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More than just a bank, Wells Fargo provides several reasons to choose one of its credit cards for cash rewards or balance transfers. While its lineup of consumer credit cards isn’t as extensive as other issuers’ selections, you may be able to find the best Wells Fargo credit card that meets your financial needs.
Editor's Picks: Best Wells Fargo Credit Cards of 2022
Our writers, editors and industry experts score
credit cards based on a variety of factors
including card features, bonus offers
and independent research. Credit card issuers have
no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Rewards rate
N/A
Intro offer
N/A
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
14.49%-26.49% Variable APR
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Leveraged correctly, this Wells Fargo card can net you one of the longest introductory APRs on the market: Cardholders pay 0 percent interest on purchases and qualified balance transfers for 18 months from account opening (then variable 14.49 percent to 26.49 percent APR) and can get up to a three-month extension on that intro APR offer with on-time minimum monthly payments for a whopping 21 months of promotional interest.
The card touts up to $600 in cell phone protection if you use it to pay your monthly phone bill (subject to a $25 deductible).
Getting an up to three-month extension on the promotional APR encourages discipline in on-time card payments.
Cons
This card charges a 3 percent foreign transaction fee, making it a card you shouldn’t use abroad.
The lack of a traditional rewards program eats into the long-term value of this card.
0% intro APR for 18 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. Intro APR extension of up to 3 months with on-time minimum payments during the intro and extension periods. 14.49% to 26.49% 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
Get up to $600 of cell phone protection when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your eligible Wells Fargo card (subject to a $25 deductible).
An easy way to earn cash back while you shop, dine or enjoy an experience simply by using your Wells Fargo credit card. Through My Wells Fargo Deals, you can get access to personalized deals from a variety of merchants.
Select “Apply Now” to learn more about the product features, terms and conditions
additional features
Purchase intro APR
0% intro APR for up to 21 months from account opening
Balance transfer intro APR
0% intro APR for up to 21 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
Our writers, editors and industry experts score
credit cards based on a variety of factors
including card features, bonus offers
and independent research. Credit card issuers have
no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Rewards rate
2%
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
Intro offer
$200 cash rewards
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
16.49%, 21.49%, or 26.49% Variable APR
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
There aren’t many cash rewards cards that earn 2 percent cash rewards back on purchases, but this is one of the best Wells Fargo credit cards because of its cash rewards rate. The spending requirement associated with the card’s sign-up bonus may be a bit high when compared to similar cards, but it’s doable and you’ll have access to many valuable perks and protections, including Visa signature benefits.
The card has no annual fee and a respectable welcome bonus.
You can easily redeem points for a statement credit.
Cons
There is an intro balance transfer fee that rises from 3 percent to up to 5 percent if you don’t transfer a balance within the first 120 days of account opening (minimum of $5).
The sign-up bonus’ spending requirement, $1,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening, is high compared to other cards in this category.
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 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, then a 16.49%, 21.49%, or 26.49% variable APR; 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
Enjoy a premium collection of benefits at a selection of the world's most intriguing and prestigious hotel properties with Visa Signature Concierge
Get up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your eligible Wells Fargo card. (subject to a $25 deductible).
Select “Apply Now” to learn more about the product features, terms and conditions
additional features
Purchase intro APR
0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening
Balance transfer intro APR
0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
Our writers, editors and industry experts score
credit cards based on a variety of factors
including card features, bonus offers
and independent research. Credit card issuers have
no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Rewards rate
1 Stamp
Collect 1 stamp each time you spend $500 on purchases with your card and collect 1 stamp for every night you stay at any eligible property booked on Hotels.com. Collect 10 stamps, get 1 reward night.
Intro offer
Limited Time Offer! Get 3 reward nights worth $375 total (max $125 per night)*
Limited Time Offer! Get 3 reward nights worth $375 total (max $125 per night)* with qualifying purchases. Get 2 reward nights worth $250 total (max $125 per night)*, when you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, get another reward night worth $125 when you spend $4,000 in total purchases within the first 6 months. *Excludes taxes and fees. If a night costs less than $125, you won’t get the difference.
