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Best Wells Fargo credit cards for October 2023

Updated October 03, 2023

More than just a bank, Wells Fargo provides several reasons to choose one of its credit cards for cash rewards or balance transfers. While its lineup of consumer credit cards isn’t as extensive as other issuers’ selections, you may be able to find the best Wells Fargo credit card that meets your financial needs.

Image of Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

BEST FOR REWARDS CATEGORY VARIETY

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

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on Wells Fargo's secure site
Rating: 4.2 stars out of 5
4.2 Bankrate review
Info

Intro offer

Info

Annual fee

Recommended credit

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Image of Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Best for cash rewards

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

chance of approval
Info
Apply now Lock
on Wells Fargo's secure site
Rating: 4.3 stars out of 5
4.3 Bankrate review
Info

Intro offer

Info

Annual fee

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
chance of approval
Info
Info
Image of Wells Fargo Reflect® Card

Best for Balance Transfers

Wells Fargo Reflect® Card

chance of approval
Info
Apply now Lock
on Wells Fargo's secure site
Rating: 4.3 stars out of 5
4.3 Bankrate review
Info

Intro offer

N/A

Annual fee

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
chance of approval
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On This Page

Compare Bankrate’s top Wells Fargo credit cards

Here’s a look at the best Wells Fargo credit cards for 2023, according to our experts:

Card name Best for Bankrate score
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card Cash rewards 4.3 / 5
(Read full card review)
Wells Fargo Reflect Card Balance transfers 4.4 / 5
(Read full card review)
Wells Fargo Autograph Card Rewards category variety 4.2 / 5
(Read full card review)
Hotels.com Rewards Visa® Credit Card Occasional hotel guests N/A
(Read full card review)

A closer look at Wells Fargo’s top credit cards

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Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Best for cash rewards

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Its simple yet valuable cash rewards. Flat-rate cards often offer 1.5 percent cash rewards, but Active Cash’s 2 percent offer is one of the highest unlimited cash rewards cards available.

Simplicity lovers who want to earn a good rate of cash rewards on a variety of purchases.

The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card or the Discover it® Cash Back could offer more cash back earning opportunities for people who want to maximize their rewards earnings in key spending categories like dining or groceries.

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Wells Fargo Reflect® Card

Best for balance transfers

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Its lengthy introductory period on balance transfers. This card has one of the longest intro APR offers on purchases and qualifying balances transfers on the market.

Anyone currently carrying high-interest credit card debt or planning a large purchase that may take some time to pay off

The card doesn’t tout traditional rewards, so it may not be a fit for people who want a card that holds value for the long haul. The Discover it® Balance Transfer Card and its cash back offer on quarterly rotating categories, for example, could prove more rewarding for savvy spenders. 

Read our Wells Fargo Reflect Card review or jump back to offer details.  

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Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Best for rewards category variety

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Cardholders can earn points in a fantastic variety of categories. While many travel cards only offer elevated rewards on travel, restaurant, or gas purchases, the Autograph includes those purchases and many more.

People whose spending casts a wide net and want a card that captures most of their everyday categories.

The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card also earns similar rewards rates in some of the Autograph’s categories for no annual fee. However, the SavorOne shines with its grocery category, which the Autograph notably lacks.

Read our full Wells Fargo Autograph Card review or jump back to offer details.

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Hotels.com® Rewards Visa® Credit Card

Best for occasional hotel guests

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You don’t have to pay an annual fee for this hotel credit card. It also offers some flexibility in where you can book given it’s associated with a travel search engine as opposed to a singular hotel chain.

Travelers without loyalty to one hotel chain and who often book rooms through travel search engine sites like Hotels.com.

Frequent travelers, brand loyalists or big spenders can reap more benefits associated with premium travel or hotel credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Hilton Honors American Express Card.

Types of Wells Fargo credit cards

While Wells Fargo doesn’t have a large portfolio of consumer cards, the ones they do offer are competitive. 

  • Credit Card Cash Back

    Cash rewards credit card

    For consumers who want the chance to earn cash rewards on all of their purchases, the Wells Fargo Active Cash is the best option to get the job done. This card offers one of the highest flat cash rewards rates available and you’ll be able to earn on all kinds of purchases while avoiding the hassle of tracking bonus categories. 

  • Travel

    Travel rewards credit card

    One of the more recent additions to the Wells Fargo card portfolio is the Wells Fargo Autograph Card. You’ll earn highly on travel-related categories like gas and transit, along with a few other niche categories like phone plans. However, though you can earn and redeem points on qualifying travel purchases, Wells Fargo’s lack of travel partners limits the travel benefits of this card. 

  • Credit Card Balance Transfer

    Balance transfer credit card

    The Wells Fargo Reflect is the issuer’s flagship balance transfer card, offering one of the longest intro APR offers on the market. An extra plus is that this intro APR offer also extends to purchases, making the card a well-rounded debt management tool.

