Wells Fargo credit cards: Which one is best for you?

The best Wells Fargo credit cards

The best Wells Fargo credit cards offer the highest value for the lowest cost, whether that value comes in the form of intro APR length or cash back. When rating Wells Fargo credit cards, we compared several card factors, including reward categories, earning rates, intro APR length, annual fees and more. The cards that offered the most value for the card’s annual fee or strongly fulfilled a niche were chosen for our list.

Best for balance transfers

Wells Fargo Reflect Card

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Though Wells Fargo has fewer credit cards than many of the competitors on the market, it surprisingly offers one of the stronger balance transfer cards, if not the strongest, in the form of the Wells Fargo Reflect Card. At 18 months for both balance transfers and purchases, this card holds one of the longest balance transfer periods available on the market, offering an unmatched ability to save interest.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Intro APR. Get a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 18 months, then 17.49% to 29.49% variable. The closest competitor card offers 18 months of 0% intro APR period. Two months may not seem like much, but if you're paying off a larger balance, it could make a difference.
  • No annual fee. You won't pay an annual fee for the life of the card.
  • No penalty APR. If you miss a payment, U.S. Bank won't impose a penalty APR. Other cards often impose a penalty APR of up to 32% and may cancel any 0% intro APR offers. That's one less thing to worry about with this card, however.

  Cons

  • No rewards program. You get a long intro APR period, but you don't get to earn any rewards.
  • Foreign transaction fees. Transactions made abroad or online with foreign merchants will cost you 3% of the amount.

• More details

  Annual fee	$0
  Purchase APR	0% intro for the first 18 months (then 17.49% to 29.49% variable)
  Balance transfer APR	0% intro for the first 18 months (then 17.49% to 29.49% variable)
  Rewards	x n/a

Welcome Offer
Rewards	x n/a
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	800

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Best for cash back

Wells Fargo Active Cash℠ Credit Card

The Wells Fargo Active Cash℠ Credit Card is a terrific flat rate cashback card in part because there are no strings attached for earning the card's 2% rate. It also comes with a solid signup bonus and 0% intro APR on purchases, which is a lot of potential value in such a simple card.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Earn cashback. You’ll earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases using this card, without condition.
  • Signup bonus. You can earn $200 after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your card within your first 3 months of account opening. This card’s biggest competitor, the Citi® Double Cash Card, has no signup bonus as of March 2023.
  • Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers. This card comes with 15 months 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers. After your intro period ends, the APR reverts to a variable 19.49%, 24.49%, or 29.49% APR. Having both types of intro APR on this card offers some excellent flexibility for saving money on interest, whether on new purchases or an existing debt.

  Cons

  • Foreign transaction fees. Purchases you make abroad will incur a 3% fee per transaction.
  • Balance transfer fees. While the card comes with a balance transfer offer, you’ll still need to pay the greater of $5 or 3% of your transferred balance.

• More details

  Annual fee	$0
  Purchase APR	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 19.49%, 24.49%, or 29.49% variable)
  Balance transfer APR	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 19.49%, 24.49%, or 29.49% variable)
  Welcome Offer	$200 after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months
  Rewards	Up to 2% cash back

Welcome Offer	$200
Rewards	Up to 2% cash back
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	670

Best for earning rewards on rent payments

Bilt Mastercard

Wells Fargo teamed with Bilt to release the Bilt Mastercard, one of the rare cards on the market that can earn rewards on rent payments. You can also earn points on dining and travel with the card, making it a solid everyday card.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Earn Bilt rewards. You’ll earn up to 2x points on your rent payments based on the amount you spend on non-rent payments each month.
  • Welcome offer. After approval, you’ll earn 3x points on your first month’s rent on up to 10,000 points total. You’ll also earn 2x points on all non-rent payments for your first 30 days after account opening.
  • No annual fee. You won’t pay an annual fee to use this card.
  • World Elite benefits. You’ll enjoy the benefits associated with World Elite Mastercards, including Lyft and Doordash credits, concierge service, purchase protection and cell phone protection.

  Cons

  • Ramp up required for max earnings. You need to spend $3,500 before you can earn 2x points per dollar on your rent purchases. Your points earned on that $3,500 is just 1x points per dollar, lower than many other rewards cards.
  • Rent point values variable. The value of your earned points depends on your building management if you redeem on rent.
  • No intro APR. This card lacks an intro APR on purchases and balance transfers, both of which would prove useful for someone looking for a rent-based rewards credit card.

• More details

  Annual fee	$0
  Purchase APR	20.74%, 23.74%, or 28.74% variable
  Balance transfer APR	20.74%, 23.74%, or 28.74% variable
  Welcome Offer	3x points on your first rent payment (up to 10,000 points) and 2x points on all non-rent payments for your first 30 days, then up to 2x points on rent based on the amount you spend on non-rent payments each month
  Rewards	Up to 2x points

Welcome Offer	Other points
Rewards	Up to 2x points
Annual fee	$0
Minimum credit score	670

How do I apply for a Wells Fargo card?

