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Matt is a Certified Financial Planner™ and investment advisor based in Columbia, South Carolina. He writes personal finance and investment advice for The Ascent and its parent company The Motley Fool, with more than 4,500 published articles and a 2017 SABEW Best in Business award. Matt writes a weekly investment column ("Ask a Fool") that is syndicated in USA Today, and his work has been regularly featured on CNBC, Fox Business, MSN Money, and many other major outlets. He’s a graduate of the University of South Carolina and Nova Southeastern University, and holds a graduate certificate in financial planning from Florida State University.
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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Wells Fargo is the issuing bank for several cobranded credit card products, and it also has a few of its own credit cards, including the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card and the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. Wells Fargo's own credit cards that earn cash back or rewards points are part of the Wells Fargo Rewards platform, which offers numerous redemption options to customers.
Here, we discuss the details of the Wells Fargo Rewards program, how customers earn and redeem rewards, and other important details to know.
Overview of Wells Fargo Rewards program
Wells Fargo Rewards is the platform that Wells Fargo's reward-earning credit card products use to earn, redeem, and in some cases transfer rewards. There are three Wells Fargo credit cards for individuals that participate in the Wells Fargo Rewards program, each of which has different benefits, reward earning rates, costs, and other details.
Wells Fargo Rewards portal. Image source: Provided by author.
You can either earn points or cash rewards, depending on the particular credit card, and your earnings can be redeemed in a variety of ways.
What are the different cards that earn Wells Fargo Rewards?
There are three Wells Fargo credit cards that earn rewards, and they have different earning rates, benefits, and costs. The two newest products are both under the bank's Autograph card brand, and there is also a highly competitive cash back credit card.
5.00/5
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, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
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, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
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 Rating Requirement:
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)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
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)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
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 (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good (670-850)
Welcome Offer:
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
$200 cash rewards
Welcome Offer:
Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value.
20,000 bonus points
Welcome Offer:
Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months – that’s $600 toward your next trip
60,000 bonus points
Rewards Program:
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
2% cash rewards
Rewards Program:
Earn unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans. Plus earn 1X points on other purchases.
1X-3X points
Rewards Program:
5X points on hotels. 4X points on airlines. 3X points on restaurants and other travel.
1X points on other purchases.
1X-5X points
Intro APR:
0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Purchases: 0% intro APR, 15 months from account opening
Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
Intro APR:
0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening
Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening
Balance Transfers: N/A
Intro APR:
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR:
20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR
Regular APR:
20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR
Regular APR:
21.24%, 26.24%, or 29.99% (Variable)
Annual Fee:
N/A
$0
Annual Fee:
N/A
$0
Annual Fee:
$95
Highlights:
Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
$0 annual fee.
No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
Highlights:
Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value.
Earn unlimited 3X points on the things that really add up - like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases.
$0 annual fee.
0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR thereafter.
Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
Redeem your rewards points for travel, gift cards, or statement credits. Or shop at millions of online stores and redeem your rewards when you check out with PayPal.
Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
Highlights:
Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that’s $600 toward your next trip
$50 annual statement credit with $50 minimum airline purchase
The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card is the no annual fee version of the bank's flagship Autograph card product. It earns 3X points per $1 on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, streaming services, and phone plans, and 1X point per $1 on other purchases. The card also has a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months from account opening.
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
This is another no annual fee card from Wells Fargo and could be a particularly good fit for customers who don't want different rewards categories and would rather just earn a high cash rewards rate on all purchases. The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card earns 2% back in cash rewards on all purchases. It could also be a great fit for customers looking to transfer existing balances, as it has a 0% intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers (made within the first 120 days) for 15 months from account opening. After that, the go-to 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR applies. As previously mentioned, this is a cash back credit card. It earns its rewards in dollars, not in points.
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card
This card has a $95 annual fee, but earns rewards at high rates on most travel purchases. It earns 5X points per $1 on hotels, 4X points per $1 on airline purchases, and 3X points per $1 on restaurants and other travel spending. It earns 1X points per $1 on other purchases and offers a $50 annual statement credit toward an airline purchase or at least $50.
Unlike several of its competitors, you earn the same high reward rates on travel, regardless of how you book (some require you to use the credit card issuer's travel portal to receive the top rewards rate). There are also some solid consumer protection benefits, including trip interruption and cancellation insurance, travel accident insurance, and much more.
