Chase Ink Business Preferred vs Amex Business Gold Card
Which card is better in 2026? We break down fees, rewards, perks, and point values so you can decide.
Chase Ink Business Preferred
Chase
Business owners who spend on advertising, shipping, and travel
Amex Business Gold Card
American Express
Businesses with high spend concentrated in 1-2 categories
| Feature | Chase Ink Business Preferred | Amex Business Gold Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $95 | $375 |
| Welcome Bonus | 100,000 Ultimate Rewards | 70,000 Membership Rewards |
| Bonus Value | $1250 | $840 |
| Dining | 1x | 4x (if top 2) |
| Groceries | 1x | 4x (if top 2) |
| Travel | 3x (first $150K/year) | 4x (if top 2) |
| Gas | 1x | 4x (if top 2) |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything Else | 1x | 1x |
| Point Value | 1.25 cpp | 1.2 cpp |
Chase Ink Business Preferred Key Perks Best
- 3x on travel, shipping, internet, phone, advertising
- Points transfer to Hyatt, United, etc.
- Cell phone protection
- Purchase protection
Amex Business Gold Card Key Perks
- 4x on top 2 spending categories (auto-detected)
- $150K cap on 4x categories
- Flexible spending limits
- Transfer to airline/hotel partners
The Verdict
Winner: Chase Ink Business Preferred. The Ink Preferred dominates for most small businesses: 100K welcome bonus (worth $1,250+), $95 fee vs $375, and 3x on advertising and shipping — categories most businesses spend heavily on. The Biz Gold only wins if your top 2 categories align with its 4x earn and you spend over $50K/year in those categories.
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Related Comparisons
The Ink Cash wins for most small businesses — 5% back on internet, phone, and office supplies can easily generate $500+/year in value on expenses you're already paying. The Ink Unlimited is better only if your spending is spread evenly with no concentration in the Ink Cash's 5% categories. Many businesses carry both.
Read comparisonThe Amex Gold dominates for anyone spending $500+/month on dining and groceries combined. The 4x earn rate in both categories plus $240 in annual credits (dining + Uber) make the $250 fee easy to justify. The CSP wins only if you value Chase transfer partners or want a lower annual fee.
Read comparisonThe Reserve wins for travelers spending $5K+ on travel annually — the $300 credit effectively drops the fee to $250, and 1.5 cpp redemption value beats the Preferred's 1.25 cpp. But if you travel less than twice a year, the Preferred is the smarter pick.
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