The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card and Wells Fargo Reflect® Card can both save you money — but in different ways. Which one is right for you depends on whether you prefer a longer intro-APR period or rewards. In other words, would you rather avoid interest (for a time) or earn cash back?
Below, CNBC Select dives into the details of what each credit card offer, so you make the best choice for you.
Wells Fargo Reflect® Card
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Rewards
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Welcome bonus
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers.
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Regular APR
17.24%, 23.74%, or 28.99% variable APR
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Balance transfer fee
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Pros
- Best-in-class intro-APR for purchases and qualifying balance transfers
- No annual fee
- Cell phone protection
Cons
- No rewards
- No welcome bonus
- High balance transfer fee
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
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Rewards
Unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
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Welcome bonus
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers.
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Regular APR
19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR
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Balance transfer fee
Intro balance transfer fee of 3% for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%, min: $5
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Pros
- High flat-rate return on purchases
- Intro-APR for purchases and qualifying balance transfers for a year
- No annual fee
- Cell phone protection
Cons
- Has a foreign transaction fee
- Limited redemption options unless you pair it with a Wells Fargo card that allows point transfers
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card vs. Wells Fargo Reflect® Card
Annual fee
Welcome offer
With the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, you can earn $200 in cash rewards after you spend $500 in purchases within the first three months. You’ll also receive an intro APR period for purchases and qualifying balance transfers that last 12 months.
The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card has no welcome bonus, but you’ll receive a longer intro APR offer, lasting 21 months. That makes the card more useful if you have lots of high-interest credit card debt. However, the Active Cash provides the opportunity to earn an upfront cash bonus and has a lower intro-balance transfer fee.
Winner: Wells Fargo Active Cash
Rewards
Benefits
The Wells Fargo Reflect® and Wells Fargo Active Cash® both provide some basic protections, including:
- Cell phone protection (Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible)
- Rental car collision damage waiver
- Roadside dispatch
The cell phone coverage can be valuable because you can be reimbursed up to $600 per claim for up to two claims every 12 months (a $25 deductible applies). However, the rental car insurance is secondary, so it only covers what your other insurance doesn’t.
The Active Cash Card also has travel and emergency assistance services and provides access to the Visa Signature Concierge and Luxury Hotel Collection.
Winner: Wells Fargo Active Cash
Compare other credit cards
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Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.
Earn 100,000 bonus points
Which card should you get?
Overall, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a better credit card for most people. It has a straightforward and rewarding cash-back program. Plus, you’ll get an intro-APR offer, which means you can save money in multiple ways with the Active Cash Card.
The Wells Fargo Reflect® does one thing and it does it exceptionally well—reduce your interest payments. If you’re working your way out of credit card debt or need to finance a purchase, the Reflect card can be a better choice. Just be sure to consider this card’s higher balance transfer fee when you’re running the numbers.
FAQs
Are rewards credit cards hard to get?
Many rewards cards require you to have a good to excellent credit score to qualify. That makes higher-tier rewards cards an unlikely option for anyone with poor credit or no credit history.
When should I not get a 0% APR credit card?
If you have trouble paying your bills on time, a card with a 0% APR period might tempt you to spend more than you can handle.
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At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every personal finance article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of financial products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
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