All information about the Hotels.com® Rewards Visa® Credit Card, the Wells Fargo Visa Signature Card, the Wells Fargo Rewards Card, the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card, the Wells Fargo Platinum and the Wells Fargo Cash Back College Card have been collected independently by CreditCards.com and has not been reviewed by the issuer. The Wells Fargo Platinum card is no longer available.
Comparing the best Wells Fargo credit cards
| Credit card | Best for | CreditCards.com rating | Annual fee |
|---|
| Wells Fargo Reflect® Card | Long intro APR | 4.2 / 5 | $0 |
| Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card | Everyday cash rewards | 4.1 / 5 | $0 |
| Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card | Various reward categories | 4.2 / 5 | $0 |
| Hotels.com® Rewards Visa® Credit Card | Occasional hotel guests | 3.6 / 5 | $0 |
Editor’s picks: Wells Fargo credit card details
Wells Fargo Reflect® Card: Best for long intro APR
Why we picked it: It touts one of the longest introductory APR offers on the market, which can give cardholders some breathing room to pay down credit card debt.
Biggest drawbacks: It has no rewards program whatsoever, which may lead some cardholders to a different card with significant long-term value. However, the real drawback here is the balance transfer fee, which is 5% ($5 minimum) and you must transfer your qualifying balance within 120 days of account opening to qualify for the introductory APR.
Alternatives: Since this card doesn’t feature a rewards program, anyone who wants to earn cash back, points or miles should look elsewhere – but if you prefer the same issuer, the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card or Wells Fargo Autograph Card could be a better fit.
Bottom line: If you’re looking for a long window to pay back high-interest credit card debt or a large purchase, look no further.
Read our Wells Fargo Reflect® Card review.
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Best for everyday cash rewards
Why we picked it: For a card with no annual fee, the Wells Fargo Active Cash card offers a competitive welcome bonus and generous unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases; earnings never expire so long as your account remains in good standing, making it simple to maximize earnings on daily purchases. Plus, with its simple rewards structure, there are no rotating categories to keep track of and no enrollments required.
Biggest drawbacks: No bonus categories to speak of means people who want to maximize earnings should pair this with a higher-earning card. Ancillary benefits and card perks are also very limited compared to other cards.
Alternatives: A rewards-seeker who wants to capitalize on special offers and bonus rates should look to other rewards cards, specifically ones with rotating cash back categories such as the Discover it® Cash Back.
Bottom line: Anyone looking for a simple and flexible way to earn rewards on daily spending will see a lot of value from this well-rounded, multi-faceted Wells Fargo card. Pairing 2% cash rewards with a welcome bonus and introductory APR offers makes for a worthwhile card.
Read our Wells Fargo Active Cash Card review.
Wells Fargo Autograph Card: Best for various reward categories
Why we picked it: You can earn 3X points in several categories such as restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans, plus 1X points on other purchases – which is unlike any other Wells Fargo credit card and is a great card to use toward rewards on everyday purchases.
Biggest Drawbacks: It doesn’t reward grocery store purchases, has a short intro APR period and high APR range and doesn’t have many redemption options, especially for travel.
Alternatives: If you want to earn maximum rewards on grocery stores or travel, or if you want more flexible redemption options, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card or the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express are ideal picks.
Bottom line: If you want a simple rewards system that earns points on a variety of categories, then this card could be a great choice for you.
Hotels.com® Rewards Visa® Credit Card: Best for occasional hotel guests
Why we picked it: You’ll enjoy a number of ancillary travel perks, including no foreign currency conversion fees, certain travel protections, and automatic Hotels.com® Rewards Silver status, which entitles you to extras, like free Wi-Fi or complimentary breakfast, at select properties.
Biggest drawbacks: The rewards program is complex. It functions more like a small business loyalty program where you earn “stamps” to put toward nights on future Hotels.com bookings, and it can take some time to master.
Alternatives: If you travel frequently or are looking for luxury perks, you’ll be better served by a premium rewards-filled travel card such as the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
Bottom line: If you book trips through Hotels.com (even occasionally), you can leverage the card to earn stays without an annual fee.
