Ink Preferred vs United Business
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), Ink Preferred comes out ahead at ~$1,955 at a lower $95 annual fee vs $150. Ink Preferred sits in Chase UR; United Business sits in United MileagePlus. The right pick still depends on which credits and category multipliers fit your spending pattern — full breakdown below.
Ink Preferred
Highest first-year value among the 2 cards you're comparing — $3,255 after annual fee.
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
United Business
Annual Fee
$150/yr
Signup Bonus
110,000 MileagePlus Miles
Bonus Value
~$1,485
Benefits Value
~$308/yr
Spend Req.
$5,000 / 3mo
Rewards Currency
United MileagePlus
Network
Visa
Card Type
Business
Benefits
🛫 airline credit
First 2 Checked Bags Free
$140/use
Priority Boarding
$50/yr
🏛️ lounge
2 United Club Passes Per Year
$118/yr
Quick winners by category
The fast answer if you came here looking for one specific thing.
Best for Travel
Ink Preferred
Better travel category multipliers and partner network for routing flights/hotels.
Best for Dining
Ink Preferred
Stronger dining category multiplier for everyday restaurant spending.
Best for Lounge Access
United Business
Includes lounge access access — the other card has none.
Best for Transfer Partners
Ink Preferred
Chase UR has 14+ transfer partners — better redemption flexibility.
Best for Beginners
Ink Preferred
Lower $95 annual fee makes the math safer for newer cardholders.
Best Overall Value
Ink Preferred
~$3,255 of first-year value after annual fee — wins the math.
Best for Premium Travel
United Business
Premium hotel credits, top-tier lounge access, and travel insurance built in — the luxury-travel pick.
Best for Hyatt Transfers
Ink Preferred
Transfers points to World of Hyatt 1:1 — the highest-CPP redemption in the points game. Chase UR owns this advantage.
What it's worth for your spending
Estimated first-year value (welcome bonus + benefits − annual fee) for four common spending profiles.
| Profile | Ink Preferred | United Business |
|---|---|---|
| Side hustle / freelancer ($50K/yr biz) | $4,992 | $2,858 |
| Established business ($200K/yr spend) | $10,932 | $6,782 |
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 Preferred | United Business | |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 100,000 Ultimate Rewards (~$2,050) | 110,000 MileagePlus Miles (~$1,485) |
| Annual fee | $95/yr | $150/yr |
| Authorized user fee | $0 | $0 |
| Transfer partners | 14+ partners (Chase UR) | None (single program) |
| Travel credits | — | $190/yr |
| Lounge access | None | Priority Pass |
| Dining rewards | 1x | 1x |
| Grocery rewards | 1x | 1x |
| Hotel rewards | 3x | 1x |
| Travel insurance | Comprehensive | Included |
| Cell phone protection | Included | Not standard |
| 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 United Business?
- ✓You travel or dine out enough that a $150 fee pays back via credits and category multipliers.
- ✓You fly a specific airline 4+ times per year and want elite-style perks (free bags, priority boarding).
- ✓You have business income (LLC, freelance, side hustle) and want to separate spending while earning rewards.
Frequently asked questions
Which has a better welcome bonus, Ink Preferred or United Business?
Ink Preferred currently offers the stronger welcome bonus by estimated cash value (~2,050 vs ~1,485). Welcome bonus offers change frequently — check the current offer on each card's detail 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.
Is the United Business worth the 150 annual fee?
For first-year cardholders the answer is usually yes — the welcome bonus (~1,485) and statement credits alone typically cover the 150 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 United Business at the same time?
Yes — Chase allows holding both Ink Preferred and United Business 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?
Ink Preferred transfers to World of Hyatt at 1:1 through its Chase UR ecosystem — one of the highest-CPP redemptions in the points game. United Business doesn't transfer to Hyatt — United MileagePlus has no Hyatt partnership.
Which card has better airport lounge access?
United Business includes lounge access. Ink Preferred doesn't include lounge access — you'd need to pay for it separately or upgrade to a premium card.
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 ~1,643 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.
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
Chase
United Business
Welcome: 110,000 MileagePlus Miles · ~$1,485 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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