Citi® Double Cash Card vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash Card

ByGail Kellner

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Citi® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer

Overall Rating
4.9

Welcome Offer
Earn $200 cash back

Rewards Range
1% to 2%

Annual Fee
$0

Regular APR
19.24% - 29.24%

0% APR on Purchases
N/A

0% APR on Balance Transfers
18 months

Foreign Transaction Fee
3%

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Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Overall Rating
4.9

Welcome Offer
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus

Rewards Range
2%

Annual Fee
$0

Regular APR
20.24%, 25.24% or 29.99%

0% APR on Purchases
15 months from account opening

0% APR on Balance Transfers
15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers

Foreign Transaction Fee
3% of each transaction converted to U.S. dollars.

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Citi Double Cash Card vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash Card

Welcome Bonus

The Citi® Double Cash Card does not offer a welcome bonus at this time.

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. So Active Cash is the winner in this category.

Cash Back Rewards

The Citi® Double Cash Card pays 2% cash back, but it's split: you'll earn 1% cash back when you make a purchase and an additional 1% when you pay the bill. The Wells Fargo card is more straightforward: 2% cash back on all eligible purchases.

Here are the details.

Citi® Double Cash Card

2% cash back
All eligible purchases
Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

2% cash back
All eligible purchases
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases

Rates and Fees

Both cards offer a 0% introductory APR. However, the Citi® Double Cash Card offers 0% for 18 months on balance transfers only. The Active Cash Card offers 0% for purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from account opening months after account opening. After the introductory period is over, both cards have similar APRs.

If your goal is to transfer a balance, the Citi® Double Cash Card offers a longer 0% introductory APR for balance transfers. But if you're looking to make a big purchase and pay it off over a few months, the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card is the better option.

Both cards charge foreign transaction fees, so neither is a good option if you're traveling internationally.

Who the Citi® Double Cash Card is Best For

Since you get 1% cash back when you make a purchase and 1% cash back when you pay the bill, the Citi® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer is best for those who pay their bills in full every month. This card has simple rewards, so for those who don't want to figure out rotating categories or caps, this card a great option for everyday purchases. It's also best if you need to pay off a high interest credit card. You can transfer your balance to the Citi® Double Cash Card and pay it off within 18 months.

Who the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card is Best For

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a great card that also has a simple rewards structure. If you're looking to make a large purchase, the 0% introductory rate on purchases for 15 months from account opening months is a great deal, especially for a card with no annual fee. You can get 0% on balance transfers as well, so if you do carry a balance or want to pay off higher-interest credit cards, this card is a good choice. And one feature of the Wells Fargo card is that it offers cell phone protection, which is a nice benefit that's becoming harder to find.

Does it make sense to get both cards?

Maybe. They both offer similar cash back rewards, but since there's no annual fee for either card, you could get both. You can use the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card to get the welcome bonus and to make a large purchase and use the Citi® Double Cash Card for a balance transfer. Both cards have unlimited rewards, but if you want to maximize your rewards, there are other cards that might suit you better.

Approval Odds

Both cards require excellent credit.

The credit score data provided for some of the cards listed below came from publicly available information in a number of forums. The accuracy of the information cannot be verified. Keep in mind that credit card issuers consider more than an applicant’s credit score and that underwriting standards change over time.

Approval Odds for Citi® Double Cash Card

Credit Score of Approved and Denied Applications

Approval Odds for Wells Fargo Active Cash Card

Credit Score of Approved and Denied Applications

Wells Fargo might be a little less conservative than Citi. In the data above, we do see more denials from the Citi® Double Cash Card. While both cards are excellent options, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offers a bit more. You can get a welcome bonus and 0% intro APR on purchases. But if you need an everyday credit card with a long 0% intro APR balance transfer period, the Citi® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer may be the better choice for you.

Gail Kellner is an editorial assistant and contributing writer for Allcards.com and DoughRoller.net. According to family lore, money was one of her first words (“Mun-ya”) and ever since then, she’s been fascinated with money and investing. She has a B.A. in Psychology from Western CT State University and an M.S. in College Student Personnel from Indiana State University. She lives with her husband, two sons, and various fur-children in Westfield, MA. In her spare time, she writes YA and children’s fiction, reads, and enjoys a good nap.