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More than just a bank, Wells Fargo provides several reasons to choose one of its credit cards for cash rewards or balance transfers. While its lineup of consumer credit cards isn’t as extensive as other issuers’ selections, you may be able to find the best Wells Fargo credit card that meets your financial needs.
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BEST FOR CUSTOMIZABLE REWARDS
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
Reward rate
5
5% cash back on your first $2,000 in eligible net purchases each quarter on the combined two categories you choose.
3
5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Travel Center.
-1
1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
1
1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
Intro offer
$200 bonus
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
16.74% - 26.74% (Variable)
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card is packed full of bonus rewards categories. It will take more than a little effort to track them all, but people who don’t mind strategizing to earn high rewards for all their purchases will enjoy having this card in their collection.
Pros
- Multiple rotating and fixed bonus categories, which can make it easier to earn rewards quickly
- The $200 sign-up bonus (after spending $1,000 within the first 120 days of account opening) increases the card’s first-year value
Cons
- The $2,000 combined spending cap each quarter for your chosen 5% categories limits your ability to rake in rewards
- Having to track and enroll in rotating categories can be a hassle for some
- New! $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening.
- 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories you choose
- 5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Travel Center
- 2% cash back on one everyday category, like Gas Stations/EV Charging Stations, Grocery Stores or Restaurants
- 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
- 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles. After that, a variable APR currently 16.74% – 26.74%
- No Annual Fee
- Pay over time by splitting eligible purchases of $100+ into equal monthly payments with U.S. Bank ExtendPay™ Plan.
- Terms and conditions apply.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Purchase intro APR
0% Intro APR on purchases for the first 15 billing cycles.
Balance transfer intro APR
0% Intro APR on balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles.
BEST FOR PERSONAL LOAN ALTERNATIVE
Upgrade Cash Rewards Elite Visa®
Reward rate
2.2
Earn 2.2% unlimited cash back on card purchases every time you make a payment
Intro offer
$200
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
8.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
If you value having an incentive for making your credit card payments, you will find a lot to love with this card option. You’ll earn a competitive rate of 2.2 percent cash back on your purchases each time you make a payment. The card is also fairly affordable, skipping the annual fee, foreign transaction fees and many other common maintenance fees.
Pros
- You won’t need to use your reward earnings to offset any maintenance fees.
- You’ll earn a bonus after you open a Rewards Checking account and make three purchases with the card in your first 60 days.
Cons
- The high end APR range is well above average. That could prove costly if you don’t have the credit needed to qualify for the lower range and you end up carrying a balance.
- You won’t get a break on interest if you carry a balance since there are no intro APR offers on purchases or balance transfers.
- $200 bonus on your Upgrade Card after opening a Rewards Checking account and making 3 debit card transactions within 60 days.*
- New Feature: Pay your balance in full early each month and avoid interest with EarlyPay.
- Earn 2.2% unlimited cash back on card purchases every time you make a payment
- See if you qualify in seconds with no impact to your credit score
- No Fees – $0 annual fees, $0 activation fees, $0 maintenance fees
- Combine the flexibility of a card with the low cost and predictability of a loan
- Access to a virtual card, so you can start earning while you wait for your card to arrive in the mail.
- Contactless payments with Apple Pay® and Google Pay™
- Mobile app to access your account anytime, anywhere
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud liability
- *To qualify for the $200 welcome bonus, you must open and fund a new Upgrade Rewards Checking Account and make 3 debit card transactions within 60 days of your Upgrade Card account opening. The bonus credit will be posted to your Upgrade Card as a rewards credit within 1-2 billing periods following the third debit transaction on your Rewards Checking account. Your Upgrade Card must be in good standing to receive the bonus.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Purchase intro APR
N/A
Balance transfer intro APR
N/A
BEST FOR GAS
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
Reward rate
3
3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.
1
New! 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
-1
1% Cash Back on other purchases.
1
1% Cash Back on other purchases.
Intro offer
$200
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
16.24%-27.24% Variable
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
This card’s terrific mix of practical bonus categories make it a smart standalone option for earning rewards on everyday spending. Along with its impressive cash back rate at U.S. gas stations and U.S. supermarkets, it carries a top-tier rate on U.S. online retail purchases, a hard-to-find bonus category that gives the card an extra layer of versatility.
Pros
- It carries one of the best combined cash back rates available at no annual fee at U.S. gas stations and U.S. supermarkets. Those two categories make up a big chunk of the average person’s budget.
