At a glance
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is among one of the best flat-rate rewards cards available. Aside from its welcome bonus, this card has flexible redemption options that make it a good choice whether you’re new to credit cards or looking to mix and match cards.
- Intro Offer
-
$200 cash rewards Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
-
670 – 850
Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
2% Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
Our take
There are many cash-back cards to choose from, but the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card remains at the top of our best credit card list.
You’ll earn 2% cash rewards regardless of purchase category, along with a solid introductory APR offer, welcome bonus and flexible redemption options. This card also has no annual fee, no spending thresholds and no rewards limit, making it a worry-free option.
I use the Active Cash for all of my uncategorized spending -- purchases that aren’t covered by higher rate rewards of my other credit cards -- and it’s been a rewarding tool from day one. It’s even helped me out of a tough spot during a snowstorm, thanks to its roadside assistance.
But this card does have a few drawbacks that may not make it ideal if you travel abroad often -- namely a foreign transaction fee -- or want more cardholder perks. It only offers a handful, but they are nonetheless useful in a pinch.
Pros
Unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
Easy-to-earn welcome bonus
No annual fee
Introductory APR offer on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Up to $600 in cell phone damage or theft protection after $25 deductible
Cons
No outstanding cardholder perks or statement credits
3% foreign currency conversion fee
Rewards must be redeemed in $20 or $25 increments for some redemption options
Cash rewards and redemption
We feature Wells Fargo on our lists for best credit cards with no annual fee and for cash-back credit cards because of its high flat cash-rewards rate and simple rewards structure. While most credit cards offer a 1% or even 1.5% cash-back rate on all purchases, this card offers an unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
There is a caveat though -- you can redeem your cash rewards for “cash” in $25 increments over the phone or online and at a minimum of $20 via a Wells Fargo ATM or debit card. “Cash” redemption can take the form of a credit on your billing statement, a deposit into a qualifying Wells Fargo checking or savings account, mortgage or a mailed paper check. You can also redeem your rewards to pay for purchases via PayPal.
As a way around the minimum threshold, you can redeem your rewards for particular purchases as small as $1 as long as you have enough cash rewards to cover the purchase in full.
You can also redeem your rewards as statement credits without worrying about a minimum redemption amount. Alternatively, you can redeem your rewards as travel, charitable donations, gift cards (in $25 increments) or merchandise through your account.
Welcome bonus
You can earn a $200 cash rewards welcome bonus after spending $500 in purchases with your Wells Fargo Active Cash Card within the first three months of account opening. That’s an estimated $167 in monthly spending to earn the bonus.
While this welcome bonus doesn’t have the highest nominal value on the market, it has a low spending threshold and an excellent ratio of rewards to spending. If you’re specifically interested in finding a great intro offer value, check out our picks for the best welcome bonuses.
The cash-rewards welcome bonus will be redeemable through your account one or two billing periods after it is earned.
Introductory APR
Another big bonus of the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card is the introductory 0% APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, which lasts for 15 months from account opening. After that, your variable APR will be 20.24%, 25.24% or 29.99%, depending on your credit. This feature makes the card a good option if you want to finance a large purchase and spread out the payments -- but be wary of making charges you can’t afford.
While your 0% intro APR on purchases is valid for the first 15 months from account opening, you can only make a qualifying balance transfer within 120 days of account opening for the 0% introductory APR to apply. But you don’t get 15 months from the date of the balance transfer -- the clock starts ticking when you get approved for the card.
For example, if your balance transfer is initiated three months after opening the account, you’ll only be enjoying the remaining 12 months of 0% introductory APR on that balance (20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR thereafter). You’ll also have to pay a $5 or 3% intro balance transfer fee for 120 days from account opening -- whichever is greater. The fee increases to up to 5% ($5 minimum) after 120 days from account opening.
And if your balance transfer isn’t initiated until five months after account opening, you won’t receive any introductory 0% APR on that balance, since it’s outside the 120-day window.
Other card perks
There aren’t many hidden perks with this card -- what you see is what you get. The cash rewards, welcome bonus and introductory APR cover the bases. You do get up to $600 in cell phone damage or theft protection after a $25 deductible, as long as you pay your bill with your Wells Fargo Active Cash Card.
It also includes an auto rental collision damage waiver, rental car insurance and Roadside Dispatch. The Roadside Dispatch perk came in especially helpful for me during one of the coldest days of the year.
I foolishly dismissed my “low tire pressure” warning as a result of the -10 degree weather, only to find out several miles later I had a flat tire in the middle of a snowstorm.
I called Wells Fargo’s Roadside Dispatch number and spoke with a customer service representative who put me in contact with a local towing company. It cost about $79 to get the tire fixed, but it also kept me out of the below-freezing weather -- as well as the slush and snow from fixing it myself.
