BankAmericard vs. Wells Fargo Reflect Card

Finance

woman using credit card while working on computer

5 min read Published November 14, 2023

Written by

Re'Dreyona Walker

Edited by

Liza Carrasquillo

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Key takeaways

The BankAmericard and the Wells Fargo Reflect Card are both good options for those looking for a 0 percent intro APR credit card with a lengthy introductory period.
The BankAmericard credit card has a lower balance transfer fee than the Wells Fargo Reflect Card, but it also has a slightly shorter introductory period.
Neither card offers a welcome bonus or rewards, but the Wells Fargo Reflect Card can earn cash back for the cardholder's My Wells Fargo Deals account.

Information about the BankAmericard® credit card was updated on February 9, 2024.

If you have a large purchase coming up, or you just want to save a little bit of money on credit card interest, you might be looking for a 0 percent introductory APR credit card. But with so many different cards offering zero interest on purchases (and sometimes balance transfers), it can be hard to choose the right one. Two of the best options for an intro APR credit card are the BankAmericard® credit card* and the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card — but depending on your specific needs, one may be a better choice than the other.

Main details

Both offer similar 0 percent introductory periods and have a $0 annual fee. These factors combined make these cards similar, but there are still a few differences that set them apart, such as the ongoing APR rate and balance transfer fees.

	BankAmericard	Wells Fargo Reflect Card
Welcome bonus	None	None
Rewards rate	None	None
Intro APR	0% intro APR on purchases for 18 billing cycles 0% intro APR on balance transfers made in the first 60 days for 18 billing cycles	0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate).
Regular APR	16.24%–26.24% variable	18.24%, 24.74% or 29.99% variable
Balance transfer fee	A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.	5% or minimum $5 fee
Annual fee	$0	$0

BankAmericard vs. Wells Fargo Reflect Card highlights

The Wells Fargo Reflect offers 21 months for both purchases and qualifying balance transfers from account opening. Balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate, and the balance transfer fee is 5% of each transaction with a minimum of $5. Meanwhile, BankAmericard’s introductory APR period is 18 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers, but only for transfers within 60 days of opening an account. This goes to show that the Wells Fargo Reflect may be more practical if you plan to transfer a large balance in the near future.
Both cards charge an annual percentage rate (APR) after the introductory period ends, but the BankAmericard charges a slightly lower variable APR of 16.24 percent to 26.24 percent, whereas the Wells Fargo Reflect card charges a variable APR of 18.24 percent, 24.74 percent or 29.99 percent.
With a 3% intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%, the BankAmericard easily wins over the Wells Fargo Reflect card, which has a balance transfer fee of 5 percent or $5 minimum.
Because neither card has an annual fee, both the BankAmericard and the Wells Fargo Reflect card are excellent choices for those who want to take full advantage of the introductory period — whether for a balance transfer or financing a big purchase.

Which card saves more on balance transfers?

Both the BankAmericard and Wells Fargo Reflect offer lengthy intro APR periods on balance transfers, but when it comes to which card will save you the most money will depend on how much you plan to transfer, how you intend to pay back the debt and how quickly you plan to do so.

BankAmericard vs. Wells Fargo Reflect Card balance transfer example

Let’s compare transferring a $3,000 balance to either card using our credit card balance transfer calculator.

With the BankAmericard, you’ll pay an intro 3 percent balance transfer fee ($90) (increases to 4% after the first 60 days), bringing your total balance to $3,090. With 18 billing cycles to pay off the debt before accruing interest, you could pay approximately $172 per month to bring the balance down to zero by the end of the intro APR period.

You’ll be charged a slightly higher 5 percent balance transfer fee ($150) for a total balance of $3,150 with the Wells Fargo Reflect and pay about $150 per month for 21 months to bring the balance down to zero.

From this example, the Wells Fargo Reflect Card costs a little more overall than the BankAmericard due to the balance transfer fee, but it also gives you more time to pay off your balance before the intro APR period is over. Because of this, you’ll have to take into account whether you’d prefer a longer intro APR or a lower balance transfer fee. Other factors may also contribute to which card you’d prefer for this situation, such as the variable APR in the event you don’t fully repay your debt during the introductory period.

Why should you get the BankAmericard?

Though the BankAmericard doesn’t offer any rewards on purchases, it’s still a solid balance transfer credit card option to consider. Take a look at some of the benefits BankAmericard offers, as well as the recommended credit score for the best chance at qualifying:

Additional benefits

The BankAmericard offers access to FICO credit scores for free, as well as $0 fraud liability and no penalty APR for late payments.

Recommended credit score

The recommended credit score is good to excellent (670 to 850) for this card.

Why should you get the Wells Fargo Reflect Card?

The Wells Fargo Reflect doesn’t have many frills either, but unlike the BankAmericard, cardholders can receive cash back as account credit through the My Wells Fargo Deals rewards program. Here are some other Wells Fargo Reflect benefits to consider, as well as the recommended credit score for applicants:

Additional benefits

The Wells Fargo Reflect Card does offer traditional Visa benefits, including travel perks such as roadside dispatch and emergency cash disbursement, as well as up to $600 in cell phone insurance against damage or theft (subject to a $25 deductible).

Recommended credit score

When applying for this card, the recommended credit score is good to excellent (670 to 850).

The bottom line

Neither card offers the perks and benefits of rewards credit cards that offer an intro APR period on purchases, balance transfers or both — but both the BankAmericard and Wells Fargo Reflect are still worthwhile options to consider if you need to transfer a balance from an existing card and pay it off over an extended period of time with no interest.

Ultimately, since some of the features between these two cards are very similar, the best choice would be determined solely by your personal preferences as a cardholder, whether that be a low APR rate, additional perks, a low balance transfer fee or a longer length of time to transfer a balance. The BankAmericard might be right for you if you’re looking for a lower ongoing balance transfer fee and the possibility of a lower APR rate, whereas the Wells Fargo Reflect may be right for you if you value having cardholder perks and like the idea of a longer introductory APR period.

We recommend reading our BankAmericard credit card review and Wells Fargo Reflect Card review before making a final decision.

*Information about the BankAmericard® credit card has been collected independently and updated by Bankrate. Card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.