Chase Sapphire Preferred® vs Wells Fargo Active Cash®
Side-by-side comparison
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® | Wells Fargo Active Cash® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | $200 cash rewards bonus | |
| Dining | 3x | 2x |
| Groceries | 3x | 2x |
| Gas | 3x | 2x |
| Travel | 2x | 2x |
| Streaming | 3x | 2x |
| Everything else | 1x | 2x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $545 | $583 |
| Points type | Transfers to airlines & hotels | Pools with Wells Fargo → transferable |
| Network | Visa | Visa |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® earns about $545 a year in rewards and the Wells Fargo Active Cash® about $583, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® charges $95, but carries about $230 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. The Wells Fargo Active Cash® has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The two are close on value, but the Wells Fargo Active Cash® edges ahead by about $18 a year, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else. Both earn transferable points rather than flat cash, so the deciding factor is whose transfer partners reach the airlines and hotels you would actually book. On the sign-up bonus, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® currently has the larger welcome offer (a limited-time offer above its usual amount, so treat it as a one-time boost). A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Chase Sapphire Preferred® if your spending leans toward dining, groceries, gas. Pick the Wells Fargo Active Cash® if your spending leans toward everything else.