Get 2% Back on Everything and a $200 Bonus With This No-Fee Card

Published on July 8, 2025

James McClenathen

By: James McClenathen

Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. Citi is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money.

The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (rates and fees) is one of the most straightforward, and all-around best, cash back credit cards available today. With unlimited 2% cash rewards on all purchases, a welcome bonus, and an intro APR offer, this card offers solid value with a $0 annual fee.

Read on to learn how this card stacks up to the competition and see if you should apply.

Ratings Methodology
Award Icon 2025 Award Winner

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

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Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR Circle with letter I in it. 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening

Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers

Regular APR

19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

2% cash rewards

Annual Fee

$0

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.

$200 cash rewards

  • This card’s unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases is the highest we’ve seen for a flat-rate rewards card with no annual fee. It also has an incredibly easy-to-earn $200 welcome bonus and a decent intro APR offer. We simply haven’t come across this combination of top perks in one card before.

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    • Unlimited 2% cash rewards
    • Long 0% intro APR offer
    • Generous cash rewards welcome bonus
    • No annual fee
    • Cellphone protections
    • No bonus categories
    • Foreign transaction fees
    • Balance transfer fee
    • Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
    • Earn a $200 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. 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% 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.

Key features

  • Unlimited 2% cash rewards on all purchases: You don't need to track spending categories or activate anything. There's no spending cap on your rewards. Just earn 2% cash rewards everywhere.
  • $200 cash rewards welcome bonus: Earn $200 after you spend $500 in the first 3 months. That's one of the easiest bonuses to qualify for.
  • 0% intro APR: Get 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on both purchases and qualifying balance transfers. After that, a variable APR applies.
  • $0 annual fee: Everything you earn is extra cash in your pocket.
  • Extra perks: The card includes up to $600 in cellphone protection (when you pay your bill with the card; a deductible applies), roadside dispatch, and zero-liability fraud protection.

Who should consider the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card?

This card is a great fit for people who…

  • Want simplicity: If you don't want to worry about rotating categories, or juggle several cards to maximize your rewards, this card makes life easy.
  • Want help paying off debt: You can transfer existing balances to this card, then get 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers.
  • Want to finance a big purchase: You can earn 2% cash rewards and 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on purchases.

The other perks, like cellphone protection, aren't major standouts -- but they're nice bonuses, especially for a no-fee card. Start earning 2% cash rewards on all purchases today -- apply for the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card.

How it compares to other cash back cards

The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a great cash back card, but it's not the only one. Here are some similar no-annual-fee cards worth checking out.

Citi Double Cash® Card

Ratings Methodology

Citi Double Cash® Card

Apply Now for Citi Double Cash® Card

On Citi's Secure Website.

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Citi Double Cash® Card
4.90/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
4.90/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Fair to Excellent (580-850)
Apply Now for Citi Double Cash® Card

On Citi's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Fair to Excellent (580-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: 0%, 18 months on Balance Transfers

Regular APR

18.24% - 28.24% (Variable)

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.

2% cash back

Annual Fee Circle with letter I in it. N/A

$0

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.

$200

  • This card combines a top-notch balance transfer offer with best-in-class unlimited 2% cash back on purchases. There's no introductory APR for purchases, so you'll need to pay those off in full every month if you want to avoid interest charges.

    Read Full Review
    • High cash back
    • 0% intro APR balance transfer offer
    • No annual fee
    • Free credit score monitoring
    • Foreign transaction fee
    • No 0% intro APR on purchases
    • Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
    • Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
    • Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 18.24% - 28.24%, 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).

The Citi Double Cash® Card is one of the closest competitors of the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. It also offers 2% cash back on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.

Here are the biggest differences:

  • 0% intro APR: 18 months on Balance Transfers -- longer than the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card -- but no 0% intro APR for purchases.
  • Welcome bonus: $200 after you spend $1,500 in the first 6 months. It's the same amount as the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card's bonus, but you need to spend more to earn it.
  • 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel. (That's an extra 3% on top of the usual 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay.)
  • No cellphone protection

You might prefer this card if:

  • You want to transfer a balance and need more than 12 months to pay it off.
  • You don't need to finance an upcoming purchase with a 0% intro APR.
  • You want to book travel through Citi Travel for more cash back.
  • You can meet the spending requirement to earn the welcome bonus.

Citi Custom Cash® Card

Ratings Methodology

Citi Custom Cash® Card

Rates & Fees External Link Icon
Citi Custom Cash® Card
4.80/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
4.80/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Rates & Fees External Link Icon
Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: 0%, 15 months on Purchases

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months on Balance Transfers

Regular APR

18.24% - 28.24% (Variable)

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2026.

1% - 5% cash back

Annual Fee Circle with letter I in it. N/A

$0

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.

20,000 ThankYou® Points

  • We love this card's easy-to-use yet lucrative cash back program. There aren't many no annual fee cards that earn 5% back, and most of the others have rotating bonus categories that change every quarter. This card automatically adjusts to your spending habits, so getting the most out of it is a breeze.

    • Cash back rewards
    • Sign-up bonus
    • No annual fee
    • 0% intro APR offer
    • Bonus cash back limits
    • Foreign transaction fee
    • Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
    • 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 18.24% - 28.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
    • Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2026.
    • No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
    • No Annual Fee
    • Citi will only issue one Citi Custom Cash® Card account per person.
Citi Custom Cash® Card is unavailable on Motley Fool Money. All information was collected independently and not reviewed for accuracy or provided by the credit card issuer. Some items may be out of date.

This card takes a different approach by offering 5% cash back in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle (up to the first $500 spent), then 1% after that. All other purchases earn 1% as well.

Here are some other differences between this card and the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card:

  • 0% intro APR: 15 months on Purchases and 15 months on Balance Transfers.
  • Welcome bonus: 20,000 ThankYou® Points (worth $200) after you spend $1,500 in the first 6 months (same as the Citi Double Cash).
  • 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2025.

This card might be better for you than the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card if:

  • You spend a lot of money on one category.
  • You don't mind using a different cash back card for other spending categories.
  • You want a few extra months to pay off transferred debt or a new purchase at 0% intro APR.
  • You want to book travel through Citi Travel for more cash back.

The Citi Custom Cash® Card is a fantastic single-purpose card; it could be your go-to card for gas or groceries, for example. But if you use it for everything, then you'll be earning just 1% cash back on a lot of your spending.

If you just want one card that pays a solid cash back rate on all purchases, then the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is probably the way to go.

Not sold on any of these cards? We have plenty more recommendations, including cards with huge sign-up bonuses and premium travel perks. Click here to see our list of the best credit cards and find your new go-to spender.

Our Research Expert

James McClenathen
James McClenathen icon-button-linkedin-2x

Managing editor for Motley Fool Money. James has worked full-time for The Motley Fool since 2012. A longtime editor and former reporter, James oversees the production and quality of Motley Fool Money's editorial content.