Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Card review: A travel rewards card for the budget-conscious consumer

Wells Fargo Autograph Visa® Card: Overview

APR

• Intro: 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. Then 20.24%, 25.24% or 29.99% variable APR after that.
• Purchase: 20.24%, 25.24% or 29.99% variable
• Balance transfer: 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable
• Cash advance: 29.99%
• Penalty: Up to 29.99%

Annual fee: None

Foreign transaction fee: None

Other fees: Up to $40 late payment fee, $10 or 5% cash advance fee (whichever is greater), 3% or $5 balance transfer fee

The Wells Fargo Autograph Card is one of the most underrated credit cards for earning rewards and offering straightforward redemptions. The card offers one of the most competitive reward structures, ensuring you’re generously rewarded for your most common purchases. The card earns 3 points for every dollar spent on restaurants, travel, gas, transit, streaming and phone plans. All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar spent. New cardholders even qualify for a 30,000-point welcome bonus as well, which will be covered later.

This card really hits the sweet spot of providing generous rewards while charging no annual fee. You can also use the card abroad without worrying about added charges of 2%–3%. That’s because the card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, which is unusual for a no-annual-fee credit card.

Furthermore, cardholders get up to $600 in cell phone protection when they charge their monthly cell phone bill to this card. If you need to utilize this benefit, you’ll pay just a $25 deductible. The card’s auto rental collision damage provides an extra level of protection against the loss and theft of a rental vehicle. The only downside is that coverage is secondary and does not kick in unless your personal auto insurance refuses to cover a claim.

Wells Fargo Autograph Visa® Card: Points 

The Wells Fargo Autograph Card earns “points” that are equivalent to cash back rewards. Cardholders earn 3 points per $1 spent on restaurants, travel, gas, transit, streaming and phone plans, and 1 point per dollar on everything else. Since points are worth one cent each, you essentially earn 1%–3% cash back on this card. Then, of course, there’s the card’s previously mentioned 30,000-point welcome bonus. 

Points can be used toward travel, gift cards, qualifying retail purchases or through PayPal.

Does the Wells Fargo Autograph Visa® Card offer a new customer bonus?

The Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Card offers new customers 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,500 in purchases within three months of account opening. This bonus is worth $300 toward travel purchases. 

How to redeem Wells Fargo Autograph Visa® Card rewards 

When it comes to redeeming points, there are no complicated award charts or guesswork about how much they’re worth. Points are worth 1 cent each and you can redeem them toward travel purchases, popular retail gift cards, with PayPal checkout or as a statement credit toward eligible credit card purchases. Simply head over to the bank’s Rewards portal and log in to redeem points for purchases.

This reward structure is very user-friendly and ideal for consumers who don’t want to deal with complicated programs. While other programs like Amex Membership Rewards and Citi ThankYou points offer excellent value through airline transfer partnerships, they come with challenges. Not all consumers have the time (or desire) to figure out which airline to transfer their points to or how to leverage their rewards for maximum value. For people who prefer simplicity, the Autograph Card’s reward structure is ideal.

Additional benefits

• Cell phone protection: Provides up to $600 in cell phone protection when you pay your monthly cell bill with your Wells Fargo Autograph card. Coverage is subject to a $25 deductible and limited to two claims every 12-month period.
• Emergency cash disbursement and card replacement: Provides emergency cash advance disbursement or card replacement within 1–2 business days. 
• Travel and emergency services assistance: Includes emergency assistance and referral services in case of an emergency while traveling. 
• Zero Liability protection: Cardholders won’t be liable for unauthorized transactions. 
• Roadside Dispatch: Access to 24/7 emergency roadside assistance, towing, or locksmith service. 
• Credit Close-Up: Complimentary FICO score tracking.
• My Wells Fargo Deals: Access to personalized statement credits from popular merchants. 

Is the Wells Fargo Autograph Visa® Card right for you?

The Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Card is an excellent choice if you want a credit card with generous rewards and simple redemption options. The card’s 3X bonus categories are highly competitive, especially compared to other rewards credit cards that carry annual fees. The current welcome bonus isn’t particularly impressive, but it’s pretty standard for a no-annual-fee or cash-back credit card. The card’s cell phone protection benefit is unique and something even premium credit cards don’t offer.

The Wells Fargo Autograph Card isn’t a great fit if you’re looking for a card with more lucrative redemption options. Despite earning “points,” this is essentially a cash-back card and each point is worth just one cent toward travel and other qualifying redemptions. 