Read our Hotels.com® Rewards Visa® Credit Card review.
What is Wells Fargo?
Wells Fargo & Company is one of the “Big Four” banks of the U.S., alongside JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Citigroup. Headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides financial services, including banking, investment and mortgage products.
Founded in 1852, Wells Fargo now works to provide exceptional value to its customers through its online and mobile banking services, as well as over 7,200 locations and more than 13,000 ATMs.
What services does Wells Fargo provide?
Wells Fargo’s operations include personal, small business and commercial services. Here are some of the services it offers.
Personal
- Banking. In addition to checking and savings, there are also debit and prepaid cards, as well as credit cards.
- Loans and credit. These include everything from mortgage and home equity to personal and student loans.
- Investing and retirement. Services include IRAs, rollovers, and mutual funds and investment services.
- Wealth management. This includes wealth planning and trust services.
Small business
- Banking. This includes business checking, savings, IRAs and debit.
- Loans and credit. From business credit cards to business real estate and healthcare practices financing, these services are expansive.
- Merchant services. Wells Fargo offers Clover POS Systems, as well as payment and credit card processing.
- Payroll and other services. This includes payroll services, time and attendance, investing for retirement and other services.
Commercial
From auto dealerships to waste and recycling, Wells Fargo has extensive experience in the commercial sphere. Services include commercial financing, real estate and trust services, as well as international services and investment banking.
Pros and cons of Wells Fargo credit cards
Pros
- Tackle your debt. Many of Wells’ cards come with extended periods of 0% APR on balance transfers, a window for cardholders to get smart with handling their debt. If you have outstanding credit card debt, consolidating to one of Wells Fargo’s cards to pay down without interest can be a great way for a fresh start.
- Make a large purchase. Similar to its balance transfer offers, some Wells Fargo credit cards have 0% APR offers on purchases.
- Well-rounded offers. Some of Wells Fargo’s cards feature both rewards and 0% APR offers while having no annual fee, plus a slew of benefits that are common if you carry with the bank. You can find perks to help with personal and financial security, access to your credit score, cellphone protection, emergency travel protections and more.
Cons
- Miss out on rewards. Though you can find great rewards with Wells Fargo cards, some of them require a high credit score and don’t have rewards.
- Low earnings potential. Wells Fargo’s rewards structures don’t come with rotating categories, huge sign-up bonuses or extraordinarily-high rates.
- International charges. Wells Fargo’s cards aren’t free from foreign transaction fees, meaning you’ll likely face a 3% charge every time you swipe your card when traveling abroad.
How to choose a Wells Fargo credit card
Finding the right credit card starts with knowing what features matter most to you. Want to build or improve your credit? Earn the highest cash back rewards for the things you spend the most on? Or do you want to make interest-free payments on purchases or past debt for a set period of time? Whatever your goal, chances are there’s a credit card for you, but to determine which one would be the best fit when choosing, you should ask these three questions:
How will my credit score impact my application?
When you know what features you’re looking for, you’ll need to know your credit score and compare the cards that best fit you and your creditworthiness. With Wells Fargo, most of its credit cards require a good to excellent credit score to qualify, so if you have a bad to fair credit score or limited credit history, you have much lower chances for approval.
However, a tool like CardMatch can do a lot of the work for you. By answering a few questions, you’ll quickly get credit card options tailored to your needs and credit profile, and one of your options might even be a Wells Fargo card. But before you apply, see if you can get preapproved with Wells Fargo.
Are there any fees associated with the card?
It’s important to ask yourself whether the fee structure of a Wells Fargo card will fit your lifestyle. For example, if you want to do a balance transfer, you should be aware that Wells Fargo’s balance transfers typically come with a balance transfer fee.
Also, if you ever plan to travel, look for a card with no foreign currency conversion fees, such as the Wells Fargo Autograph Card or the Hotels.com Rewards Visa Card. If you only plan on using your card occasionally, then you can probably do without annual fees altogether — which you can luckily avoid with most Wells Fargo credit cards. But keep in mind that you should also be aware of any potential late fees, penalty APRs or cash advance fees as well.
