Ink Business Premier vs. Amex Blue Business Cash [Detailed Comparison]

Key Takeaways

• The Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card offers substantial earning power with 2% cash back on all purchases plus 2.5% back on large purchases over $5,000.
• American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card provides 2% cash back on business purchases up to $50,000 per year and 1% on everything else.
• Overall, the Ink Business Premier card offers more perks, such as cell phone protection, trip cancellation insurance, roadside dispatch, and access to Chase Offers.

If you’re a business owner focusing on maximizing your cash-back rewards, your credit card strategy will look very different from someone looking to book luxury award travel with points.

Today, we’ll zero in on the universe of cash-back business credit cards, specifically 2 of the best options in the space: the Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card and The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card.

Although these cards inherently appeal to different customer bases within the larger business owner segment, we’ll put both of these cards to the test to determine which is best for you — let’s get right to it!

Overview

For the right customer, the Ink Business Premier card and Amex Blue Business Cash card offer industry-leading cash-back rewards.

Here’s a brief look at what makes each card attractive:

Even though the Ink Business Premier card has a higher price tag, you’ll notice that the rewards and benefits are, without a doubt, superior to the Amex Blue Business Cash card.

Each card’s benefits section will contain the exact details and terms and conditions of each benefit.

Welcome Offer Comparison

A great way to justify the cost of adding another card is to apply for it when an attractive introductory welcome bonus is offered.

In many cases, the welcome offer alone could pay for many years of the annual fee, which will put you ahead if you did nothing else besides earning the welcome bonus and being approved for the card. Let’s take a look at the currently available bonuses available on each card:

Ink Business Premier Card

Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Earn up to 5% cash-back for your business without complex bonus earning categories!

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card

Earn up to 5% cash-back for your business without complex bonus earning categories!

Welcome Offer

Earn $1,000 bonus cash-back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

$1,000

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,000

Annual Fee

$195

APR

Flex for Business Variable APR: 18.74% - 26.74%

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

Chase has introduced the Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card to its business credit card lineup. With straightforward cash-back earnings on everyday purchases and large expenses, tools to help you monitor your business, and multiple ways to redeem your rewards, this is a great card option to consider.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Earn 2.5% total cash-back on purchases of $5,000 or more
• Earn 2% cash-back on all other business purchases
• Unlimited 5% total cash-back on travel purchased through Chase Travel

Cons

• $195 annual fee
• Some purchases need to be paid in full each month and don’t qualify for Flex for Business APR

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Earn unlimited 2.5% total cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more and unlimited 2% cash back on all other business purchases.
• Travel Benefits: Unlimited 5% total cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, No Foreign Transaction Fees and Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance.
• The only business credit card with 2.5% cash back on every purchase of $5,000 or more.
• Get the buying power you need to make large purchases, cover monthly expenses and help your business grow. While you must pay your Pay In Full balance each month, this card has built-in flexibility. The Flex for Business feature allows for qualifying purchases to be paid over time with interest.
• Purchase with confidence with built-in protections like Fraud Protection, Zero Liability Protection, Purchase Protection, Cell Phone Protection, and Extended Warranty Protection.
• There's no additional cost for employee cards. Monitor spend with digital tools like purchase alerts, set spending limits, reporting, and more.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: Flex for Business Variable APR: 18.74% - 26.74%
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Amex Blue Business Cash Card

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Take control of your cash-back with the Amex Blue Business Cash card, and earn 2% cash-back on up to $50,000 in purchases each year.

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

Take control of your cash-back with the Amex Blue Business Cash card, and earn 2% cash-back on up to $50,000 in purchases each year.

Welcome Offer

Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.

$250

Annual Fee

No annual fee

APR

17.49% - 25.49% Variable,0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

Looking for a way to keep tabs on your office supply costs and business travel expenses while earning cash-back? Then The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card could be a good fit.

This card offers expense management solutions that are designed to give companies more control, along with a much clearer picture of their business spending. In doing so, the more you spend, the more cash-back you can earn.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 2% cash-back on up to $50,000 in spend, then 1% back thereafter
• No annual fee
• Travel and purchase protection

Cons

• Not ideal for those who spend a lot on a specific category like groceries or gas

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
• 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 17.49% – 25.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening. APRs will not exceed 29.99%
• Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.
• From workflow to inventory to floor plans, your business is constantly changing. That’s why you’ve got the power to spend beyond your credit limit with Expanded Buying Power.
• The amount you can spend above your credit limit is flexible, so it adapts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors. Just remember, the amount you can spend with Expanded Buying Power is not unlimited.
• No Annual Fee
• Terms Apply

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 17.49% - 25.49% Variable,0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.

