Chase Ink Business Preferred vs. Amex Business Platinum: Practicality vs. luxury
Editor's Note
Though the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (see rates and fees) and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express are both TPG favorites for small businesses, they are very different.
The Amex Business Platinum is more of a membership card for business travelers who can take advantage of its perks and benefits. The Ink Business Preferred, on the other hand, is geared toward those looking to maximize earnings on a wider range of business expenses.
There's value to be had from adding both cards to your wallet. However, those looking for just one card should prioritize applying for the one better suited to their specific spending habits and preferences.
Let's look at the details and benefits of each to see which you should add to your wallet.
Ink Business Preferred vs. Amex Business Platinum comparison
| Ink Business Preferred | Amex Business Platinum Card | |
|---|---|---|
Annual fee | $95 | $895 (see rates and fees) |
Welcome offer | Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 in the first three months of account opening. | Earn 200,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $20,000 on purchases within the first three months of card membership. |
Earning rates |
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|
Statement credits | None |
*Enrollment is required for select benefits.
|
Lounge access | No | Yes |
Elite hotel status | None |
Enrollment is required. |
Other benefits |
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|
Ink Business Preferred vs. Amex Business Platinum welcome offer
With the Ink Business Preferred, you'll earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Meanwhile, with the Amex Business Platinum, you'll earn 200,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 on purchases within the first three months of card membership.
According to TPG's May 2025 valuations, Amex and Chase points are worth 2 and 2.05 cents apiece, respectively. This means the Ink Business Preferred offer is worth about $2,050, and the Amex Business Platinum offer is worth $4,000.
Winner: Amex Business Platinum. Its current bonus is worth more than double the Ink Business Preferred's.
Ink Business Preferred vs. Amex Business Platinum benefits
Undoubtedly, the Amex Business Platinum offers more value to businesses thanks to its plethora of statement credits, which include:
- Up to $150 in statement credits on U.S. purchases made directly at Dell and an additional up to $1,000 statement credit after spending $5,000 or more per calendar year
- Up to $360 in statement credits for Indeed purchases per calendar year (up to $90 per quarter)
- Up to $200 in airline statement credits with an eligible selected airline per calendar year
- An up to $209 statement credit as reimbursement for the annual Clear Plus membership fee per calendar year (subject to auto-renewal)
- Up to $250 Adobe statement credit after spending $600 or more on U.S. purchases made directly with Adobe per calendar year.
- A $120 statement credit for Global Entry (every four years) or an up to $85 statement credit for TSA PreCheck (every 4 1/2 years)
- Up to $120 in statement credits for spending on wireless plans with U.S. providers per calendar year (up to $10 monthly)
Enrollment is required for select aforementioned benefits.
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Additionally, eligible Amex Business Card members enjoy valuable travel perks like access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection. This includes Delta Sky Clubs (10 visits per calendar year when flying on a same-day Delta Air Lines flight; excludes basic economy flights) and Centurion, Priority Pass (enrollment required), Airspace, Escape, Plaza Premium and select Lufthansa lounges.
Cardmembers also receive complimentary Gold elite status (after enrolling) with both Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy, as well as Sterling status with Leaders Club. The card also offers useful travel protections and purchase protections.
In comparison, the Ink Business Preferred offers no statement credits or lounge access. However, the card does provide travel and purchase protections and has the slight upper hand by offering primary rental car coverage, whereas the Amex Business Platinum only offers secondary coverage.†
†Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
At the end of the day, the Amex Business Platinum takes the cake regarding valuable benefits, especially if you travel a lot for work. While the annual fee is significantly higher, using most of the Amex benefits can offset that cost.
Winner: Amex Business Platinum. The card is hard to beat when it comes to travel perks and benefits.
Earning points on the Ink Business Preferred vs. Amex Business Platinum
The two cards earn at differing rates, and each has its own unique bonus categories.