Do I want to earn rewards?
Of course, rewards programs are a fantastic benefit since they allow you to earn money back on your purchases. Some Wells Fargo cards, such as the Wells Fargo Autograph Card, reward specific categories such as gas stations or restaurants, while others offer flat-rate rewards on purchases such as the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card. Earning rewards, on the other hand, may be on the back burner for you if you prefer to focus on improving credit or paying off existing debt, so the Wells Fargo Reflect Card would be a good fit for this goal. But if you determine that rewards are important to you, you should first figure out which type of rewards program works best for you before applying for any Wells Fargo credit cards.
Should you get a Wells Fargo card?
Who should get a Wells Fargo card
- Everyday rewards seekers: Wells Fargo has a couple of options perfect for someone on the hunt for consistent cash back rewards on every purchase. The Wells Fargo Active Cash allows cardholders to earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, making for a simple and worthwhile rewards structure.
- Debt solvers: Someone who wants to pay down their credit card debt has a no-brainer option with Wells Fargo: the Reflect card. It has one of the longest intro APRs on the market to give cardholders breathing room when making payments.
- Category chasers: Someone who spends a lot of money in one category, whether it be at restaurants, at the pump or any other particular spot should look to get rewarded with the Wells Fargo Autograph Card. You can earn extra points and cash back on these purchases and don’t have to worry about any limit on reward earnings.
Who should skip a Wells Fargo card
- Travelers: Wells Fargo rewards its cardholders, but most of its cards are not geared to help save on vacations or take trips in luxury. Frequent flyers and on-the-go business people should look to add hotel credit cards, airline options and other travel cards to their itinerary.
- Credit newcomers: People getting started on their credit-building journey have many credit card options that can help them earn rewards as their credit score improves. While Wells Fargo cards can help you boost your credit, most of their choices require a solid credit score to be approved. Other issuers give options that are tailor-made for people beginning to build their credit, like student cards, secured options and fee-friendly starter cards.
- Card collectors: People choosing among various cards with a specific bank won’t get that experience with Wells Fargo, as it offers limited consumer card options. People who want more options currently available with Wells Fargo would be better off looking elsewhere.
What credit score is needed for a Wells Fargo credit card?
Featuring options with strong rewards and extended intro APR windows, many Wells Fargo’s credit cards require at least a good credit score (in the 670 – 739 range on the FICO scale) for approval. It’s best practice to see if you prequalify with Wells Fargo to avoid a hard inquiry on your credit report and to get a good idea of whether you’d be approved or not. If you aren’t yet in the credit range to obtain a Wells Fargo card, you can use other credit cards to build your credit score for more possibilities. Secured cards, student cards and cards for bad credit can be essentials on the journey to carrying high-end cards.
Wells Fargo’s rewards program
You can redeem rewards through various options, including travel, merchandise, online exclusives and more. Cash back, statement credits and travel perks offer the best value, but taking a glimpse at the options might lead you elsewhere:
- Cash back. Request through an eligible redemption account via My Wells Fargo Deals, PayPal or a check in the mail ($25 increments) or withdraw earnings from a Wells Fargo ATM ($20 increments).
- Statement credit. Redeem your earnings in increments of $25 by applying them directly to your credit card balance.
- Travel. Flights, hotels, rental cars and more can be booked through the Wells Fargo Rewards travel portal.
- Gift cards. Purchase digital or physical gift cards by redeeming points for 1 cent each.
- Merchandise. Enter the Wells Fargo Rewards merchandise portal’s online auction to bid on merchandise using your points.
- Digital downloads. Purchase music, e-books and more using your points. Be aware that prices vary and it’s likely you’ll get less than 1 cent of value per point this way.
- Send a gift. You can send anyone with any type of Wells Fargo account a gift of cash using your points. Points can transfer to friends and family if they have access to Wells Fargo Rewards and you even have the option to gift points to charity.
