We Just Gave Our Best Cash Back Card a 5-Star Rating

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I know geeking out over credit cards isn't everyone's thing -- but it is mine.

And this card just made me do a little happy dance.

Every year, our team combs through hundreds of credit cards. Only a tiny handful earn a perfect 5-star rating. And just one gets crowned our Best Cash Back Card of the Year.

This year, a card that checks all the boxes is the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (rates and fees).

Here are all the deets.

Ratings Methodology
Award Icon 2025 Award Winner
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)
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.

Unlimited 2% cash rewards on all purchases

Don't you hate it when you're at the checkout line, staring at your wallet, trying to remember which credit card gives the best rewards at that particular store?

I've done that shuffle more times than I'd like to admit. Grocery card? Dining card? Gas card? It gets confusing even for a rewards nerd like me.

Wouldn't it be easier if just one card gave you a solid rewards rate on everything?

That's exactly what the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card does. You earn a flat 2% cash rewards on all purchases. No rotating categories, no limits, no guessing games.

If you spend $1,000 a month, that's $240 per year in cash rewards. Spend $3,000? That's a $720 cash reward, just for using the right card. Easy.

What makes this card a 5-star standout

The flat 2% cash rewards is the star of the show. But here are the other perks that make it a 5-star package:

$0 annual fee

Annual fees can eat into your rewards. And for low spenders, sometimes it's hard to justify keeping a card with fees.

But this card has no annual fees to worry about. Every dollar you earn is yours to keep.

Easy $200 cash rewards welcome offer

For new cardholders that spend $500 in the first 3 months, you'll pocket a $200 cash rewards bonus. That's one of the easiest welcome offers around.

0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening

Planning a large purchase or looking to tackle a balance transfer?

This card offers 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers and purchases. It's a handy window of time to pay things off interest-free.

Need a longer runway? Compare more top 0% intro APR cards here

Built-in cellphone protection

Use this card to pay your monthly cellphone bill, and you'll get up to $600 in protection if your phone gets damaged or stolen (minus a $25 deductible).

Hopefully you never need it, but it's an underrated benefit that could save your butt.

Should you get this card?

Unless you're allergic to cash rewards (in which case… what?), you should probably apply for this card.

Seriously though, if your current everyday card doesn't offer 2% cash rewards across the board, you could be leaving money on the table.

Personally, I use category cards for very specific transactions. Like earning 5%-10% back on travel with a travel rewards card. But for all my "other" spending that doesn't fall into a high rewards category, I use a 2% cash rewards card. It's my go-to for earning a solid flat rate.

The good news is there's no annual fee to worry about, plus a $200 welcome offer you can earn in the first few months.

Apply for the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card today and start earning unlimited 2% cash rewards on all purchases.

Our Research Expert