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
16.49% - 24.49% Variable APR
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
The Hotels.com Rewards Visa Credit Card is a solid option for budget-conscious shoppers or less frequent travelers looking for a way to earn hotel stays, given its decent reward night return, flexible(ish) redemption options and lack of an annual fee.
The card touts some sweet ancillary benefits, like cell phone protection, emergency travel services and certain travel insurance.
You won’t pay an annual fee or foreign currency conversion fees.
Cons
Earning reward nights is complex and tricky to maximize.
There are no luxury travel perks like statement credits or account anniversary bonuses.
Limited Time Offer! Get 3 reward nights worth $375 total (max $125 per night)* with qualifying purchases. Get 2 reward nights worth $250 total (max $125 per night)*, when you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, get another reward night worth $125 when you spend $4,000 in total purchases within the first 6 months. *Excludes taxes and fees. If a night costs less than $125, you won’t get the difference.
Collect 1 stamp each time you spend $500 on purchases with your card and collect 1 stamp for every night you stay at any eligible property booked on Hotels.com. When you collect 10 stamps, you'll get 1 reward night to redeem on future bookings through Hotels.com.
Choose from over 500,000 properties in 200+ countries around the world.
$0 Annual Fee.
Enjoy Silver membership exclusives such as free breakfast, airport transfers, free WiFi, and more at selected properties for as long as your card is open.
Pay your monthly cell phone bill with your card and get up to $600 protection against damage or theft (subject to a $25 deductible).
No foreign currency conversion fee.
Offers reimbursement for non-refundable passenger fare if your trip is interrupted or cancelled for a covered reason, when your passenger fare is booked with your card.
Wells Fargo Reflect Card: Best for balance transfers
What we love about the Wells Fargo Reflect Card: Its lengthy zero-interest introductory period on balance transfers. This card has one of the longest 0 percent intro APR on purchases and qualifying balances transfers from account opening on the market (0 percent for up to 21 months, then variable 14.49 percent to 26.49 percent APR) if you qualify for the extension by making on-time monthly minimum payments during the intro and extension periods.
Who this card is good for: Anyone currently carrying high-interest credit card debt looking for an extra-lengthy promotional APR window on transferred balances; ditto for people planning a large purchase they’ll need some time to pay off.
Alternatives: The card doesn’t tout traditional rewards, so it may not be a fit for people who want a card that holds value for the long haul. The Discover it® Balance Transfer Card and its cash back offer on quarterly rotating categories, for example, could prove more rewarding for savvy spenders.
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card: Best for cash rewards
What we love about the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card: The Active Cash Card is a simple yet valuable rewards credit card. Flat-rate cards often offer 1.5 percent cash rewards, but Active Cash’s 2 percent offer is one of the highest unlimited cash rewards cards available.
Who this card is good for: Simplicity lovers who want to earn a good rate of cash rewards on a variety of purchases.
Alternatives: Though 2 percent cash rewards is a standout feature for the Active Cash Card, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card or the Discover it® Cash Back could offer more cash back earning opportunities for people who want to maximize their rewards earnings in key spending categories like dining or groceries.
Hotels.com Rewards Visa Credit Card: Best for occasional hotel guests
What we love about the Hotels.com Rewards Visa Credit Card: You don’t have to pay an annual fee for this hotel credit card, which also offers some flexibility in where you can book given it’s associated with a travel search engine as opposed to a singular hotel chain.
Who this card is good for: Travel search engine fans who plan to book rooms through one site like Hotels.com.
Founded in 1852, Wells Fargo is a multinational financial services company headquartered in San Francisco, California. In addition to traditional banking services like checking and savings accounts, it offers loans, business credit cards, personal loans, business loans, consumer credit cards and more.
