The invention discloses a preparation method of a copper-based composite metal catalyst. The copper-based composite metal catalyst is used in a methanol-water reforming hydrogen production technology.Wherein SBA-15 molecular sieve is used as a carrier, ZnO is used as a cocatalyst, CuO is used as a main catalyst, the activated SBA-15 molecular sieve is activated under the action of a surfactant CTAB; CuO-ZnO/SBA-15 with different active component loading capacities is obtained after copper ions and zinc ions are roasted and oxidized at high temperature, and uniform distribution of metal particles represents more contact active sites, so that excellent catalytic activity is shown. The activated SBA-15 has a large number of micropores and mesopores, the increase of the surface area is beneficial to the local heat dissipation of the catalyst and has very good mechanical properties, and a small amount of metal oxide and silicon dioxide in the molecular sieve increase the thermal stabilityof the whole catalyst. In the methanol steam reforming hydrogen production reaction, under the condition of higher reaction temperature, the catalyst shows high hydrogen selectivity, low carbon monoxide selectivity and longer service life.