Chase Ink Business Preferred sign-up bonus 2026
- What is the Chase Ink Business preferred sign-up bonus?
- How to earn the 100,000-point sign-up bonus
- How much is the 100,000-point bonus worth?
- Who is eligible for the Chase Ink Business Preferred sign-up bonus?
- Additional Chase Ink Business Preferred card details
- Is the Chase Ink Business Preferred worth it?
- Alternative business credit cards to consider
- Modernize your business spending with Ramp
The Chase Ink Business Preferred credit card offers a 100,000-point sign-up bonus after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening. That's a significant welcome offer for a card with a $95 annual fee.
But not everyone qualifies. Chase applies both published and unpublished criteria, and some applicants with strong credit still get denied. Here's what you need to know about earning the bonus and whether this card is right for your business.
What is the Chase Ink Business preferred sign-up bonus?
The Chase Ink Business Preferred credit card offers a 100,000-point sign-up bonus when you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening.
That spend requirement breaks down to about $2,667 per month for 3 months. For most small businesses, this threshold is attainable through routine spending on supplies, software subscriptions, travel, and shipping.
The 100,000 points represent the card's standard welcome offer as of 2026. Welcome offers can change, so confirm the current terms on Chase's website before applying.
How to earn the 100,000-point sign-up bonus
Earning the bonus is straightforward if you can meet the spend threshold. Here's how it works:
- Apply and get approved for the Chase Ink Business Preferred credit card
- Spend $8,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening, which averages about $2,667 per month
- Wait 6 to 8 weeks after meeting the requirement for the bonus points to post to your account
Not all transactions count toward the spending requirement. Balance transfers, cash advances, and cash-like transactions (including money orders, wire transfers, and cryptocurrency purchases) don't qualify. Stick to regular business purchases to hit your target.
How much is the 100,000-point bonus worth?
The value of 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points depends on how you redeem them:
| Redemption method | Approximate value |
|---|---|
| Cash back (statement credit or deposit) | $1,000 (1 cent per point) |
| Chase Travel portal | $1,250 (1.25 cents per point) |
| Transfer to airline/hotel partners | Up to $2,050 (varies by partner) |
Redeeming through Chase Travel at 1.25 cents per point puts the bonus at about $1,250 in travel value. Transferring to airline and hotel partners can push the value to roughly $2,050.
Who is eligible for the Chase Ink Business Preferred sign-up bonus?
Small business owners, sole proprietors, and authorized representatives of larger businesses with qualifying credit profiles and business credentials are eligible for the Chase Ink Business Preferred bonus. This includes a wide range of business types, such as freelancers, consultants, online sellers, LLCs, partnerships, and startups.
Chase evaluates overall business finances, personal credit history, and your relationship with the bank when determining card approval and sign-up bonus eligibility. For the best chance of approval, you'll need a good to excellent personal credit score, or a FICO Score of 670 and up.
You don't need an LLC or EIN to apply. Sole proprietors can apply using their Social Security number as the business tax ID.
Who isn't eligible?
Current Chase Ink Business Preferred cardholders are typically ineligible for another welcome bonus. Chase's offer terms state the new-cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you've ever had this card, and your account must be open and not in default when the bonus is fulfilled.
Beyond the published criteria, Chase may apply additional unpublished requirements to determine Chase Ink Business Preferred bonus eligibility, including factors such as the frequency of recent applications, your credit utilization ratio, and your business's perceived stability.
You should also be aware of Chase's 5/24 rule, which may affect your ability to qualify for a Chase Ink sign-up bonus.
If 5/24 or thin personal credit blocks you from the Ink Business Preferred, the Ramp Corporate Card requires no personal credit check and no personal guarantee, with up to 20x higher credit limits than traditional business cards.
