Skip to main content

Ink Preferred vs Sapphire Preferred

Both earn Chase UR — Ink Preferred vs Sapphire Preferred — here's what separates them. Ink Preferred is a business card; Sapphire Preferred is a personal card — different approval paths and 5/24 implications.

Quick Answer

For first-year value (welcome bonus plus tracked annual credits, minus the annual fee), Ink Preferred comes out ahead at ~$3,255 at the same $95 annual fee. The right pick still depends on which credits and category multipliers fit your spending pattern — full breakdown below.

Our Verdict

Ink Preferred wins for most people.

At the same $95 annual fee, Ink Preferred edges ahead at ~$3,255 vs ~$2,275 for Sapphire Preferred based on bonus value and category earning.

Exception: Sapphire Preferred is the better pick if the welcome bonus timing aligns better with your spending window.

Choose Ink Preferred if…

  • You'll actually use its statement credits (~$1,300/yr tracked).
  • You have business spending to separate — it's a business card with business-calibrated bonuses.

Choose Sapphire Preferred if…

  • You book travel often — 5x on travel vs 3x on Ink Preferred.
  • Dining is a top spend category for you — 3x on restaurants vs 1x on Ink Preferred.
  • You don't have business income to document — it's the personal card with the simpler application.
Top Match

Ink Preferred

Highest first-year value among the 2 cards you're comparing — $3,255 after annual fee.

Ink Business Preferred credit card
Business

Chase

Ink Preferred

Annual Fee

$95/yr

Signup Bonus

100,000 Ultimate Rewards

Bonus Value

~$2,050

Benefits Value

~$1,300/yr

Spend Req.

$8,000 / 3mo

Rewards Currency

Chase UR

Network

Visa

Card Type

Business

Benefits

🛡️ insurance

Cell Phone Protection

$1000/yr

Purchase Protection

$100/yr

Trip Delay Reimbursement

$200/yr

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card

Chase

Sapphire Preferred

Annual Fee

$95/yr

Signup Bonus

100,000 Ultimate Rewards

Bonus Value

~$2,050

Benefits Value

~$320/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

$100/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 3×) on flights and hotels.

🍽️

Best for Dining

Sapphire Preferred

Dedicated dining credit plus strong restaurant earning multiplier.

🔄

Best for Transfer Partners

Ink Preferred

Chase UR has 14+ transfer partners — better redemption flexibility.

🌱

Best for Beginners

Sapphire Preferred

Same $95 annual fee as the alternative, but the lower minimum-spend bar ($5,000 vs $8,000) makes the welcome bonus easier to clear without forcing unnatural spending.

🏆

Best Overall Value

Ink Preferred

~$3,255 of first-year value after annual fee — wins the math.

What it's worth for your spending

Estimated first-year value (welcome bonus + benefits − annual fee) for four common spending profiles.

ProfileInk PreferredSapphire Preferred
Everyday family ($40K/yr spend)$3,849$3,031
Frequent traveler (2-3 trips/yr)$4,011$3,391
Side hustle / freelancer ($50K/yr biz)$4,992$5,074
Established business ($200K/yr spend)$10,932$14,956

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 PreferredSapphire Preferred
Welcome bonus
100,000 Ultimate Rewards (~$2,050)
100,000 Ultimate Rewards (~$2,050)
Annual fee
$95/yr
$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
1x
3x
3x on dining including delivery and takeout
Grocery rewards
1x
1x
Hotel rewards
3x
$100/yr
5x on Chase Travel hotels
Travel insurance
Comprehensive
Comprehensive
Cell phone protection
Included
Included
Foreign transaction fee
$0
$0
Mobile wallet
Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay
Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay
Network
Visa
Visa

Who should get the Ink Preferred?

  • You have $5K+/year of business spend on shipping, internet, cable, phone, or social media ads — that's the 3× bonus categories, capped at $150K/year combined.
  • You're under Chase 5/24 on PERSONAL cards — Chase business cards don't count toward your 5/24, but you must be under for approval.
  • You already hold a personal Chase Sapphire — pooling UR from Ink + CSP + Freedom is how the Hyatt-transfer playbook scales.
  • 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 have business income (LLC, freelance, side hustle) and want to separate spending while earning 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.

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.

Break-Even Analysis

At what annual spend does one card permanently beat the other?

Below break-even

Ink Preferred

wins on fixed value

Break-Even Spend

$81,500

annual card spend

Above break-even

Sapphire Preferred

wins on multipliers

Below ~$81,500/yr in total annual card spend, Ink Preferred wins on ongoing value — its $95 annual fee + $1300/yr in tracked benefits starts ahead. Above ~$81,500/yr, Sapphire Preferred's stronger category multipliers compound faster and overtake Ink Preferred's fixed advantage. Year-one bonus math heavily favours Ink Preferred regardless of spend.

Break-even calculated on year-2+ ongoing value (benefits + earning − annual fee). Year-one welcome bonus math is separate — see the value scenarios table above.

Frequently asked questions

Which has a better welcome bonus, Ink Preferred or Sapphire Preferred?

Right now it's effectively a tie — both welcome offers are worth roughly ~$2,050 in estimated cash value by our valuation. The bonus alone shouldn't decide this pair: compare the spend requirements, annual fees and ongoing earning instead. Welcome offers change frequently — verify the current offer on the issuer's application page before applying.

