Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
vs. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card or the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card benefits small-business owners looking for a credit card with a high rewards rate and a hefty welcome bonus.
Updated: December 5, 2024
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The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card vs Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card comparison shows that while both cards are geared towards business owners — they are quite different in terms of their rewards structures and annual fees.
For example, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card charges a $0 annual fee, while the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has a $95 annual fee. MoneyGeek compared both cards in this guide to help you understand the difference between them and choose a card that’s the best fit for your needs.
Comparison Overview: Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card vs. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- Ink Business Unlimited® Credit CardInk Business Preferred® Credit Card
- Has Annual Fee
- Has Balance Transfer Offer
- Has APR Offer
- Cash Back Rewards
- Travel Rewards
- Hotel Benefits
- Airline Benefits
- Has Rewarding Welcome Offer
- Has Foreign Transaction Fee
- Recommended CreditGood–ExcellentGood–Excellent
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card At a Glance
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card offers a welcome bonus of $750 cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases within the first three months after account opening. With this card, you also get an unlimited 1.5% cash back when you use it to cover any of your business expenses. It also offers a 0% intro APR for the first 12 months — which can be pretty helpful if you have any large purchases coming up.
- Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Great for simple flat-rate rewards and no annual fee
- 1.5% Cash BackRewards Rate
- 18.49% – 24.49% VariableAPR
- $0Annual Fee
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
Pros
- Solid flat-rate cash back
- Generous welcome offer
- Modest intro APR on purchases
Cons
- No bonus cash back
- No intro APR on balance transfers
- Foreign transaction fee
Introductory Offers
- Earn $750 cash back after spending $6,000 in the first three months.
- Enjoy a 0% introductory APR on purchases for 12 months, then a variable APR of 17.74% - 23.74% after that.
Rewards
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every business purchase.
APRS, Fees, and Penalties
- No annual fee.
Perks & Benefits
- Benefit from Zero Liability protection against unauthorized charges.
- Get round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases.
- Add employee cards at no additional cost and set individual spending limits.
- Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel, and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card At a Glance
With the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you get 100,000 bonus points on spending up to $15,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening — which is equivalent to about $1,000 in rewards, or $1,250 when redeemed in the Chase travel portal. This card also offers three points per dollar spent on business expenses like advertising, shipping, travel, internet, cable and other services up to $150,000 in each account anniversary year and one point per dollar spent on other purchases.
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Great for big welcome offer and ongoing rewards
- 1–3 Points per $1Rewards Rate
- 21.24% – 26.24% VariableAPR
- $95Annual Fee
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
Pros
- Impressive welcome offer
- High rewards cap
- Boosted rewards redemption through Chase
- Travel protections
- Free employee cards
Cons
- With annual fee
- No introductory APR offer
Introductory Offers
- Earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 in the first three months.
Rewards
- Earn 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year.
- Earn 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
- Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel through Chase Travel.
Perks & Benefits
- Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases.
- Zero Liability protection ensures you're not responsible for unauthorized charges.
- Purchase Protection covers new purchases against damage or theft for 120 days, up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel, and more, with no expiration as long as the account is open.
Comparison Summary
To help you understand the difference between the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, MoneyGeek compared the rewards structures and other details of both cards below.
Card Detail | Comparison Summary |
---|---|
Travel Coverage and Purchase Protection | The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card offers purchase protection against theft or damage up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account for 120 days; however, it does not offer any coverage in case of trip cancellation or trip interruption. The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers reimbursement up to $5,000 per person and $10,000 per trip in case it gets cancelled or is cut short due to sickness or any other reason. This card also offers purchase protection. Winner: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card |
Welcome Bonus | With Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card, you get a $750 cash back bonus after spending $7,500 on purchases within the first three months, while the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers 100,000 bonus points on spending $150,000 on purchases within the first three months — which is equivalent to about $1,000 in cash back rewards. Winner: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card |
Rewards | The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card offers an unlimited 1.5% cash back on every kind of purchases, while the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers 3x points per $1 spent on business expenses up to $150,000 in each account anniversary year and 1 point per $1 spent on other purchases. Winner: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card |
Annual Fee | The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card charges a $0 annual fee, while the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card charges $95 in annual fees. Winner: Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card |
Foreign Transaction Fees | If you’re a frequent traveler, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card would be of great benefit — since it does not charge a foreign transaction fee. The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card charges a 3% fee on every foreign transaction. Winner: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card |
Which Card Should You Get?
Both the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offer great value for business owners. It’s best to consider your needs before deciding about getting either of these cards.
Who Should Consider the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card?
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is a great option for business owners who do not want to spend time analyzing different bonus categories.
Since this card offers an unlimited 1.5% cash back on every type of purchase, it’s a good option if you want a card with a simple rewards program to cover your business expenses.
This card offers a 0% intro APR for the first 12 months — making it the best option in case you have a large purchase coming up.
≫ More: Read Our Full Review
Who Should Consider the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card?
If you’re a business owner who frequently travels abroad and is looking for a card with a great travel rewards program and rewards on other business purchases — the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card would be a good option for you.
This card does not charge a foreign transaction fee — which makes it the best option for using while traveling abroad.
Since this card offers a high reward rate of 3x points per $1 spent on business expenses like advertising, shipping, travel, internet, cable and other services and 1 point per $1 spent on other purchases, it’s a good option if you want to reap maximum rewards.
≫ More: Read Our Full Review
Of these two cards, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is absolutely the superior card for someone who travels. However, if you’re a business owner who wants no frills and wants to simply save money, you can’t go wrong with the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card. However, when you measure each card against one another, the value from the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card outweighs the Unlimited card by a decent margin.
Other Helpful Decision-Making FAQs
If choosing between the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is difficult for you, MoneyGeek researched frequently asked questions to help you decide between both cards.
Is Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card better than the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card?
Both the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Cards offer great value for small-business owners. It’s best to compare both cards to see which one best fits your needs.
Can you get the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card if you have the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card?
Yes, it’s possible to get the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card if you have the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. However, you may want to review the Chase 5/24 rule — which means that your application for another Chase card won’t be approved if you have gotten five or more credit cards in the last 24 months.
Can you transfer points from the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card to the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card?
Yes, you can transfer points from the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card to the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card for a higher redemption value.
Can you switch from the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card to the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card?
Yes, you can switch from the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card to the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. However, you should have had your card for at least an year and a product change is not guaranteed.
What’s harder to get, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card or the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card?
Both cards require you to own a business and have good to excellent credit scores. You can gauge your odds of approval by using the Chase pre-approval online tool.
How much do you have to spend for the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card vs Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card to get the welcome bonus?
With the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card, you would have to spend $7,500 in purchases within the first three months, while the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card requires you to spend $15,000 in purchases within the first three months.
Still Not Sure About These Cards? Consider These Options
While both the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card are great options for business owners — you can also look over other rewards cards to see if any of them would be the best fit for your needs.
Learn more about credit cards in general
About Doug Milnes, CFA
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.
Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
sources
- Chase Bank. "Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card Credit Card." Accessed December 5, 2024.
- Chase Bank. "Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Credit Card." Accessed December 5, 2024.
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