Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
Annual fees: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card $95/yr, Wells Fargo Active Cash Card $0/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card on travel, Wells Fargo Active Cash Card on everyday spending.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Chase Sapphire Preferred CardChase · $95/yr
Wells Fargo Active Cash CardWells Fargo · No annual fee
Overview
- Annual fee
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card$95Wells Fargo Active Cash Card$0Lowest
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card75,000 pointsWells Fargo Active Cash Card$100 cash back
- Rewards
- Chase Sapphire Preferred CardChase Ultimate RewardsWells Fargo Active Cash CardCash back
- Foreign transaction fee
- Chase Sapphire Preferred CardNoneLowestWells Fargo Active Cash Card3%
- Network
- Chase Sapphire Preferred CardVisa SignatureWells Fargo Active Cash CardVisa Signature
Earn ratesPer $1 spent · points and cash back aren’t ranked against each other
- Dining
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xWells Fargo Active Cash Card2%
- Electric Vehicle Charging
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xWells Fargo Active Cash Card2%
- Gas Stations
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xWells Fargo Active Cash Card2%
- Grocery Stores
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xWells Fargo Active Cash Card2%
- Streaming
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xWells Fargo Active Cash Card2%
- Vacation Rentals
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xWells Fargo Active Cash Card2%
- Travel
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card2xWells Fargo Active Cash Card2%
- Everything else
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card1xWells Fargo Active Cash Card2%
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS credit · $120 every 4 years
- $100 hotel credit
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card— - Entertainment & streaming
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- A year of Apple TV, valued at $180 · $180 one-time
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card—
Perks & access— means none on record
- Hotel status & programs
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card—Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
- 900+ luxury hotel properties with exclusive perks
- Other perks
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Complimentary DashPass after activation
- Up to $10 monthly on a non-restaurant DoorDash order
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card- 24/7 Visa Signature Concierge service
- Extra cash back at select merchants with personalized deals
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Travel Accident Insurance up to $500,000
- $10,000 Trip Cancellation Insurance per person
- $500 Trip Delay Reimbursement per traveler
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card— - Baggage
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- $500 Baggage Delay Insurance ($100 per day)
- $3,000 Lost Luggage Reimbursement per traveler
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card— - Rental car
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Auto Rental Coverage
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card- Up to $50,000 rental car coverage when you decline the count
- Purchase & returns
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- 120-day Purchase Protection up to $500 per item
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card— - Extended warranty
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Extended Warranty Protection adds 1 extra year
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card— - Cell phone
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card—Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
- Up to $600 coverage for damaged or stolen phones
- Other protections
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card- 24/7 worldwide travel and emergency assistance
- Get emergency cash and card replacement worldwide
- Check your FICO score anytime for free
- 24/7 roadside help with free towing up to 5 miles
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- 75,000 point welcome bonus after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months
- $95 annual fee partly offset by a $100 Chase Travel hotel credit each account anniversary year
- 1:1 transfer to 14 airline and hotel partners including Hyatt
- 5X on Chase Travel, 3X dining, streaming, online groceries
- Trip cancellation, delay, and lost luggage insurance included
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card- Unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase with no category limits
- No annual fee
- $100 welcome bonus after just $500 spend in 3 months
- 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers
- Cell phone protection up to $600 per claim when paying bill with card
- Cons
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- $95 annual fee vs $0 Freedom cards
- No lounge access included
- 5/24 rule restricts applicants with 5+ cards in 24 months
- No 0% intro APR offer
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card- 3% foreign transaction fee makes it poor for international use
- No bonus categories - heavy dining/travel spenders earn less than category cards
- Points have no transfer partners (cash back only)
- Requires good to excellent credit
- Penalty APR of 29.99% for late payments
Category-by-Category Winner
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card wins in 5 of 6 categories. The Wells Fargo Active Cash Card leads in 1. 2 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.
Travel
Depends: via Chase Travel portal
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 5X when conditions are met; Wells Fargo Active Cash Card earns 2X (2X without restrictions)
Dining
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 2X
Gas Stations
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 2X
Electric Vehicle Charging
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 2X
Vacation Rentals
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 2X
Streaming
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 2X
Grocery Stores
Depends: Online purchases only. Excludes Target, Walmart, Wholesale Clubs. Grocery pickup or delivery must be ordered online and qualify under Chase's online grocery category. Excludes membership and subscription fees, supermarket pharmacies, gift cards and gift baskets.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Wells Fargo Active Cash Card earns 2X (2X without restrictions)
Everyday purchases
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card earns 2X on all other spending vs 1X
Year One vs Ongoing Value
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
| Scenario | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | Wells Fargo Active Cash Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $346 Credits (our usable estimate): $75 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $326 Year one: $1,784 | Rewards: $348 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $348 Year one: $448 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $1,382 Credits (our usable estimate): $75 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $1,362 Year one: $2,820 | Rewards: $1,392 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $1,392 Year one: $1,492 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card costs $95/yr — that's $95 more than the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card (no annual fee). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $95 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $95 fee gap means the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card needs roughly $95 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on travel and dining and everyday spend.
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card if you:
- +Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
Get the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card if you:
- +Prefer a high flat rate across all spending
The Bottom Line
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 2X on the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card vs 1X on the other card.
Published annual fees: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card $95/yr, Wells Fargo Active Cash Card $0/yr — a $95 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card worth the higher annual fee?
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card costs $95/yr vs $0/yr for the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $95 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use.
- Which card earns more rewards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Wells Fargo Active Cash Card?
- The Wells Fargo Active Cash Card has a higher base earn rate (2X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
- What benefits does the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card have that the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card doesn't?
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card focuses on earn rates, while the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card offers cell phone protection.
- Should I get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card has a lower $0/yr fee; the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $95/yr.
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published October 12, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.