Amex Business Gold vs. Ink Business Preferred: Which business card is best?
Editor's Note
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a TPG favorite and remains one of the best business credit cards available. The card's great earning structure and ability to combine rewards with other Chase credit cards make it a strong contender in the business credit card space.
Meanwhile, the American Express® Business Gold Card offers a unique earning structure and statement credits but carries a higher annual fee (see rates and fees).
So, let's compare the two across several criteria to see which card best suits your business needs.
The information for the Ink Business Preferred has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Amex Business Gold vs. Ink Business Preferred comparison
| Amex Business Gold | Ink Business Preferred | |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership. | Earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. |
| Annual fee | $375 (see rates and fees) | $95 |
| Earning rates |
|
|
| Benefits |
(Enrollment required for select benefits; terms apply.) |
|
| Statement credits |
| None |
*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Amex Business Gold vs. Ink Business Preferred welcome offer
New Amex Business Gold Card cardmembers can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months of card membership.
Based on TPG's October 2025 valuations, Membership Rewards points are worth 2 cents each, making this welcome offer worth $2,000.
Meanwhile, new Ink Business Preferred cardholders can earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Based on TPG's October 2025 valuations, Ultimate Rewards points are worth 2.05 cents each, making the welcome offer worth $1,845.
Before jumping the gun and going for the Amex Business Gold, remember that the spending requirement is substantially higher compared to the Ink Business Preferred.
Another important thing to note is each issuer's application restrictions. With the Chase card, you'll be on the hook for their infamous 5/24 rule; therefore, you'll need to have applied for fewer than five credit cards in the last 24 months in order to be eligible.
You'll be held to the "one bonus per card per lifetime" rule for American Express. So, if you've owned this card in the past, you will not be eligible for the welcome offer, nor will you be eligible for a better offer in the future if you apply now.
Winner: Amex Business Gold, thanks to its slightly more valuable welcome offer.
Amex Business Gold vs. Ink Business Preferred benefits
Both cards offer extensive travel and purchase protections, with the Amex Business Gold offering the following:
- Cellphone protection**: Reimbursement for the repair or replacement cost for damage or theft with a maximum limit of $800 per claim, with a $50 deductible, on up to two claims in a 12-month period. Eligibility includes paying the wireless bill for the cellphone line.
- Extended warranty***: Cardmembers can receive up to one additional year of warranty on purchased items that have warranties of five years or less. The covered amount includes the amount charged to your card up to $10,000 per item, not to exceed $50,000 per cardmember account per calendar year.
- Purchase protection***: Eligible purchases are covered against accidental damage or theft for 90 days for up to $1,000 per incident, up to $50,000 per calendar year.
- Travel protections: Included protections are baggage insurance plan**, car rental loss and damage insurance^ and trip delay insurance***. Cardmembers receive up to $500 of coverage for damaged, lost or stolen checked bags ($1,250 for carry-ons).
The Ink Business Preferred also offers a mix of travel and purchase protections, which include:
- Cellphone protection: To be eligible, you must pay your bill with the card, and you are covered if your cellphone is stolen or damaged. You can receive up to $1,000 per claim, with a $100 deductible, with up to three claims per 12-month period.
- Extended warranty protection: Purchases with a U.S. manufacturer's warranty of three years or less receive an extra year of protection and cover up to $10,000 per item, with a $50,000 per calendar year limit.
- Primary car rental coverage: Covered for damage and theft in the U.S. and most countries worldwide when rentals are for commercial or business purposes. It does not offer any liability coverage but covers up to $60,000 for most rental vehicles.
- Purchase protection: Covers damaged or stolen items within the first 120 days from purchase (90 days for New York residents), up to $10,000 per claim ($50,000 per account).
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance: For trips canceled or shortened due to covered issues (such as illness or severe weather), you're eligible for up to $5,000 of coverage per person for prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses. This coverage is limited to $10,000 per trip and $20,000 per 12-month period per account.
What sets the Amex Business Gold apart is the statement credits that help offset the annual fee. Cardmembers receive up to $240 each calendar year in statement credits (up to $20 a month) for eligible purchases at FedEx, Grubhub and office supply stores. Enrollment required.
Furthermore, cardmembers also receive up to $155 in statement credits each calendar year for a monthly Walmart+ membership (up to $12.95 per month, subject to auto-renewal, excluding Plus Ups; enrollment required).
**Eligibility and benefit level vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
***Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
^Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Winner: Amex Business Gold. While both cards have excellent protections, the Amex Business Gold's statement credits give it the edge.
