Chase Business Cards vs. Amex Business Cards: Which Way to Go?

To properly compare credit cards, it’s always a good idea to look through what both Chase and American Express have to offer. For small business owners, Chase credit cards and American Express credit cards are among the best business credit cards in the world, providing a wide range of benefits and ways to earn rewards back from your business expenses.

But this inevitably leads a business owner to ask themselves which is better — should you go with Chase vs. Amex for small business spending?

In this guide, we’ll discuss different Chase and Amex business credit cards and how they can bring you the most value. This will help you decide which cards may be a better fit for you and your business.

Chase business cards vs. Amex business cards

Chase business cards

Chase business credit cards consist of multiple Chase Ink business cards and a few co-branded business cards. The Chase Ink business cards are solely designed and issued by Chase, whereas the co-branded cards are issued by Chase in partnership with another company.

Here are all the available Chase business cards:

Card name	Welcome bonus	Rewards rate	Best for...
Ink Business Premier® Credit Card 5.0 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening	5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; unlimited 2.5% cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more; unlimited 2% cash back on all other business purchases	Large business purchases
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card 4.8 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening	3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year; and 1X points per $1 on all other purchases	Travel rewards and benefits
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card 4.8 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening	Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase	Low-stress spending
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card 4.8 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening	5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year; 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year; and 1% cash back on all other purchases	Office supplies
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card 4.7 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening	4X points on Southwest purchases; 3X points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners; 2X on rideshare, social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services; plus 1X points on all other purchases	Frequent Southwest travelers
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card 4.3 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open	3X points on Southwest purchases, 2X points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners and on local transit and commuting, including rideshare; plus 1X points on all other purchases	Occasional Southwest travelers
United℠ Business Card 4.7 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open	2 miles per dollar spent on United purchases, dining, at gas stations, office supply stores, and on local transit and commuting; plus 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases	United business travelers

With Chase business cards, you can earn cash back, Chase Ultimate Rewards points, or other rewards from another loyalty program. For instance, the Chase Southwest business cards earn Rapid Rewards points, and the United Business Card earns MileagePlus miles.

Cash back is great, but Chase Ultimate Rewards points are easily one of the most lucrative rewards currencies available. You can redeem them for valuable travel options through the Chase travel portal or for cash back, gift cards, and shopping trips. You can also transfer them to any Chase transfer partner like JetBlue Airways, IHG Rewards Club, or World of Hyatt.

Our favorite Chase business cards

To give you more of an idea of the power of Chase business cards, here are four of our favorite credit card offers:

Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card: Best for large business purchases

Why we like it: It comes with a generous welcome bonus — Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

The Chase Ink Business Premier also enables you to earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; unlimited 2.5% cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more; unlimited 2% cash back on all other business purchases.

What we don’t like: We don’t love the $195 annual fee. You also cannot transfer the Ultimate Rewards points you earn to other Chase cards or to travel partners. This limits your redemption options.

Read our Chase Ink Business Premier review.

Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card: Best for travel rewards and benefits

Why we like it: It has a generous welcome bonus — Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

We especially like the redemption rate. Every point you earn on the Chase Ink Business Preferred card is worth 25% more in travel redemptions through the Chase travel portal.

You also receive other travel perks like trip cancellation and interruption insurance, roadside dispatch services, and auto rental insurance. Other coverages include cell phone protection, purchase protection, and extended warranty protection.

What we don’t like: It has a $95 annual fee.

Read our Chase Ink Business Preferred review.

Ink Business Unlimited^® Credit Card: Best for low-stress spending

Why we like it: The Chase Ink Business Unlimited is an ideal business card for business owners who don’t want to stress about how they earn rewards on purchases. The Ink Business Unlimited has a $0 annual fee and a straightforward earning rate of unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase. This makes it easy to earn rewards on any business spending, regardless of category.

The Ink Business Unlimited offers multiple benefits to cardholders, including a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months after account opening (then 18.49% - 24.49% Variable). You also get purchase protection, extended warranty protection, an auto rental collision damage waiver, and roadside dispatch services.

If you want to redeem your cash back for travel, pairing this card with the Chase Ink Business Preferred could make a lot of sense. You can combine points between Chase Ink business cards, which means your cash back on the Chase Ink Business Unlimited could be worth 25% more toward travel just by moving it to the Chase Ink Business Preferred. This is a free and easy way to immediately get more value from your rewards.

What we don’t like: This card doesn’t have bonus categories that offer a higher rewards rate like the cards we discussed above. But the $0 annual fee could be enough to balance things out, especially if you’re just getting started as a business owner.

Read our Chase Ink Business Unlimited review.

Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Performance Business Credit Card: Best for frequent Southwest travelers

Why we like it: The Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card is a Chase-issued card in partnership with Southwest Airlines. This means you’ll earn Rapid Rewards points, which you can redeem for Southwest award flights and are not subject to blackout dates.

New cardholders can earn Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. You can also earn 4X points on Southwest purchases; 3X points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners; 2X on rideshare, social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services; plus 1X points on all other purchases.

