Ink Business Preferred Review: Why $95 Is Worth It

Looking for a new business credit card? Ink Business Preferred® offers more than a sign up bonus. Read this review to see if the benefits are worth it.

	Overall Score	4.0
	Rewards	4.5
	Fees	3.0
	Benefits	4.0
	Airline Transfer Partners	4.5

5-point scale (the higher, the better)

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Pros and Cons

• Earn 90,000 bonus points
• Earn 3 points per $1 in select business categories
• Protection benefits
• Airline transfer partners

• $95 annual fee
• No introductory APR

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Bottom Line

Excellent credit card for the modern small business

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Chase Ink Business Preferred replaces an old favorite Chase Ink Plus (no longer available to new applicants). We think Ink Business Preferred is even better.

For starters, Ink Business Preferred has a larger sign-up bonus. And it gives bonus points in select business categories - particularly for tech-savvy businesses. It also comes with a laundry list of new protections and benefits.

Intrigued? We've got all the details below.

• Who This Card is Right For
  
• Reasons to Love This Card
  
• Reasons to Skip It
  
• Cell Phone Protection
  
• Purchase and Travel Benefits
  
• Is the Ink Preferred Worth It?
  
• How to Redeem Ink Preferred Points
  
• How it Compares

Who This Card is Right For

Ink Business Preferred might be for you if your business:

• Spends a lot on travel, shipping, telecom services, and online advertising. The Ink Preferred offers bonus points for travel, shipping, Internet, cable and phone services, and advertising on social media sites and search engines. You get 3X the points in these categories on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases.

  Counterpoint: If your business spends more on things like office supplies, gas, and dining out, then consider Chase Ink Cash instead. Or if none of these categories fit your business, check out Chase Ink Unlimited. Both have no annual fee.

• Has extensive travel needs. Your points can be redeemed for travel on the Chase Travel℠ portal at 25% more value or you can transfer them to one of Chase's airline and hotel partners.

• Has enough business expenses yearly to justify the annual fee. You need to spend at least $2,534/year in the 3X bonus categories OR $7,600/year in other expenses to break even on the $95 annual fee (assuming you redeem your points for travel on the Chase Travel℠ portal). But you don't want to just break even. You want to earn rewards in excess of the annual fee.
  Rule of Thumb: If you spend at least $4,200/year in the 3X bonus categories, you'll be better off with the Chase Ink Preferred than with the flat-rate earning on Chase Ink Unlimited. You will earn more rewards despite the annual fee. Read on to see how we figured this out.
  

In this in-depth review, we'll cover the 10 reasons why you might like Chase Ink Business Preferred. And the 3 reasons you might want to consider a different card.

Reasons To Love This Card

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1. 90,000 Bonus Points: This is our top reason why you would consider the card. You earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.

2. Earn More Points: This is not your average travel card. We're loving the new reward structure. Here's what you get:

   Earn 3 points per $1 spent on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year on:

   • travel
     
   • shipping
     
   • Internet, cable and phone services
     
   • advertising on with social media sites and search engines

   Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

   If your business has high expenses and you reach the maximum of $150,000 in the 3X categories, that's 450,000 points. This is worth $5,625 when redeeming for travel through Chase Travel℠.
   

   This earning potential is a lot more than what the Chase Ink Plus (no longer available to new applicants) offered. And the bonus categories are more aligned for growing your business. Generally speaking, the more you advertise, the more your business can grow. Likewise, the more you spend on traveling to visit suppliers and clients, the more opportunities your business has to grow as well.

   © CreditDonkey

   Tip: Advertising online using Google and Facebook is a great way to grow your business. You can use Facebook to target customers who are near your business.
   

3. Redeem Points for More Value: Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠ (i.e., 10,000 points will be worth $125 instead of $100). This is equal to a 20% discount when booking on Chase Travel℠.
   How do I redeem my Chase Ink points? You can redeem your points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. Simply log on to your account through the Chase website and find your account. (You can also access your account through the Chase mobile app.)

   Click "Go to Ultimate Rewards" to redeem your points for cash back, gift cards, travel or statement credits. You can even pay for purchases with your points on Amazon.com.
   

4. Transfer Points: Points can be transferred on a 1:1 basis to Chase's airline and hotel partners, including United, Southwest, JetBlue, Air France, Singapore Airlines, Hyatt, and Marriott. This is one of the best features of Chase's premium cards as you can make your points go even further. Literally.
   Related: Dos and Don'ts of Chase Ultimate Rewards Transfer Partners
   

5. No Foreign Transaction Fee: Use this card when you visit important suppliers and clients out of the country and you won't pay that pesky 3% foreign transaction fee that many other credit cards charge.

