SIDE A
A
Chase · Visa
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
VS.
×
SIDE B
B
Capital One · Visa
Capital One Spark Cash Plus
FILING
Head-to-Head · Plastic Quarterly
The Ink Business Preferred and Capital One Spark Cash Plus target the same audience—business owners—but take fundamentally different approaches. Ink Preferred uses a points system with bonus categories capped at $150,000 annually, requiring you to unlock maximum value through Chase's travel ecosystem. Spark Cash Plus offers straightforward 2% cash back on all spending with a higher annual fee but no category restrictions. The choice hinges on whether you value point flexibility and travel transfers or prefer simplicity and unlimited earning potential. For most business owners, the answer is clear.
THE VERDICT
Our ruling.
“Capital One Spark Cash Plus wins for the vast majority of business owners. It delivers better cash-on-hand value, eliminates the bonus category ceiling, and avoids the complexity of point valuations. Only heavy business travelers who max out Ink Preferred's bonus categories and redeem through Chase travel partnerships should consider the alternative.”
CHOOSE A
Side A is for you if…
- 01You're a frequent business traveler and actively use airline/hotel loyalty programs—Ink Preferred's 3x on travel plus point transfers to 10+ partners creates opportunities to stretch value to 1.5+ cents per point
- 02You spend heavily in advertising and want to minimize category overlap—if you're already at the $150K cap with travel and advertising, the 3x return is optimal
- 03You're willing to be disciplined about redemption—if you consistently redeem through Chase Travel at 1.25 cents per point, the 100K bonus outpaces Spark's $1,200
- 04You have lower annual spending under $60,000—at that level, the $95 annual fee versus $150 carries more weight, and bonus caps are irrelevant
CHOOSE B
Side B is for you if…
- 01You spend more than $150,000 annually on shipping, advertising, or utilities—Spark's 2% applies to everything without caps, while Ink Preferred's bonuses stop accruing past $150K combined
- 02You want predictable cash value rather than point valuations—2% cash back is worth exactly 2% regardless of redemption method, while Ink points fluctuate between 0.8-1.25 cents per point depending on how you use them
- 03You don't have the time or interest in managing travel transfer partners—Spark deposits cash directly to your business account, requiring zero optimization
- 04You're a high-volume spender—the $1,200 bonus exceeds Ink's $1,250 value and you'll recoup the extra $55 annual fee within 11 months of additional 2% earnings
THE LEDGER
Side by side.
- ISSUER
- Chase
- Capital One
- NETWORK
- Visa
- Visa
- ANNUAL FEE
- $95
- $150
- APR RANGE
- 21.24% – 26.24%
- 0% – 0%
- INTRO APR (PURCHASES)
- None
- None
- INTRO APR (BALANCE TRANSFERS)
- None
- None
- REWARDS TYPE
- points
- cashback
- REWARDS RATE
- 1x points on all purchases
- 2% cash back on all purchases
- SIGN-UP BONUS
- 100,000 points
- $1,200 cash bonus
- BONUS VALUE
- $1,250
- $1,200
- MIN. CREDIT SCORE
- 700+
- 720+
- FOREIGN TRANSACTION FEE
- None
- None
A HIGHLIGHTS
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
- —100K point sign-up bonus worth $1,250 in travel
- —3x on the first $150,000 in combined spending
- —Points worth 25% more through Chase Travel
- —Transfer to airline and hotel partners
- —Cell phone protection up to $1,000 per claim
B HIGHLIGHTS
Capital One Spark Cash Plus
- —Flat 2% cash back on every business purchase
- —No preset spending limit
- —No foreign transaction fees
- —$1,200 cash bonus for high-spending businesses
- —Free employee cards
QUESTIONS · ANSWERS
Frequently filed.
Ink Preferred's 100K points = $1,000-$1,250 depending on redemption method; Spark's $1,200 is guaranteed cash. After year one, Spark users earn an extra $1,000+ annually on $500K spending due to unlimited 2% versus Ink's capped 3x categories. Ink only wins if you're both hitting the $150K cap and redeeming through Chase Travel consistently.