The best benefits to this card are the 9,000 additional points you receive each account anniversary year, the four complimentary upgraded boardings you get each year, and the up to 365 free Wi-Fi credits you can enjoy per year. You also get a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee reimbursement, as well as lost luggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, extended warranty protection, and purchase protection.

What we don’t like: There is a $199 annual fee.

Read our Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card review.

American Express business cards

American Express business credit cards consist of Amex cards and Amex cards that are co-branded with other companies. Amex issues all the cards, but the rewards and perks vary depending on whether they’re co-branded.

Here are all the available American Express business cards:

Card name	Welcome bonus	Rewards rate	Excellent for...
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express 4.8 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months	5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on Amextravel.com; 1.5X points on eligible purchases at U.S. suppliers of construction materials and hardware, U.S. retailers of electronic goods, U.S. providers of shipping, software and cloud systems, and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $2 million per year, then 1X); and 1X points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases	Travel rewards and luxury benefits
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card 4.6 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn 175,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after spending $8,000 in purchases in the first 6 months (offer ends 6/5)	12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on eligible Hilton purchases; 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other purchases made on the first $100,000 in purchases each calendar year; and 3X points thereafter	Hilton business travelers
American Express® Business Gold Card 4.8 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $10,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months	4X Membership Rewards Points on purchases in the two categories with the most spend each billing cycle from 6 eligible categories (up to $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year, after that 1X), 3X Membership Rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels booked at amextravel.com, and 1 point per $1 spent on other eligible purchases	Everyday rewards earning
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card 5.0 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months	2% cash back on the first $50,000 in eligible purchases each year, then 1% after that	Low-stress cash back
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express 4.9 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months of card membership	2X Membership Rewards points on everyday eligible business purchases up to $50,000 each year, and 1X points on eligible purchases after that	Low-stress travel rewards
The Plum Card® from American Express 3.5 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	No preset spending limit	1.5% cash back on the portion of your eligible charges balance that you pay within 10 days of your statement closing date, as long as you pay at least your minimum payment	Simple cash back and interest-free balances
Business Green Rewards Card from American Express 3.8 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 within your first 3 months	2X points on eligible purchases at AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for all other eligible purchases	Amex Travel
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card 4.6 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn 65,000 bonus miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases in your first 6 months	1.5X miles on eligible transit and U.S. shipping purchases, plus single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more; and 1X mile per $1 spent on other eligible purchases	Low-cost option for Delta Air Lines travelers
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card 4.7 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn 3 Free Night Awards after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months. Each Free Night Award has a redemption level up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points, for a total potential value of up to 150,000 points, at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees. Terms apply.	6X points at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels; 4X points at restaurants worldwide, U.S. gas stations, U.S. purchases on shipping, and wireless telephone services purchased from U.S. providers; and 2X points on all other eligible purchases	Marriott business travelers
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card 4.8 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn 55,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first 6 months	2X miles per $1 spent at Delta and restaurants, and on eligible U.S. shipping purchases and eligible U.S. advertising in select media up to $50,000 per category, per year. Plus, 1X miles per $1 on all other eligible purchases	Frequent Delta travelers
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card 4.9 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 in purchases in your first 6 months	3X miles for eligible purchases made directly with Delta; 1.5X miles on eligible transit, U.S. shipping, and U.S. office supply store purchases, plus all eligible purchases after you spend $150,000 in purchases in a year	Premium Delta benefits
Amazon Business American Express Card 3.9 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn a $100 Amazon gift card upon approval	3% back in Amazon Rewards points or no interest for 60 days on U.S. Amazon Business, AWS, Amazon.com, and Whole Foods purchases (on up to $120,000 in purchases per calendar year, after that 1%); 2% back at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, and purchases with U.S. wireless providers; and 1% back on all other eligible purchases	Non-Prime Amazon shoppers
Amazon Business Prime American Express Card 4.6 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn a $125 Amazon gift card upon approval	5% back in Amazon Rewards points or no interest for 90 days on U.S. Amazon Business, AWS, Amazon.com, and Whole Foods purchases (on up to $120,000 in purchases per calendar year, after that 1%); 2% back at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, and purchases with U.S. wireless providers; and 1% back on all other eligible purchases	Amazon Prime shoppers
Lowe's Business Rewards Card from American Express 4.0 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earn 5% cash back on purchases at Lowe’s for the first 6 months. 2% back after (new accounts only)	2% cash back on business categories (U.S. restaurants, U.S. office supply stores, and purchases with U.S. wireless telephone service providers) and at Lowe's stores and Lowes.com; 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases	Lowe’s shoppers

Within the Amex business card program, you can earn cash back, Amex Membership Rewards points, or rewards with another loyalty program. Examples of other rewards you can earn include Delta SkyMiles, Hilton Honors points, and Marriott Bonvoy points.

Amex Membership Rewards points offer loads of value because of their redemption options. Because you can redeem points for cash back, travel, gift cards, and more, business cards that earn Membership Rewards points are more flexible than cards that earn only cash back. You can also transfer your Membership Rewards points to Amex transfer partners like Radisson Rewards, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines.

