Wells Fargo Active Cash vs. Wells Fargo Reflect: Do you want rewards or an intro APR?

CNBC

29-04-2025

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.
None
None
$0
0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers.
17.24%, 23.74%, or 28.99% variable APR
5%, min: $5
3%
Excellent/Good
See rates and fees, terms apply.
Unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
$0
0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers.
19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR
Intro balance transfer fee of 3% for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%, min: $5
3%
Excellent/Good
See rates and fees, terms apply.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card and Wells Fargo Reflect® Card both have no annual fee.
Winner: Tie
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
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a flat-rate 2% cash-back credit card. The Active Cash earns 2% in cash rewards on every purchase, which you can redeem for gift cards, statement credits, direct deposits (into eligible Wells Fargo accounts) and more. The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card doesn't earn rewards.
Winner: Wells Fargo Active Cash
The Wells Fargo Reflect® and Wells Fargo Active Cash® both provide some basic protections, including:
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
Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.
Good to Excellent670–850Earn 100,000 bonus points
On Chase's site
See rates and fees. Terms apply.
Good to Excellent670–850Earn $250 cash back
On Chase's site
See rates and fees. Terms apply.
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.
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.
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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