Discover Ramp's corporate card for modern finance
How Chase's 5/24 rule affects eligibility
The Chase 5/24 rule is an unofficial guideline stating that if you've opened five or more personal credit cards from any issuer within the past 24 months, Chase may decline your application for a new card, including the Ink Business Preferred. This guideline aims to limit customers from opening multiple cards in a short timeframe, primarily to collect sign-up bonuses.
Important details about the 5/24 rule include:
- The count includes personal cards from all issuers, not just Chase
- Most business credit cards from other issuers don't count toward your 5/24 total
- Authorized user accounts may count toward your total
- The 24-month period is calculated on a rolling basis
- Although the Ink Business Preferred is subject to 5/24 at application, the card itself won't add to your 5/24 count because business accounts don't appear on your personal credit report
To determine your 5/24 status, simply review your credit reports and count your personal credit card accounts opened in the past 24 months.
Additional Chase Ink Business Preferred card details
Beyond the sign-up bonus, the Ink Business Preferred offers a strong mix of rewards, flexible redemption options, and valuable perks for business owners. Here's a closer look at how the card works day to day:
Rewards structure
The Ink Business Preferred features a tiered rewards structure that particularly benefits businesses with significant spending in specific categories:
- 3x points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases in the following categories each account anniversary year:
- Travel expenses, including airfare, hotels, rental cars, and train tickets
- Shipping purchases, including courier services and freight
- Internet, cable, and phone services, including cellular phone, landline, internet, and cable TV services
- Advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines, including Facebook, Instagram, Google, and Bing ads
- 5x total points on Lyft rides through September 30, 2027
- Unlimited 1x points on all other purchases
If a significant portion of your business's spending falls within these categories, the Ink Business Preferred is worth considering. If your business spending is higher or less targeted, consider options with higher or no spending caps and alternative reward structures.
Redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards points
You can redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points earned with the Ink Business Preferred in several ways:
- Cash back: Redeem as a statement credit or direct deposit to most U.S. bank accounts
- Chase Travel: Book travel through Chase's portal at 1.25 cents per point
- Transfer to partners: Move points 1:1 to Chase's more than a dozen airline and hotel transfer partners, including United, Southwest, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Air Canada, Marriott Bonvoy, IHG, and World of Hyatt
- Apple Ultimate Rewards Store: Pay with points for Apple products
- Gift cards: Choose from over 200 brands
Important change: Starting October 1, 2026, Ultimate Rewards points transfer to World of Hyatt at 4:3, down from the previous 1:1 rate. That means 1,000 points become 750 Hyatt points, per the Chase Ink Business Preferred page.
Points transferred to airline and hotel partners can yield returns exceeding 2 cents per point, making partner transfers one of the most valuable redemption options. Standard redemptions yield around 1 cent per point.
Rates and fees
The Chase Ink Business Preferred charges a $95 annual fee, making it a mid-tier business rewards card. Factor this recurring cost into the overall value proposition of the card. Additional rates and fees worth mentioning include:
- APR: 17.74%–26.74% variable
- Foreign transaction fees: None
- Late payment fee: Up to $40
- Balance transfer fee: $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Cash advance fee: $15 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater
Key benefits
The Ink Business Preferred offers several benefits beyond its rewards points, most notably its cell phone protection benefit. When you pay your cell phone bill with the card, you receive up to $1,000 per claim in protection against damage or theft, with a maximum of three claims per 12-month period and a $100 deductible per claim.
If you're looking to offer your staff access to credit, the Ink Business Preferred also offers free employee cards and the ability to set individual spending limits. Better yet, their eligible purchases will factor into your rewards balance.
The Ink Business Preferred also provides travel insurance benefits such as trip cancellation and interruption insurance, roadside assistance, and rental car coverage. Purchase protection covers eligible new purchases for 120 days from the date of purchase against damage or theft, up to $10,000 per claim. You'll also receive extended warranty coverage on eligible warranties of 3 years or less.
Additional perks include:
- 5x points on Lyft rides through September 30, 2027
- DashPass by DoorDash access: Complimentary DashPass membership with $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible orders
Is the Chase Ink Business Preferred worth it?
