Credit Cards Travel Credit Cards

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Difficult to Beat the Sapphire Preferred

The Chase Sapphire Preferred makes more sense for many travelers, but the Wells Fargo Autograph still has a place as a no-annual-fee alternative.

Updated Oct. 4, 2024
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Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

4.7
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    Excellent earning potential for a $0 annual fee
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    Offers a welcome bonus
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    No spending caps on rewards categories
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    Cell phone protection (subject to a $25 deductible)
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Chase Sapphire <span class='whitespace-nowrap'>Preferred<sup>®</sup></span> Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

4.9
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    Generous welcome offer valued at up to $1,050 when redeemed via Chase Travel
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    High rewards on dining and bookings via Chase Travel
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    25% more value when redeeming points for travel through Chase Travel
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    Up to $50 in annual statement credits for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel
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    Receive valuable travel protections like trip delay reimbursement and primary rental car insurance
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Our view

Overall, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the better card for travelers, but the $0-annual-fee Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card(Rates and fees) still holds its own as a worthwhile option. However, it’s hard to beat the Sapphire Preferred, which is one of the most popular travel credit cards on the market for a reason.

I’m a cardholder of the Sapphire Preferred, and it’s one card that will never leave my wallet. Travel protections and annual hotel credit are just the beginning of the rich benefits of the card. Still, the Wells Fargo Autograph card has a solid earning potential, especially given the $0 annual fee.

The better choice will largely depend on your spending habits, financial and travel goals, and credit history.

How we evaluate products

Wells Fargo Autograph Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred

The Wells Fargo Autograph Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred are two popular rewards cards. Here’s how they stack up.

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

FinanceBuzz star ratings
4.7
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4.9
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FinanceBuzz value calculation1 Year 1: $945

Year 2: $745

Year 1: $1,786

Year 2: $789

Annual fee $0 $95
Welcome bonus Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months (that’s a $200 cash redemption value) Earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening (that's worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel). Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within your first year
Intro APR 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening, and then a 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% Variable APR None
Statement credits None
  • $50 annual hotel credit through Chase Travel℠
Other benefits
  • Cell phone protection (subject to a $25 deductible)
  • Complimentary DashPass from DoorDash (activate by Dec 31, 2027)
  • 10% anniversary point bonus
Foreign transaction fee None None
Credit needed Excellent, Good Excellent, Good
Apply now or learn more Apply now or learn more

When to go with the Wells Fargo Autograph Card

Choose the Wells Fargo Autograph if:

  • You want to avoid an annual fee.
  • Your everyday expenses align with its bonus categories.
  • You want an intro APR offer.

Lower annual fee

The Wells Fargo Autograph has a $0 annual fee while the Chase Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee. The Autograph is the clear winner in terms of which card costs less to keep year after year. This doesn’t necessarily mean it offers more benefits than the Sapphire Preferred, but you won’t have to worry about an annual cost.

Bonus earning categories

Whether you get value from a card’s bonus categories depends on your typical spending habits.

The Wells Fargo Autograph allows you to earn 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans; plus earn 1X points on other purchases.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases.

The tiered earning structure on the Chase Sapphire Preferred can undoubtedly be valuable, but it can also be complex to understand and difficult to remember. The Wells Fargo Autograph earning structure is much more straightforward and allows you to earn the most points per dollar in the categories in which you concentrate your spending.

Intro APR offer

The Wells Fargo Autograph offers 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening, and then a 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% Variable APR. This could be useful if you have upcoming large purchases and want to avoid paying interest on your balance for a while. Since the Sapphire Preferred has no intro APR offers, the Autograph comes out on top.

Unfortunately, the intro APR offer on the Wells Fargo Autograph is only for purchases and does not extend to balance transfers. As such, you won’t be able to transfer a balance from a high interest card to your Wells Fargo Autograph card to take advantage of an extended no-interest period to pay off debt. It’s still helpful in spreading out a large purchase over time, though.

When to go with the Chase Sapphire Preferred

Choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred if:

  • You want flexible and potentially more valuable travel rewards.
  • You want increased travel coverage.
  • You can utilize the DashPass membership.

Increased redemption value

Both of these cards offer various redemption options, though the Chase Sapphire Preferred has a perk that could provide you with more value—travel redemptions made through Chase Travel℠ receive a 25% boost in value, giving you 1.25 cents per point.