Value of Wells Fargo Rewards
Bankrate’s latest points and miles valuations estimates that Wells Fargo Rewards points are usually worth 1 cent per point for most redemptions
When compared to other rewards programs, Wells Fargo Rewards are a bit different. Unlike Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards, points aren’t transferable to airline loyalty programs. This is often the best way to increase the value of rewards points, putting Wells Fargo Rewards at an immediate disadvantage.
When compared to other rewards programs, Wells Fargo Rewards are a bit different. Unlike Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards, points aren’t transferable to airline loyalty programs. This is often the best way to increase the value of rewards points, putting Wells Fargo Rewards at an immediate disadvantage.
All in all, Wells Fargo Rewards points are still competitive from a value standpoint but limited in their flexibility.
Other benefits of having Wells Fargo cards
From the famous cellphone protection to auto rental collision damage waivers, the Wells Fargo cards offer respectable benefits. Here’s a list of some of the often-seen perks of Wells Fargo cards:
- Zero liability protection and 24/7 fraud monitoring to protect against unauthorized transactions
- Chip technology for added security
- Rapid Alerts can be used to track purchases and get notified when there’s suspicious activity
- Cellphone protection will help protect your mobile device from covered damage or theft when you pay your monthly cellphone bill with your eligible Wells Fargo card (a deductible applies)
- With an auto rental collision damage waiver, you’ll get auto coverage for damage due to collision or theft
- Emergency card replacement and cash disbursement are available by calling the number on the back of your card when you need an emergency cash advance or a replacement card delivered
- Overdraft protection to ensure that you’re not harshly penalized when accidentally charging too much
- Use My Money Map to create a budget and manage your spending
- Free access to your FICO score to track your progress
- Roadside dispatch and travel accident insurance to help whenever you’re in a bind with your vehicle
- Travel and emergency assistance services to assist when you may need them the most
How we picked the best Wells Fargo credit cards
Research methodology: We analyzed Wells Fargo’s catalog of credit cards to identify their top offers on the market. While a large number of factors contribute to the quality of a credit card, the following were our most important criteria in evaluating and choosing the best here:
- Terms of 0% intro APR period: Wells specializes in intro APR offers for both purchases and qualifying balance transfers. We looked for its longest offers on the market (which are some of the best amongst all credit cards) and considered its after-offer APRs when narrowing down cards.
- Available rewards: With not all of its cards earning rewards, we made sure to include choices that do give cardholders a little incentive for their spending. We found welcome bonuses and solid rewards and included those options here.
- Rates and fees: We looked for Wells Fargo’s no annual fee options as well as ones that have reasonable ongoing APRs, avoid hidden fees and unnecessary charges, and aren’t overly costly for executing a qualifying balance transfer.
Our full criteria include: Rewards flexibility, welcome incentives, balance transfer fees, regular APR, savings period, credit needed, security, ease of application, rewards potential and miscellaneous benefits.
Additional information on Wells Fargo credit cards
For more information on all things Wells Fargo credit cards, continue reading content from our credit card experts:
About the Author
Joey Robinson
Joey Robinson is a credit cards writer for CreditCards.com and has worked at a “Big Four” (Ernst & Young) accounting firm before exploring the world of credit cards. After learning proper professional and financial practices through federal audits, he moved on to his second job, where he was introduced to CreditCards.com/Bankrate as a data analyst. As time passed, his interests drifted away from data analysis and into the communication of credit card essentials. Over the past two years, he’s shared his expertise and has brought understanding to complex topics as a writer and editor for sites like CreditCards.com, Bankrate.com and NextAdvisor. His advice on avoiding common credit card fees, top balance transfer tactics and more financial tips have been featured on MSN Money and other various news publications.
About the Editor
Tracy Stewart
Tracy Stewart is a personal finance writer specializing in credit card loyalty programs, travel benefits, and consumer protections. He previously covered travel rewards credit cards, budget travel, and aviation news at SmarterTravel Media. His money-saving tips have appeared in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Consumer Reports, MarketWatch, Vice, People, the Zoe Report and elsewhere.
About the Reviewer
Bruce McClary
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