Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card Review: Earn 1.5% Cash Reward And A $150 Cash Rewards Bonus
Rating as of Oct. 30, 2017 based on a review of services February 1, 2023.
- Good/
- Excellent
Wells Fargo is offering an all-around terrific credit card that hits high notes in every category. The Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card includes a $150 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in the first three months, 1.5% cash rewards on purchases, a 0% intro APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for 15 months AND added benefits like cell phone protection.
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Unlimited 1.5% cash rewards on purchases
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A strong, $150 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in the first three months
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A strong 15 month 0% intro APR on both new purchases and qualifying balance transfers (made in the first 120 days)
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Compelling added benefits such as up-to $600 in cell phone protection (subject to $25 deductible)
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Disclaimer – Wells Fargo is no longer accepting new applicants for this offer.
With 1.5% cash back on all purchases, a 0% for 15 months Intro APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (fees apply), then a 13.99%-25.99% (Variable) APR, no annual fee, and a $150 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 in first three months from account opening, the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card is a great all-around credit card.
There are two kinds of cash back credit cards out there: cards that pay you back a flat percentage of every purchase and cards that pay back higher percentages of the dollars you spend in specific categories. While you can usually earn more with category-specific cards, the difference isn’t as much as you might think if you’re not a high-rolling spender. Flat-rate rewards cards are appealing for their simplicity.
The Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card’s $150 cash rewards bonus if you spend $500 in the first three months is one of the best cash rewards bonuses on cash back credit cards.
In addition to competitive 1.5% cash back on all purchases and the $150 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 in the first three months, the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card comes with a few perks other 1.5% cash back cards don’t.
Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card rewards
The Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card gives you 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
By itself, the cash back rate makes this card competitive, but not a standout. You can choose from plenty of no annual fee cards that offer 1.5% cash back, but the Wells Fargo card has a couple of other features that set it apart.
$150 cash rewards bonus
First of all, there’s the cash rewards bonus. If you spend $500 on the card in the first three months from opening your account, you’ll earn a $150 cash rewards bonus. Compare that to competing cash back cards like both the Chase Freedom Unlimited® which give you an additional 1.5% on all purchases (up to $20,000 spent in the first year) and Chase Freedom Flex℠ which give you a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.. Plus neither card has an annual fee – making them attractive cash back cards.
Digital payment rewards bonus
If you already use digital payments – either Google PayTM or Apple Pay® – the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card will give you 1.8% cash back on purchases made with your card through either payment network for the first 12 months. If you don’t yet use Google PayTM or Apple Pay®, that could be a nice incentive to sign-up.
Cell phone insurance
The Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card offers another unique and truly valuable feature – cell phone protection. Similar to the insurance you can purchase through your wireless carrier, this card will reimburse you up to $600 if your mobile phone is stolen or damaged (minus a $25 deductible).
There’s no fee for this protection, but to take advantage you’ll need to pay your wireless bill with the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card each month. With typical phone insurance premiums running $10 to $15 a month, this benefit alone could save you up to $180 a year if it allows you to cancel a policy you’re already paying.
Earn More Mall®
Finally, you can even earn extra rewards when you shop Wells Fargo’s Earn More Mall® . Through this website, you can earn extra cash back while shopping at popular e-commerce sites. I love that it includes the Apple store, where you get 2% cash back.
Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card: other features
Although not necessarily unique, the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card comes with other important features you would expect from a competitive rewards card, such as purchase protection and rental car damage insurance.
The Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card comes with 24/7 fraud monitoring and a zero liability program that protects you if unauthorized charges are made on your card. You’ll also receive rapid alerts to track purchases and receive notifications of irregular or suspicious activity.
As with many (but not all) credit cards, you’re also eligible for rental car collision and damage insurance up to the cash value of the rental vehicle, subject to limitations.
The fine print
| Highlights | - Earn a $150 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in the first 3 months - Earn unlimited 1.5% cash rewards on purchases - Enjoy 1.8% cash rewards on qualified digital wallet purchases, like Apple Pay® or Google Pay™, during the first 12 months from account opening |
| Annual Fee | $0 |
| Intro APR - Purchases | 0% for 15 months |
| Intro APR - Qualifying Balance Transfers | 0% for 15 months on qualifying balance transfers |
| Balance Transfer Fee | 5% |
| Regular APR | 13.99%-25.99% (Variable) |
| Cash Advance Fee | See Terms |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | 3% |
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Great cash rewards bonus — Earn a $150 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 within three months of account opening.
- Valuable rewards on all purchases — Receive 1.5% cash back on all purcahses with no limits.
- Competitive introductory financing — Enjoy 0% intro APR financing on both new purchases and qualifying balance transfers for the first 15 months.
- Low fees — This card has no annual fee.
Cons
- High costs for foreign transactions — This card has a 3% foreign transaction fee.
- Miss out on bonus rewards — This card has no bonus reward categories that typically earn 5%.
Summary
The Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card is a solid choice for a flat-rate cash rewards credit card.
If you’re looking for a card that offers decent, consistent cash back and great all-around protection, this card is for you. You’ll get extra value from the card if you can spend $500 within the first three months to earn the $150 cash rewards bonus and if you can take advantage of the included cell phone insurance by paying your cellular bill with the card.
Learn more: Apply for the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card now.
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