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Key takeaways
- If paying down high-interest credit card debt is your goal, the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card’s long intro APR offer is hard to beat.
- If you want to earn a high rate of flat cash rewards on purchases, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is one of the best flat cash rewards cards on the market.
- Both cards also come with cell phone protection against damage or theft, along with standard credit card benefits like zero fraud liability and pay-per-use roadside assistance.
The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card and the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offer consumers many advantages. One card offers one of the longest introductory APR periods for purchases and qualifying balance transfers on the market. The other offers a flat-rate cash rewards program that’s so flexible and easy to use, it’s what other cash rewards programs should aspire to.
To find out which card might be better for you, we’ll compare the Wells Fargo Reflect vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash side by side.
Main details
| Cards | Wells Fargo Reflect® Card | Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | N/A |
|
| Rewards rate | N/A |
|
| Intro APR |
0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and on qualifying balance transfers, then a 17.24%, 23.74%, or 28.99% Variable APR APR
Balance transfers must be made within 120 days of account opening to qualify; a balance transfer fee of 5%, min: $5 applies |
0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and on qualifying balance transfers, then a 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR APR
Balance transfers must be made within 120 days of account opening to qualify; an intro balance transfer fee of 3% (minimum $5) applies during the first 120 days, then a balance transfer fee of up to 5%, min: $5 applies |
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 |
| Foreign transaction fee | 3% | 3% |
Wells Fargo Active Cash vs. Wells Fargo Reflect highlights
Both the Wells Fargo Reflect and the Wells Fargo Active Cash have strong benefits, although there are major differences between them. We’ll compare some of the major features below.
Welcome bonus winner
-
The Wells Fargo Reflect doesn’t offer a welcome bonus, but Wells Fargo Active Cash users can earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 within 3 months of account opening. This is a fairly standard welcome offer for a no-annual-fee card, and the spending requirement is beyond reasonable.
Rewards rate winner
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The Wells Fargo Active Cash card offers unlimited flat-rate 2 percent cash rewards on purchases with no rotating or bonus categories to keep track of. In contrast, the Wells Fargo Reflect does not offer rewards. If you’re looking for cash rewards, the Wells Fargo Active Cash is the better option.
Intro APR winner
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The Wells Fargo Reflect includes a generous 0 percent intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (then a 17.24%, 23.74%, or 28.99% Variable APR, based on your creditworthiness). Additionally, balance transfers must be made within 120 days of account opening to qualify for the intro offer and a balance transfer fee of 5%; min: $5 applies.
Compared to other top 0 percent intro APR cards, this is a significant amount of time, and is one of the longest intro periods currently offered. This gives you even more time and flexibility to finance large purchases over time or pay down debt without incurring hefty interest charges.
The Wells Fargo Reflect wins in this category, but the Wells Fargo Active Cash’s intro APR offer should not be overlooked. With this card, you’ll receive a 0 percent intro APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for the first 12 months from account opening — which is still helpful for paying off large purchases or paying down credit card debt. Remember, however, that the APR adjusts to a 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR once the introductory period ends.
Also, with the Wells Fargo Active Cash, note that balance transfers must be made within 120 days of account opening to qualify for the intro APR offer. An intro balance transfer fee of 3 percent (minimum $5) also applies during the first 120 days, then a balance transfer fee of 5%; min: $5 applies.
Annual fee winner
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Neither card charges an annual fee, so they’re both affordable options.
Foreign transaction fee winner
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Neither card wins here since both charge a 3 percent foreign currency conversion fee on purchases made while traveling overseas.
Which card earns more?
We’ll take a look at an example of how one might use either card to make $1,000 in purchases.
Spending example
The Wells Fargo Reflect does not offer any cash rewards, so when you make $1,000 in purchases on your card, you won’t earn anything on those purchases.
With the Wells Fargo Active Cash, the same $1,000 in purchases will earn a flat 2 percent cash rewards back, which is equal to $20 in cash rewards. If you make at least $500 worth of purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, you’ll also earn the $200 cash rewards welcome offer.
Why should you get the Wells Fargo Reflect?
An extra-long intro APR offer on purchases and qualifying balance transfers is enough to garner serious attention. However, the Wells Fargo Reflect has a few other benefits worth noting.
Why should you get the Wells Fargo Active Cash?
A flat cash rewards rate is enticing — there are no confusing promotional periods, category activations or varying rewards rates for different categories. Since the Wells Fargo Active Cash is one of the best flat rate cash back cards on the market, that could be enough to justify signing up. However, there are other reasons this card may be a smart choice for you.
The bottom line
If paying down high-interest credit card debt is your goal, or if you know you need to make a large purchase and pay over time, the Wells Fargo Reflect is hard to beat. Paying down debt can be a game changer for your finances. You may not earn cash rewards or points, but the card could help with your long-term financial goals.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash, however, is worth considering for its flat cash rewards program. Few rewards programs are as straightforward and as flexible as this one. If you like the idea of using your credit card for everyday purchases without having to keep track of bonus or rotating categories, you can earn a high rate of flat cash rewards on all of the purchases you make. Just be sure to pay your balance in full each month to truly reap the benefits of any cash rewards you earn.
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