Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card vs. Wells Fargo Autograph(SM) Card

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Wells Fargo offers two credit cards with the same welcome bonus and similar rewards. Which one is right for you? Or should you get both? Let’s dive in and compare Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card vs. Wells Fargo Autograph^SM Card.

Welcome Offer

The major difference in the welcome offers is cash back vs. points.

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months Wells Fargo Autograph^SM Card: Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s a $200 cash redemption value.

According to Wells Fargo, the points are worth slightly more than the cash back, so we’ll give the win to the Autograph.

Cash Back Rewards

The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offers straightforward rewards: you get 2% cash back on every purchase. No limits, no caps, no categories. This is a great card to use for purchases that you can’t get elevated rewards on. Or if you use another card like Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express and max out your cap on groceries, you can use the Active Cash card for the rest of your grocery purchases.

The Wells Fargo Autograph^SM Card earns you 3x points on restaurants, travel, gas, transit, select streaming services, and phone plans; 1x point on all other purchases. You can redeem your rewards for purchases, gift cards, travel or through PayPal. Rewards can only be redeemed in $25 increments.

It’s hard to say which one is better. Technically, you can earn more per purchase with the Autograph card, but some purchases will fall outside elevated rewards categories and will only earn 1x point. With Active Cash, you just earn 2% on every single purchase. Depending on your spending, you could earn more with the 2% card.

Here are the details for each card.

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Rewards:  

Wells Fargo Autograph^SM Card

Rewards:  

Rates and Fees

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card currently has a 0% APR introductory rate on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months from account opening.

Wells Fargo Autograph^SM Card has a 0% APR introductory rate on purchases only for the first 12 months from account opening.

If you want to transfer a balance, your only choice between the two is the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. If you’re thinking about making a large purchase and want a 0% rate, it’s still a better deal because you get an extra three months to pay off your purchase.

Neither card has an annual fee. However, only the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card has foreign transaction fees: 3% of each transaction converted to U.S. dollars.. This is important if you’re planning any international travel, as you want a card with no foreign transaction fees.

Both cards offer cell phone protection, up to $600. Only the Wells Fargo Autograph^SM Card offers an auto collision damage waiver and roadside dispatch. These cards are very similar, so this could tip the balance for you.

Who the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is Best For

If you want to either transfer a balance or make a major purchase, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a great choice. People who don’t want to remember which card to use for certain purchases will love the simplicity of the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. The welcome bonus just sweetens the pot. Many cards today offer 2% cash back on every purchase, but not a lot of them offer cell phone protection as well. One thing this card is not good for is international travel because of the foreign transaction fees.

Who the Wells Fargo Autograph^SM Card is Best For

The Wells Fargo Autograph^SM Card card offers 3x points on many categories that people spend the most money on: restaurants, travel, gas, transit, steaming, and phone plans. You also get that 0% rate on purchases for the first 12 months from account opening, plus an attainable welcome bonus. It also offers cell phone protection, plus you can get an auto collision damage waiver and roadside dispatch. And if you’re planning an international vacation, it’s a good card to slip into your wallet because it doesn’t have foreign transaction fees.

Does it Make Sense to Get Both Cards?

Yes. Because neither card has an annual fee, you could easily get both. Use the Autograph card for all your restaurant, gas, travel, transit, phone and streaming purchases and use the Active Cash card for everything else. That way, you are guaranteed at least 2% cash back, but will earn essentially 3% cash back on most purchases. Getting both cards is a great option.

Approval Odds

The credit score data listed below comes 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.

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Wells Fargo Autograph^SM Card

Since both cards are issued by the same bank, they have pretty similar underwriting standards. You probably need excellent credit for both cards, but there are exceptions.