Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card review
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Snapshot
3.0
Bottom line
Intro offer
$150
Rewards rate
1.5% - 1.8%
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
14.49%-24.99% (Variable)
3.0
Bankrate score
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Bankrate Insight
As of June 2021, the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card has been retired in favor of the issuer’s newer cash back card: the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. Fortunately, the Wells Fargo Active Cash is a major step up and stands as a good Wells Fargo card for rewards, including offering decent intro APRs and average terms compared to rival cards.
Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® Card Overview
(*This card is no longer available.)
The Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card* was a solid option if you wanted a simple, uncomplicated cash rewards credit card. Instead of having to juggle multiple cards, track spending in specific categories or enroll in a new bonus category each quarter, you could earn rewards at the same flat rate on every purchase, no matter where, when or what you buy. You’d pay no annual fee and could also enjoy a slightly elevated cash back rate on Google Pay and Apple Pay purchases during your first 12 months as a cardholder.
But the Cash Wise Visa was far from the best cash back card on the market. For instance, it fell short of a number of flat-rate cash back cards due to its unimpressive sign-up bonus. Although the card would have certainly done the job as a low-maintenance cash back card, it simply didn’t stand out from the competition.
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Rewards
- 1.5 percent cash rewards on purchases
- 1.8 percent cash rewards on digital wallet purchases including Google Pay or Apple Pay during the first 12 months from account opening
Expert Appraisal: Typical
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Welcome offer
- Earn a $150 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months
Expert Appraisal: Unimpressive
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Rates and fees
- No annual fee
- 0 percent purchase intro APR for 15 months from account opening
- 0 percent balance transfer intro APR for 15 months on qualifying balance transfers
- 14.49 percent to 24.99 percent variable ongoing APR
Expert Appraisal: Good
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Other cardholder perks
- FICO score access
- Cellphone protection
- Wells Fargo Rewards Program
Expert Appraisal: Unimpressive
Alternatives to the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa
Even though the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa is no longer available, you can still find flat-rate cash back cards that are fairly similar — if not better.
Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card
Annual fee
Intro offer
Earn a $150 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months
Rewards rate
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash rewards on purchases. 1.8% cash rewards on digital wallet purchases including Google Pay™ or Apple Pay® during the first 12 months from account opening.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Annual fee
Intro offer
Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
Rewards rate
Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, a special travel offer, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/25.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Annual fee
Intro offer
Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That’s 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
Rewards rate
Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more. 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service. 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa pros and cons
Pros
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Though this card is no longer accepting new applicants, rewards won’t expire as long as the account is open for current cardholders.
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The ongoing APR has the potential to be lower than the current average credit card interest rate.
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There's no yearly cost to continue carrying this card.
Cons
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The cardholder perks are barebones and don’t stand out against other cash back credit cards.
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The balance transfer fee is on the higher side.
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You'll have to pay a foreign currency conversion fee if you use this card abroad.
Bankrate’s Take — Is the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa worth it?
Its cash back potential may not be the highest available in the market, but the ease and simplicity of the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa make it a good option for those who like effortless rewards. However, the Cash Wise card isn’t the most lucrative option, so be sure to check out some alternatives before you decide if you want to continue carrying it.
The information about the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer. The Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card is no longer available. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
How we rated this card
We rate credit cards using a proprietary card scoring system that ranks each card’s estimated average rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, welcome bonus value, APR, fees, perks and more against those of other cards in its primary category.
Each card feature is assigned a weighting based on how important it is to people looking for a card in a given category. These features are then scored based on how they rank relative to the features on other cards in the category. Based on these calculations, each card receives an overall rating of 1-5 stars (with 5 being the highest possible score and 1 being the lowest).
We analyzed over 150 of the most popular rewards and cash back cards to determine where each stacked up based on their value, cost, benefits and more. Here are some of the key factors that influenced this card’s overall score and how the score influenced our review:
Frequently asked questions
* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.