6. Employee Cards at No Additional Cost: You can add employee cards for no additional annual fees. The rewards program will apply to those cards as well. You can set a spending limit for each employee card and be notified whenever an employee makes a purchase.

7. Cell Phone Protection: This is a pretty cool new feature. If you pay your cell phone bills with this card, you and your employees listed on your phone bill will be protected against covered cell phone theft or damage. You can get up to $600 per claim and submit 3 claims in a 12-month period (there's a $100 deductible per claim).

Learn more about Ink Business Preferred

Why You Might Consider Another Card

• $95 Annual Fee: There is a $95 annual fee. In our opinion, this annual fee is more than fair for all the rewards, benefits, and high earnings you get in return. But it is worth considering and figuring out if it's worth it based on your spending patterns.

• No Introductory APR: The Ink Business Preferred does not offer an introductory APR offer. This may not be ideal for businesses that have not established a steady cash flow and may need breathing room occasionally.
  Tip: If you are not sure about your cash flow situation, check out the Chase Ink Business Cash®. It has no annual fee and an intro APR.
  

• Categories: The bonus 3X categories of travel, shipping, Internet/cable/phone, and advertising on social media and search engines will probably apply to most modern small businesses. But if your business doesn't spend much on any of these things, you may be better off with another card.

What is the Best Chase Credit Card Promotion?

Cell Phone Protection

If you pay your cell phone bills with this card, you get insurance against cell phone damage or theft. This is available for you and your employees listed on your phone bill. You can get up to $600 per claim and you're allowed 3 claims in a 12 month period. You will have to pay a $100 deductible per claim.

Here are some things to note about it:

• The coverage is only for theft or damage (not for lost phones). You'll need a police report filed within 48 hours if a phone was stolen or an evaluation from a phone repair service if it is damaged (you may have to send it in to Chase).

• The $600 reimbursement goes towards the purchase of a new phone only. You will be reimbursed up to $600 or the price of the new phone, whichever is less.

• To get the coverage, you must pay your cell phone bills with this card. You're only covered for you and your employees listed on the phone bill, so you can't try to include those in your family plan.

This is a great benefit of the Ink Business Preferred. You earn points for purchases on phone services and you get cell phone protection.

Chase Ink Preferred Benefits

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Chase Ink Preferred also offers a lot of purchase and travel protections. These include:

Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver:
You get primary coverage for theft and collision damage for most cars rented for business purposes. So go ahead and decline the rental company's insurance. Reimbursement is up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for most cars in the U.S. and abroad.

Travel protections:

• Trip Cancellation / Trip Interruption Insurance: If you must cancel or cut a trip short due to a covered circumstance (such as illness or severe weather), you can be reimbursed up to $5,000 per trip for non-refundable travel expenses such as flights, hotels, and tours.

• Trip Delay Reimbursement: If your flight is delayed more than 12 hours or you need to stay overnight to wait for another flight, you can be reimbursed for expenses incurred (like meals and hotel room) for up to $500 per ticket.
  Does Chase Ink Preferred have foreign transaction fees? No, you won't get charged that annoying 3% foreign transaction fee with Chase Ink Business Preferred.
  

• Baggage Delay Insurance: If your baggage is delayed for over 6 hours, you can be reimbursed for necessities (like toiletries and clothing) up to $100 a day for 5 days.

• Lost Luggage Reimbursement: If your or anyone in your immediately family has their checked or carry-on luggage lost or damaged by the carrier, you are covered up to $3,000 per passenger.

Shopping protections:

• Purchase Protection: New, eligible purchases are covered against damage or theft for up to 120 days and up to $10,000 per claim ($50,000 per account).

• Extended Warranty Protection: You get an additional year of warranty on eligible products if the U.S. manufacturer's warranty is 3 years or less.

Is the Chase Ink Preferred Worth It?

In our opinion, yes, the Ink Preferred is worth the annual fee IF you can spend enough in the bonus categories.

You need to spend at least $4,200 per year in the 3x bonus categories for the Ink Preferred to come out ahead in rewards over the no-annual-fee Ink Unlimited. (Ink Unlimited offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases and has no annual fee.)

The card also offers cell phone protection for you and your employees. With this protection, you can skip the insurance from your cell phone company. This can already justify the annual fee.

And don't forget - the 90,000 point bonus is worth $1,125 when redeemed for travel through Chase Travel℠. And if you use the points to transfer to travel partners, they can be worth even more.

How to Redeem Ink Preferred Points

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One of the best features is that Chase Ink Preferred allows you to redeem points for travel for higher value. Here are the redemption options:

• Book travel with points through Chase Travel℠ at a discount. When you book travel with points through the Chase Travel℠ portal, you receive a 20% discount. Each point is worth 1.25 cents (10,000 points = $125).

