Here's a card that doesn't get enough credit (pun intended): the Chase Ink Business Preferred. For $95 a year — the same as the consumer Sapphire Preferred — you get 3x Ultimate Rewards points on the first $150,000 in combined spending across travel, shipping, internet/cable/phone services, and social media/search engine advertising. Those are categories where businesses routinely drop thousands per month without thinking twice.

But here's the real kicker: the Ink Business Preferred gives you direct access to Chase's full transfer partner network. Same 14+ partners as the Sapphire cards. Hyatt, United, Southwest, British Airways — all of them. Many points enthusiasts hold this card alongside a Sapphire Preferred or Reserve, pooling all their Ultimate Rewards into one giant pile of travel potential.

For small business owners, freelancers, and anyone with a legitimate side hustle, this is one of the highest-value cards available at any annual fee. The 100,000-point welcome bonus alone can fund a week of hotel stays. And you're paying $95 for the privilege.

• 3x Points on Business Categories: Earn 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 in combined annual spending on travel, shipping, internet/cable/phone services, and social media and search engine advertising. That $150K cap is generous — most small businesses won't touch it.
• 1:1 Transfer to 14+ Partners: Access the same transfer partner network as the Sapphire cards — Hyatt, United, Southwest, British Airways, Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic, and more. Full access, no restrictions.
• 25% Bonus on Chase Travel: Points are worth 1.25 cents each when redeemed for travel through the Chase portal (same as Sapphire Preferred). Solid floor value.
• Cell Phone Protection: Up to $1,000 per claim for damage or theft when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with this card. Covers you and employees listed on your phone plan. This benefit alone can replace phone insurance — and probably save you money doing it.
• Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance: Up to $5,000 per person, $10,000 per trip.
• Purchase Protection: Up to $10,000 per claim for damage or theft within 120 days of purchase.
• Extended Warranty: Extends manufacturer warranties by one year.
• Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: Primary coverage for car rentals. Skip the rental counter upsell.
• Free Employee Cards: Add employee cards at no extra cost with customizable spending limits, earning points on their purchases. Your employees spend, you earn the points. Everybody wins (mostly you).
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.

• Annual Fee: $95 — and honestly, it feels like a steal for what you get.
• Employee Card Fee: $0 per employee card
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None
• APR: Variable, based on creditworthiness (typically 22.49% - 29.49%)
• Balance Transfer: Not available on this card
• Late Payment Fee: Up to $40

The Chase Ink Business Preferred currently offers 100,000 bonus Ultimate Rewards points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

At the Chase Travel portal rate of 1.25 cents per point, the bonus is worth $1,250 in travel. Through transfer partners, particularly Hyatt, the value can reach $1,500-$2,000 or more. The 100,000-point offer is considered a strong public offer — historically, the card has sat closer to 80,000 points as its baseline. If you're seeing 100K, that's a good time to apply.

The $8,000 spending requirement in 3 months is higher than most consumer cards, but come on — if you're running a business, you probably spend that on advertising and shipping in a slow month. Time your application around large planned purchases to hit the threshold naturally.

Eligibility note: You are not eligible for the welcome bonus if you have previously held this specific card. Chase's 5/24 rule also applies to business card applications.

• 3x points: Travel (airlines, hotels, car rentals, trains, taxis, tolls, parking, travel agencies)
• 3x points: Shipping purchases
• 3x points: Internet, cable, and phone services
• 3x points: Social media and search engine advertising (Google Ads, Meta Ads, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, etc.)
• 5x points: Lyft rides (through September 30, 2027)
• 1x point: All other purchases

The 3x categories have a combined annual cap of $150,000 in spending per account anniversary year. After hitting $150,000 in combined bonus spending, those categories revert to 1x. For most small businesses, the $150,000 cap is more than generous — it means you can earn up to 450,000 bonus points per year just from the 3x categories alone. That's $5,600+ in travel value at conservative transfer partner rates. From a $95 card.

The Ink Business Preferred gives you the full Chase Ultimate Rewards arsenal — same partners, same portal, same flexibility:

• Transfer Partners (Best Value): Transfer 1:1 to 14+ airline and hotel partners: World of Hyatt, United MileagePlus, Southwest Rapid Rewards, British Airways Avios, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, Emirates Skywards, and others. Same partner list as the Sapphire cards — no compromises.
• Chase Travel Portal (1.25x): Redeem at 1.25 cents per point for travel. If you also hold a Sapphire Reserve, you can pool points and redeem at the Reserve's 1.5 cent rate instead.
• Pay Yourself Back: Redeem at 1.25 cents per point as statement credits against select categories.
• Statement Credits: 1 cent per point against any purchase. Works, but you're leaving value on the table.
• Gift Cards: Generally 1 cent per point or less. Don't.

Pro tip: If you hold both the Ink Business Preferred and a Sapphire Reserve, transfer your Ink points to the Reserve account to unlock the 1.5 cents per point portal rate. This is one of the most popular Chase stacking strategies — and it works beautifully.

• Cell Phone Protection: Up to $1,000 per claim ($100 deductible) for damage or theft to cell phones listed on your wireless bill, when you pay the bill with this card. Covers up to 3 claims per 12-month period. Let's be real — this benefit alone can save you more than the $95 annual fee. Ditch the phone insurance.
• Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance: Up to $5,000 per person and $10,000 per trip for pre-paid, non-refundable expenses.
• Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: Primary coverage when you rent a car for business purposes and decline the rental agency's CDW/LDW.
• Purchase Protection: Covers eligible purchases against damage or theft for 120 days, up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
• Extended Warranty Protection: Extends U.S. manufacturer warranties by one additional year on eligible items.
• Roadside Dispatch: Access to roadside assistance services (towing, flat tire, lockout, etc.) for a per-service fee.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees: No surcharge on purchases made abroad — useful for businesses with international suppliers or travel.
• Free Employee Cards: Issue cards to employees at no cost and set individual spending limits. You earn points on all employee card spending. It's like having a points-earning army.

The Ink Business Preferred is the clear winner on value. The Amex Business Gold earns a higher 4x in its top categories, but at nearly 4x the annual fee — you'd need to spend a lot more to justify that gap. The Capital One Spark Cash Plus is the "I just want simple cash back" option, and that's fine, but you're giving up the massive upside of transfer partners. For businesses spending on ads, shipping, and internet services, the Ink Preferred's 3x on $150K is absurdly good value at $95.

The Ink Business Preferred is for small business owners, freelancers, and side-hustlers who spend meaningfully on advertising, shipping, internet services, phone bills, or travel — and want those routine expenses to generate transferable points instead of disappearing into the void. It's especially powerful when paired with a Sapphire card to pool points and unlock higher portal rates or transfer partner access. And honestly, the cell phone protection alone can justify the $95 fee. If you have any legitimate business expenses, this card should already be in your wallet.