However, while it is a giant in the finance industry, it only advertises three consumer credit cards, including one of the best rewards cards, and three business credit cards available on its website. This lineup isn’t as impressive as other issuers, but it does mean that Wells Fargo loyalists have straightforward choices and less option paralysis for opening a new credit card.
Pros and cons of Wells Fargo credit cards
Pros
Dominant presence: Because Wells Fargo has 5,437 branches and 13,000 ATMs, you’ll be able to redeem cash rewards with the Active Cash card (in increments of $20) in a variety of places.
Cellphone protection: Wells Fargo credit cards offer up to $600 protection on your cellphone (subject to $25 deductible) against covered damage or theft when you pay your monthly cellular telephone bill with your eligible Wells Fargo credit card.
Cons
Fewer card options: Wells Fargo offers very few credit cards currently. If you’re interested in comparing a selection of offers, you may be better off with a different issuer.
Not ideal for travelers: The GoFar Rewards program does allow you to redeem your rewards for travel, but Wells Fargo’s credit card portfolio is more geared toward cash back.
How Wells Fargo credit card rewards work
Of Wells Fargo’s three consumer credit cards, only the Active Cash card seems to earn rewards in the Wells Fargo Rewards® program. However, you can redeem the cash rewards earned with this card in four different ways:
For purchases, similar to statement credits
As a direct deposit into a qualifying Wells Fargo checking account, credit card account or mortgage
Cash at an ATM in increments of $20 with a Wells Fargo ATM or debit card
Gift cards in increments of $25
While the flexible redemption options are nice, it’s hard to compare Wells Fargo’s rewards program to other high-caliber programs like American Express’s or Chase’s programs. Wells Fargo credit cards offer no points system to speak of, so you can’t use them for travel like you can with other issuer rewards programs.
One of the best Wells Fargo credit cards, the Active Cash, includes a notable variety of benefits offered both by Wells Fargo itself and by Visa as a Visa Signature card. With the Active Cash, cardholders enjoy the following benefits:
Up to $600 cell phone protection (after $25 deductible) when using the card to pay your phone bill
Zero liability protection, an industry standard
Contactless payment options
Simple, centralized account management through Control Tower®
Luxury Hotel Collection benefits, offered through Visa Signature
Unfortunately, the other two Wells Fargo consumer credit cards do not have Visa Signature benefits attached, but still come with their own features. For example, the Wells Fargo Reflect card offers the following benefits to cardholders when they open an account:
Up to $600 cell phone protection (after $25 deductible) when using the card to pay your phone bill
24/7 on-demand roadside assistance, locksmith and towing services
Deals at select merchants through My Wells Fargo Deals
Zero liability protection, an industry standard
With the Hotels.com Rewards Visa card, cardholders have access to:
Up to $600 cell phone protection (after $25 deductible) when using the card to pay your phone bill
No foreign currency conversion fee
Trip cancellation and interruption reimbursement
Zero liability protection, an industry standard
How do Wells Fargo credit cards compare to other cards?
The Active Cash and Reflect cards are the two best Wells Fargo credit cards that stand up in their respective categories — cash rewards and balance transfer. In these two categories, the cards lead the way.
The Active Cash offers unlimited 2 percent cash rewards back on purchases, toppling the Citi® Double Cash as the best 2 percent flat-rate card (1 percent when you make the purchase and 1 percent when you pay the balance). Additionally, the Wells Fargo Reflect’s potential up to 21-month intro APR from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers can out-perform Citi’s two 21-month balance transfer cards if you make on-time payments during the promotional period.
Someone who fits into one of the following consumer types might benefit from one of the best Wells Fargo credit cards:
Since the Active Cash earns unlimited 2 percent cash rewards on purchases, people who want to maximize cash rewards on all categories of spending might enjoy the earning potential this card has to offer. Because there are no rotating bonus categories or tiered cash back rates, the Wells Fargo Active Cash makes it easy to unlock cash rewards on any purchase.
