The Active Cash is the flat-rate card from a bank better known for current accounts. It has no annual fee, pays 2 percent on everything you buy and asks you to track nothing. This guide goes through what Wells Fargo lists in October 2026, the phone cover that few people notice, and the foreign fee that makes it the wrong card for a holiday.
The card at a glance
- 0 dollars
- Annual fee
- 2%
- On net purchases
- 12 months
- 0 percent intro APR
- 3%
- Foreign transaction fee
Wells Fargo lists none
Unlimited, with no categories
On purchases and balance transfers made in 120 days
Charged on each converted transaction
How the rewards work
You earn two cents in cash rewards for every dollar of net purchases, which means purchases minus any returns and credits. The terms say Wells Fargo rounds the amount to the nearest whole dollar, and that you can earn unlimited rewards unless it tells you otherwise. Rewards do not expire while the card account is open.
- Net purchases
- What you spent minus returns and credits, which is what earns the 2 percent.
- Cash rewards
- Wells Fargo's name for the reward. It builds up in dollars and cents, not points.
- Pay with Rewards
- A way to use your balance at checkout with partner merchants, including PayPal.
What does not earn
Because the card pays on purchases only, a list of transactions earns nothing:
| Group | What Wells Fargo excludes |
|---|---|
| Cash and equivalents | ATM withdrawals, cash advances, money orders, prepaid gift cards, traveler's checks, wire transfers, person-to-person transfers, digital currencies |
| Credit activity | Balance transfers, fees and interest, overdraft protection advances |
| Other | Disputed or illegal purchases and gambling |
You also lose rewards on anything you return. If a refund takes your balance below zero, it shows as a negative balance that clears as you spend.
Redeeming
| Option | What Wells Fargo lists | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Cash | To an eligible Wells Fargo checking or savings account, or a qualifying Wells Fargo credit product | By phone or online. |
| Gift cards | Physical and electronic | Wells Fargo says there are more than 250 merchants. |
| Travel, donations | Travel booking and charity | The terms say rewards only have cash value when you redeem them, so check the rate shown. |
| Pay with Rewards | At checkout, including PayPal | For eligible purchases only. |
Wells Fargo's page says you can redeem for as little as 1 dollar, so there is no threshold to wait for.
The extras, and the fee
The issuer page lists cell phone protection of up to 600 dollars against damage or theft, with a 25-dollar deductible, a Visa Signature concierge, 24-hour roadside help for eligible cardholders and FICO score updates through Credit Close-Up for Wells Fargo Online customers. Read the benefit guide for what the phone cover pays for. It also lists a 0 percent intro APR for 12 months on purchases and on balance transfers made within 120 days. Balance transfers do not earn rewards.
For the head-to-head with the closest rival, see the Citi Double Cash compared with the Wells Fargo Active Cash. To find cards with no foreign fee, see how to choose a card by spending style.
Eligibility and the application
Wells Fargo's page shows a welcome bonus for spending a set amount in the first 3 months, and the amount changes, so this guide does not quote it. What is stable is the rule in the terms: you may not be eligible for introductory rates and bonus offers if you opened a Wells Fargo card account within the last 48 months, even if it is closed with a zero balance.
Check your Wells Fargo history
List the Wells Fargo cards you have opened in the last 4 years.
Read the offer on the issuer page
Read the bonus, the spending required and the time allowed.
Decide what it is for
Use it for all spending outside your own bonus categories, at home, and pay in full.
Is it right for you?
Fits you
- You want a flat rate with nothing to activate, track or remember.
- You pay in full every month, so the 2 percent is what counts.
- You want phone cover on a card with no annual fee.
Think twice
- You spend abroad, where the 3 percent fee outweighs the 2 percent reward.
- You can use a category card that pays more on dining, groceries or travel.
- You want flexible points or transfer partners rather than cash.
See also how to price a sign-up bonus.
Questions people ask
Is the 2 percent really unlimited?
Wells Fargo's terms say you earn two cents for every dollar of net purchases, which is purchases minus returns and credits, and that you can earn unlimited cash rewards unless it tells you otherwise. The terms add that it rounds the amount to the nearest whole dollar.
What can I redeem the rewards for?
Wells Fargo lists cash to an eligible Wells Fargo checking or savings account or to a qualifying Wells Fargo credit product, gift cards, travel, charitable donations and Pay with Rewards at partner merchants. Its page says you can redeem for as little as 1 dollar.
What does not earn rewards?
Cash advances and their equivalents, such as ATM withdrawals, money orders, prepaid gift cards, traveler's checks, wire transfers and person-to-person transfers, plus balance transfers, fees and interest, disputed or illegal purchases and gambling.
Does the card charge foreign transaction fees?
Yes. The terms list a foreign currency conversion fee of 3 percent of each transaction converted to US dollars. That is more than the card earns, so pick a card with no foreign fee for spending abroad.
Is there a welcome bonus?
Wells Fargo's page shows a cash rewards bonus for spending a set amount in the first 3 months, and the amount changes. Its terms say you may not be eligible for bonus offers if you opened a Wells Fargo card account within the last 48 months, even if it is closed with a zero balance.
Sources
Written from these pages and checked against them on October 9, 2026. Programs and rules change, so check the provider’s current terms before you decide.
Cards in this guide
General information, not financial, legal or travel advice. Your own card terms and the provider’s current rules always come first.