Other rewards cards from Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo is also the issuing bank for several other rewards credit cards, but with different rewards programs and redemption options. These include, but are not limited to:
Choice Privileges® Mastercard® (cobranded with Choice Hotels)
Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® Credit Card
How can you earn Rewards?
You can earn Wells Fargo Rewards by making purchases with a Wells Fargo rewards credit card. There are several different options, each with different perks, costs, and rewards rates. We'll get into the specific credit card products that earn Wells Fargo rewards later, but you can earn rewards on virtually all purchases.
There are a few exceptions that are standard throughout the credit card industry. For example, you don't earn rewards for balance transfers, or if you use your card to obtain a cash advance.
How do you use Rewards?
There are a variety of redemption options with Wells Fargo Rewards, and they generally have the same value. We'll get to how much Wells Fargo Rewards are worth in the next section, but the redemption options include:
Redeem as cash: You can choose to use your rewards to get credit on eligible Wells Fargo accounts.
Gift cards: Wells Fargo rewards can be redeemed for gift cards to a variety of merchants. This redemption option is available in $25 increments.
Credit card purchases: You can use your Wells Fargo Rewards balance to offset purchases made on your credit card account.
Pay with Rewards: If you make a purchase through a qualifying merchant (including in situations where you check out with PayPal), you can use your Wells Fargo Rewards to directly pay for purchases.
Travel: Wells Fargo Rewards can be used to book travel through Wells Fargo's platform. The Autograph cards are specifically designed to earn points to be used for travel, although they can be used for other redemption options as well.
Shopping: You can use Wells Fargo Rewards for merchandise from retailers including Best Buy, Bass Pro Shops, and others.
In addition to these redemption options, you can also gift Wells Fargo Rewards to other people, if they are also Wells Fargo customers.
TIP
Insider tip:
Transferring Wells Fargo Rewards points to an airline partner often produces the most value, if your card allows it.
Wells Fargo Rewards point transfers
This option is only available with the two Autograph cards that earn rewards in points, not dollars. As of the latest information, Wells Fargo Rewards points can be transferred to Aer Lingus AerClub, Air France, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, and Choice Privileges. All but the Choice Privileges option are transferable at a 1:1 rate (2:1 in the Choice option).
A couple of notes. First, while the major U.S. airlines are not on this list, some of the airlines that are on the list partner with the major carriers. For example, Delta partners with Air France, so if you're a Delta frequent flyer, this transfer option could be valuable.
Second, while the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card earns rewards in cash (not points), if you have one of the Autograph cards as well, you can combine your rewards into transferable points.
What are Wells Fargo Rewards worth?
The short answer is that Wells Fargo Rewards are worth $0.01 per point. But there are a couple of factors that are important to mention.
First, you'll notice in the next section that some of the cards issued by Wells Fargo earn rewards points, while others earn cash rewards. Both forms are part of Wells Fargo Rewards, and both have the same basic $0.01 value, or 1% back per dollar.
Second, the redemption value is consistent among all of the redemption options, which is somewhat of a rarity among cards that earn rewards "points." For example, in some cases you might see a $0.01 value for travel redemptions, but only half of that if redeemed for a statement credit. Wells Fargo rewards are worth $0.01 per point regardless of how they are redeemed (unless they are transferred to another rewards program).
Has the program changed in the last few years?
The biggest changes to the Wells Fargo Rewards program have been with the credit card products themselves. Wells Fargo has reworked its line of credit cards. The Autograph Journey card was announced in March 2023, and the no annual fee Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card was announced in June 2022. And last but not least, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card was launched in July 2021. So, all three of these cards were launched within the past few years.
The other recent change is the addition of transfer partners, as mentioned earlier. Previously, Autograph card members could only earn points and redeem them through the Wells Fargo Rewards portal, but now they can transfer them to several airlines and hotel brands, which can unlock even more value per point.
To learn more about Wells Fargo Rewards, head to the Wells Fargo Rewards website. If you're a current Wells Fargo Rewards member and have questions about your redemption options, you can call the program's helpline at 1-877-517-1358.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent, a Motley Fool service, does not cover all offers on the market. The Ascent has a dedicated team of editors and analysts focused on personal finance, and they follow the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.
Wells Fargo is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Matt Frankel has positions in PayPal and Wells Fargo. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Best Buy, Mastercard, PayPal, and Visa. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2025 $370 calls on Mastercard, short January 2025 $380 calls on Mastercard, and short June 2024 $67.50 calls on PayPal. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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Fact Checked
Nathan Alderman