- You can earn $7 back per month on The Disney Bundle streaming package, which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ (each month you spend $13.99 or more on an eligible subscription, terms apply). To earn that much back in a month via the card’s 3 percent categories, you’d typically need to spend over $230.
Cons
- You’ll only earn 3 percent cash back on your first $6,000 in annual spending in each of the card’s bonus categories (then 1 percent). While that’s a high limit, it could hold you back if you’re sharing an account across multiple households.
- The card carries a 2.7 percent foreign transaction fee, so it’s not a good option if you’re looking for a single rewards card you can use at home and abroad.
- Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- No Annual Fee.
- Balance Transfer is back! Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. After that, 16.24% to 27.24% variable APR.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.
- New! 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
- Get $7 back each month after using your Blue Cash Everyday® Card to spend $13.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription to The Disney Bundle, which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. Enrollment required.
- Terms Apply.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Purchase intro APR
0% on purchases for 15 months
Balance transfer intro APR
0% on balance transfers for 15 months
BEST FOR GROCERIES
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Reward rate
6
6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
1
6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
3
3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations
0
3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations
1
1% Cash Back on other purchases
Intro offer
$350
Annual fee
$95
Regular APR
16.24%-26.24% Variable
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
With generous rewards rates in family-friendly categories including purchases at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations, on-the-go families will have a hard time finding a more rewarding credit card.
Pros
- The base reward program is uber-lucrative, making this card a good choice for people looking for long-term value.
- You don’t have to keep track of rotating spending categories or enrollment deadlines.
Cons
- There is no intro APR offer on balance transfers.
- You won’t earn the extra rewards for grocery shopping at major superstores and wholesale clubs, as those don’t count as U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months after account opening. Plans created after that will have a fixed monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
- Low intro APR: 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 16.24% to 26.24%.
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
- $95 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Purchase intro APR
0% on purchases for 12 months
Balance transfer intro APR
N/A
BEST FOR ROTATING CASH BACK CATEGORIES
Discover it® Cash Back
Reward rate
5
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate.
1
Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
Intro offer
Cashback Match™
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
13.49% - 24.49% Variable
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
The Discover it Cash Back is a popular choice for cash back rewards because of the rotating bonus categories. It’s an exciting way to earn cash back quarter by quarter and all year-round without committing to a set rewards category.
Pros
- Discover will match the cash back you earn at the end of the first year.
- There are a few cash back redemption options, including credit to your account and donations.
Cons
- You must enroll to take advantage of the bonus categories each quarter.
- There is a spending limit on your highest cash back category each quarter ($1,500 in combined purchases per quarter).
- Intro Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
- New! Discover helps remove your personal information from select people-search websites. Activate by mobile app for free.
- Every $1 you earn in cash back is $1 you can redeem.
- New Intro APR: Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 13.49% to 24.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- No annual fee.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Purchase intro APR
0% for 15 months
Balance transfer intro APR
0% for 15 months
BEST FOR UP TO 2% CASH BACK
Citi® Double Cash Card
Reward rate
2
Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
Intro offer
$200 Cash Back
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
16.24% - 26.24% (Variable)
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
If you make your payments on time each month, it’ll be tough to find a better cash back card than the Citi Double Cash Card. With healthy financial habits, this card effectively becomes a 2 percent flat-rate cash back card (1 percent when you make purchases and another 1 percent when you pay your bill), a rare find in the cash back market.
Pros
- You can convert your cash back earnings to Citi ThankYou points when paired with a card like the Citi Premier® Card, which can be redeemed for travel, gift cards and more.
- There are no spending category restrictions or rotating categories
Cons
- Your rewards can expire with this card if you don’t use it for a year.
- The sign-up bonus spending requirement is higher than you’ll find on many no-annual-fee cash back cards.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
- For a limited time, earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 16.24% – 26.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Purchase intro APR
N/A
Balance transfer intro APR
0% intro for 18 months on Balance Transfers
A closer look at Wells Fargo’s top credit cards
Wells Fargo Reflect Card: Best for balance transfers
- What we love about the Wells Fargo Reflect Card: Its lengthy zero-interest introductory period on balance transfers. This card has one of the longest 0 percent intro APR on purchases and qualifying balances transfers from account opening on the market (0 percent for up to 21 months, then variable 15.24 percent to 27.24 percent APR) if you qualify for the extension by making on-time monthly minimum payments during the intro and extension periods.