With the Reflect card, approved customers can get up to 21 months of 0 percent intro APR from account opening on qualifying balance transfers and purchases (then variable 14.49 percent to 26.49 percent APR). If you have high-interest credit card debt on a non-Wells Fargo credit card, you could take up to 21 months to pay it off without worrying about interest accruing each month. Here’s our guide on Wells Fargo balance transfers.
Who should skip a Wells Fargo credit card?
The Well Fargo card portfolio might not be ideal for the following consumers:
The Wells Fargo credit card portfolio does not feature any options for earning points and miles toward airfare and other travel-related expenses. Besides a fairly under the radar travel section under the Wells Fargo Rewards portal, there isn’t much to show in terms of a travel rewards program. You might be better off seeking out a card attached to one of the more lucrative and well-developed travel rewards programs like Capital One Travel or Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Every consumer card Wells Fargo offers has a recommended credit score for approval in the good to excellent range, which is anywhere between a 670 to 850 on the FICO scale. If your credit history is limited or you’ve made mistakes in the past, you may be better off starting with one of the best credit cards for no credit history and working your way up.
How we chose our top-rated Wells Fargo credit cards
Bankrate's personal finance experts choose the best Wells Fargo credit cards according to our 5-star rating system. The list of criteria for rating credit cards includes:
Rewards
Whether the card offers cash back, travel points/miles or multi-purpose rewards for eligible purchases and the potential returns based on rewards rate (1 percent cash back per $1 spent, 1 mile per $1 spent, and so on).
Perks and benefits
Whether the card offers extras such as retail discounts, extended warranties on purchases, travel insurance and financial management tools.
Annual fee
Whether the card charges an annual fee and if so, how much the card's overall value and benefits might offset the fee.
Introductory offers
Whether the card has a sign-up bonus, welcome offer or similar sign-up incentive and how much it adds to the card's overall value.
Variable APR
How the card's annual percentage rate (APR) compares with current averages as an indicator of cost and value.
Foreign transaction fee
Whether the card charges a foreign transaction fee for international purchases and how the fee affects the card's overall value.
Have more questions for our credit cards editors? Feel free to send us an email, find us on Facebook, or Tweet us @Bankrate.
Frequently asked questions about Wells Fargo credit cards
In general, you’ll need a good to excellent credit score to get a Wells Fargo credit card. We recommend having a credit score of 670 to 850 for the Active Cash, Reflect and Hotels.com Rewards Visa cards.
You can have multiple Wells Fargo credit cards, but the issuer has some restrictions on card eligibility:
You may not qualify for a credit card if you’ve opened a Wells Fargo credit card in the past six months
You are not eligible for intro APRs or sign-up bonuses on a Wells Fargo card if you earned a bonus or promotional APR on another Wells Fargo card in the past 15 months
In our opinion, the two best Wells Fargo credit cards are the Wells Fargo Active Cash, which earns unlimited 2 percent cash rewards on purchases, and the Wells Fargo Reflect, which offers up to 21 months of 0 percent intro APR on qualifying balance transfers and purchases from account opening (then variable 14.49 percent to 26.49 percent APR).
Yes, Wells Fargo has a pre-selection tool that doesn’t require a hard credit pull so customers can check if they are eligible for a Wells Fargo credit card.
Wells Fargo issues the following credit cards for consumers:
Courtney Mihocik is an editor at Bankrate Credit Cards and CreditCards.com specializing in credit card news and personal finance advice. Previously, she led insurance content at Reviews.com and worked as the loans editor at The Simple Dollar.
Mariah Ackary is a personal finance editor who joined the Bankrate team in 2019, excited by the opportunity to help people make good financial decisions. Send your questions to mackary@bankrate.com
* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.
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Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. The offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Bankrate.com receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and the likelihood of applicants' credit approval also impact how and where products appear on this site. Bankrate.com does not include the entire universe of available financial or credit offers. Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover.
