prefer... to...与would rather... than...有区别吗？

有区别的。
1。语意上“would rather … than…”表达的更强烈。
would rather … than… 宁愿要…而不要
prefer …to… 更喜欢
2。结构上
prefer doing to doing
would rather do than do;;

没有区别，都用于比较句，例如
这个学生宁可用圆珠笔也不愿用钢笔
The student would rather use a ball pen than a pen.

The student prefer ball pen to pen.