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Ryan Wilcox is a full-time Personal Finance Writer at Motley Fool Money, covering credit cards, bank accounts, investing, auto insurance, and other personal finance topics. Ryan has been writing about credit cards and savings since 2022. Before joining Motley Fool Money, he was a full-time writer at The Points Guy, where he focused on maximizing credit card rewards and travel strategies. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and American History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he also spent four years reporting for The Daily Tar Heel. With a background in both journalism and consumer finance, he brings a clear and thoughtful voice to money topics. Outside of work, Ryan is likely reading, writing, or updating his Letterboxd account.
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Trying to decide between the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (rates and fees) and Wells Fargo Autograph® Card (rates and fees)? You're already looking at two of the best no-annual-fee cards available. But these cards are built for two different types of spenders.
If you prefer simplicity and flat-rate rewards, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is one of the best options on the market. It's one of a handful of credit cards I actually own, mostly thanks to its strong catch-all earning rate.
The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card, meanwhile, is great if you want to earn more in select categories like dining or travel.
Here's a full rundown to help you decide which is best for you.
Key differences between the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card and Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
Both the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card and Wells Fargo Autograph® Card offer solid rewards for no annual fee, but they take very different approaches to get there.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card gives you unlimited 2% cash rewards on all purchases, great for anyone who wants to earn a strong rate on all their spending. I swear by my Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card -- I love earning solid rewards without having to juggle tons of bonus categories.
The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card, on the other hand, offers 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans, plus 1X points on other purchases. That's a pretty solid return on all sorts of everyday expenses, especially for a card without an annual fee.
5.00/5
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
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
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
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 Rating Requirement:
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)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
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)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Welcome Offer:
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
$200 cash rewards
Welcome Offer:
Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value.
20,000 bonus points
Rewards Program:
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
2% cash rewards
Rewards Program:
Earn unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans. Plus earn 1X points on other purchases.
1X-3X points
Intro APR:
0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Purchases: 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases
Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
Intro APR:
0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases
Purchases: 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR:
18.99%, 24.99%, or 28.99% Variable APR
Regular APR:
18.99%, 24.99%, or 28.99% Variable APR
Annual Fee:
$0
Annual Fee:
$0
Highlights:
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. 18.99%, 24.99%, or 28.99% 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.
Highlights:
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. 18.99%, 24.99%, or 28.99% 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.
At Motley Fool Money, every credit card we review is rated on a 5-star scale, scored to a tenth of a point. Our ratings weigh the features that matter most: rewards rates, 0% intro APR offers, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and purchase protections.
We score cards within four primary categories:
0% intro APR cards for paying down balances or financing purchases
Travel cards for maximizing points, miles, and perks on the road
Cash back and rewards cards for everyday spending value
Business cards designed to fit company expenses and growth
Top-rated cards typically combine strong long-term value, attainable bonuses, low fees, and standout protections or perks.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best credit card recommendations. Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring credit cards from reputable brands. 'Best for' category selections on this page are determined by our editors, and a single card may be recognized in multiple categories.
Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.
At Motley Fool Money, every credit card we review is rated on a 5-star scale, scored to a tenth of a point. Our ratings weigh the features that matter most: rewards rates, 0% intro APR offers, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and purchase protections.
We score cards within four primary categories:
0% intro APR cards for paying down balances or financing purchases
Travel cards for maximizing points, miles, and perks on the road
Cash back and rewards cards for everyday spending value
Business cards designed to fit company expenses and growth
Top-rated cards typically combine strong long-term value, attainable bonuses, low fees, and standout protections or perks.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best credit card recommendations. Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring credit cards from reputable brands. 'Best for' category selections on this page are determined by our editors, and a single card may be recognized in multiple categories.
Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.
Deciding between the two comes down to how you spend your money, and how you want to redeem your rewards. The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card lets you transfer your points to a small number of Wells Fargo travel partners, while the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card doesn't let you transfer your cash rewards.
If you have both cards, you can pool your rewards cards and redeem your Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card rewards for travel. But if you only have the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, you're out of luck when it comes to transfer partners.
Other perks: Welcome bonuses and cellphone protection
Both the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card and Wells Fargo Autograph® Card offer similar welcome bonuses -- but the requirements differ a little.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card comes with a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in the first 3 months. The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card, meanwhile, offers 20,000 bonus points (equivalent to $200 in travel) after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months.
As mentioned, both cards have no annual fee. They also come with cellphone protection of up to $600 when you pay your bill with the card (subject to a deductible). Aside from the Wells Fargo Autograph® Card's slightly higher spending requirement, the two cards are basically neck-and-neck in a few key ways.
Intro APR offers: Which card can help you save?
With the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, you'll get a 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers and 12 months from account opening on purchases. (An ongoing 18.99%, 24.99%, or 28.99% Variable APR applies after.) That means that in addition to being a great flat-rate card, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card can help you pay off a big purchase or get rid of existing debt while avoiding interest.
The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card, meanwhile, doesn't come with an intro APR offer for balance transfers, but does offer 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases (followed by a 18.99%, 24.99%, or 28.99% Variable APR). If you're looking to consolidate debt, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is clearly the better choice.
Foreign transaction fees: Which is better for travelers?
The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card takes the cake here. It charges no foreign transaction fees, which means you can use it abroad without paying any additional fees. Combine that with its 3X rate on travel purchases, and you're looking at a great no-annual-fee travel companion.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, meanwhile, charges a 3% foreign transaction fee. It's best used for domestic and online purchases.
Final verdict: Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card vs. Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
If you want to rack up easy rewards with one simple card, I'd recommend the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. It's great for anyone who wants strong, consistent value. We named it one of the best flat-rate cash back cards for a reason -- its flat 2% cash rewards rate is one of the highest you'll find.
The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card, meanwhile, is perfect if you spend a lot on restaurants, travel, transit, and more. It takes a bit more effort on the user's part to remember a few bonus categories, but it makes up for it with strong earning rates, plus the option to redeem your rewards with Wells Fargo's travel partners.
Choose the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card if:
You want simple, flat-rate rewards with a 0% intro APR offer on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (12 months from account opening on both; 18.99%, 24.99%, or 28.99% Variable APR applies after).
The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card is generally better for travelers, thanks to its lack of foreign transaction fees and valuable earning rate on travel spending.
Yes. You can own both cards and use them to complement each other -- the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card for flat-rate purchases, the Wells Fargo Autograph® Card for its bonus categories and travel partners.
No. Rewards from both the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card and Wells Fargo Autograph® Cards won't expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing.
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Wells Fargo is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Target and Visa. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Visa.
