Discover it Cash Back vs Chase Ink Business Preferred
Side-by-side comparison across fees, rewards, welcome bonuses, and eligibility.
Discover it Cash Back wins 3-2. Rotating-category optimizers; first card for thin-credit-file applicants 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 | Discover it Cash Back | Chase Ink Business Preferred |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | · $95 |
| Joining fee | = None | = None |
| Top reward rate | 5% (shopping) | · 3% (travel) |
| Base reward rate | = 1% | = 1% |
| Forex markup | · 1% | No FX fee |
| Welcome bonus | = Cashback Match — Discover doubles your first-year cashback automatically | = 90,000 points after $8,000 spend in first 3 months (~$1,125 in travel) |
| Fee waiver threshold | = N/A (no fee) | = No waiver |
| Min income | = — | = — |
| Min credit score | 670 | · 700 |
| Editorial rating | · 4.5/5 | 4.7/5 |
Benefits compared
Discover it Cash Back
- 5% cashback on rotating quarterly categories (Amazon, gas, restaurants, grocery)
- 1% cashback on everything else
- Cashback Match: Discover matches all cash back earned in your first year
- No annual fee
- Free FICO score on every statement
- No foreign transaction fees
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
FAQ
›Discover it Cash Back vs Chase Ink Business Preferred: which is better?
Discover it Cash Back 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 Discover it Cash Back for its best categories, Chase Ink Business Preferred for its best categories. Just watch the combined annual fees against your spend.
›Which one has the better welcome bonus?
Discover it Cash Back: Cashback Match — Discover doubles your first-year cashback automatically. Chase Ink Business Preferred: 90,000 points after $8,000 spend in first 3 months (~$1,125 in travel).