Amex Blue Business Cash vs Chase Ink Business Preferred: Which Earns More?

Quick answer

Blue Business Cash costs nothing to hold and pays 2% on your first $50,000 a year, then 1%. Ink Business Preferred costs $95 and pays 3 points per dollar in listed categories. At 1 cent per point and $60,000 of spending, Ink earns more only if about $30,000 or more is in its bonus categories.

What each issuer says

All figures were read from the issuers' own pages on October 19, 2026. The Amex figures come from the text of Amex's Blue Business Cash card page. Terms change, so check them again before you apply.

Amex Blue Business Cash. The Amex card page lists an annual fee of $0. It pays 2% cash back on the first $50,000 of eligible purchases per calendar year and 1% after that. Cash back is credited to your statement. It lists 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening, then a variable APR of 16.99% to 28.74%. The welcome offer is up to a $500 statement credit after $5,000 of purchases in the first 3 months, and offers vary. Employee cards earn cash back the same way. The page does not state a foreign transaction fee.

Chase Ink Business Preferred. The Chase product page lists a $95 annual fee and variable APR ranges that start at 17.99%. It pays 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 of combined purchases each account anniversary year in travel, shipping, social media and search engine advertising, and internet, cable and phone. Everything else earns 1 point per $1. It says no foreign transaction fees apply. Employee cards cost nothing extra. The new cardmember offer is 100,000 bonus points after $8,000 of purchases in 3 months, and it may not be available if you have held the card before. Chase says redemption values vary by reward option.

Fees and terms side by side

Which card earns more

The table assumes $60,000 of yearly card spending and 1 cent per Ink point. Blue Business Cash earns 2% of $50,000, which is $1,000, plus 1% of the other $10,000, which is $100. That is $1,100, with no annual fee.

Here is the math for the middle row. Spending of $24,000 in bonus categories earns 3 points per dollar, which is 72,000 points. The other $36,000 earns 1 point per dollar, which is 36,000 points. The total is 108,000 points, or $1,080 at 1 cent each. Subtract the $95 fee to get $985.

When your total spending is $50,000 or more, the break-even point is the same: about $29,750 in Ink bonus categories. Below $50,000 it is lower, because Blue Business Cash pays 2% on all of it. At $40,000 of total spending, break-even is about $24,750. If you redeem Ink points for more than 1 cent, Ink looks better. If you redeem for less, Blue Business Cash looks better. These are examples, not guarantees.

Welcome offers are left out because they are one-time and may change. Blue Business Cash also has a 12-month 0% intro APR, which can matter if you plan to finance a purchase.

When Blue Business Cash is the better fit

• Most of your spending is spread across many kinds of purchases.
• You want no annual fee and a simple rate.
• You may finance a purchase in the first year and want the 0% intro APR.
• You spend less than $50,000 a year, so all of it earns 2%.

When Ink Business Preferred is the better fit

• A large share of your spending is shipping, ads on social media or search sites, internet, cable, phone or travel.
• You spend a lot above $50,000, where Blue Business Cash drops to 1%.
• You value points you can redeem for travel.
• You will spend abroad and want a stated no-foreign-fee card.

What to check before you apply

1. Total a year of your real card spending and split out the Ink bonus categories.
2. Read Amex's Rates and Fees page for the foreign transaction fee and penalty fees.
3. Read Chase's pricing and terms link for the penalty schedule.
4. Check whether you would use the 0% intro APR or pay in full each month.

For other card pairs, see Spark Cash Plus vs Chase Ink Business Preferred and Chase Ink Business Preferred vs Ramp. For fee lines to compare on any business card, read our guide to business credit card fees.

Methodology and sources

Reviewed October 19, 2026: the Amex Blue Business Cash card page and the Chase Ink Business Preferred product page, linked above. Examples use 1 cent per point and $60,000 of yearly spending as assumptions. Terms an issuer's page does not state are marked as not stated, not guessed. Refresh by November 18, 2026, sooner if either issuer changes terms.