Comparable cards
Citi Double Cash® Card
The Citi Double Cash Card is similar to the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card -- both offer a flat 2% cash-rewards rate. With the Double Cash Card, however, you earn 1% when you make the purchase and the other 1% when you make the payment. So while you can earn the same rewards rate, it’s not as straightforward or immediate.
Compared to the Active Cash, the Double Cash offers similar redemption options. You can opt for a mailed paper check, statement credit or direct deposit. You can redeem your points in $10 increments for qualifying in-store CVS purchases. Rewards can also be used toward Amazon.com purchases, gift cards and travel.
You also get 18 months of 0% introductory APR on balance transfers with the Double Cash Card (then a variable APR of 19.24% to 29.24%; balance transfers must be completed within the first four months of account opening). While this is longer than the time frame of the Wells Fargo offer, it doesn’t apply to purchases. Keep in mind that the Double Cash has a 3% intro balance transfer fee ($5 minimum) for balance transfers completed within the first four months of account opening, but the fee increases to 5% ($5 minimum) when it ends.
For more details, see our full review of the Citi Double Cash Card.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is a great cash-back card for most people. Though its cash-back program is a little more involved than Wells Fargo, many may be able to net more rewards overall. You’ll earn tiered cash-back rewards on select categories -- 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% cash back on dining and drugstores, and 1.5% on all other purchases. While the catch-all rate is a little lower than that of the Active Cash Card, the bumps on other spending categories may make up for it. This card may also be a better fit than the Active Cash if you want to maximize your rewards earnings. You can also earn a valuable welcome bonus and comparable introductory APR with this card.
Best of all there’s no required minimum to redeem cash back -- a big difference compared with the Active Cash. You can redeem your rewards for travel, Amazon purchases, gift cards, a statement credit or direct deposit.
Check out all of the details in our full review of the Chase Freedom Unlimited.
How Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card compares to other cards
- Intro Offer
-
$200 cash rewards Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
2% Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
- Intro Offer
-
$200 cash back Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 19.24% – 29.24% (Variable)
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- Fair – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
1% – 5% Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.; Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.
- Intro Offer
-
Earn $200 Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 19.24% – 29.99% Variable
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% on Purchases for 15 months
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
1% – 3% 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.; 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.; 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.; 1% Cash Back on other purchases
The bottom line
The Active Cash has a lot going for it. It’s an uncomplicated card, making it a good choice for both card veterans and beginners. It has valuable rewards, a good welcome bonus for a no-annual-fee credit card, an introductory purchase APR and extra card perks that could be helpful given the right situation.
However, if you’re looking for travel perks or additional higher-tier rewards, this may not be the best option. Other premium rewards or travel credit cards may offer more but often charge an annual fee in exchange.
You may benefit from using a flat-rate cash-back card in addition to a more specialized card to maximize your earning potential and, if possible, transfer or pool your points.
FAQs
Cash-back credit cards offer cardholders rewards on their spending in the form of statement credits or cash. A statement credit is a reduction in the amount due to the credit card company on your monthly bill. Note that rewards are not always available the month you earn them -- they are usually applied to your balance by credit card issuers after one or two billing cycles.
The redemption process for cash-back credit cards is either automatic or very simple. Some cards automatically apply cash rewards to your statement balance each month. Others require you to log in and redeem available rewards points for statement credits. Most points don’t expire, but you will lose them if you close the account before redeeming them.
Cash-back credit cards generally fall into four primary categories: flat-rate, tiered, rotating or choose your own.
Flat-rate cards offer the same rate for every purchase. Tiered cards offer a different rewards rate for different categories of spending. Rotating category cards offer different rewards each quarter, determined by the card issuer. Choose-your-own category cards allow you to choose your rewards category.
To choose the best cash-back credit card for you, the most important thing is to have a clear idea of how you’re already spending money each month. Once you identify your spending habits and categories that you spend consistently in,, you can match your spending with the card that’s best for you. Consider other features of the cards, too, such as APR, sign-on bonuses and foreign transaction fees.
Your credit score may also impact your card options. Most rewards cards require good or excellent credit -- which is typically around 670 or higher. If you don’t meet the credit criteria required, there are credit cards available that are specifically for those trying to rebuild credit, like secured credit cards. Alternatively, you can look into the best credit cards for no credit and the best credit cards for bad credit.
Our methodology
We review the cards that are in the highest demand and offer the best benefits. We scour the fine print so there aren’t any surprises when you open an account. We find the key factors that make a card stand out and compare them with other top cards. That way, readers can opt for a different card with similar features if our pick isn’t right for them. Our reviews are regularly checked and updated to incorporate new recommendations, as well as to reflect changes in offers and the market.
All information about the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
