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Credit One Bank Wander® Card Review: Good for the Frequent Traveler. Otherwise, Meh

Review Updated
Dana George
By: Dana George
Dana George
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Dana George has a BA in Management and Organization Development from Spring Arbor University. For more than 25 years, she has written and reported on business and finance, and she's still passionate about her work. Dana and her husband recently moved to Champaign, Illinois, home of the Fighting Illini. And though she finds the color orange unflattering on most people, she thinks they'll enjoy Champaign tremendously.

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Nathan Alderman has worked with The Motley Fool since 2005, making errors his arch-enemies in a variety of roles including a six-year stint as the dedicated fact-checker for The Motley Fool's premium newsletter services. As The Ascent's Compliance Lead, he makes sure that all the site's information is accurate and up to date, which ensures we always steer readers right and keeps various financial partners happy. A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan spends his spare time volunteering for civic causes, writing and podcasting for fun, adoring his wife, and wrangling his two very large young children.

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It's as if the Credit One Bank Wander® Card was created specifically for frequent travelers. And to be sure, those cardholders can rack up the rewards. However, the Credit One Bank Wander® Card is not right for everyone. In our full review, we dive into what's good and not so good about the card, and alternatives you may want to consider.

Ratings Methodology

Credit One Bank Wander® Card

Credit One Bank Wander® Card
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Regular APR

29.24%, variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn 10X points on eligible hotels and car rentals. 5X points on travel, including flights, dining, and gas. 1X points on other purchases.

1X-10X points

Annual Fee

$95

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases in the first 90 days from your account opening that can be redeemed for a $100 statement credit, gift cards, or travel.

10,000 bonus points

  • The Credit One Bank Wander® Card could make sense for frequent travelers who are likely to rack up points. Others may be better served by applying for another credit card.

    • Welcome offer that's relatively easy to earn
    • Uncomplicated rewards points
    • No foreign transaction fees
    • Potential for ongoing cash back rewards
    • Chance to choose your due date
    • Contactless payment
    • No promotional rate
    • High APR
    • $95 annual fee
    • Earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases in the first 90 days from your account opening that can be redeemed for a $100 statement credit, gift cards, or travel.
    • Earn 10X points on eligible hotels and car rentals booked using the Credit One Bank travel partner, 5X points on eligible travel including flights, dining, and gas purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases.
    • Get up to 10% More Cash Back Rewards from some of the nation’s top retailers! No offers to activate or points to redeem – you’ll automatically earn Cash Back Rewards on your eligible purchases.

Credit card comparison

We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.

Offer Our Rating Welcome Offer Rewards Program APR Learn More
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back on rotating categories 		Discover will match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year. Circle with letter I in it. N/A 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.

Intro:

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular: 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back 		Up to $300 cash back Circle with letter I in it. 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. 1.5% - 5% cash back Circle with letter I in it. 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, and 1.5% on all other purchases

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months

Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months

Regular: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable

Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for earning travel rewards 		75,000 Miles Circle with letter I in it. 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening 2X-5X miles Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

Intro:

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Apply Now for Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

On Capital One's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Full Credit One Bank Wander® Card review

This credit card is a good fit for: Cardholders who frequently travel and can earn enough bonus points to justify the $95 annual fee.

Top perks

While the Credit One Bank Wander® Card is far from perfect, it does offer some attractive features.

Welcome offer

New cardholders earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 within the first 90 days of account opening. The points can be redeemed for a $100 statement credit, gift card, or travel discount.

Easy-to-follow rewards points

The Credit One Bank Wander® Card provides a straightforward rewards system, including:

  • A whopping 10X points on eligible hotels and rental cars booked using the Credit One Bank travel partners
  • 5X points on eligible flights, dining, and gas purchases
  • 1X points on all other purchases

Average credit scores welcome to apply

For the person who specifically seeks a card that will allow them to bank points for travel, it can be difficult to find a card company that allows an average credit score. The Credit One Bank Wander® Card makes it possible for a wider range of applicants to land a card they'll use on their travels.

No foreign transaction fees

Naturally, the fact that the Credit One Bank Wander® Card has no foreign transaction fees comes in handy for anyone who roams the globe.

Ongoing cash back rewards

One really neat feature of the Credit One Bank Wander® Card is the way it automatically credits cardholders with 10% cash back rewards from top national retailers.

The Credit One Bank mobile app is popular with both iOS and Android users. iOS users give it a strong rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars, and Android users aren't far behind, giving the app a 4.6 out of 5 stars rating.

Free access to FICO® Score

Your FICO® Score is the score lenders most often check when judging your credit application. Regular access to your FICO® Score means you always know where your credit score is and if there are steps you should take to boost your score.

Opportunity to express yourself

As soon as you're approved for a card, you can express yourself by choosing from an impressive variety of premium card designs.

Chance to choose your due date

After your first billing period, you can select a new payment due date by calling customer service and letting them know. There are only two catches:

  • The new payment date must be at least six days before or after the original due date
  • You can only change the due date once in a six-month period

Contactless payment

No need to punch in a PIN number or even touch the credit card terminal. Once your purchases are rung up, you need only tap your Credit One Bank Wander® Card on the terminal, wait for approval, and walk away.

Zero fraud liability

If your Credit One Bank Wander® Card is ever lost or stolen, zero fraud liability protects you against unauthorized charges.

What could be improved

Here's what concerns us about the Credit One Bank Wander® Card.

No introductory or promotional rate

Given the number of credit cards offering a 0% promotional rate on both purchases and balance transfers, the Credit One Bank Wander® Card would definitely up its game by adding a promotional intro rate.

High APR

The Credit One Bank Wander® Card offers a single variable APR -- 29.24%, variable. That means there is no difference between the APR paid by those who barely qualified and cardholders with excellent credit.

$95 annual fee

There's no doubt that the $95 annual fee makes sense for a cardholder who travels so much that their bonuses and cash back more than make up for the fee. However, for the everyday user, it's difficult to see how they would benefit.

Suggested credit score

While we can't be sure precisely what Credit One Bank means by "average to excellent," it's likely to look for a FICO® Score of 670 or higher, which is considered good to excellent.

It's important to note that credit card applications are judged on a number of factors. These include how much you earn, your credit score, and your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio. Although your credit score may be the first thing a credit card company sees, it's not the only thing they're looking for. Like all lenders, credit card companies want to be confident that you will make regular, on-time payments.

The Credit One Bank Wander® Card is right for you if:

You're a frequent traveler and want a card that rewards you for all the traveling you do.

Whether a person hops from country to country or state to state, the Credit One Bank Wander® Card offers some attractive features. Its primary drawbacks are the lack of an introductory rate and a high regular APR. If you're curious about what else is out there, our credit card reviews can help.

Our credit card methodology

At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.

FAQs

  • If you're looking for an introductory APR and rarely travel, you may be better served by another card. A cash back or rewards credit card will likely be a better fit, and some of the best rewards credit cards come with 0% intro APR offers.

  • The answer depends on how you use them. For many, having more than a few cards makes them more difficult to manage. You might forget which card you used to make a purchase or whether you've made payments on all three. The "right" number of cards is the number you can easily keep track of and can afford to pay (including any annual fees).

  • Credit One Bank has some drawbacks, including documented reports of poor customer service and charging excessive fees on many of its credit products. You may want to proceed with caution and consider applying for a card with a different issuer.