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Wells Fargo Active Cash Card Review: An All-Around Cash Rewards Champ

Review Updated
Brittney Myers
By: Brittney Myers

Our Credit Cards Expert

Eric McWhinnie
Check IconFact Checked Eric McWhinnie
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 our experts’ opinions aren’t influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.

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

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
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.
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= Excellent
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
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.
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= Excellent
= Good
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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 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 Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

2% cash rewards

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

$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 generous intro APR offer. We simply haven’t come across this combination of top perks in one card before.

    • Unlimited 2% cash rewards
    • Long 0% intro APR offer
    • Generous cash rewards welcome bonus
    • No annual fee
    • Cellphone protections
    • Card perks
    • Free FICO® Score updates
    • No bonus categories
    • Foreign transaction fees
    • Balance transfer fee
    • Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific 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 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% 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.

Wells Fargo Active Cash Card review

This credit card is a good fit for: Shoppers who want a one-card wallet with no hoops or hassle.

Features and benefits

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.

Unlimited 2% cash back means you don't have to activate or track bonus categories

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.)

  • Heading to the grocery store? 2% cash rewards. 
  • Hitting the hardware store? 2% cash rewards. 
  • Buying concert tickets? 2% cash rewards.

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

Earn an easy $200 cash rewards welcome bonus without a ton of spend

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

Long 0% APR intro offer gives you time to pay off big purchases without big fees

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!

No annual fee to eat into your rewards

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

Cellphone protection gives you $600 worth of peace of mind

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.

Drawbacks worth considering

Every choice we make means saying no to something else. Here are some factors to consider when you choose this card.

Flat-rate rewards mean there are no bonus categories

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.

Foreign transaction fees make it expensive to use your card abroad

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

Find the best credit card for your needs

Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.

Suggested Wells Fargo Active Cash Card credit score

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.

This card is right for you if:

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.

Alternatives to consider

  • If you want unlimited cash back plus bonus categories: The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a solid unlimited cash back rewards card with 1.5% back outside of bonus categories. The bonus rewards categories can be particularly lucrative, much like its welcome bonus.
  • If you want big rewards on everyday purchases: The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express packs a ton of cash back rewards into its $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. annual fee (see rates and fees). Users earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets ($6,000 annual purchase cap), plus 6% back on U.S. streaming services and 3% back on transit and U.S. gas stations. Terms apply.

Our picks for the best Wells Fargo credit cards might also have some options you like.

As of Nov. 27, 2023
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Image for
Chase Freedom Unlimited® Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
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.
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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 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.
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= Excellent
= Good
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Credit Rating Requirement: 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)

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Credit Rating Requirement: 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)

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. 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: Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.

$250

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. 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: Circle with letter I in it. 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: Circle with letter I in it. 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: Circle with letter I in it. N/A

$0

Annual Fee:

$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.

Highlights:

  • INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
  • Enjoy 6.5% 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; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
  • After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
  • No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
  • Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
  • No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
  • Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
  • Member FDIC

Highlights:

  • Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
  • $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
  • Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 intro plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months from the date of account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each eligible purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
  • Low Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.24% - 29.99%. Variable APRs will not exceed 29.99%.
  • 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.
  • Get up to $120 in statement credits annually when you pay for an auto-renewing subscription to Equinox+ at equinoxplus.com with your Blue Cash Preferred® Card. That’s $10 in statement credits each month. Enrollment required.
  • Thinking about getting the Disney Bundle which can include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+? Your decision made easy with $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $9.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your Blue Cash Preferred® Card. Enrollment required.
  • Terms Apply.
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Our credit card methodology

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.

FAQs

  • 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