The Wells Fargo Autograph offers a flat rate redemption value of 1 cent per point regardless of your chosen redemption method. Even though you can get outsized value from your points by transferring them to partners, you can still get great deals through the portal. I booked a night at a Renaissance Marriott last year for fewer Ultimate Rewards Points than I would have paid if I used my Marriott Bonvoy points.

Access to transfer partners

If you want to get outsized value from your points, you can transfer them to a hotel or airline partner. The Chase Sapphire Preferred has several valuable transfer partners, including United MileagePlus, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, and World of Hyatt. I’ve transferred my points to Iberia for an American Airlines flight from the East Coast to London, England, which allowed me to book a last minute flight for a fraction of the cost.

Wells Fargo previously didn’t offer the ability to transfer points to travel partners. It’s great news for cardholders that this has been added to Wells Fargo’s credit card lineup, but the list of partners is still pretty short. It does include a few valuable international airlines like Air France, Avianca, and British Airways.

Even with Wells Fargo offering more flexibility regarding point redemptions, the Chase Sapphire Preferred still reigns supreme.

Comprehensive travel insurance

Both the Wells Fargo Autograph and Chase Sapphire Preferred offer car rental insurance, but that’s about where the travel insurance benefits end on the Autograph. The Sapphire Preferred also offers trip cancellation or interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, and trip delay reimbursement. For frequent travelers, having these protections is invaluable.

Additional benefits

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has several benefits that can help justify the annual fee, including a $50 annual hotel credit through Chase Travel℠, a complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership (activate by Dec 31, 2027), bonus points on Lyft and Peloton purchases (through Mar 31, 2025), and a 10% anniversary point bonus.

A closer look at the welcome bonuses

The Wells Fargo Autograph card allows new cardholders to earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months (that’s a $200 cash redemption value). Although it’s a low offer, it is accessible, and almost anyone can meet the spending requirement.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers new cardholders a chance to earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening (that's worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel). Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within your first year, and those points are worth 25% more if you redeem them through Chase Travel℠. This is obviously much more valuable than the Wells Fargo Autograph card, but be sure you can meet the higher spending requirement before you apply.

FAQ

Which is better, the Wells Fargo Autograph or the Chase Sapphire Preferred?

The better credit card between the Wells Fargo Autograph and Chase Sapphire Preferred depends on your spending habits and preferences. The Wells Fargo Autograph has a $0 annual fee and offers excellent earning potential on many everyday expenses. The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee, but it offers flexible travel redemptions, including transfers to over a dozen travel partners.

What credit score do you need to get the Wells Fargo Autograph?

You typically need a good or excellent credit score to get the Wells Fargo Autograph Card. According to the FICO scoring model, this is at least 670, though a score of 700 or higher would likely improve your approval odds.

Does the Chase Sapphire Preferred get you lounge access?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred doesn’t get you lounge access. For airport lounge access, consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

Advice from our experts

Comparing travel cards browsing for the latest addition to your wallet is exciting, especially if you’re looking for more perks. We brought in a panel of experts to share their insights so you can shop for your next card with confidence.

Are there any red flags to look out for when browsing for starter travel cards to apply for?


Are frequent travelers the only ones who benefit from having a travel credit card?

Bottom line

If you have to pick just one, the Sapphire Preferred will likely make more sense and bring more value. Even though we prefer the Chase Sapphire Preferred, the Wells Fargo Autograph has plenty going for it — a $0 annual fee, a simplified earning structure, and an intro APR offer that can help you spread out a big purchase over time. No matter which card you choose, be sure to thoroughly research the options before applying.

Great for Flexible Travel Rewards

4.9
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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Current Offer

Get up to $1,050 in Chase Travel℠ value. Earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. That's worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel. Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within your first year.

Annual Fee

$95

Rewards Rate

5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks
Card Details

Author Details

Ben Walker, CEPF, CFEI®

Ben Walker, CEPF, CFEI®, is credit cards specialist. For over a decade, he's leveraged credit card points and miles to travel the world. His expertise extends to other areas of personal finance — including loans, insurance, investing, and real estate — and you can find his insights on The Washington Post, Debt.com, Yahoo! Finance, and Fox Business.

Author Details

Harrison Pierce

Born and raised in North Carolina, Harrison had the radical idea to sell all his belongings and travel the world full-time with nothing but a suitcase and his cat, Isabelle. In July 2021, he bought a one-way ticket to Italy and never looked back.