Ink Cash vs Sapphire Preferred
Side-by-side comparison: signup bonus, annual fee, benefits, transfer partners. Updated daily from issuer pages.
Quick Answer
For year-one net value (welcome bonus minus annual fee), Sapphire Preferred comes out ahead at ~$1,443 even at a higher $95 annual fee vs $0. The right pick still depends on which credits and category multipliers fit your spending pattern — full breakdown below.
Ink Cash
Highest first-year value among the 2 cards you're comparing — $1,900 after annual fee.
Chase
Ink Cash
Annual Fee
No annual fee
Signup Bonus
750 Cash
Bonus Value
~$750
Benefits Value
~$1,150/yr
Spend Req.
$6,000 / 6mo
Rewards Currency
Chase UR
Network
Visa
Card Type
Business
Benefits
🛡️ insurance
Cell Phone Protection
$1000/yr
Purchase Protection
$100/yr
Extended Warranty
$50/yr
Chase
Sapphire Preferred
Annual Fee
$95/yr
Signup Bonus
75,000 Ultimate Rewards
Bonus Value
~$1,538
Benefits Value
~$270/yr
Spend Req.
$5,000 / 3mo
Rewards Currency
Chase UR
Network
Visa
Card Type
Personal
Benefits
✈️ travel credit
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck Credit
$100/yr
🍽️ dining credit
DashPass Membership
$120/yr
🏨 hotel credit
Annual Hotel Credit
$50/yr
Quick winners by category
The fast answer if you came here looking for one specific thing.
Best for Travel
Sapphire Preferred
Wins on stronger travel multiplier (5× vs 1×) on flights and hotels.
Best for Dining
Sapphire Preferred
Dedicated dining credit plus strong restaurant earning multiplier.
Best for Transfer Partners
Ink Cash
Chase UR has 14+ transfer partners — better redemption flexibility.
Best for Beginners
Ink Cash
No annual fee and the easier minimum-spend bar to clear — ideal first card.
Best Overall Value
Ink Cash
~$1,900 of first-year value after annual fee — wins the math.
Best for Simplicity
Ink Cash
Flat-rate earning, no rotating categories, no portal-only redemption rules — keep optimisation to a minimum.
What it's worth for your spending
Estimated first-year value (welcome bonus + benefits − annual fee) for four common spending profiles.
| Profile | Ink Cash | Sapphire Preferred |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday family ($40K/yr spend) | $2,422 | $2,469 |
| Frequent traveler (2-3 trips/yr) | $2,407 | $2,829 |
| Side hustle / freelancer ($50K/yr biz) | $2,800 | $4,512 |
| Established business ($200K/yr spend) | $5,506 | $14,394 |
Year-one value = welcome bonus + tracked benefits + estimated points value from spending − annual fee. Points valued at 1.5¢ each (transferable) or 1¢ each (cashback). Real-world value depends on how you redeem.
Side-by-side: every spec that matters
Higher value highlighted in green per row.
| Ink Cash | Sapphire Preferred | |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 750 Cash (~$750) | 75,000 Ultimate Rewards (~$1,538) |
| Annual fee | $0 | $95/yr |
| Authorized user fee | $0 | $0 |
| Transfer partners | 14+ partners (Chase UR) | 14+ partners (Chase UR) |
| Travel credits | — | $100/yr |
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Dining rewards | 2x 2% cashback at restaurants (first $25K/yr combined with gas) | 3x 3x on dining including delivery and takeout |
| Grocery rewards | 1x | 1x |
| Hotel rewards | 1x | $50/yr 5x on Chase Travel hotels |
| Travel insurance | Limited | Comprehensive |
| Cell phone protection | Included | Included |
| Foreign transaction fee | 3.0% | $0 |
| Mobile wallet | Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay | Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay |
| Network | Visa | Visa |
Who should get the Ink Cash?
- ✓You want a no-annual-fee card you can keep open long-term without ever questioning the math.
- ✓You prefer cashback simplicity over chasing transfer-partner sweet spots.
- ✓You have business income (LLC, freelance, side hustle) and want to separate spending while earning rewards.
- ✓You want a card that costs nothing to keep open even in years you don't optimize rewards.
