Chase Ink vs. Capital One Spark [2024]: Which Business Cards Are Better?

Chase and Capital One offer some of the most popular business credit cards on the market, with benefits ranging from large welcome bonuses and cashback rewards to travel perks and savings.

We recommend Chase Ink Business credit cards for most businesses because they help you maximize your earning potential with bonus rewards on many different but common business expenses. We especially think the Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card is a standout for frequent travelers.

On the other hand, we think certain Capital One Spark cards are excellent choices if you prefer a simpler rewards structure or aren’t able to take advantage of Chase’s bonus categories. We love Capital One’s cards if you want to use one card for all your business expenses.

Let’s dig into our Chase Ink vs. Capital One Spark credit card review to see how these business credit cards compare so you can decide which issuer might make sense for your business.

Chase Ink vs. Capital One Spark

When to go with Chase

Let’s talk about a few situations where Chase’s business credit cards may be the best option:

• You already have a relationship with Chase
• You’d rather have different spending categories to maximize your earning potential
• You want to earn travel rewards and redeem them at a higher rate
• You don’t mind using multiple cards to boost your earning potential
• You prefer Chase transfer partners

Learn more about Chase credit cards.

Leverage your existing relationship with Chase

If you’re already a Chase business customer, you may find it easier to stick with the Chase Ink business cards and keep all of your accounts in one place.

More flexibility with spending categories

We like how the Chase Ink cards generally offer earning rates that make sense for business owners. You can choose a simpler approach to earning with the Ink Business Premier or Ink Business Unlimited^® Credit Card, or you can boost your earning potential on specific expenses with the Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card and Ink Business Preferred.

And the rates can be quite generous on everyday business expenses. For example, the Ink Business Cash offers 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 and 2% back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year.

Meanwhile, the Ink Business Preferred offers 3X points on 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.

Better redemptions for travel

If you’re a frequent traveler, you may like Chase because it allows you to earn a higher point redemption rate on travel. The Ink Business Preferred offers 25% more value for your points when you redeem them through Chase Travel.

Chase allows you to transfer points between cards, so if you have multiple Chase Ink cards, you could transfer all your points to the Ink Business Preferred for redemption. In fact, you can even transfer points between business and personal cards to help you maximize your point redemption even more.

You don’t mind using multiple cards to boost your earning potential

Getting the most out of Chase’s bonus categories may require you to have multiple credit cards. Each of Chase’s cards offers elevated rewards in specific categories. If you want the highest rate available in all categories, you’ll need multiple cards.

It’s also worth noting that the cards that offer the highest rewards in certain categories tend to offer the lowest rate on other spending.

You may want to pair them with something like the Ink Business Unlimited to get a higher flat rewards rate.

You prefer Chase’s transfer partners

Chase has a smaller list of transfer partners than Capital One, but it’s still an impressive lineup. For example, Chase allows you to transfer your points to partners like United, Southwest, and Hyatt. Though transfer partners may not be the deciding factor for everyone, it could be if you’re loyal to a specific airline or hotel chain.

When to go with Capital One

Here are a few situations where Capital One’s business credit cards may be a better fit:

• You prefer a simple rewards rate
• You would rather use one credit card for all your purchases
• You prefer Capital One transfer partners

Learn more about Capital One credit cards.

You value simplicity over tracking bonus categories

If you prefer a simple rewards rate, then Capital One Spark is likely the right card family for you. Capital One’s business cards offer flat unlimited points or cash back ranging from 1% to 2%, depending on the card.

The Capital One Venture X Business, Capital One Spark Cash Plus, and Capital One Spark Miles for Business offer the highest reward rate. Meanwhile, the Capital One Spark Classic for Business offers the lowest reward rate at just 1% on all purchases.

No, you won’t get the higher cash back or points on certain business expenses that you would with some of Chase’s business cards. But the generous flat rate some of Capital One’s cards offer might actually make up for it.

In fact, some small businesses may not be able to take advantage of Chase’s bonus categories at all. Take the Ink Business Cash, for example, which offers 5% 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.

For someone like me who runs a small online business with minimal office supplies — basically, just a computer — and communication services paid out of my personal budget, the Ink Business Cash’s bonus categories would be a waste. Instead, the simple cash back on some of Capital One’s cards sounds a lot more appealing.

You would rather use one credit card for all your purchases

Even if you could take advantage of Chase’s bonus categories, you may decide it’s not worth the hassle to use multiple credit cards. Instead, Capital One’s higher flat rate means you can put all of your purchases on a single card and not feel like you’re missing out on rewards.

