Wells Fargo Active Cash vs. Citi Double Cash

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If you’re seeking a straightforward cash-back card, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card and Citi Double Cash® Card are two top contenders worth considering. Both cards offer simple, flat-rate rewards —  2 percent cash back on every purchase — with no annual fees to worry about. 

While they share plenty of similarities, including user-friendly rewards structures and introductory APR offers, their key differences in areas like welcome bonuses and balance transfer options can make one a better fit depending on your financial priorities. Here’s a closer look at how these two cards stack up

Main details

Wells Fargo Active Cash vs. Citi Double Cash highlights

Which card earns the most?

Because the Citi Double Cash and Wells Fargo Active Cash card both earn 2 percent cash rewards on purchases, your earnings potential is the same with both cards. However, if you take advantage of the Citi Double Cash card’s limited time offer of 5 percent back on select bookings via their travel portal, you could earn just a bit more with that card.

Similarly, if you carry a balance month to month, you won’t earn the full 2 percent from the Citi Double Cash until your card is paid off, meaning that the Active Cash might earn you more in the meantime.

Wells Fargo Active Cash vs. Citi Double Cash spending example

Say you charge $1,500 with either your Wells Fargo Active Cash or Citi Double Cash during a given month. You’ll earn 2 percent cash rewards on purchases you make — groceries, takeout, bills, clothing or travel. For this month, then, you’d earn $30 in rewards. If you continue to spend $1,500 each month ($18,000 per year), you’d earn $360 in cash rewards annually with either card.

If you spend more than $1,500 per month, you’d earn more. Say you charge an average of $3,000 per month ($36,000 per year). You’d earn $60 in cash rewards each month, or $720 per year.

The only real difference is when you’ll get your cash rewards. With the Citi Double Cash, you’ll earn 1 percent cash back when making your purchases and the final 1 percent back when you pay for them. If it takes you longer to pay off your purchases, getting your full 2 percent cash back will take longer.

Why should you get the Wells Fargo Active Cash?

The Wells Fargo Active Cash is a great flat-rate cash back card with no annual fee and an easy-to-reach welcome bonus. If you’re still not sure this card is right for you, here are some additional reasons to consider signing up:

• Benefits
  

  In addition to its strong flat-rate cash rewards program, the Wells Fargo Active Cash includes a 0 percent introductory APR offer on both purchases and qualifying balance transfers for 12 months after account opening. After the 0 percent intro offer expires, a 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR applies.

  Additionally, balance transfers must be made within 120 days after account opening to qualify for the intro APR offer. During the intro period, you’ll pay a balance transfer fee of 3 percent of the amount you’re transferring or a $5 minimum, then a fee of up to 5 percent with a $5 minimum.

  This card’s balance transfer intro APR offer is shorter than the one offered by the Citi Double Cash, but unlike the Citi Double Cash, the Wells Fargo Active Cash includes an intro APR offer on purchases, too. So, if you’re looking to pay for a large purchase over time, the Wells Fargo Active Cash would be a better option since you won’t pay interest during the intro period.

  The Wells Fargo Active Cash also includes other notable benefits, such as cellphone protection, which provides a maximum of two claims per year and up to $600 per claim with a $25 deductible applied. With this, you’ll get protection against damage or theft — but you have to pay your monthly cellphone bill with your Active Cash to qualify.

  You’ll also get zero liability protection, which protects you from unauthorized transactions on your account. Active Cash cardholders also get Visa Signature benefits, including:

  • The Zero Liability policy, which protects cardholders from fraud
  • Roadside dispatch hotline access is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
  • Travel and emergency assistance services, which are available no matter where you are in the world when you call Visa’s hotline

• Redemption options
  

  You have plenty of ways to redeem the cash back you earn. You can redeem your cash back:

  • As a statement credit or a deposit to an eligible Wells Fargo account
  • in $20 increments at a Wells Fargo ATM
  • for gift cards or a variety of travel purchases via Wells Fargo Rewards

Why should you get the Citi Double Cash?

The Citi Double Cash is one of the most popular no-annual-fee cash back credit cards on the market today, and its unique structure of getting 1 percent cash back when you make your purchase and 1 percent cash back when you pay it off encourages cardholders to pay their balance in full each month. Some additional reasons to get the Citi Double Cash include:

• Benefits
  

  The Citi Double Cash is a good card to consider if you have high interest credit card debt to pay off because it offers a 0 percent intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months after account opening. Followed by an APR of 18.24% – 28.24% (Variable).

  This is a longer intro balance transfer APR offer than the one offered by the Wells Fargo Active Cash, which means you’ll have more time to pay off your debt if needed. Still, keep in mind that this intro APR offer is only for balance transfers, not purchases, and that balance transfers must be made in the first four months to qualify for the intro APR offer.

  Additionally, if you complete your balance transfer during the first four months of opening your account, you’ll pay a 3 percent balance transfer fee with a minimum of $5. For balance transfers completed after the first four months, you’ll pay a balance transfer fee of 5 percent with a minimum of $5.

  Besides this intro APR offer, the Citi Double Cash comes with other benefits like:

• Redemption options
  

  The Citi Double Cash is a unique cash back card because cardholders actually earn their cash back in the form of Citi ThankYou points. These points can be pooled with those from other eligible Citi cards that earn ThankYou points, which can then be redeemed for gift cards, travel, or shopping with points on Amazon or through PayPal.

  If you’re more interested in just getting cash back, that’s fine, too — you can easily convert your points to cash back and receive it as a statement credit, check or direct deposit.

  However, it should be noted that the Citi ThankYou points earned with this card are basic ThankYou points. That means they can only be transferred to a Citi travel partner if you pair your Citi Double Cash with a premium Citi card like the Citi Strata Premier® Card.

The bottom line

So, which card comes out ahead, the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card or the Citi Double Cash Card? That depends on factors like how and when you want to redeem rewards and whether you’re more interested in an intro APR offer for purchases or balance transfers. But if you’re just looking for a generous flat-rate cash rewards card with simple redemption options, either one of these cards would be a solid choice.