• Transfer to travel partners. You can transfer your points 1:1 to a number of airline and hotel partners, including United, Southwest, Jetblue, and Hyatt. You can get maximum value out of your points.

• Get cash back. You can redeem points for statement credit or direct deposit into your bank account, but only at the rate of 1 cent = 1 point (10,000 points = $100).

• Exchange for a gift card. For a 1:1 exchange, you can get a gift card from your favorite retailer. Most merchants require that you trade in at least 2,500 points for a $25 gift card.

• Shop Apple products. You can buy any Apple products with your points. Currently, the rate is 1:1, but this value could be lowered later on.

• Pay on Amazon. The perk here is easy checkout, but the points are only valued at 0.80 cents each (instead of 1:1).

• Buy an experience. You can also trade in your points for an experience at a 1:1 exchange with Chase's Exclusive Events, including fine dining, entertainment, and sports. The value depends on how much you value the experience.

Ink Preferred is part of the Chase Ultimate Rewards (UR) family of cards. You can combine your points among any UR cards, and use them on the card with the best value redemption options.

How Chase Ink Preferred Compares

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Chase Ink Business Cash: The Ink Business Cash is the no annual fee business credit card.

However, the Ink Cash does not allow you to transfer points to airline and hotel frequent travel programs. You are able to use points to book travel on Chase Travel℠ but only at the rate of 1 cent = 1 point (whereas your points are worth 25% more with the Ink Preferred).

On the plus side, the Ink Business Cash card does offer an intro APR, so it's a good choice for new businesses that may not have a steady cash flow yet.

Chase Sapphire Preferred®: The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a consumer card and a very popular choice for travelers. Just like with the Ink Business Preferred, points can be transferred 1:1 to Chase transfer partners and points are worth 25% more when booking travel on Chase Travel℠.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®: This is Chase's luxury consumer travel credit card. There is a $550 annual fee, but you get a $300 travel credit per year towards travel purchases. Another upgrade is that Chase Sapphire Reserve points are worth 50% more (compared to 25%) when you redeem for travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal (10,000 points = $150).

Spark Cash Plus from Capital One: This card gives you an unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases.

If your business has a lot of expenses in the Ink Business Preferred's 3x categories like travel, shipping and advertising on social media and search engines, then you're better off choosing Ink Business Preferred. It's also better if your business has travel needs as your points can be used for more value in travel redemption. But if your business spends a lot outside of the Ink Business Preferred bonus categories, then you may find that you'll earn more rewards with the Spark Cash Plus.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Do I need a business to apply for the Chase Ink Preferred?
  Yes, you need to be doing something with an intention to make a profit. You don't need to be registered as an LLC or corporation. In fact, you can apply with your Social Security number if you don't have a Business Tax ID. Read our in-depth guide on how to apply for a business credit card.

  Remember: never lie on a credit card application - you may be asked to provide documentation before being approved.

• Does Chase Ink Preferred give points for dining?
  The Chase Ink Preferred does NOT give bonus points for dining. You will only get the standard 1x point when eating out.

  If your business frequently dines out, consider Ink Cash. It offers 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year.

• Do Chase Ink points expire?
  No, your points never expire as long as your account is active and in good standing.

• Can you transfer Chase points to another person?
  Chase has stricter rules about this. You can only combine UR points with card accounts that belong to you, your spouse, or your domestic partner. So in other words, you cannot transfer points to a friend or even your children.

• Is the Ink Preferred impacted by the 5/24 rule?
  The Ink Preferred is affected by the 5/24 policy. This means you will not be approved if you have opened 5 new card accounts within the past 24 months. However, once you have been approved, the Ink Preferred will not add to the 5-card limit, since Chase business cards don't report to personal credit bureaus.

  So plan your applications carefully. If you have your eye on 2 Chase cards, it's smarter to apply for the Chase business card first over the personal one.

Bottom Line

To recap, here are the pros and cons when considering the Ink Business Preferred card:

Pros:

• Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
  
• Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year.
  
• Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases with no limit on the amount you can earn
  
• Transfer 1:1 to frequent travel partner programs or book travel at a discount through Chase Travel℠
  
• Free employee cards for no additional annual fee

Cons:

• No introductory APR
  
• $95 annual fee

We think the Ink Business Preferred is a great addition to the lineup of Chase credit cards. It's a great choice for almost any business. We love the reward structure of 3X the points on some of the most useful categories for businesses. And the 90,000 bonus points is jaw-dropping for a card with an annual fee is only $95.

The only thing we suggest is that if your business does not yet have a steady cash flow, you may want to look at another card. This one offers no introductory APR.

Next Step: View the issuer's official application, terms, and details