  • Retirement

    Hotel rewards credit card

    Wells Fargo’s hotel rewards credit card is unique, especially given that it has no ties to one hotel chain. If you’re not a hotel brand loyalist, this card lets you earn on purchases you make through a travel search engine instead. 

Pros and cons of Wells Fargo credit cards

Pros

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    Dominant presence: Because Wells Fargo has more than 5,000 branches and 13,000 ATMs, you can redeem cash rewards with the Active Cash card (in increments of $20) in various places.

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    Cell phone protection: Some Wells Fargo credit cards come with cell phone protection of up to $600 for damage or theft when you pay your cell phone bill with a qualifying card ($25 deductible).

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    Intro APR: All three cards offer intro APRs for balance transfers, purchases, or both, so it might be a good option if you are looking to save on interest.

Cons

  • Fewer card options: Wells Fargo currently offers very few credit cards. If you’re interested in comparing a selection of offers, you may be better off with a different issuer.

  • Not ideal for travelers: Wells Fargo’s rewards program allows you to redeem your rewards for travel, but Wells Fargo’s credit card portfolio is more geared toward cash rewards.

How to choose a Wells Fargo credit card

The options you have for Wells Fargo cards are fairly cut and dry. When choosing a Wells Fargo credit card, you may want to ask a few questions. 

What’s your credit score? 

Wells Fargo credit cards come with a recommended credit score range of good to excellent, or 670 and higher on the FICO scale. If your credit score falls below the recommended range, you may want to consider other cards where your approval odds are higher. 

Do you want to earn cash rewards or prioritize debt management?

You have the opportunity to earn competitive flat-rate cash rewards or secure one of the longest intro APR periods available with Wells Fargo’s credit card options. Determine if you’d like to build and maximize a rewards earning strategy or focus on debt management with your card. 

Are you interested in a sign-up bonus?

Not all Wells Fargo credit cards offer an extra windfall of cash rewards after you spend a required amount in a timeframe. If you’re after a sign-up bonus or welcome offer with your credit card, this factor can have a major influence on which Wells Fargo card you pick. If Wells Fargo doesn’t meet your needs in this area, you could also check out the best credit card sign-up bonuses.

Who should get a Wells Fargo credit card?

If you enjoy taking advantage of cash back rewards and points or have credit card debt to pay down, a Wells Fargo card might suit your needs.

How Wells Fargo credit card rewards work

The Active Cash and Autograph cards earn rewards in the Wells Fargo Rewards® program. You can redeem the cash rewards or points you earn in a few different ways:

  • For purchases, in the form of statement credits
  • Pay with rewards when checking out with participating merchants
  • As a credit to a qualifying Wells Fargo credit card, checking account, or mortgage
  • For travel, including flights, hotel stays and car rentals through the Wells Fargo rewards portal
  • Gift cards
  • Shop with rewards for merchandise and gifts from hundreds of retailers through the Wells Fargo rewards portal
  • Cash at an ATM in increments of $20 with a Wells Fargo ATM or debit card

While the flexible redemption options are nice, it’s hard to compare Wells Fargo’s rewards program to other high-caliber programs like American Express Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards where points might be valued more or have more travel partners.

Wells Fargo credit card benefits

Wells Fargo provides various benefits to its cardholders. Here’s what you can expect from the best Wells Fargo credit cards. 

Are Wells Fargo credit cards worth it?

They can be. If you want one of the best balance transfer or cash rewards cards, then Wells Fargo is worth a look. If you hope to maximize your rewards with points and miles, Wells Fargo falls woefully short with its program compared to Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards. If you want a few more options, you may be better off searching through the card portfolio of another issuer with more variety.

How we chose our top-rated Wells Fargo credit cards

Bankrate's personal finance experts choose the best Wells Fargo credit cards according to our 5-star rating system. The list of criteria for rating credit cards includes:
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    Rewards
    Whether the card offers cash back, travel points/miles or multi-purpose rewards for eligible purchases and the potential returns based on rewards rate (1 percent cash back per $1 spent, 1 mile per $1 spent, and so on).
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    Perks and benefits
    Whether the card offers extras such as retail discounts, extended warranties on purchases, travel insurance and financial management tools.
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    Annual fee
    Whether the card charges an annual fee and if so, how much the card's overall value and benefits might offset the fee.
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    Introductory offers
    Whether the card has a sign-up bonus, welcome offer or similar sign-up incentive and how much it adds to the card's overall value.
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    Variable APR
    How the card's annual percentage rate (APR) compares with current averages as an indicator of cost and value.
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    Foreign transaction fee
    Whether the card charges a foreign transaction fee for international purchases and how the fee affects the card's overall value.  

Have more questions for our credit cards editors? Feel free to send us an email, find us on Facebook, or Tweet us @Bankrate.

The information about the Hotels.com Rewards Visa Credit Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.

Frequently asked questions about Wells Fargo credit cards