This option may be especially appealing for small businesses, including sole entrepreneurs. When you’re in the weeds of your business by yourself, you probably don’t have the time to devote to maximizing credit card bonus categories on multiple cards.

You prefer Capital One transfer partners

Capital One has a larger list of transfer partners than Chase, which could be appealing to some cardholders. Unlike Chase, Capital One doesn’t transfer points to any of the major U.S. airlines. However, it has options you won’t find with Chase, including Etihad, Turkish Airlines, and Wyndham.

Chase Ink vs. Capital One Spark: Comparing card perks

To help you decide between these two card families, let’s take a closer look at how you can get some of the most popular card perks, including cash back, travel rewards, and 0% intro APR offers.

Comparing cash back

	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.	Capital One Spark Cash Plus 4.4 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.
FinanceBuzz value calculation1	Year one earnings $1,311 Year two earnings $311	Year one earnings $356 Year two earnings $356
Earning rate	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	Unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase, every day; plus unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
Welcome bonus	Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening	Earn a one-time cash bonus of $2,000 once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months
Annual fee	$195	$150
Redemption methods	Statement credits Bank deposits Travel Gift cards Online shopping (Pay with Points)	Statement credits Mailed checks Travel Cover past purchases Gift cards
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Credit needed	Excellent, Good	Excellent
	Apply now	Learn more

The Chase Ink Business Premier and Capital One Spark Cash Plus have similar earning rates, annual fees, and redemption methods. They also don’t have foreign transaction fees.

The Spark Cash Plus has the lower $150 annual fee compared with the $195 annual fee on the Ink Business Premier. But the Ink Business Premier offers more earning potential with its elevated earning rate.

Specifically, you earn 2.5% cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more. That’s not something you can find on the Spark Cash Plus. And if you frequently have those types of large business expenses, you should more than cover the difference in annual fees with the extra rewards you’re earning.

When comparing cards, small differences in cash back percentages can really add up. Using a hypothetical example, here’s how much cash back you would earn at a 2.5% versus 2% rate on purchases equalling $50,000:

• 2.5% rate: $50,000 x 0.025 = $1,250
• 2% rate: $50,000 x 0.02 = $1,000

Winner: We like the Ink Business Premier because it has more earning potential for high-spending businesses.

For lower annual fees, consider these other cash back cards from Chase and Capital One:

• Ink Business Unlimited^® Credit Card
• Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card
• Capital One Spark Cash Select

Comparing travel rewards

	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.	Capital One Spark Miles for Business 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.
FinanceBuzz value calculation1	Year one earnings: $1,611 Year two earnings: $486	Year one earnings: $1,022 Year two earnings: $427
Earning rate	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	5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars and booked through Capital One Travel, and 2X miles on every purchase, every day
Welcome bonus	Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening	Earn 50,000 miles after spending $4,500 in the first 3 months from account opening
Annual fee	$95	$95 (waived first year)
Redemption methods	Travel Transfers to travel partners Transfers to other eligible Chase cards Statement credits Bank deposits Gift cards Online shopping (Pay with Points)	Travel Transfers to travel partners Cover past travel purchases Statement credits Mailed checks Gift cards
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Credit needed	Excellent, Good	Excellent, Good
	Apply now	Learn more

The Ink Business Preferred and Capital One Spark Miles have a few similarities, including their annual fees, redemption methods, and no foreign transaction fees.

The primary difference between the two cards is how you earn rewards. The Ink Business Preferred focuses on specific bonus categories that likely align with common business expenses. And the Capital One Spark Miles typically provides a simple earning rate that makes it easy to use one card for all your business purchases, although it may offer an elevated rate on certain expenses from time to time.

So, the better card for you depends on your preferences. Do you want loads of bonus categories or a simple earning rate?

Keep in mind that you could also increase your overall earning potential by using the Ink Business Preferred in tandem with the Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Unlimited. And points you move to the Ink Business Preferred in this manner are worth 25% more toward travel redemptions when booked through Chase Travel℠.

Winner: It depends. We recommend the Ink Business Preferred if your business expenses align with its bonus categories and you also combine points with the Ink Business Unlimited and Ink Business Cash. But for simple and straightforward earning potential, we recommend the Capital One Spark Miles.

