If you're on a Galaxy Fold, consider unfolding your phone or viewing it in full screen to best optimize your experience.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a standout rewards card that's great for a one-card wallet, or to round out your maximization strategy. This no annual fee credit card offers a great flat rewards rate, plus it also comes with a competitive welcome bonus and intro APR offer. Read our full Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card review for an in-depth look at all the pros and cons.
Great for: One-card wallet
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Purchases: 0% intro APR, 15 months from account opening
Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
Regular APR
20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR
Rewards Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
2% cash rewards
Annual Fee N/A
$0
Welcome Offer 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 generous intro APR offer. We simply haven’t come across this combination of top perks in one card before.
This credit card is a good fit for: Shoppers who want a one-card wallet with no hoops or hassle.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a great do-it-all cash back card for folks who don't want to deal with multiple rewards cards. It offers a flat-rate 2% back on purchases, giving you a respectable return regardless of purchase category. On top of that, it has a welcome offer, intro offer, and $0 annual fee.
I love all my rewards credit cards, but I can admit that activating categories, tracking bonuses, and keeping up with rewards caps can be a bit much at times. The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card requires none of that.
With the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, you get unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases -- period. Nothing to activate, nothing to track. (In fact, this actually sets it apart from other 2% cards, too, since many of them have extra speed bumps like only getting half your rewards when you make your purchase, or having to redeem your rewards into a specific account.)
This rewards versatility means you could use the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card as the only card in your one-card wallet, since you'll get a fair rate on pretty much everything.
However, that's not its only use. It's also a nice pick for rounding out your cash back maximization strategy. Pair it with a nice gas and grocery rewards card, maybe a dining rewards card, and you could cover most of your bases without a huge amount of effort.
LEARN MORE: Best gas and grocery rewards cards
When the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card first came out, it wasn't the only 2% cash back card -- but it was the only one I knew of that had a regular welcome bonus. (I don't think it's a coincidence that similar cards now have welcome bonuses, too!)
Beyond the fact that it exists at all, the amount of the welcome bonus isn't remarkable; many of the best no annual fee rewards cards have $200 welcome bonuses. But what I really like about the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is that you don't have to spend a fortune to earn that welcome bonus. You only need to put $500 on your new card in the first three months to earn the $200 cash rewards welcome bonus.
That's half, if not a third, of what other cards require for the same size welcome bonus. And it works out to around $167 a month. If you're like me, you could meet that by paying for just your cellphone, internet, and streaming services -- with a lot of bills left over!
LEARN MORE: Best Sign-Up Bonus Credit Cards
As someone still paying off an expensive move last year, I have a new appreciation for intro 0% APR offers. And the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card has a very competitive one: 0% intro APR, 15 months from account opening. (After the intro period, a go-to rate of 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR applies.)
That's more than a year you could carry a balance without having to pay interest fees on it. This lets you break down large purchases into smaller monthly payments, giving you a lot of breathing room to pay them off without fees.
LEARN MORE: Best 0% intro-APR cards
Here's an example: Suppose you open your card in March 2024 and make an eligible purchase of $5,000. You can make just the minimum payment each month (which will be significantly less than $5,000) and interest won't start to accrue on that purchase until June -- of 2025.
Pro tip: Make sure you make at least the minimum payment on time every month or you'll lose your 0% APR!
I love a good no annual fee card, and the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is certainly that. Having a $0 annual fee on a card is good for just about any type of cardholder.
One-card walleter? Great! You never have to worry about annual fees and can live your life in peace.
Maximizing rewards and want a flat-rate card for non-category purchases? Also great! You don't have to worry about how often you use your card in an effort to justify some inflated fee.
READ MORE: Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards
If you've ever watched in shocked horror as your $1,000 cellphone slips from your partner's hand while they angle for the perfect shot -- well, let's just say everyone should have some kind of cellphone insurance. Those things aren't cheap to replace.
The simplest way? Use your Wells Fargo credit card to pay your cellphone bill. The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offers coverage in the event of theft, damage, or "involuntary and accidental parting." You can get up to $600 per claim, minus a $25 deductible.
Every choice we make means saying no to something else. Here are some factors to consider when you choose this card.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card's greatest asset is also arguably its greatest drawback: flat-rate cash rewards. Yes, you're getting a competitive rate on non-category purchases, but the trade-off is that the card doesn't have any bonus categories.
Some cards make these categories exceptionally lucrative. One of my favorite cards offers 6% cash back on groceries, for instance. So you're potentially missing out on a lot of rewards if you choose to use only the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card.
Folks who don't want to bother with multiple cards will be happy with the tradeoff. Folks who want to earn more rewards may want to consider augmenting their Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card with a few cards with bonus categories that match their spending habits.
If you're thinking of taking this credit card on your next trip out of the country, think again. The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card includes a 3% foreign transaction fee for any purchases made in a foreign currency or that routes through a foreign bank.
That's more than you'll earn back in cash rewards, meaning these purchases are going to cost you money. For example, if you travel to Canada and use your card to pay for some fresh poutine, you'll earn 2% cash back but end up paying 3% in foreign transaction fees on the purchase.
And you don't need to travel to wind up paying this fee; some online purchases could be in a foreign currency, especially on marketplace or crowdfunding sites. Even if you pay in USD, if the purchase is from a foreign supplier and goes through its bank, it could still trigger the foreign transaction fee.
Folks who travel regularly may want to pick up another card with no foreign transaction fees to supplement their Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card.
LEARN MORE: Best cards with no foreign transaction fees
Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is best for applicants with good credit, which typically means a credit score of 670 or higher. However, remember that issuers look at more than your credit score when evaluating your card application, including your income and full credit history.
Take a look at our guide to the Wells Fargo credit card application rules to learn more about how the process works.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a stand-out flat-rate rewards card ideal for folks who want a one-card wallet or a card for non-category purchases.
To top it off, the card comes with a big welcome bonus and a competitive 0% intro APR offer. While the card doesn't have a lot of secondary cardholder benefits, it doesn't charge an annual fee, either.
Our picks for the best Wells Fargo credit cards might also have some options you like.
|
|
Chase Freedom Unlimited® | Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express |
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
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 |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
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 |
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Apply Now for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
On American Express' Secure Website. Terms apply |
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)
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)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
Welcome Offer: Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. Up to $300 cash back |
Welcome Offer: Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. $250 |
Rewards Program: Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases 1.5% - 5% cash back |
Rewards Program: 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%). 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions. 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations. 3% Cash Back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more). 1% Cash Back on other purchases. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. 1%-6% Cash Back |
Intro APR: 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months |
Intro APR: Purchases: 0%, 12 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 12 months |
Regular APR: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable |
Regular APR: 19.24%-29.99% Variable |
Annual Fee: N/A $0 |
Annual Fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. |
Highlights:
|
Highlights:
|
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Apply Now for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
On American Express' Secure Website. Terms apply |
Show More Show Less |
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
The credit limit for the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card typically ranges from $1,000 to $20,000 or more, based on user reports we reviewed. Credit limits vary by cardholder and depend on several factors, including annual income and credit history.
This card usually isn't hard to get for consumers with good credit. Aim for a FICO® Score of 670 or higher.
Yes, you can use this card internationally -- but you may not want to. It charges a 3% foreign currency conversion fee for each transaction converted to U.S. dollars.
Our Credit Cards Experts
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.
For rates and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, click here
The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Visa.