150k/yr)
- 3x Flights and prepaid hotels via Amex Travel
- 1x All other purchases
Where Each Wins
Annual fee
CIPThe Ink Preferred costs $95. The Business Gold costs $375, partially offset by $240 in monthly FedEx/Grubhub/office-supply credits and a $155 Walmart+ credit for those who use them.
Earning rates
Biz GoldThe Business Gold earns 4x on your top two categories each cycle from a six-category list including ads, US shipping, gas, and restaurants (up to $150k a year), chosen automatically. The Ink earns 3x on travel, shipping, internet/telecom, and social media ads with the same cap.
Welcome offers
CIPThe Ink Preferred's 90k-plus Ultimate Rewards offers at a $95 fee are the best routine value in business cards, worth $1,800+ transferred. The Business Gold runs 100k but demands $15,000 in spend and the $375 fee.
Protections
CIPThe Ink brings cell phone protection for the whole plan and primary rental coverage on business rentals. Amex counters with purchase protection and Amex Offers, useful but lighter.
Credit footprint
CIPChase business cards do not appear on your personal credit report and do not add to your 5/24 count. Amex business cards similarly stay off personal reports after approval; both are clean, but the Ink's bonus-per-hard-pull is unmatched.
Ecosystem
TieUltimate Rewards with Hyatt and United versus Membership Rewards with its international airline depth. Both elite; pick the currency your travel spends.
The Compound Verdict
The Ink Business Preferred is the first business card for almost everyone: no card in the market pays a bigger bonus per dollar of fee, and 3x on ads and shipping covers what online businesses actually buy. The Business Gold justifies its $375 only at volume, an operator putting $100k+ through 4x categories out-earns the Ink by enough to bury the fee difference. Start with the Ink; add the Gold when your ad spend says so.
Our ratings give it to the Chase Ink Business Preferred (9.1 vs 8.2). On current welcome offers, the Biz Gold brings the bigger first-year haul at ≈$2,000. The fee gap is $280 a year, so make sure the extra credits and multipliers actually fit your spend.
Read the full reviews for the complete math: CIP review and Biz Gold review, or put them side by side in the comparison tool.
Common Questions
Which is better for advertising spend, the Ink Preferred or Business Gold?
Raw rate says Business Gold: 4x on ads versus the Ink's 3x, both capped at $150k a year. Net of fees, the Ink wins until roughly $30,000+ of annual ad spend, and its cap covers Google and Meta ads under the same 3x umbrella. High-volume advertisers eventually hold both.
Do these business cards affect my personal credit?
Minimally. Both Chase and Amex business cards skip ongoing personal credit reporting, and Chase's does not count toward its 5/24 limit. The application itself involves a personal credit pull, but the account's activity stays off your personal report.
Can a small side business qualify for these cards?
Yes. Sole proprietors applying with a SSN and honest revenue figures are approved routinely, an e-commerce store, freelance practice, or reselling operation counts. Chase may verify details by phone; answer plainly about what the business does and earns.