The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is one of the top credit cards that earn 2% cash rewards on purchases. Regardless of what you're purchasing, you'll get a fixed percentage of your money back. This makes it a great option for purchases that don't typically earn bonus rewards.
On top of that, it has no annual fee and offers an intro-APR for purchases and balance transfers. Below, CNBC Select breaks down the Active Cash Card's rewards, benefits and fees to help you decide if it's right for you.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is great if you want simplicity thanks to its flat-rate 2% unlimited cash rewards on purchases and $0 annual fee.
- High, unlimited flat-rate return on purchases
- Intro APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
- Lower introductory balance transfer fee
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft (subject to a $25 deductible)
- Charges a 3% foreign transaction fee
- Balance transfer fee increases to 5% of each transfer (minimum $5) after 120 days
- Limited redemption options unless you pair it with a Wells Fargo card that allows point transfers
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn a $100 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 18.74%, 24.74%, or 28.74% variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don't expire as long as your account remains open.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
Balance Transfer Fee
3% intro for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%, min: $5
Foreign Transaction Fee
3%
Welcome bonus
With the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, you can earn a $100 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Benefits and perks
This Active Cash Card is best for those who want a flat-rate cash-rewards program and don't want to pay an annual fee. You can also save on interest with this card's intro-APR offer.
You'll get an intro 0% APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for 12 months from account opening. After that, a variable APR of 18.74%, 24.74%, or 28.74% applies. For a balance transfer to be eligible for the intro APR, it must be completed within 120 days from account opening. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount transferred, which applies for the first 120 days from account opening. Then the standard balance transfer fee is up to 5% of the amount of each transfer ($5 minimum).
Other perks include cell phone protection if you use the card to pay your cell phone bill. If your phone is damaged or stolen, you can be reimbursed for the replacement or repair of your cell phone for up to $600 per claim and two claims per 12 months (with a $25 deductible).
You can also take advantage of Visa Signature perks, including Visa Signature® Concierge and access to the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection. The concierge is a 24/7 complimentary personal assistance service to help you book travel, dining and entertainment. When you book through the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection, you'll get premium perks like a food and beverage credit, free daily breakfast and room upgrades (when available).
How to earn and redeem cash rewards
Earning
The Active Cash Card has a simple rewards program. You'll earn 2% cash rewards on all eligible purchases and there are no bonus categories to track.
Before signing up for this credit card, consider your spending habits. If you spend a lot on dining or travel, a card that earns bonus rewards for those purchases may make more sense. On the other hand, anyone who would rather not worry about maximizing spending categories will appreciate being able to earn a high flat-rate return everywhere.
Redeeming
Regardless of how you use your rewards, the value is the same. You can redeem your cash rewards in a variety of ways, including:
- Statement credit to offset purchases ($1 minimum)
- Wells Fargo ATM withdrawal using a Wells Fargo debit or ATM card ($20 increments)
- A credit to an eligible Wells Fargo credit card, checking account or mortgage
- Gift cards
- PayPal purchases
Rates and fees
The Active Cash card has no annual fee. There is a 3% foreign transaction fee, so it's not the best option when traveling out of the country. It has a standard variable APR of 18.74%, 24.74%, or 28.74%. Late payments can be assessed a fee of up to $40.
Find the best credit card for you by reviewing offers in our credit card marketplace or get personalized offers via CardMatch™.
Card comparison
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card vs. Discover it® Cash Back
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers; balance transfer fee applies. Then 17.49% to 26.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers. 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 you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases
- Redeem cash back for any amount. No annual fee
- Terms and conditions apply
Balance Transaction Fee
3% for the first 15 months; 5% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you at any other time
While it has a lower return on most purchases, the Discover it® Cash Back has a potentially more valuable welcome bonus and a longer intro-APR than the Active Cash Card.
New Discover it Cash Back cardholders receive a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from account opening (then the APR is a variable 17.49% to 26.49%). There is a 3% intro balance transfer fee of each transferred balance that posts to your account during the first 15 months that your account is open then, up to 5% on future balance transfers (terms apply). With this card, you're getting an extra three months to pay off your balance before interest kicks in.
Discover will match the cash back you earn from spending on the card in the first year. So, if you earn over $200 in cash back that first year, the Discover it Cash Back card's welcome bonus is more valuable. By maximizing this card's rotating cash-back categories, you earn $300 cash back in a year, so it wouldn't be hard to get more value from this card in the first year.
Learn more: Discover it® Cash Back
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card vs. Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card offers generous bonus spending categories and lets you transfer points to airline and hotel partners, which is rare for a credit card with no annual fee.
- Excellent bonus rewards across travel and everyday categories
- Get access to all Wells Fargo transfer partners, including Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) and Virgin Red
- Features an intro APR on purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- Doesn't include travel credits or other valuable travel perks
- Lacks key travel protections, such as trip delay reimbursement and trip cancellation/interruption coverage
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- 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 unlimited 3X points on the things that really add up - like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases.
- $0 annual fee.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. 18.74%, 24.74%, or 28.74% variable APR thereafter.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- Redeem your rewards points for travel, gift cards, or statement credits. Or shop at millions of online stores and redeem your rewards when you check out with PayPal.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
Balance transfer fee
3% intro for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%, min: $5
Foreign transaction fee
None
The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card is one of the best no-annual-fee travel credit cards. It earns transferable Wells Fargo Rewards points and has generous spending categories.
This card earns 3X points on dining, travel, transit, phone plans, popular streaming services and gas stations. If you regularly spend in those categories, you could easily come ahead compared to the Active Cash Card's 2% back in cash rewards.
Plus, the points you earn with the Autograph Card can be more valuable because you can transfer them to hotel and airline loyalty programs. The Autograph Card gives you the ability to transfer your points to Wells Fargo's growing list of travel partners, including Iberia Plus, Avianca LifeMiles and Flying Blue (Air France/KLM).
If you have both the Active Cash Card and Autograph Card, you can combine the cash rewards you earn with the Active Cash and transfer those points to travel partners. So it can make sense to have both cards since they complement each other.
Learn more: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
Is the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card right for you?
If you're looking for a card that doesn't require a lot of effort to maximize, look no further than the Active Cash Card. With no annual fee and unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, it's a great choice for people who want cash back but don't want to change their spending habits every quarter to maximize their rewards in rotating spending categories.
For anyone interested in boosting the value of their rewards, pairing this card with the Wells Fargo Autograph® Card allows you to combine rewards and transfer them to hotel and airline loyalty programs. Neither card has an annual fee, so you're not increasing your expenses when you pair these cards.
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