If your goal is aspirational travel, then you might be better off with an airline credit card or a transferable rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred. These cards carry annual fees and may offer lower rewards than the Autograph Card, but you can get more than 1 cent per point when redeeming them.

The Wells Fargo Autograph Card is better suited to travelers who want a no-annual-fee card with generous category bonuses and don’t mind redeeming points at a flat rate.

Credit cards similar to Wells Fargo Autograph Visa® Card

The Wells Fargo Autograph Card is a great choice for those who can maximize its 3X bonus categories. However, it’s not the only no-annual-fee rewards card option available. Depending on your spending habits and reward goals, you might want to consider one of the following alternatives:

Citi Double Cash Card vs. Wells Fargo Autograph Visa® Card

The Citi Double Cash Card is a good alternative to the Wells Fargo Autograph if you want a no-annual-fee card that earns elevated rewards on all spending rather than a few categories. The card earns 2% cash back on all purchases (1% when you buy and 1% when you pay it off). If your spending falls outside of the Wells Fargo Autograph Card’s 3X categories, then the Citi Double Cash Card might be more rewarding for you.

One significant advantage of the Citi Double Cash Card over the Wells Fargo Autograph is that the rewards you earn can be converted to points and miles. Citi has 18 airline and hotel transfer partners and Citi Double Cash cardholders can transfer their rewards to three of these: Choice Privileges (at a 1:1.5 ratio), JetBlue TrueBlue (1.25:1) and Wyndham Rewards (1.25:1). This provides further flexibility than just simple cash back rewards.

Plus, if you’re looking for a 0% introductory APR offer, this card offers 0% on balance transfers for 18 months. That’s significantly longer than the Autograph Card’s 0% on purchases for 12 months.

One major downside is that Citi does’t offer any travel or purchase protections. If you use your card abroad, the Double Cash also imposes a 3% foreign transaction fee.

Discover it® Miles Card vs. Wells Fargo Autograph Visa® Card

The Discover it® Miles Card is similar to the Wells Fargo Autograph Card in its reward structure. While the card earns “miles,” they’re worth a flat 1 cent each toward qualifying purchases (travel and otherwise). The card has no annual or foreign transaction fees and earns 1.5 miles per dollar spent on all purchases.

During the first year, these rewards are doubled. So you’ll essentially earn 3 miles per dollar on all spending rather than a few limited categories. There’s no limit to how many miles you can earn, including the rewards match. 

This Discover card has no cell phone protection, giving it a slight disadvantage. It also lacks a welcome bonus, though the 0% intro purchase APR is for 15 months rather than 12. After the intro expires, your APR will be 17.24% to 28.24% based on your creditworthiness. 

Nevertheless, the Discover it® Miles Card is a good alternative to the Wells Fargo Autograph Visa if you have some big purchases coming up that fall outside the Autograph card’s 3X categories. The first-year card match can be very lucrative and make up for the lack of a welcome bonus.

Chase Freedom Flex® Credit Card vs. Wells Fargo Autograph Visa® Card

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is another no-annual-fee card you might want to consider instead of the Wells Fargo Autograph Visa. The card offers a welcome bonus of $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases within your first three months, plus 5% cash back on up to $12,000 in combined gas and grocery spending during the first year. The card also has a recurring list of rotating bonus categories that earn 5% cash back.

Beyond these limited-time bonuses, cardholders can earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases, 3% cash back on dining (including restaurants, takeout and eligible delivery services) (including eligible delivery services) and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

If you have another credit card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you can convert the cashback from this card to points. Why would you do that? Because those points can be worth a lot more than just one cent each, especially if you transfer them to select airlines and hotels for premium travel redemptions (think: first-class flights and luxury hotels).

One major disadvantage is that the card charges 3% of the amount of each transaction in U.S. dollars for foreign transaction fee when used abroad. If you’re a frequent traveler, this fee can add up substantially and eat into any rewards you’ll earn.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Wells Fargo Autograph Card worth it?

The Wells Fargo Autograph Card is worth it if you want a credit card with no annual fee and generous rewards in common spending categories. The card waives foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad and provides valuable purchase and travel protections, making it an excellent choice.

Is the Wells Fargo Autograph Card hard to get?

The Wells Fargo Autograph Card requires good credit, so you’ll probably need at least a 670–739 credit score to qualify. Keep in mind that a credit score in this range won’t guarantee approval, as banks take several other factors into account when considering your application.

What is the advantage of the Wells Fargo Autograph Card?

The main advantages of the Wells Fargo Autograph Card include high reward potential, a solid welcome bonus and useful travel benefits at no annual fee.

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Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits before applying.

Fortune Recommends™ credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.