Chase Ink Business Preferred vs Citi Custom Cash
Side-by-side comparison across fees, rewards, welcome bonuses, and eligibility.
Citi Custom Cash wins 3-2. Auto-detects your top spend category each cycle — set-and-forget. Chase Ink Business Preferred is still the right call if us-incorporated startups — best welcome bonus in the business-card space..
Side-by-side
| Criterion | Chase Ink Business Preferred | Citi Custom Cash |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | · $95 | No annual fee |
| Joining fee | = None | = None |
| Top reward rate | · 3% (travel) | 5% (shopping) |
| Base reward rate | = 1% | = 1% |
| Forex markup | No FX fee | · 3% |
| Welcome bonus | = 90,000 points after $8,000 spend in first 3 months (~$1,125 in travel) | = $200 cashback after $1,500 in 6 months |
| Fee waiver threshold | = No waiver | = N/A (no fee) |
| Min income | = — | = — |
| Min credit score | · 700 | 670 |
| Editorial rating | 4.7/5 | · 4.5/5 |
Benefits compared
Chase Ink Business Preferred
- 3x points on travel + shipping + advertising + telecom (first $150K/year)
- 1x on everything else
- No foreign transaction fees
- Cell phone protection up to $1,000/claim
- Transferable to airline + hotel partners 1:1
- Employee cards at no cost
Citi Custom Cash
- 5% cashback in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle (up to $500)
- 1% on everything else
- Eligible categories: restaurants, gas, grocery, travel, etc.
- No annual fee
- 0% intro APR for 15 months
FAQ
›Chase Ink Business Preferred vs Citi Custom Cash: which is better?
Citi Custom Cash wins on more dimensions (3 vs 2). But the right answer depends on your specific spending pattern — see the calculator below.
›Can I get both?
Yes — if your credit profile supports it, holding both is the optimal play. Use Chase Ink Business Preferred for its best categories, Citi Custom Cash for its best categories. Just watch the combined annual fees against your spend.
›Which one has the better welcome bonus?
Chase Ink Business Preferred: 90,000 points after $8,000 spend in first 3 months (~$1,125 in travel). Citi Custom Cash: $200 cashback after $1,500 in 6 months.