Our favorite Amex business cards

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express: Excellent for travel rewards and luxury benefits

Why we like it: The Business Platinum Card from American Express is an excellent choice for businesspeople who want luxury travel perks. You can also earn 120,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.

You can also earn 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on Amextravel.com; 1.5X points on eligible purchases at U.S. suppliers of construction materials and hardware, U.S. retailers of electronic goods, U.S. providers of shipping, software and cloud systems, and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $2 million per year, then 1X); and 1X points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases. If you use the Pay with Points option to pay for all or part of an eligible flight, you get 35% of your points back.

Each year, the Amex Business Platinum provides up to $400 Dell Technologies statement credit and up to $200 airline fee credit. You can also receive up to $360 in annual Indeed credit, up to $150 in annual Adobe credit, and up to $120 in annual wireless telephone services credit.

Other benefits include complimentary Priority Pass and Amex Centurion Lounge access, TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee credit, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, Hilton Honors Gold status, and extra benefits with the Fine Hotels & Resorts program. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

In addition, card membership also gets you trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay insurance, car rental loss and damage insurance, baggage insurance, extended warranty protection, and purchase protection.¹²³⁴⁵⁶

What we don’t like: There’s a $695 annual fee (terms apply).

Read our Business Platinum Card from American Express review.

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card: Excellent for low-stress cash back

Why we like it: With the Amex Blue Business Cash, you can earn 2% cash back on the first $50,000 in eligible purchases each year, then 1% after that. Cash back arrives in the form of a statement credit. The Blue Business Cash has a $0 annual fee (terms apply). You can also earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.

For benefits, the Blue Business Cash has car rental loss and damage insurance, as well as an Expanded Buying Power benefit.⁷ With Expanded Buying Power, you’re able to make business purchases above your credit limit without a penalty. You’ll also still earn cash back on any eligible purchase that exceeds your credit limit. This unique perk can help if you need more buying power to get essential items or supplies to keep your business running and growing.

What we don’t like: The cap on the higher rewards rate.

Read our Blue Business Cash Card from American Express review.

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: Excellent for Hilton business travelers

Why we like it: The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card provides loads of value for Hilton business travelers. It offers new cardmembers a valuable welcome bonus: Earn 175,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after spending $8,000 in purchases in the first 6 months (offer ends 6/5).

You can also earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on eligible Hilton purchases; 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other purchases made on the first $100,000 in purchases each calendar year; and 3X points thereafter.

You also get extra benefits that bring you even more value, including automatic Hilton Honors Gold status. Each year you’ll also receive 10 complimentary Priority Pass visits and the opportunity to earn multiple free weekend award nights. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

If you meet the spending requirement of $40,000 in a calendar year, you can earn Hilton Honors Diamond status until the end of the following calendar year.

What we don’t like: The $195 annual fee (terms apply).

Read our Hilton Honors American Express Business Card review.

Why small business credit cards can be lucrative

Small business credit cards provide business owners with an opportunity to earn lucrative rewards on their everyday business expenses. Many business credit cards offer bonus earning rates on common business costs, such as purchases at office supply stores, phone and internet bills, or business travel expenses like airfare and rental cars.

Because these are expenses you’re already paying to keep your business running, it only makes sense to earn rewards on them at the same time. You can then use your rewards on many different redemption options, such as booking award travel, receiving cash back, or funding shopping trips.

In addition, the best credit cards can also provide valuable benefits to cardmembers. Depending on the card, you may receive complimentary travel insurance, purchase protection, extended warranty coverage, cell phone protection, and much more.

Apart from the rewards and perks, business credit cards also make it easy to keep track of your purchases. It’s essential to make sure your business expenses are kept separate from your personal expenses so it’s easier for you to handle the tax process when the time comes.

FAQs

Bottom line

So which business cards should you choose, Chase or Amex? Overall, it’s a tough question, one that doesn’t have a clearly defined answer. For small business owners, the answer comes down to what exactly you’re looking for in credit cards.

Do you want premium travel benefits? Are you looking for an intuitive and easy-to-use travel portal? Do you want a no-stress cashback card for your business expenses?

As you answer these questions, you can go through this guide to see which business card(s) most align with your financial needs. In short, both Chase and Amex offer excellent rewards programs and some of the best business credit cards available. Chase business cards are more widely accepted around the world, but that doesn’t matter if you don’t travel abroad. In that case, you might opt for an Amex business card with better travel benefits.

Get 2% Back Automatically

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

5.0

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

Apply Now

See rates and fees | Terms Apply

Current Offer

Earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

2% cash back on the first $50,000 in eligible purchases each year, then 1% after that

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months
• Earn 2% points at eligible purchases on up to $50,000 spent each year, after that 1%
• No annual fee. Terms apply,

Drawbacks

• Annual spending cap on bonus cash back

Card Details

• Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
• 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 18.49% - 26.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening. APRs will not exceed 29.99%
• Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.
• From workflow to inventory to floor plans, your business is constantly changing. That’s why you’ve got the power to spend beyond your credit limit with Expanded Buying Power.
• Just remember, the amount you can spend above your credit limit is not unlimited. It adjusts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us and other factors.
• No Annual Fee
• Terms Apply