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

Review Updated
Brittney Myers
Author: Brittney Myers
Brittney Myers
Brittney Myers
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Brittney started her writing career in the world of science, putting her physics degree to good use. Her journey into finance started with building her personal credit, but soon grew into a borderline obsession with credit cards and travel rewards. For the last 7 years, she has enjoyed the ability to share her expertise with readers, as well as the opportunity to interview companies and individuals making an impact on our financial lives. She wholly believe most problems can be solved with the right research -- and a good spreadsheet -- and she specializes in translating complex financial topics into actionable advice to help educate and empower readers.

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Eric McWhinnie
Fact Checked: Eric McWhinnie
Eric McWhinnie
Eric McWhinnie

Eric McWhinnie has been writing and editing digital content since 2010. He specializes in personal finance and investing. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance.

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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 that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.

The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is good for a simple one-card wallet or as a catch-all card in a multi-card rewards strategy. The flat rewards rate is very competitive, plus new cardholders can enjoy a welcome bonus and intro APR offer. You won't want to take it abroad, but it's a great pick for your everyday shopping.

Check out our in-depth Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card review to see if this card is a fit for your needs.

Ratings Methodology
Award Icon 2025 Award Winner

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Great for: One-card wallet

Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
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.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
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
= 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)
Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

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.

    • 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
    • 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 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.

Wells Fargo Active Cash Card benefits

Unlimited 2% flat-rate rewards 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 rewards require 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 it's 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.

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 rewards 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 3 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!

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 decent one: 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening. (After the intro period, the go-to rate of 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR applies.)

That's 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.

Here's an example: Suppose you open your card in March 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 March of the following year.

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 Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card rewards

I love a good no annual fee card, and this card is certainly that. Having the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card $0 annual fee 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.

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.

Apply now for the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

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What could be improved

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 potential 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.

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card 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 rewards 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.

Credit card comparison

We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.

Offer Our Rating Welcome Offer Rewards Program APR Learn More
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.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back on rotating categories 		Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Intro:

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular: 18.49% - 27.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024.

Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

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.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash rewards on everyday spending 		$200 cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. 2% cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Intro: 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: 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 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
Best for unlimited rewards on purchases 		25,000 points Circle with letter I in it. 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases 1.5 points per dollar Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers.

Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days

Regular: 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)

Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

On Bank of America's Secure Website.

Is the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card worth it?

Yes, for a lot of folks, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card could be well worth picking up. It's a very competitive flat-rate rewards card, which makes it a solid pick for a one-card wallet. It also lets it fill the base position in a broader rewards strategy, covering all of those purchases that don't fit neatly into another card's bonus category.

Author's note
Image of reviewer

I prefer points to cash back, so my personal rewards strategy doesn't include this card. But if I were to build a wallet using only cash back rewards cards, this would definitely be its anchor. The flat rate is as high as I've seen, so you'd be hard-pressed to find a better card for all of your non-category purchases -- especially with no annual fee. And I could definitely put the welcome bonus and intro APR offer to very good use.

What everyone else is saying

We've told you what we think, but what are other folks saying about the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card? Let's take a look.

What other review sites say

Average review site rating: 4.2 / 5.0 stars

We read the reviews from five other review sites. Everyone agrees that the rewards rate is great for a flat-rate cash rewards card. And we all love the welcome bonus and intro APR offer.

However, other review sites noted the same cons we did, calling out the balance transfer and foreign transaction fees. Beyond that, the sites with more of a travel focus seemed less impressed with cash back rewards overall -- which makes sense, but it may explain the lower scores.

Online consensus

Folks online seem to really dig this card. The majority of the feedback I've found on social media sites is overwhelmingly positive.

Like us, cardholders love the competitive cash rewards rate. It seems most folks are using it as their go-to card for non-bonus-category spend. I also saw a lot of mentions of the cellphone insurance benefit when you pay your cellphone bill with your card.

Most complaints I found were from folks who didn't get approved for the card. Otherwise, the big beef from actual cardholders seemed to be an older policy on cash rewards redemption (you could only redeem in $25 increments). Wells Fargo has since changed that policy, and cardholders seem pleased with the changes.

Find the best credit card for your needs
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What to know before applying

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.

Pre-approval process

You can use the Wells Fargo Prequalified Offers page to check for any Wells Fargo credit cards for which you may be prequalified. Pre-approval takes less than a minute, will use a soft credit pull -- this doesn't hurt your credit score -- and requires your name, address, and the last four digits of your Social Security number.

You may not be eligible for a new Wells Fargo credit card if you've opened a Wells Fargo credit card within the last six months.

Intro APR

The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offers a 0% APR intro period for purchase and balance transfers for 12 months from account opening. (After that, your APR will be 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR) This is a pretty competitive intro offer for a cash rewards card, especially because it applies to both new purchases and balance transfers.

Keep in mind that you may not be eligible for the intro APR if you've had or opened a Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card in the last 48 months.

Fees

  • Annual fee: $0
  • Balance transfer fee: 3% of each transferred amount on transfers made within the first 120 days, then up to 5%, min: $5
  • Cash advance fee: 5% of the total amount ($10 minimum)
  • Foreign transaction fee: 3% of each transaction converted to U.S. dollars

Credit limit

Reports indicate the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card credit limit can start as low as $1,000 or as high as $20,000, depending on your income, credit, and history with Wells Fargo.

Cardholder reports also suggest Wells Fargo doesn't hand out unsolicited increases. However, you can request a credit limit increase by calling Wells Fargo at 1-800-642-4720. (Requesting a credit limit increase may result in a hard credit pull, though reports suggest a soft pull is most likely.)

Grace period

The grace period for this card is 25 days after the close of the billing cycle. Cardholders can avoid paying interest if the entire balance is paid by the due date of each month.

Our credit card methodology

At Motley Fool Money, 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 Motley Fool Money 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.

  • Based on complaints from denied applicants, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card may be harder to get than similar cards. Wells Fargo considers your credit history, your income, and your relationship with Wells Fargo. You cannot get a new Wells Fargo credit card if you've opened a Wells Fargo card account within the last six months.

  • Yes, you can use this card internationally -- but you may not want to. It charges a 3% foreign transaction fee for each transaction converted to U.S. dollars.

  • The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a flat-rate cash rewards card, so you earn the same 2% cash rewards on purchases regardless of the category. You don't need to activate anything to earn cash rewards, it happens automatically when you make eligible purchases. Rewards can be redeemed to cover card purchases or as a credit to your eligible Wells Fargo card or bank account.