Earning points with the Amex Business Gold vs. Ink Business Preferred
The Amex Business Gold has a flexible and business-friendly approach to bonus category earning. The card is unique because it earns 4 points per dollar spent in your top two eligible spending categories each billing cycle:
- Monthly wireless telephone charges made directly with U.S. service providers
- Transit, including buses, ferries, parking, ride-hailing, subways, taxi cabs, tolls and trains
- U.S. purchases for advertising in select media
- U.S. purchases at gas stations
- U.S. purchases at restaurants
- U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software and cloud system providers
This is ideal for businesses whose monthly expenses fluctuate, giving them more opportunities to rack up rewards.
Additionally, Amex Business Gold cardmembers earn 3 points per dollar spent on flights and prepaid hotels booked directly through AmexTravel.com.
On the other hand, the Ink Business Preferred earns 3 points per dollar spent (on the first $150,000 in combined purchases each year) on:
- Advertising purchases made with search engines and social media sites
- Cable, internet and phone services
- Shipping purchases
- Travel
All other purchases and any purchases over the $150,000 limit will earn 1 point per dollar spent. Cardholders can also earn 5 points per dollar spent on Lyft rides (through Sept. 30, 2027).
Although it may not seem as lucrative as the Amex Business Gold's bonus earning categories, Chase's travel category is broadly defined, so travel purchases such as parking meters, tolls, and other transit purchases can also earn 3 points per dollar spent.
Winner: Amex Business Gold. Higher earning rates and flexible categories allow businesses to earn across many categories.
Redeeming points with Amex Business Gold vs. Ink Business Preferred
When it comes to redemption value, the Ink Business Preferred has the edge. Points redeemed through Chase Travel℠ are worth up to 1.75 cents each on select premium cabin flights and 1.5 cents each on select hotel bookings with Chase Points Boost (values vary by redemption; see your rewards program agreement for full details).
If you hold another Ultimate Rewards card, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees), you can combine your points and redeem through that account for up to 2 cents per point on eligible Chase Travel bookings (depending on the specific redemption; see your rewards program agreement for full details).
By comparison, Membership Rewards points from the Amex Business Gold are typically worth just 1 cent each toward statement credits or gift cards. You'll get far better value transferring them to travel partners instead.
Winner: Ink Business Preferred. Chase's elevated travel portal redemptions make it easier to unlock strong value without transferring points.
Transferring points with the Amex Business Gold vs. Ink Business Preferred
Both the Amex Business Gold and Ink Business Preferred allow for points to be transferred to travel partners. Membership Rewards points can be transferred to 20 airline and hotel loyalty programs, whereas Chase has 14 travel partners (13 as of Oct. 16, with the loss of Emirates Skywards).
Some partners overlap, such as Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue and British Airways Club, ones that can help you score phenomenal flight options.
In addition, Amex has unique partners such as All Nippon Airways' Mileage Club and Qatar Airways Privilege Club, whereas Chase has other partners such as Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards and United Airlines MileagePlus.
As both a Chase cardholder and an Amex cardmember, TPG credit card writer Danyal Ahmed often takes advantage of transfer bonuses. He used a 30% transfer bonus from Amex to British Airways to book Qatar Airways' Qsuite between Los Angeles and Doha for just 54,000 Avios one-way.
Winner: Tie. Both cards share many transfer partners; your winner depends on who you fly with most often.
Should I get the Amex Business Gold or Ink Business Preferred?
The Amex Business Gold is ideal for businesses with changing expenses that can maximize its flexible bonus categories and monthly statement credits. Its $375 annual fee can pay off if you regularly use those perks. The Ink Business Preferred offers simpler rewards, a low $95 annual fee and strong value when combined with other Chase cards.
Bottom line
Both cards are highly competitive. In exchange for a higher annual fee of $375, the Amex Business Gold offers higher earning rates across categories that can change monthly based on your spending, in addition to statement credits and travel protections.
While the Ink Business Preferred offers a substantially lower annual fee of $95, cardholders are subject to Chase's strict 5/24 rule. If you're at 5/24, the Amex Business Gold is worth your top consideration; otherwise, choose the card that makes the most sense for your business's spending habits and financial goals.
To learn more, check out our full reviews of the Amex Business Gold and the Ink Business Preferred.
Apply here: Amex Business Gold
Learn more: Ink Business Preferred
For the rates and fees for the Amex Business Gold, click here.