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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Reviews
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card review: A great all-around business card
Nick Ewen is TPG's editor-in-chief and helps readers leverage credit cards (he has more than 25 of them) and loyalty programs to travel more for less. He's been at TPG for over 11 years.
When Ryan worked as a TPG credit cards writer, he oversaw refreshes of card reviews and card offer stories. He enjoyed racking up cash back and helping readers maximize their points and miles for their next big trip.
also contributed to this story
August 7, 2025 • 12 min read
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The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Editorial note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Quick summary
A popular business card offers a substantial introductory bonus and flexible rewards that can be transferred to multiple airline and hotel partners or redeemed for travel at a competitive rate.
The card is especially valuable for small-business owners who spend in categories like travel, shipping, telecommunications and online advertising.
Notable benefits include cellphone protection, purchase protection, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, trip delay reimbursement and primary car rental coverage for business rentals.
The card is considered attainable for most businesses due to its modest annual fee and broad range of business-friendly features.
What to consider
Applicants must qualify as a business, and freelancers or side-gig owners may find the spending threshold for the introductory bonus challenging.
Bonus earning rates apply only to the first $150,000 spent annually in select categories; after that, a lower rate applies to all purchases.
Points can be redeemed at up to 1.75 cents each through the issuer's travel portal, or transferred to 14 travel partners, with TPG's August 2025 valuation placing these points at 2.05 cents each.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of similar business cards, including tradeoffs in earning structures, annual fees and unique benefits.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
The (see rates and fees) is an excellent all-around business credit card, offering a sizable welcome bonus and the ability to earn valuable Ultimate Rewards points on a variety of business expenses. Those rewards can then be transferred to 14 airline and hotel partners or redeemed directly for travel at a rate of up to 1.75 cents per point through Chase Travel℠ with Points Boost. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
The Ink Business Preferred is a TPG favorite.
Although there are many solid business credit cards available, the Ink Business Preferred has unique perks that make it attractive for business owners looking to maximize their earning potential and unlock valuable rewards through the Ultimate Rewards program.
The card has a $95 annual fee, making it very attainable for most. For the best chances of approval, you’ll want a credit score of at least 670.
Let’s take a closer look at the Ink Business Preferred so you can decide if it’s a good fit for your business.
Ink Business Preferred pros and cons
Pros
Cons
Lucrative welcome bonus
Useful transfer partners
High earnings rates
Modest annual fee
Must qualify for a business card to apply
Ink Business Preferred welcome offer
If approved for the , you’ll be eligible to earn a welcome bonus of 100,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 in the first three months from account opening.
Based on TPG's August 2025 valuations, the bonus points alone are worth a whopping $2,050. This is mainly because the points can be transferred to various travel partners, including British Airways, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines.
THE POINTS GUY
To unlock the welcome offer, you’ll need to spend an average of $2,667 per month in the first three months. For many small businesses, this level of spending may be a non-issue. Additionally, small businesses with multiple employees can request unlimited free employee cards to help meet the spending requirement.
However, freelancers or those who want a business credit card to earn rewards on expenses related to a side gig may not be able to realistically hit the bonus. And you don’t want to violate TPG’s sixth commandment for credit cards: Thou shalt not miss out on a welcome bonus.
The earning rates and redemption options alone make this an intriguing card, but you’ll get several added perks that make it even more valuable. Here’s a quick rundown:
Cellphone protection: If you’re prone to damaging your cellphone, the Ink Business Preferred could be a great card to have. When you charge your monthly cellphone bill to the card, you and eligible employees on the plan can receive up to $1,000 per claim for damage or theft of cellphones. You’re limited to three claims in a 12-month period and must pay a $100 deductible per claim. Nevertheless, this is a terrific benefit that is relatively rare among credit cards.
Purchase protection: Besides cellphone protection, you’re covered for other purchases. If an eligible item is damaged or stolen within the first 120 days after purchase, you’re covered up to $10,000 per claim ($50,000 per account). This can be a lifesaver if something goes wrong with that new purchase.
Trip cancellation/interruption insurance: If you must cancel or cut a trip short because of a covered issue (such as illness or severe weather), you’re eligible for up to $5,000 of coverage per person for prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses, which provides great peace of mind when unexpected problems arise.
Trip delay reimbursement: If a covered trip is delayed by a covered hazard for 12 or more hours — or long enough to require an overnight stay — you’ll be eligible for reimbursement, up to $500 per ticket in reasonable expenses. This can save you in situations like poor weather, where the airline generally won’t provide any compensation. Note that you only need to charge part of your common-carrier fare to the card to use this benefit, so you’ll be covered on award tickets if you put the taxes and fees on the card.
Primary car rental coverage: Renting a car can be a risky (and expensive) proposition, but if you use the Ink Business Preferred card for the entire rental cost and are traveling for business purposes, you’re covered for theft and damage in the U.S. and most countries around the world. Bear in mind that this doesn’t offer any liability coverage, but you are covered up to the actual cash value of the vehicle you’re renting.
