Ink Business Preferred® vs Wells Fargo Active Cash®
Side-by-side comparison
| Ink Business Preferred® | Wells Fargo Active Cash® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | 100,000 Ultimate Rewards® Points | $200 cash rewards bonus |
| Advertising | 3% | 2% |
| Shipping | 3% | 2% |
| Office supplies | 1% | 2% |
| Phone & internet | 3% | 2% |
| Travel | 3% | 2% |
| Everything else | 1% | 2% |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $846 | $900 |
| 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 business spending, the Ink Business Preferred® earns about $846 a year in rewards and the Wells Fargo Active Cash® about $900, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Ink Business Preferred® charges $95, but carries about $10 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. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® delivers more total value, about $144 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and office supplies. 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 Ink Business Preferred® currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Ink Business Preferred® if your spending leans toward advertising, shipping, phone & internet. Pick the Wells Fargo Active Cash® if your spending leans toward office supplies, everything else.