Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card Review 2024

• Wells Fargo Active Cash Card Introduction
• Quick Facts
• What Is the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card Best For?
• Wells Fargo Active Cash Card Rewards
• 0% Introductory Rates
• Other Wells Fargo Active Cash Card Benefits
• Fine Print
• How the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card Stacks Up
• Is the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card for You?
• Methodology
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card earns an unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases and has no annual fee. This puts it in competition with the best flat-rate cash-back cards on the market. The introductory APR makes it a solid option for balance transfers, though it does come with a transfer fee, which rises after the first 120 days of card ownership.

There are several other flat-rate cash-back cards offering 2%, but the simplicity and ease of earning offered by the Active Cash card make it a delightfully straightforward option. The card also offers cellphone protection benefits and access to Visa Concierge and the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel collection. The card is light on additional attributes, though, and the 3% foreign transaction fee and lack of any travel benefits means it’s a better fit for those who only spend on U.S.-based purchases, and whose main concern is earning cash back.

• $0 annual fee
• Unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
• 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then a 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR applies. Balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a fee of up to 5%, with a minimum of $5 applies
• $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
• 3% foreign transaction fee

The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is best for earning cash rewards on everyday purchases. It would be an ideal card for someone wanting a simple cash-back credit card in their wallet to pay for everything from groceries to streaming services.

Earning Rewards

Reward earning is straightforward with the Wells Fargo Active Cash: Earn an unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases. Rewards are earned as part of the Wells Fargo Rewards program and do not expire as long as the account is open.

The Wells Fargo Active Cash also comes with a first-year welcome bonus: $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.

Redeeming Rewards

Rewards may be redeemed through Wells Fargo Rewards for cash back, to offset purchases, as gift cards, as charitable donations and more. Rewards may be transferred among Wells Fargo Rewards accounts and gifted to other Wells Fargo account holders.

Rewards Potential

To determine the rewards potential of the Wells Fargo Active Cash, we consider what an average household might spend on a credit card each year. Forbes Advisor uses data from various government agencies to determine baseline income and spending averages across various categories. The 70th percentile of wage-earning households brings in $118,438 annually, and we base spending on that number.

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card Rewards Potential
Category	Earning Rate	Estimated Annual Spend	Estimated Annual Earnings
All purchases	2%	$39,337	$786.74
			Total: $786.74 in cash rewards

See MoreSee Less

Read more. Best Rewards Credit Cards

The Wells Fargo Active Cash card offers an introductory APR: 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then a 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR applies. Balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a fee of up to 5%, with a minimum of $5 applies.

• Cellphone protection. Cell phone coverage for protection against damage or theft.
• Zero-liability protection. Cardholders aren’t responsible for unauthorized charges.
• Contactless pay. Digital wallet technology means you can tap to pay for purchases where available.
• Visa Concierge. 24/7, 365 phone support for travel and entertainment needs.
• Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection. Extra perks and benefits at a worldwide collection of properties.

Interest Rates

• Regular APR: 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR
• Purchase intro APR: 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening
• Balance transfer intro APR: 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers

Fees

• Annual fee: $0
• Balance transfer fee: up to 5%, min: $5
• Foreign purchase transaction fee: 3%

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card vs. Citi Double Cash® Card

Move over Double Cash; the Active Cash is giving you a run for your money. The Citi Double Cash® Card is another no annual fee card offering an unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases—1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they’re paid off.

Those who want a longer intro period for balance transfers should choose the Citi Double Cash® Card: It offers a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months. After that, the standard variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%, based on creditworthiness. An intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3%, whichever is greater, applies to transfers completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, the fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5). The Double Cash earns ThankYou Points which can be redeemed at a potentially greater value when transferred to airline and hotel partners. The Double Cash lacks cellphone protection offered on the Active Cash, but it does offer a welcome bonus: Earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening, fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points.

Which one is better? It’s too close a fight to call. The two cards are well matched, and it ultimately comes down to which one is a better fit for your needs.

Compare: Wells Fargo Active Cash® vs. Citi Double Cash® Card

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited®

The Wells Fargo Active Cash is the simpler alternative to cards like the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. The Freedom Unlimited offers cash back with some additional complexity: Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on eligible dining and drugstores and 1.5% on all other purchases, plus an additional 1.5% cash back on the first $20,000 in purchases the first year. Will the 5% and 3% cash-back categories make up for the missing 0.5% cash back on everything else? That’s a question each potential cardholder must decide based on their financial situation, budget and spending patterns.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers more benefits, including purchase protection, extended warranties and a number of travel protections. The Active Cash only offers cellphone protection. The Freedom Unlimited offers an introductory APR: 0% introductory APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24% applies. An intro transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies in the first 60 days of account opening. After that, a fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer applies. Both cards have similar welcome bonuses, but the Freedom Unlimited is structured differently: an additional 1.5% cash back on up to $20,000 spent in the first year, worth up to $300 cash back.

For some, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® will make more sense. For others, the Active Cash is simple and easy to calculate. The cards may make a good pair for some, but it’s more likely that using the Active Cash paired with a card offering additional higher-earning categories and an even wider array of benefits would better serve most people.

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card vs. Discover it® Cash Back

The no annual fee Discover it® Cash Back offers a cash-back rewards scheme that requires a second read to fully understand: Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter up to a quarterly maximum of $1,500 in spending when activated. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.

Also offering an introductory APR, the Discover it® Cash Back is similar to the Active Cash. Specifically, it has a 0% introductory APR for 15 months on purchases and eligible balance transfers. Then, a standard rate of 17.24% - 28.24% variable applies. A balance transfer fee of up to 5% of the amount transferred applies. Since it lacks major travel benefits, the Discover it® Cash Back will not be ideal for those looking to use the card on their next trip.

It’s likely that the best use of each of these cards would be to pair them together. Use the Discover it® Cash Back to earn on qualifying bonus categories and the Active Cash for all other purchases. For those who want only one card for all spending needs, we’d recommend the Active Cash in most situations.

The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card makes a worthy cash-back rewards card option with its unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases. Though it’s not the best choice for those who travel abroad or those seeking a card with lots of perks, it’s a rewarding card to earn simple, effective cash rewards without the hassle of tracking categories. The Active Cash can also be a complement to a card that earns elevated rewards in specific categories.

Forbes Advisor considers a variety of criteria when assigning credit cards a rating. Cards are graded based on numerous factors, including:

• Annual fees
• Welcome bonus offers
• Ongoing earning rates
• Value of individual points or miles
• Included travel or merchant credits
• Additional cardholder benefits

Card features we expect cardholders to use the most often are weighted more heavily in our ratings. Altogether, the factors come together to provide a star rating for each individual card.

Read more: How Forbes Advisor rates credit cards