Extended warranty protection: Purchases with a U.S. manufacturer’s warranty of three years or less will get coverage for an extra year. This can be extremely helpful when an item stops working shortly after its scheduled warranty ends.
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The also offers various business tools, including account insights, bookkeeping integration and account alerts. The most valuable benefit of this card is still probably cellphone protection. Not many cards offer this perk, and considering the Ink Business Preferred also offers 3 points per dollar spent on phone services, this is a win-win.
The Ink Business Preferred doesn’t offer much in the way of travel credits, lounge access or other luxury benefits that competitors have, such as with its $895 annual fee (see rates and fees).
However, for only a $95 annual fee, this card offers a lot of value to cardholders.
When it comes to earning points, the Ink Business Preferred offers a variety of bonus categories that can be quite lucrative to small-business owners. You’ll earn 3 points per dollar spent on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases each year in the following categories:
Travel
Shipping purchases
Internet, cable and phone services
Advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines
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This $150,000 threshold is based on your account anniversary year, so it will reset each year when you renew your card. Since TPG’s August 2025 valuations peg the value of Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 2.05 cents apiece, you’ll get a fantastic return of 6.15% on purchases in these categories.
And if you max out these categories by spending the full $150,000, you’ll take home a total of 450,000 Ultimate Rewards points, which our valuations peg at a whopping $9,225.
Once you’ve surpassed that mark, your purchases in the aforementioned categories will drop to match the earning rate of all other purchases: 1 point per dollar spent. Though that’s not too exciting, you’re still looking at over a 2% return, which isn’t bad for a card with a $95 annual fee.
Like most cards that earn transferable points, you get the most value when you redeem your Ink Business Preferred rewards for travel by transferring them to any of Chase’s 14 hotel and airline partners or booking travel directly through Chase Travel.
ETHAN STEINBERG/THE POINTS GUY
You can redeem these 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 thanks to the newPoints Boost redemption option.
Or, if you have the (see rates and fees) or the (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.
If you're an existing cardholder whose account was opened before June 23, any points you earned prior to Oct. 26, 2025, can be redeemed via Chase Travel at the old fixed rate of 1.25 cents per point or up to 1.75 cents per point with Points Boost (whichever is higher) until Oct. 26, 2027.
Even though you’ll get less than TPG’s August 2025 2.05-cent valuation of Ultimate Rewards points with this redemption option, it’s simple and doesn’t require much effort.
Remember that when you redeem Ultimate Rewards points directly for airfare, you will still earn miles and elite credit, just as you would on a regular paid ticket. However, that’s generally not the case with hotel bookings.
In addition, most of these transfers post instantly, ensuring you won’t have to wait for the points or miles to arrive and miss out on the redemption you want.
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TPG credit cards writer Chris Nelson likes to maximize his Ultimate Rewards points by transferring them to Hyatt. He just recently transferred 6,500 Ultimate Rewards points for a brief overnight stay at the Hyatt Place Amsterdam airport, where cash rates were running $200 plus.
Regardless of which partner you choose, the power of the Ultimate Rewards program (and really any transferable point currency) is the flexibility it allows. You aren’t locked into a single airline or hotel rewards program, and you can wait until you’re ready to book to transfer points.
Which cards compete with the Ink Business Preferred?
With a low annual fee, valuable points, lucrative earning rates and solid benefits, the Ink Business Preferred is a great option for many small businesses. However, there are a few other options that could be a better fit for your company:
If you want more customizable earning categories: The carries a higher annual fee of $375 (see rates and fees), but you’ll earn 4 points per dollar spent in your highest two spending categories each billing cycle (on the first $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter). If you can’t maximize the Ink Business Preferred’s categories or your spending varies from month to month, this may be a better option. To learn more, read our full review of the Amex Business Gold.
If you don’t want to worry about bonus categories: The Capital One Venture Business card offers at least 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases and carries a $95 annual fee. You still have access to transfer partners through Capital One, though you’ll sacrifice additional perks.
If you don’t want to pay an annual fee: The (see rates and fees) earns 1.5% back on every purchase at no annual fee, plus basic perks like purchase protection and the option to add employee cards at no additional cost. To learn more, read our full review of the Ink Business Unlimited.
If you spend significantly across the four bonus categories (travel, shipping, advertising and telecommunication providers), you’ll earn tons of extra Ultimate Rewards points on your new Ink Business Preferred. Plus, you and your employees will enjoy various travel and shopping protections, like primary coverage when renting a car for business purposes and generous cellphone protection.
If you’re just starting out, we highly recommend starting with this card, especially if you can pair it with other cards, such as the and (see rates and fees), to maximize your rewards across even more purchases.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum, click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Business Gold, click here.