To apply for a Wells Fargo credit card:

1. Visit the Wells Fargo website.
2. At the top menu bar, hover over Personal.
3. From the drop-down menu, hover over Banking and credit cards and choose Credit cards from the new drop-down menu.
4. Select the type of credit cards you want to view.
5. Hit the Apply now button on the card you want.
6. Fill out your personal information, including your name and residential address, Social Security Number, date of birth, your email address and phone number, and financial information like your annual income and income source, and hit Continue to complete your application.

Unfortunately, Wells Fargo doesn’t offer prequalification at this time.

Standout benefits of a Wells Fargo card

• No annual fee. Almost all Wells Fargo cards come with no annual fee, which is a great value.
• Cash redemption. In addition to statement credits, Wells Fargo lets you redeem your cash back for literal cash at ATMs.
• Cell phone protection. Many Wells Fargo credit cards come with cell phone protection, which is a relatively rare perk for other providers.

Wells Fargo rewards program

For its rewards cards, Wells Fargo offers either cash back or points. Cash back is redeemed by:

• Cash withdrawal through your Wells Fargo debit or ATM card.
• Direct deposit into your Wells Fargo checking or savings account.
• Applying it as credit to your eligible Wells Fargo mortgage principal balance.

If your card gives points, you can redeem them for a variety of rewards depending on your card, such as:

How to compare Wells Fargo balance transfer cards

Wells Fargo balance transfer cards have 0% intro APR periods ranging from 6 to 18 months. Depending on your financial situation and your needs, you can either settle for a shorter intro APR period plus rewards or go for a longer intro APR period without rewards. One card even has a zero-interest balance transfer intro APR that lasts a year and a half, while another is a student credit card.

Even though transferring your balance with a Wells Fargo credit card is a straightforward process, you have to keep an eye on the following:

• Balance transfer fees. All Wells Fargo balance transfer cards come with a 3% fee of the amount with a minimum fee of $5 for all transfers completed during your first 120 days of card membership. After that, any balance you transfer will cost you 5% of the amount. This means that for a $5,000 balance transfer, you’ll pay a $150 fee during the first 120 days and $250 fee after that.
• 0% Intro APR period. To use the 0% intro APR period, you must complete your balance transfers during your first 120 days when you open your account. Any transfers made after that will accrue the revert APR of between 11% and 25%, depending on the card and your creditworthiness.
• Balance transfer amount. Wells Fargo doesn’t disclose the amount you can transfer, but this is often either up to 95% or 100% of your available credit limit.
• What happens after the intro APR period ends? You start to accrue interest to any unpaid balance.
• No rewards. Balance transfers are among the few credit card transactions that don’t earn any rewards, no matter the kind of card you have.

How to complete a Wells Fargo balance transfer

1. Compare Wells Fargo cards. Sort through Wells Fargo cards to find the best offer for your needs.
2. Choose a card. On the Wells Fargo card page, scroll down and click the Terms and conditions dropdown. You can check the card’s balance transfer intro APR, ongoing APR and fees.
3. Apply for the card. Click Apply now to start the application process. Start completing the form with your personal and financial details.
4. Request a balance transfer. You can request balance transfers as you apply for a card. There’s no limit to how many you can request, though your transfer amounts will be constrained by the credit limit you receive.
5. Wait for approval. Oftentimes, you’ll receive an immediate decision on your application. If Wells Fargo needs to review your application further, wait seven to 10 business days to hear back.
6. Wait for your balance transfer to complete. If you’re approved and your requests are accepted, Wells Fargo will start processing your balance transfers. As you wait for your transfers to complete, keep paying your creditors to avoid credit score drops and late fees.
7. Make additional balance transfers. If you’d like to make more balance transfers, you can do so by logging in to your online account or calling the number on the back of your card.

Note: You can also request a balance transfer after you received your credit card. Call 800-642-4720 to initiate a balance transfer.

Why choose a Wells Fargo business credit card?

Wells Fargo business cards offer the standard array of perks and reward potential you’d want from a business card. Plus, Wells Fargo offers just three business cards, each tailored to a certain type of business. Some of the potential benefits include:

• Choice of rewards. All Wells Fargo business cards give you the choice of earning 1x reward points or 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
• Bonus reward points. You can earn additional bonus points for every $1 spent at participating Earn More Mall retailers. Plus, you’ll get a 10% bonus when you redeem your points online.
• No foreign transaction fees. Wells Fargo business cards don’t charge fees for purchases made overseas or at foreign websites. Other providers typically charge up to 3% per transaction, so this could be a fair amount of savings depending on how much you travel.
• Zero liability protection. All cards have built-in protection, which means you won’t be responsible for any unauthorized transactions.
• Business tools. All account holders have access to Wells Fargo Business Online, where you can manage spending, payments and transfers online. You can also leverage the Business Spending Report to manage your expenses.
• Employee cards. All three cards allow you to add employee cards, but the amount available and costs can vary.
• Customize your card. Impress clients with a customized card with Wells Fargo’s Card Design Studio Service.
• Overdraft protection. Avoid overdrafts and returned check fees by signing up for the Wells Fargo Business Online service.

Full list of Wells Fargo credit cards