- ✓You're past the cashback phase and ready to learn transfer partners — programs with deep partner lists pay off when you book aspirational redemptions 1–2× a year.
- ✓You want a "set and forget" card — no quarterly category activation, no portal-only redemption rules, no chasing limited-time multipliers.
- ✓You want access to the Chase Ultimate Rewards ecosystem — especially the 1:1 Hyatt transfer.
Who should get the Sapphire Preferred?
- ✓You're currently under Chase 5/24 (≤4 new personal cards in the last 24 months) — this is the right window to claim the SUB.
- ✓Hyatt redemptions are your endgame — CSP transfers UR to World of Hyatt at 1:1 (3–5 cpp at peak Park Hyatt / Andaz properties).
- ✓You're not ready for CSR's $795 AF — CSP gives 80%+ of the points-game value at $95.
- ✓You're comfortable with a $95 annual fee in exchange for stronger earning and welcome bonus value.
- ✓Travel is one of your top 3 spending categories and you want to earn faster on flights, hotels, and ride-shares.
- ✓You eat out regularly and want bonus points on restaurants worldwide.
- ✓You're past the cashback phase and ready to learn transfer partners — programs with deep partner lists pay off when you book aspirational redemptions 1–2× a year.
Frequently asked questions
Which has a better welcome bonus, Ink Cash or Sapphire Preferred?
Sapphire Preferred currently offers the stronger welcome bonus by estimated cash value (~1,538 vs ~750). Welcome bonus offers change frequently — check the current offer on each card's detail page before applying.
Is the Sapphire Preferred worth the 95 annual fee?
For first-year cardholders the answer is usually yes — the welcome bonus (~1,538) and statement credits alone typically cover the 95 fee several times over. After year one, the math depends on your spending patterns. Use our Annual Fee Calculator with your actual numbers to verify before renewing.
Can I have both the Ink Cash and the Sapphire Preferred at the same time?
Yes — Chase allows holding both Ink Cash and Sapphire Preferred simultaneously. Each card has its own welcome bonus and statement credits, so they don't conflict. Chase's welcome bonus eligibility rules may require waiting between applications; check current policy before applying for the second card.
Which card is better for transferring points to Hyatt?
Both cards transfer to World of Hyatt at 1:1 — typically the highest-CPP redemption in the points game (2–5 cpp at peak Park Hyatt / Andaz properties). Ink Cash comes out slightly ahead on raw Hyatt-points production thanks to its earn structure, but for Hyatt-focused redemptions the difference is small — pick whichever card better fits your spending pattern overall.
Which card has the better overall value?
Based on first-year math (welcome bonus + tracked statement credits − annual fee), Ink Cash comes out ahead at ~1,900 of net value vs ~1,713 for the other card. After year one, the better card for YOU depends on how naturally you'll use the credits and category bonuses.
Does Chase's 5/24 rule affect approval for these cards?
Yes — both cards are issued by Chase, so the 5/24 rule applies to both. If you've opened 5 or more credit cards (from any issuer) in the last 24 months, Chase will likely deny your application regardless of credit score. Check your 5/24 count before applying for either.
Which card has the easier minimum spend requirement?
Sapphire Preferred has the easier bar — 5,000 in 3 months — vs 6,000 in 6 months for Ink Cash. Don't manufacture spend just to hit a higher threshold — if you can't reach it through normal spending, the card isn't the right fit right now.
Ready to apply?
Click through to the issuer's secure application page. Welcome bonus offers are confirmed at the time of approval, not at click time.
Chase
Ink Cash
Welcome: 750 Cash · ~$750 est. value
Chase
Sapphire Preferred
Welcome: 75,000 Ultimate Rewards · ~$1,538 est. value
Run your own numbers
These calculators use the same data this comparison runs on — plug in your spending and see net value.
Last reviewed
2026-05-29
Data sources
Issuer pages (verified via Playwright on this date), TPG monthly valuations, public award charts.
Methodology
Editorial note: CreditPoints may earn a commission when you apply through some of the links on this page, but the side-by-side ranking, Quick Winners and Real-World Scenarios are algorithmic and identical for all readers. We never accept payment to change ordering.
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