For lower annual fees, consider these other travel credit cards from Chase and Capital One:

• Ink Business Unlimited^® Credit Card
• Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card
• Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business

Comparing 0% intro APRs

	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.	Capital One Spark Cash Select for Good Credit 4.1 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.
FinanceBuzz value calculation1	Year one earnings: $1,130 Year two earnings: $380	Year one earnings: $380 Year two earnings: $380
Intro APR	0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases (then 17.99% - 23.99% Variable)	0% intro APR for first 12 months on purchases (then 21.24% - 29.24% (Variable))
Annual fee	$0	$0
Welcome bonus	Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening	Introductory APR on purchases
Earning rate	Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase	Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases on all cards attached to the account; plus 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
Credit needed	Excellent, Good	Good
	Apply now	Learn more

There aren’t typically as many business credit cards with 0% introductory APR offers as personal cards. But you have two excellent options with the Ink Business Unlimited and Capital One Spark Cash Select for Good Credit.

These cards are quite similar and should provide about the same experience if you’re primarily looking for a 0% intro APR offer on purchases. But if you’re also interested in earning rewards, the Ink Business Unlimited typically has a better welcome offer than this version of the Capital One Spark Cash Select for Good Credit.

Note that there’s a similar Capital One Spark business card to the Capital One Spark Cash Select for Good Credit that provides a welcome offer but no 0% intro APR offer. None of these cards typically have 0% intro APR balance transfer offers.

Winner: We like the Ink Business Unlimited because it essentially matches the Capital One Spark Cash Select for Good Credit across the board and also provides a better welcome offer.

For another business card with a 0% intro APR offer, consider the Ink Business Cash. It offers 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases (then 17.99% - 25.99% Variable).

What both companies excel at

Both Capital One and Chase offer different types of business credit cards to choose from, depending on your preferences and spending habits. For example, you can select from cashback, travel, and low-interest cards for your business.

That could be helpful for multiple scenarios, including a preference to earn cash back over miles or wanting to earn rewards you can redeem for travel.

For travel redemptions with eligible cards, use the Chase Ultimate Rewards program or Capital One Travel. You could easily redeem your rewards toward flights, hotel stays, and car rentals with either online travel portal or transfer rewards to a variety of airline and hotel partners with either card issuer.

Another area where both card issuers shine is their welcome bonuses. Every Chase Ink card and most Capital One business cards offer welcome bonuses.

There’s no clear winner between which card issuer provides the better credit cards, as it depends on the situation. And that’s not a bad thing. It’s a testament to how valuable cards from both companies can be, including the ease of using any rewards you earn.

What factors to consider before choosing

We generally recommend Chase Ink over Capital One Spark business cards, but you might find that either card issuer could work for you, depending on your preferences and spending habits.

We like the Chase Ink cards because you can use the Chase Ink Business Cash, Unlimited, and Preferred cards together to maximize your earning potential. Simply use whichever card earns the highest rate in a specific category and then combine your points onto the Ink Business Preferred for a 25% boost to travel redemptions when booked through Chase Travel℠.

Here are the earning rates on each card:

	Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card	Ink Business Cash® Credit Card	Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Rewards rate	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	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	Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase
FinanceBuzz value calculation1	Year one earnings: $1,611 Year two earnings: $486	Year one earnings: $1,223 Year two earnings: $473	Year one earnings: $1,130 Year two earnings: $380

This strategy could be useful if your business expenses align with the bonus categories on these Chase Ink cards.

But if you don’t want to worry about using different cards for specific purchases, consider the Ink Business Premier. You can’t combine its points with the other Chase Ink cards, but it offers a simple earning rate of 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.

This generally beats the earning potential on any of the Capital One Spark cards, but Capital One has more cards to choose from with straightforward earning rates. So, if keeping things simple is important to you, we recommend the Capital One Spark lineup.

FAQ

Bottom line

We generally recommend Chase Ink over Capital One Spark business cards if you want to maximize your earning potential. This is especially true with the Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Preferred cards that offer high earning rates on specific business categories.

If you prefer simple earning rates, the Capital One Spark cards have more options to choose from. One specific highlight is the Capital One Spark Miles because you can earn at least 2X miles on every purchase, every day.

Check out more of our top recommendations and compare credit cards to find the right credit card offer for you.

Up to 5% Cash Back

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.

Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card

Apply Now

Current Offer

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

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

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

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Solid rewards on office supply, telecom spending, gas, and dining
• Generous welcome offer
• Intro APR on purchases
• $0 annual fee
• Valuable purchase and travel protections

Drawbacks

• Bonus rewards capped after $25,000 annual spend in each category
• No bonus rewards for travel or advertising purchases
• Foreign transaction fee of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars

Card Details

• 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
• Earn 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
• Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
• With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
• No Annual Fee
• Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
• 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
• Member FDIC