Is the Ink Preferred worth the $95 annual fee?

For first-year cardholders the answer is usually yes — the welcome bonus (~$2,050) 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 Preferred and the Sapphire Preferred at the same time?

Yes — Chase allows holding both Ink Preferred 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. Keep Chase's application rules in mind: personal cards count toward your 5/24 limit, and Chase generally approves at most one new card per 30 days — space the applications out.

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 Preferred 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 Preferred comes out ahead at ~$3,255 of net value vs ~$2,275 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 $8,000 in 3 months for Ink Preferred. 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.

Which card is better for business travelers?

For pure business spend, Ink Preferred wins — business cards don't count toward Chase 5/24 (a real constraint if you plan to keep applying for personal cards) and their welcome bonus + business-category multipliers are calibrated to higher monthly throughput. Sapphire Preferred is the better daily carry. Many business travelers run both: Ink Preferred for ads/software/travel booking, Sapphire Preferred for everything else.

How does CreditPoints compare Ink Preferred and Sapphire Preferred?

Every comparison uses the same fixed methodology: welcome offer value (bonus × current points valuation minus AF), category earning rates, annual fee vs benefit math, transfer-partner depth + redemption value, lounge tier, travel protections, and foreign transaction handling. Card facts come from issuer pages (verified via Playwright on the "Last reviewed" date), card-program award charts, and TPG monthly valuations. Nothing on this page is paid-placement — the Quick Winners, Real-World Scenarios, and Comparison Table are deterministic outputs from the data, not editorial opinion.

How often is the information on this comparison updated?

The comparison data regenerates on every site build (typically multiple times per week as offers change). Welcome offer terms, annual fees, and category multipliers are verified against issuer pages and refreshed as part of the catalog. Welcome bonuses, annual fees, and benefits can change at any time at the issuer's discretion — always confirm current terms on the issuer's application page before applying. The "Last reviewed" date in the trust strip below shows the most recent manual methodology + data-source audit.

Alternatives Worth Considering

If neither card is quite right, these are the next closest options.

Capital One BJ’s One plus Mastercard credit card art

Capital One

Spark Cash Plus

$150/yr~$2,000 bonus

Capital One alternative with Cash Back and ~$2,750 first-year value.

ink cash card

Chase

Ink Cash

$0/yr~$1,000 bonus

No annual fee alternative. Earns Chase UR and pairs well with a premium card.

CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select credit card

Citi

CitiBusiness AAdvantage

$99/yr~$1,040 bonus

Citi alternative with AAdvantage and ~$1,091 first-year value.

Looking beyond these two cards?

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 Preferred

Welcome: 100,000 Ultimate Rewards · ~$2,050 est. value

Apply for Ink Preferred

Chase

Sapphire Preferred

Welcome: 100,000 Ultimate Rewards · ~$2,050 est. value

Apply for Sapphire Preferred

Run your own numbers

These calculators use the same data this comparison runs on — plug in your spending and see net value.

How we compare these cards

Every pair on CreditPoints is evaluated against the same fixed set of criteria, regenerated on every build from verified card-level data. Nothing in this section changes based on who you are or how you got here.

Factors we evaluate

  • Welcome offer value (bonus points × current valuation, minus annual fee)
  • Earning rates per spend category (dining, travel, groceries, gas, base)
  • Annual fee vs benefit math (statement credits + perks priced to value)
  • Transfer partner depth + redemption flexibility (programs, ratios, sweet spots)
  • Lounge access (network tier, guest policy, in-airport coverage)
  • Travel protections (trip cancellation, baggage, rental-car CDW, cell phone)
  • Hotel and airline benefits (free nights, status, elite-night credits)
  • Foreign transaction fees + chip+PIN support for international use

How we evaluate rewards programs

We score transferable-points ecosystems (Chase UR, Amex MR, Citi TY, Capital One Miles, Bilt) by partner count + redemption value at each partner's sweet spot. Co-brand programs are evaluated against the loyalty program's published award chart and the realistic point earn rate from typical category spend.

How we evaluate transfer partners

Transfer-partner quality outranks transfer-partner quantity. A single 1:1 partner with strong sweet spots (Hyatt via Chase UR, ANA via Amex MR) often beats a dozen 2:1 partners with little redemption upside.

How we evaluate annual fees

An annual fee is justified only when the card's first-year value (welcome bonus + activated credits + benefits) clearly exceeds the AF for the typical reader profile. Our four spending scenarios (beginner, everyday, traveler, premium) show whether the math works for your situation.

How we evaluate travel benefits

Statement credits are priced at face value only when the activation barrier is low (broad-merchant credits, auto-redeem credits). High-friction credits (single-vendor, expiring monthly, claim-required) are discounted because most cardholders don't capture them.

Recommendations on this page are intended as educational guidance and are not financial advice. Always confirm current offer terms on the issuer's site before applying.

Last reviewed

2026-05-29

Data sources

Issuer pages (verified via Playwright on this date), TPG monthly valuations, public award charts.

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.

Related guides

Long-form context on the cards and programmes in this comparison.

Compare with other cards

Popular comparisons among the same audience.

Get weekly card offer alerts

Sunday digest of elevated bonuses. One email, zero spam.