- Who this card is good for: Anyone currently carrying high-interest credit card debt looking for an extra-lengthy promotional APR window on transferred balances; ditto for people planning a large purchase they’ll need some time to pay off. Alternatives: The card doesn’t tout traditional rewards, so it may not be a fit for people who want a card that holds value for the long haul. The Discover it® Balance Transfer Card and its cash back offer on quarterly rotating categories, for example, could prove more rewarding for savvy spenders.
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card: Best for cash rewards
- What we love about the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card: The Active Cash Card is a simple yet valuable rewards credit card. Flat-rate cards often offer 1.5 percent cash rewards, but Active Cash’s 2 percent offer is one of the highest unlimited cash rewards cards available.
- Who this card is good for: Simplicity lovers who want to earn a good rate of cash rewards on a variety of purchases.
- Alternatives: Though 2 percent cash rewards is a standout feature for the Active Cash Card, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card or the Discover it® Cash Back could offer more cash back earning opportunities for people who want to maximize their rewards earnings in key spending categories like dining or groceries.
Hotels.com Rewards Visa Credit Card: Best for occasional hotel guests
- What we love about the Hotels.com Rewards Visa Credit Card: You don’t have to pay an annual fee for this hotel credit card, which also offers some flexibility in where you can book given it’s associated with a travel search engine as opposed to a singular hotel chain.
- Who this card is good for: Travel search engine fans who plan to book rooms through one site like Hotels.com.
- Alternatives: Frequent travelers, brand loyalists or big spenders can reap more benefits associated with premium travel or hotel credit cards such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Hilton Honors American Express Card.
What is Wells Fargo and what does it offer?
Founded in 1852, Wells Fargo is a multinational financial services company headquartered in San Francisco, California. In addition to traditional banking services like checking and savings accounts, it offers loans, business credit cards, personal loans, business loans, consumer credit cards and more.
However, while it is a giant in the finance industry, it only advertises three consumer credit cards, including one of the best rewards cards, and three business credit cards available on its website. This lineup isn’t as impressive as other issuers, but it does mean that Wells Fargo loyalists have straightforward choices and less option paralysis for opening a new credit card.
However, while it is a giant in the finance industry, it only advertises three consumer credit cards, including one of the best rewards cards, and three business credit cards available on its website. This lineup isn’t as impressive as other issuers, but it does mean that Wells Fargo loyalists have straightforward choices and less option paralysis for opening a new credit card.
How Wells Fargo credit card rewards work
Of Wells Fargo’s three consumer credit cards, only the Active Cash card seems to earn rewards in the Wells Fargo Rewards® program. However, you can redeem the cash rewards earned with this card in four different ways:
- For purchases, similar to statement credits
- As a direct deposit into a qualifying Wells Fargo checking account, credit card account or mortgage
- Cash at an ATM in increments of $20 with a Wells Fargo ATM or debit card
- Gift cards in increments of $25
How to contact Wells Fargo
You can reach 24/7 customer service by phone at 1-800-642-4720. Calling this number is also the place to start if you want to increase your credit limit with Wells Fargo.
Wells Fargo credit card benefits
One of the best Wells Fargo credit cards, the Active Cash, includes a notable variety of benefits offered both by Wells Fargo itself and by Visa as a Visa Signature card. With the Active Cash, cardholders enjoy the following benefits:
- Up to $600 cell phone protection (after $25 deductible) when using the card to pay your phone bill
- Zero liability protection, an industry standard
- Contactless payment options
- Simple, centralized account management through Control Tower®
- 24/7 concierge service, offered through Visa Signature benefits
- Luxury Hotel Collection benefits, offered through Visa Signature
Unfortunately, the other two Wells Fargo consumer credit cards do not have Visa Signature benefits attached, but still come with their own features. For example, the Wells Fargo Reflect card offers the following benefits to cardholders when they open an account:
- Up to $600 cell phone protection (after $25 deductible) when using the card to pay your phone bill
- 24/7 on-demand roadside assistance, locksmith and towing services
- Deals at select merchants through My Wells Fargo Deals
- Zero liability protection, an industry standard
With the Hotels.com Rewards Visa card, cardholders have access to:
- Up to $600 cell phone protection (after $25 deductible) when using the card to pay your phone bill
- No foreign currency conversion fee
- Trip cancellation and interruption reimbursement
- Zero liability protection, an industry standard
How do Wells Fargo credit cards compare to other cards?
The Active Cash and Reflect cards are the two best Wells Fargo credit cards that stand up in their respective categories — cash rewards and balance transfer. In these two categories, the cards lead the way.