The Chase Ink Business Preferred is worth it if you can spend $8,000 in 3 months and spend heavily in its 3x categories. The 100,000-point bonus alone is worth about $1,250 in travel.
The card is a great fit for business owners who spend heavily in its bonus categories, such as travel, shipping, internet and phone services, and online advertising. If your business can meet the $8,000 minimum spend in the first 3 months, the 100,000-point welcome offer alone offers significant value.
It's also well-suited for entrepreneurs who want flexibility in how they redeem rewards. Whether you prefer to book travel through Chase's portal, transfer points to airline and hotel partners, or use them for cash back or gift cards, this card gives you multiple ways to maximize value.
However, the Ink Business Preferred may not be ideal if you can't meet the initial spending requirement, prefer a no-annual-fee business card, or don't spend much in the 3x bonus categories. In those cases, a simpler business credit card with flat-rate rewards or lower upfront costs might be a better fit.
Alternative business credit cards to consider
The Chase Ink Business Preferred offers strong value for the right business, but it's not the only option out there. Here are three additional options with competitive welcome bonus offers:
| Card | Welcome bonus | Spend requirement | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One Spark Cash Plus | $2,000 cash | $30,000 in 3 months | $150 (refundable) |
| U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards | $750 cash back | $6,000 in 180 days | $0 |
| Ink Business Unlimited | $1,000 cash back | $8,000 in 4 months | $0 |
Capital One Spark Cash Plus
For a limited time, earn a $2,000 cash bonus plus a $500 travel credit when you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening, with an additional $2,000 bonus for every $500,000 you spend in your first year. This business charge card earns unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases, plus 5% back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel. The $150 annual fee is refunded in any year you spend at least $150,000.
U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa Business credit card
This no-annual-fee U.S. Bank business credit card offers a $750 cash-back welcome bonus when you spend $6,000 within the first 180 days from account opening. It features a similar earning structure to the Ink Business Preferred (albeit in the form of cash back yvs. points) with 3% back at gas and EV charging stations, office supply stores, cell phone service providers, and restaurants.
Ink Business Unlimited credit card
If you're partial to Chase credit cards and you're looking for a no-annual-fee option with a solid welcome bonus, consider the Chase Ink vs. American Express business card comparison to see how these options stack up before you decide. The Ink Business Unlimited earns a $1,000 cash-back bonus after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first 4 months, plus 1.5% cash back on all purchases. The card technically earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points that can be pooled with your other cards.
Modernize your business spending with Ramp
Unlike traditional business credit cards that primarily focus on rewards points, Ramp's integrated platform simplifies your entire financial workflow, from business credit cards and bill payments to accounting automation and reporting.
The Ramp Corporate Card can save your business an average of 5% across all spending through a combination of automated expense policy enforcement, real-time spending controls, and AI-powered insights. Our card's cashback rewards on purchases offer straightforward value without the complexity of category restrictions or redemption options.
Plus, there's no personal credit check or personal guarantee required for approval. Issue unlimited physical and virtual employee credit cards, set spending rules for specific vendors and categories, and get access to over $350,000 in partner offers from brands such as QuickBooks, Indeed, and UPS.
Ready to get started? Explore a free interactive product tour.
The information provided in this article has not been officially confirmed by Chase and is subject to change.
FAQs
The Chase Ink Business Preferred has a $95 annual fee, with no foreign transaction fees and no additional costs for employee cards.
No. The Chase Ink Business Preferred doesn't offer airport lounge access. For lounge access, consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business or the Business Platinum Card from American Express.
Chase doesn't publish specific credit limits for the Ink Business Preferred. Limits are based on business revenue, personal income, and credit history, and typically range from $5,000 to over $25,000.
Yes. Applying at a branch may give you access to special in-branch offers or targeted bonuses not available online. You can also speak directly with a banker to strengthen your application.
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