Keep in mind that part of the value of the Amex Blue Business Cash card is the introductory 0% APR promotion as detailed in the table above. This allows you to carry a balance without incurring interest payments for the introductory period, as long as you make your minimum payment.

Breaking Down Cash-Back Rewards

Both of these cards earn rewards in the form of cash-back.

Rewards earned on the Ink Business Premier card can’t be transferred to airline partners or used in any other way to provide outsized value in the same way Chase Ultimate Rewards points can.

Similarly, the Amex Blue Business Cash card earns cash-back, not Amex Membership Rewards points.

Now, let’s examine the earning potential associated with each card.

Earning Potential

As you can see, the Ink Business Premier card outperforms or matches the earning potential of the Amex Blue Business Cash card in every instance.

The Ink Business Premier card will earn a minimum of 2% cash-back, while the Amex Blue Business Cash card only earns 2% cash-back on the first $50,000 in purchases every calendar year. After that, it falls to 1% cash-back.

Even better, the Ink Business Premier card earns 5% cash-back on Chase travel purchases, as well as 2.5% cash-back on large purchases of $5,000 or more.

Finally, there are no caps on rewards and cash-back from the Ink Business Premier card.

Redemption Options

Let’s start off with the Amex Blue Business Cash card. With this card, you don’t need to worry about redeeming any rewards because any cash-back accumulated in a given month will automatically be applied as a statement credit at the end of the billing cycle.

In contrast, the Ink Business Premier card accumulates rewards over time, and you can choose when and how to redeem your cash-back.

Right now, you can redeem cash-back earned on the Ink Business Premier card in several ways, including:

The most flexible way to use your rewards will be in the form of statement credits or cash-back. Whatever the case, you’ll still get a fixed value from your cash-back.

Bottom Line: Rewards earned from the Amex Blue Business Cash are automatically credited to your statement at the end of the billing cycle, while the rewards from the Ink Business Premier card are built up in your rewards balance.

Travel Benefits and Protections

Let’s walk through the different travel benefits and protections offered on both the Ink Business Premier card and the Amex Blue Business Cash card. You’ll notice the 2 cards vary significantly in this arena.

Rental Car Insurance

The car rental insurance offered on the Ink Business Premier card is primary when renting for business or outside of the U.S. and secondary for personal rentals in the U.S. Primary is the best type of coverage available because you don’t need to file a claim with your primary insurance first before being eligible for reimbursement.

On the other hand, the car rental insurance offered by the Amex Blue Business Cash card is secondary, which means it’ll only cover you after you’ve filed a claim with your primary insurance provider.

Whether you have primary or secondary insurance, you can activate your coverage by declining the loss damage waiver/collision damage waiver (LDW/CDW) and paying for your rental car reservation using your card.

Trip Interruption and Cancellation Insurance

The Ink Business Premier card offers trip interruption and cancellation insurance, which covers you in the event that illness, severe weather, or injuries cause you to have your trip interrupted or canceled. You could receive up to $5,000 per trip in reimbursements from this benefit.

The Amex Blue Business Cash card does not offer any sort of trip cancellation or interruption insurance.

Trip Delay Reimbursement

Currently, the Ink Business Premier card offers trip delay reimbursement, which will come in handy if your common carrier trip is delayed by more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay.

You can get covered for up to $500 per ticket for reasonable expenses on a 1-time basis if your covered trip is delayed by a covered reason.

The Amex Blue Business Cash card doesn’t offer trip delay reimbursement.

Baggage Delay Insurance

Everyone dreads getting off a plane only to find that their luggage isn’t where it’s supposed to be.

If your baggage is delayed by more than 6 hours on a covered trip, your Ink Business Premier card can get you up to $100 per day for a maximum of 5 days for emergency purchases of essential items.

The Amex Blue Business Cash card does not offer any baggage delay insurance.

Lost Luggage Reimbursement

The only thing worse than having delayed bags is having bags lost altogether.

With lost luggage reimbursement, you can use your Ink Business Premier card to receive up to $3,000 per person for a covered trip — there’s also a $500 sub-limit for jewelry, watches, cameras, video recorders, and other electronic equipment.

The Amex Blue Business Cash card doesn’t offer lost luggage reimbursement.

Travel Accident Insurance

In the event that a fatality or severe injury occurs, travel accident insurance will reimburse you or your family — the Ink Business Premier card offers up to $500,000.

The Amex Blue Business Cash card doesn’t offer travel accident insurance.

Roadside Dispatch

The Ink Business Premier card has a benefit known as Roadside Dispatch that will help you access limited roadside assistance for a pre-negotiated rate of $69.95 per service call.