The Active Cash offers unlimited 2 percent cash rewards back on purchases, toppling the Citi® Double Cash as the best 2 percent flat-rate card (1 percent when you make the purchase and 1 percent when you pay the balance). Additionally, the Wells Fargo Reflect’s potential up to 21-month intro APR from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers can out-perform Citi’s two 21-month balance transfer cards if you make on-time payments during the promotional period.
However, if you’re looking for miles and points to maximize your rewards, Wells Fargo falls woefully short with its program compared to Chase Ultimate Rewards® and American Express Membership Rewards.
The Active Cash offers unlimited 2 percent cash rewards back on purchases, toppling the Citi® Double Cash as the best 2 percent flat-rate card (1 percent when you make the purchase and 1 percent when you pay the balance). Additionally, the Wells Fargo Reflect’s potential up to 21-month intro APR from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers can out-perform Citi’s two 21-month balance transfer cards if you make on-time payments during the promotional period.
However, if you’re looking for miles and points to maximize your rewards, Wells Fargo falls woefully short with its program compared to Chase Ultimate Rewards® and American Express Membership Rewards.
Who should get a Wells Fargo credit card?
Someone who fits into one of the following consumer types might benefit from one of the best Wells Fargo credit cards:
Since the Active Cash earns unlimited 2 percent cash rewards on purchases, people who want to maximize cash rewards on all categories of spending might enjoy the earning potential this card has to offer. Because there are no rotating bonus categories or tiered cash back rates, the Wells Fargo Active Cash makes it easy to unlock cash rewards on any purchase.
With the Reflect card, approved customers can get up to 21 months of 0 percent intro APR from account opening on qualifying balance transfers and purchases (then variable 15.24 percent to 27.24 percent APR). If you have high-interest credit card debt on a non-Wells Fargo credit card, you could take up to 21 months to pay it off without worrying about interest accruing each month. Here’s our guide on Wells Fargo balance transfers.
Who should skip a Wells Fargo credit card?
The Well Fargo card portfolio might not be ideal for the following consumers:
The Wells Fargo credit card portfolio does not feature any options for earning points and miles toward airfare and other travel-related expenses. Besides a fairly under the radar travel section under the Wells Fargo Rewards portal, there isn’t much to show in terms of a travel rewards program. You might be better off seeking out a card attached to one of the more lucrative and well-developed travel rewards programs like Capital One Travel or Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Every consumer card Wells Fargo offers has a recommended credit score for approval in the good to excellent range, which is anywhere between a 670 to 850 on the FICO scale. If your credit history is limited or you’ve made mistakes in the past, you may be better off starting with one of the best credit cards for no credit history and working your way up.
How we chose our top-rated Wells Fargo credit cards
Credit Card personal finance experts choose the best Wells Fargo credit cards according to our 5-star rating system. The list of criteria for rating credit cards includes:
Rewards
Whether the card offers cash back, travel points/miles or multi-purpose rewards for eligible purchases and the potential returns based on rewards rate (1 percent cash back per $1 spent, 1 mile per $1 spent, and so on).
Perks and benefits
Whether the card offers extras such as retail discounts, extended warranties on purchases, travel insurance and financial management tools.
Annual fee
Whether the card charges an annual fee and if so, how much the card’s overall value and benefits might offset the fee.
Introductory offers
Whether the card has a sign-up bonus, welcome offer or similar sign-up incentive and how much it adds to the card’s overall value.
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Frequently asked questions about Wells Fargo credit cards
In general, you’ll need a good to excellent credit score to get a Wells Fargo credit card. We recommend having a credit score of 670 to 850 for the Active Cash, Reflect and Hotels.com Rewards Visa cards.
You can have multiple Wells Fargo credit cards, but the issuer has some restrictions on card eligibility:
You may not qualify for a credit card if you’ve opened a Wells Fargo credit card in the past six months
You are not eligible for intro APRs or sign-up bonuses on a Wells Fargo card if you earned a bonus or promotional APR on another Wells Fargo card in the past 15 months
In our opinion, the two best Wells Fargo credit cards are the Wells Fargo Active Cash, which earns unlimited 2 percent cash rewards on purchases, and the Wells Fargo Reflect, which offers up to 21 months of 0 percent intro APR on qualifying balance transfers and purchases from account opening (then variable 15.24 percent to 27.24 percent APR).
Yes, Wells Fargo has a pre-selection tool that doesn’t require a hard credit pull so customers can check if they are eligible for a Wells Fargo credit card.
Wells Fargo issues the following credit cards for consumers:
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
Wells Fargo Reflect Card
Hotels.com Rewards Visa Credit Card