Personal CardCash Card

Wells Fargo Active Cash Credit Card

Written by: Lenny Pappano

The Wells Fargo Active Cash Card offers minimal value for serious credit card enthusiasts. Its cash back structure lacks the premium travel redemption options that maximize reward potential, making it an underwhelming choice despite having no annual fee.

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Wells Fargo Active Cash Credit Card Review

Key Takeaways

The Wells Fargo Active Cash Card offers limited value for credit card enthusiasts. Cash back cards typically don't provide the valuable rewards that most points collectors seek. With no annual fee, this card offers a modest welcome bonus and few standout benefits compared to similar cash back cards. Its key limitation is the inability to directly redeem rewards for travel or transfer to airline and hotel partners, which is typically the most valuable way to use credit card rewards. While you could use the cash back to pay for travel expenses, many other cards offer significantly better benefits that would justify using one of your 5/24 slots. This card does not warrant that consideration.

Why This Card Could Be Right For You

This is a straightforward cash back card with simple rewards earning. The Wells Fargo Active Cash Credit Card offers a $200 cash welcome bonus after spending $500 in the first three months. You earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on all purchases with no categories to track.

The card has no annual fee and includes several additional benefits:

0% APR for the first 12 months
Cell phone protection up to $600 against damage or theft
Travel protections including auto rental collision damage waiver
Travel and emergency assistance services
Roadside dispatch

You can redeem rewards in multiple ways:

As a statement credit (starting from just $1)
As credit to a qualifying Wells Fargo credit card or checking account
At ATMs with your Wells Fargo debit card
For gift cards
As credit toward a Wells Fargo loan or mortgage

While Wells Fargo does have airline and hotel transfer partners, you cannot transfer rewards directly from the Active Cash Card. However, if you have one of the Wells Fargo Autograph cards, you can transfer rewards from your Active Cash Card to an Autograph card, then to a travel partner.

When The Usual Advice Doesn't Apply

This card may not be suitable if you specifically want travel rewards as part of your credit card strategy

What to Know About Wells Fargo Go Far Rewards

Wells Fargo Rewards should only be considered when you've exhausted Chase, Amex, or Capital One

One unique feature of Wells Fargo Rewards is that they can be transferred or gifted to another Wells Fargo customer
The Autograph cards are the only cards with transferable miles to partners
Wells Fargo doesn’t have the same robust list of transfer partners as other Rewards programs like Chase or Amex
But there is still value to be had, like transferring to Flying Blue and redeeming miles for one of their monthly Promo Rewards

How The Wells Fargo Active Cash Credit Card Fits In The Wells Fargo Go Far Rewards Ecosystem

The Wells Fargo Active Cash exists alongside three other Wells Fargo cards, creating a diverse ecosystem of reward options. However, only one of these cards truly stands out as worth considering.

Autograph Journey Card - Our top recommendation among Wells Fargo cards, but only after you've acquired key Chase, American Express, and Capital One cards.
- $95 annual fee
- 60,000 point welcome bonus after $4,000 spend in 90 days
- $50 annual statement credit for airline purchases of $50+
- Offers various spending multipliers for accelerated rewards
- Allows point transfers to travel partners, maximizing reward value

The Journey card is especially valuable since it's one of just two Wells Fargo cards that allows transfers to airline and hotel partners - the most effective way to maximize your rewards.

Wells Fargo Autograph Card - A no-annual-fee option with partner transfer ability
- 20,000 point welcome bonus after $1,000 spend in three months
- Earns 3x points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, streaming services, and phone plans
- 1x points on all other purchases
- No annual fee
Wells Fargo Attune Card - Not recommended
- $100 cash welcome bonus after $500 spend in 90 days
- 4% cash rewards on specialty categories (gym memberships, salons, spas, select sports, recreation, entertainment, public transit, EV charging, and select thrift stores)
- 1% back on all other purchases

When considering the Active Cash Card, remember it serves as a basic cash back option in Wells Fargo's lineup but lacks the transfer ability of the Autograph cards. If you're primarily interested in travel rewards, either of the Autograph cards would be a better fit within this ecosystem, with the Journey version offering substantially better value despite its annual fee.

Card Information

Bonus Points	Minimum Spend	Point Value	Annual Value	Annual Fee	1st Year Value
20,000	$500	1.4 ¢	$75	$0	$362

Best Value	Differentiating Perks	Rules
Travel, Gift Cards, Cash Back	2% Cash Back every purchase	No 5/24

Award System

Bank

Reconsideration Phone 800.642.4720

Current Offer

20,000 Bonus Points for
$500 spend.