This benefit covers:

• Fuel delivery (up to 5 gallons, plus the cost of fuel)
• Jump starting
• Lockout service (key replacement not included)
• Standard towing (up to 5 miles)
• Standard winching
• Tire changing (must have a good, inflated spare)

The Amex Blue Business Cash card doesn’t offer any roadside assistance benefit.

Travel and Emergency Assistance Services

If you’re traveling abroad and suddenly encounter an urgent situation in which you need medical, legal, or logistics assistance, you can use the travel and emergency assistance services offered by your card.

The Amex Blue Business Cash card offers this through its Global Assist Hotline.

In general, you, your spouse, and your dependent children under 22 years old are eligible for these services:

These benefits are available 24/7, 365 days per year, but keep in mind that you’re responsible for the cost of any services used, as this is a referral service to lead you to the help you need.

Shopping Benefits and Protections

Let’s take a look at what each of our cards offers in the way of shopping benefits and protections.

Purchase Protection

Both cards offer insurance in the event that an item you purchased is damaged or stolen within a specific timeline after making that purchase.

With the Ink Business Premier card, you’ll be eligible for purchase protection of up to $10,000 per claim and up to $50,000 per calendar year. The theft, damage, or involuntary and accidental property with the property must occur within 120 days from the date of purchase.

Meanwhile, the Amex Blue Business Cash card gets you up to $1,000 per claim and up to $50,000 per calendar year for covered incidents that occur within 90 days from the date of purchase.

Extended Warranty

If you purchase an item and you’re concerned it might become defective, extended warranty coverage could protect you. Currently, the Ink Business Premier card adds 1 additional year on eligible warranties of 3 years or less. This coverage reimburses up to $10,000 per claim and up to $50,000 per year.

The Amex Blue Business Cash card adds 1 additional year on eligible warranties of 5 years or less and reimburses up to $10,000 per claim and up to $50,000 per year.

Cell Phone Protection

The Ink Business Premier card is one of the few business cards with cell phone protection coverage. If you pay your monthly cellular bill using this card, you can access cell phone insurance.

In total, you can get up to $1,000 in reimbursements per claim with a $100 deductible for each claim. You can have up to 3 claims for every rolling 12-month period.

The Amex Blue Business Cash card does not offer cell phone protection.

No Preset Spending Limit

The Ink Business Premier card is the only Chase card that has no preset spending limit. This means it doesn’t have a traditional credit limit — instead, your spending power adjusts depending on your payment history, purchasing habits, and other information that Chase may have to determine your spending limit.

You cannot typically carry a balance with this card. However, the Ink Business Premier card also offers a benefit called Flex for Business, which allows you to use a portion of your credit limit for qualifying purchases to carry balances over time with interest.

The Amex Blue Business Cash card has a credit limit. Still, it has a benefit called Expanded Buying Power, which can help you spend beyond your credit limit to get business done in the event that Amex approves your purchase. The amount you can spend above your credit limit is flexible, so it adapts with your use of the card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to American Express, and other factors. Just remember, the amount you can spend with Expanded Buying Power is not unlimited.

Fees and Authorized Users

Foreign Transaction Fees

The Ink Business Premier card has no foreign transaction fees, while the Amex Blue Business Cash card has a foreign transaction fee of 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to U.S. dollars (rates & fees).

Annual Fees

The Ink Business Premier card has a $195 annual fee, while the Amex Blue Business Cash card has no annual fee.

Adding Authorized Users

There are no additional annual fees for adding employee cards to the Ink Business Premier card or the Amex Blue Business Cash card (rates & fees).

Final Thoughts

All in all, the Amex Blue Business Cash card is a surprisingly bare-bones credit card. If you’re absolutely insistent on not paying annual fees and focusing on simple cash-back for your small business, the Amex Blue Business Cash card might be a good bet, especially if your annual business spending is less than $50,000.

But if you’re looking for outsized cash-back rewards, travel protection and insurance, or the ability to make large purchases, the Ink Business Premier card will be the best option for you. That’s because you earn a minimum of 2% cash-back and up to 5% cash-back with this card. You won’t have a credit limit hindering your ability to make large business purchases. You’ll also enjoy cell phone protection, roadside dispatch, no foreign transaction fees, and much more.

For the car rental loss and damage insurance of The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For the global assist hotline benefit of The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, cardholders can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

For the purchase protection benefit of The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, when an American Express^® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase with their Eligible Card, Purchase Protection can help protect their Covered Purchases for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date if it is stolen or accidentally damaged. The coverage is limited up to $1,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the extended warranty benefit of The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, when an American Express^® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty§ can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.