The Amex Business Platinum has the following earning rates:
- 5 points per dollar spent on flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel
- 2 points per dollar spent on purchases in the U.S. that are $5,000 or more each (up to $2 million in eligible purchases), as well as on purchases in the U.S. with: software and cloud system providers, construction materials and hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and shipping providers (then 1 point per dollar)
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases
Meanwhile, the Ink Business Preferred has slightly simpler bonus categories:
- 3 points per dollar spent on advertising, cable, internet, phone, shipping, social media, search engine and travel purchases (up to the first $150,000 in combined purchases per account anniversary year)
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
While the Amex Business Platinum has a higher multiplier, the Ink Business Preferred has a more attractive rewards structure for most businesses.
The Amex Business Platinum only earns 5 points per dollar spent on travel booked through Amex, so it's not the card to use for most of your everyday spending.
In contrast, the Ink Business Preferred offers a slightly lower 3 points per dollar spent on a wider range of categories, including travel. Plus, Chase defines travel broadly, so everything from booking directly with airlines and hotels to trips booked through Chase Travel℠ and purchases made with ride-hailing services is covered.
Winner: Ink Business Preferred. The card offers a more valuable rewards structure.
Redeeming points on the Ink Business Preferred vs. Amex Business Platinum
You can redeem your Chase points at a rate of up to 1.75 cents apiece, depending on the specific redemption, for travel purchases like flights, hotels and rental cars that you book through Chase Travel. Or, if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees), you could transfer your points to that card and redeem them at a rate of up to 2 cents apiece toward travel, depending on the specific redemption. See your rewards program agreement for full details.
Amex Business Platinum points can be redeemed for up to 1.54 cents apiece in value when used to cover business- or first-class flights with any airline or a ticket in any class with your preferred airline, thanks to Amex's Pay with Points perk.
You can also redeem your points for merchant gift cards or to cover charges on your bill. However, these options significantly devalue your rewards to 1 cent per point or less, so we don't recommend using your points this way.
Winner: Tie. Both cards offer decent redemption options but are much more valuable if you leverage their transfer partners.
Transferring points on the Ink Business Preferred vs. Amex Business Platinum
Both cards are part of valuable rewards programs that offer a lot of redemption flexibility. Both offer an incentive for booking award travel through their portals and have a solid list of transfer partners.
However, I would say that you can get more value out of the Amex Membership Rewards program because of two primary features: a superior transfer partner program and the Pay with Points benefit.
Chase and Amex each have solid lists of transfer partners that include airlines and hotels, but Amex edges Chase out with 20 partners to choose from, including Delta, Emirates, Hilton and Marriott. Amex also frequently runs transfer bonus promotions. Chase, in comparison, has only 14 transfer partners and offers less frequent transfer bonuses.
I recently transferred my Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club with a 40% transfer bonus. I was able to secure a business-class ticket on Virgin Atlantic from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) for only 35,000 Chase points.
Related: A complete list of transfer bonuses over the past decade — which issuer is the most generous?
Winner: Amex Business Platinum. It can't be beaten, thanks to its top-notch transfer partner program and Pay with Points benefit.
Should I get the Ink Business Preferred or Amex Business Platinum?
The Ink Business Preferred is geared toward everyday business spending thanks to its easy-to-maximize bonus categories. Conversely, the Amex Business Platinum emphasizes premium perks such as business- and travel-related statement credits. It also offers bonus categories that are suited to businesses that make large purchases and spend a lot on flights and hotels.
Bottom line
The Amex Business Platinum is best for business owners who want to enjoy premium travel perks and earn bonus points on flights and hotels ... and can stomach the high $895 annual fee.
However, if you are a business owner who doesn't travel frequently but wants to earn a high number of points, the Ink Business Preferred is the better choice, as it has a more affordable annual fee of $95.
For many people, it might make sense to hold both cards. That way, you can maximize several opportunities to earn bonus points across a wide range of categories.
Whether you choose one or both cards, you'll want to ensure you understand the credit card application rules and restrictions before applying.
For more information on these cards, read our full reviews of the Ink Business Preferred and the Amex Business Platinum.
Apply here: The Business Platinum Card from American Express
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum Card, click here.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees