Amex Business Gold vs Chase Ink: Top Business Credit Cards

Choosing the right business credit card is essential for effective business management. The best cards support company growth, simplify expense tracking, and enable employees to make necessary purchases effortlessly. By maximizing rewards on business spending, you can earn travel miles, cashback, or transferable rewards points that help offset costs or even fund personal travel.

In this article, we’ll compare two of the best business credit cards currently available: the Amex Business Gold Card and the Chase Ink Business Preferred Card. Both cards offer exceptional rewards, flexible redemption options, and valuable perks to enhance your business’s financial outlook.

Amex Business Gold vs. Chase Ink Business Preferred

Both the Chase Ink Business Preferred and the Amex Business Gold are excellent candidates for your primary business credit card. However, a closer examination reveals unique benefits that may better suit your specific business needs. Here's a summary of the fees, features, and benefits associated with each card.

Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Fees:

• Annual fee: $95 (no additional charge for employee cards).
• No foreign transaction fees.

Earning Rewards Points:

• Welcome Bonus: 100,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 in the first 3 months.
• Points Earning Rate:
  • 3x points on combined purchases up to $150,000 annually in categories such as shipping, online advertising, travel, and phone services.
  • 1x points on all other purchases.

Redeeming Your Points:

• Transfer points to numerous airline and hotel partners.
• Redeem points for statement credits, merchandise, gift cards, or payments through PayPal and Amazon.
• 25% bonus on travel redemptions through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
• Use the Pay Yourself Back feature for a 25% bonus on eligible categories.

Other Card Benefits:

• Primary rental car insurance.
• Trip interruption and cancellation insurance.
• Purchase protection and extended warranty.
• Cell phone protection.

American Express Business Gold Card

Fees:

• Annual fee: $295 (first employee card costs $50, with no additional fee for up to 99 employee cards).
• No foreign transaction fees.

Earning Rewards Points:

• Welcome Bonus: 70,000 points after spending $10,000 in the first 3 months.
• Points Earning Rate:
  • 4x points on the two categories where your business spends the most (up to $150,000 per calendar year).
  • 1x points on all other purchases.

Redeeming Rewards Points:

• Transfer points to numerous airline and hotel partners.
• Redeem through Amex Travel for travel bookings or for merchandise, gift cards, or statement credits.
• Participate in The Hotel Collection for additional booking benefits.
• No blackout dates or travel restrictions.

Other Card Benefits:

• Secondary rental car insurance.
• Baggage insurance plan.
• Global Access Hotline.
• Purchase protection and extended warranty.
• No preset spending limit on the card.

Which Card Has the Better Welcome Bonus?

Chase Ink Business Preferred Card

The welcome bonus for the Ink Business Preferred, worth 100,000 points, can be valued at approximately $1,250 when redeemed through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal (at a conversion rate of 1.25 cents per point). Additionally, points transferred to airline partners often provide significant additional value.

Amex Business Gold Card

The Amex Business Gold offers 70,000 points as a welcome bonus, translating to a minimum of $700 in value for eligible travel expenses when redeemed at a rate of 1 cent per point. However, these points also have the potential for higher value when transferred to airline or hotel partners.

Comparison

In general, the Chase Ink Business Preferred offers a superior welcome bonus in terms of both point value and lower spending requirement, making it a more lucrative option for new cardholders.

Chase Ultimate Rewards vs. Amex Membership Rewards

Both cards provide valuable rewards currencies—Chase Ultimate Rewards for the Ink Business Preferred and Amex Membership Rewards for the Business Gold. However, these programs have different strengths:

• Chase Ultimate Rewards points are often considered more versatile due to broader transfer options and higher redemption value through the Chase travel portal.
• Amex Membership Rewards points offer unique transfer options to premium airline programs, often allowing for better mileage redemption values.

Earning Potential: Comparing Point Rates

Chase Ink Business Preferred Card

• 3x points on travel, online advertising, shipping, internet, cable, and phone services (up to $150,000 per year).
• 1x points on all other purchases.

Amex Business Gold Card

• 4x points on the top two spending categories each month (up to $150,000 yearly).
• 1x points on all other purchases.

Analysis of Earning Potential

If your business expenses fall into standard categories such as shipping and advertising, the Ink Business Preferred card is highly beneficial. Conversely, if your expenditures are varied and change each month, the Amex Business Gold is advantageous due to its flexibility in maximizing rewards on your top two expenditure categories.

Takeaway: Which Business Credit Card is Best?

The best business credit card for your company is the one that aligns with your spending habits. To maximize the value of your business purchases, carefully evaluate if the Amex Business Gold Card or the Chase Ink Business Preferred Card complements your business expense profile.

In summary:

• If you primarily spend in categories like shipping and advertising, the Chase Ink Business Preferred may provide the best returns.
• If your expenditures fluctuate significantly, consider the Amex Business Gold for its adaptability in earning 4x points on your highest expenses.

Make sure to review the current offers, as welcome bonuses and features can change frequently. Take another look at our breakdown to decide what aligns best with your business goals.