Wells Fargo Reflect Card review
Rating as of Oct. 10, 2022 based on a review of services October 14, 2022.
- Good
The Wells Fargo Reflect Card is a great option if you’re planning on making a major purchase and need time to pay it off. But there are other cards out there with slightly better balance transfer terms and extra perks beyond low APR.
-
Long 0% intro APR period of up to 21 months
-
No annual fee
-
Up to $600 of cell phone protection
- N/A
The Wells Fargo Reflect Card offers an eye-catching intro APR offer for new cardholders, with up to 21 months of 0% interest on purchases and balance transfers (followed by 15.24% - 27.24% Variable) from the moment you open your account.
The promo makes this one of the best cards on the market for making a big purchase that you’ll need time to pay off, or for unplanned emergency purchases (e.g., your water heater breaks or you need expensive car repairs) that you can’t pay for in full right away.
That said, it lacks some of the bells and whistles offered by a few of its competitors, and its long-term value beyond the initial 0% interest promo is relatively minimal.
Key facts/overview
- Best for — Low purchase APR intro
- Annual fee — $0
- Welcome offer — 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18-21 months
- Regular APR — 15.24% - 27.24% Variable
- Other features — $600 coverage against damage or theft of your cell phone if you pay your phone bill with the card
In-depth analysis
Intro APR offer
New Wells Fargo Reflect cardholders will get at least 18 months of 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers before the 15.24% - 27.24% Variable kicks in. Cardholders who make all minimum payments on time during the introductory period will receive an extension of the 0% APR for three more months (21 months total). That’s one of the best intro offers out there for purchases, though there are competing cards with comparable balance transfer deals (see ‘Wells Fargo Reflect Card compared’ below).
Balance transfers must be made within the first 120 days to qualify for the intro APR and come with a fee of 3% of the transferred balance or $5, whichever is higher.
Read more: Best 0% APR credit cards of 2022
Other Tools/Advantages
Aside from its APR benefits, the Wells Fargo Reflect card also includes:
- Coverage of up to $600 per claim for theft of or damage to your cellphone, provided you use the card to pay your phone bill (subject to $25 deductible).
- 24/7 emergency roadside assistance, including towing (up to five miles); tire changing; jump starting; fuel delivery; winching; and lockout service. The service is pay-per-use, with no membership fee required.
- Zero liability on fraudulent purchases.
- My Wells Fargo Deals, an opt-in program that allows you to get discounts in the form of cash reimbursement from a few specific retailers.
Aside from My Wells Fargo Deals, this card doesn’t include guaranteed rewards like travel points or cash back offers.
Fees and regular interest
The Wells Fargo Reflect card has no annual fee. However, like most credit cards, there are some punitive fees associated with the card. For example, there could be a charge of up to $40 if you miss your monthly payment deadline. Additionally, the card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, so it’s not the ideal card to use if you are traveling abroad.
The regular APR of 15.24% - 27.24% Variable is fairly standard among low interest cards, and applies to both purchases and balance transfers made within the first 120 days.
Read more: Best no annual fee cards
Pros & cons
Pros
- Very competitive purchase APR intro rate — You'll be hard-pressed to find a longer intro APR period - 0% APR for up to 21 months on purchases (followed by 15.24% to 27.24% variable APR)
- Cellphone protection — This can potentially save you a lot of money if you have an expensive mobile device.
- No annual fee — This is a must if you're trying to save wherever you can.
Cons
- 21 months isn't guaranteed — Make a late payment accidentally and you won't get the extra three months.
- Not the only balance transfer game in town — There are other cards out there that offer more affordable terms on balance transfers.
- Minimal extra features — The card doesn't have a whole lot to offer after the intro APR period expires.
- Foreign transaction fee — A 3% charge really adds up if you travel internationally even once a year.
Wells Fargo Reflect Card compared
Wells Fargo Reflect Card Union Bank® Platinum™ Visa® Credit Card Citi® Double Cash Card
Annual fee $0 $0 $0
APR promo 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18-21 months + 3% transfer fee 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (no transfer fee) 0% APR on balance transfers for 18 months + 3% transfer fee (min. $5)
Cash back/rewards rates N/A N/A 1% cash back on purchases + 1% for paying off purchases (unlimited)
Other notable features Cell phone protection; pay-per-use emergency roadside assistance Purchase security N/A
Union Bank® Platinum™ Visa® Credit Card
The APR promo offered by the Union Bank® Platinum™ Visa® Credit Card might seem inferior to the Wells Fargo Reflect Card’s at first glance, and the Reflect Card’s deal is definitely better for those looking for low purchase interest. But keep in mind that the Reflect Card charges a 3% fee for balance transfers, which can be a big chunk of change depending on your transfer amount — a $10k balance transfer would result in a $300 fee with the Reflect Card.
The Union Bank® Platinum™ Visa® Credit Card doesn’t charge a transfer fee for balance transfers made in the first 60 days of opening the account. If you’re primarily looking for a good balance transfer deal, it’s generally best to go with the lowest transfer fee (or better yet, no transfer fee at all) so that you can minimize up-front costs.
You can always transfer your balance to another card (like the Reflect card) if the Union Bank card’s 15 months aren’t long enough to pay off your transferred balance in full.
See card details/apply for the Union Bank® Platinum™ Visa® Credit Card.
Read more: Balance transfer calculator — How much can you save?
Citi® Double Cash Card
The Citi® Double Cash Card’s balance transfer promotion is comparable to the offer from the Wells Fargo Reflect Card, though it doesn’t include 0% APR on purchases (only balance transfers). Where the Citi® Double Cash Card outshines the Reflect is in its ability to earn cash back.
After you’ve paid off your transferred balance you can use the Citi® Double Cash Card to earn 2% cash back on everything — 1% when you initially make a purchase, and another 1% when you pay the purchase off later. If you think you can pay off your balance transfer within 18 months and you’d like to earn cash back afterward, go with the Citi® Double Cash Card over the Wells Fargo Reflect Card.
See card details/apply for the Citi® Double Cash Card.
Who should get the Wells Fargo Reflect Card?
The Wells Fargo Reflect card is ideal for those who fit the following use cases:
Making a big purchase
If you’ve encountered an expensive emergency or you intend to make a must-have big purchase, and you don’t have an emergency fund to cover it, the Wells Fargo Reflect card is a great option. 21 months of 0% intro APR buys you a lot of time to pay off your bill without incurring interest charges. Just make your minimum payments on time and the 0% interest rate is almost equivalent to having paid for your expense in cash.
Consolidating credit card debt
Signing up for the Wells Fargo Reflect card may also be a good move if you have one or more high-interest credit cards you’d like to pay off, and you’ve already exhausted better balance transfer promos that might be on the market. If you’ve already transferred your balance to a card like the Union Bank® Platinum™ Visa® Credit Card and you weren’t able to pay the balance off in time before its promo ended, you could potentially surf your balance onto the Wells Fargo Reflect card to give you more time to pay it off.
All you have to worry about is the 3% balance transfer fee, which will end up being less than what you would pay in APR in most circumstances.
Who should avoid the Wells Fargo Reflect card?
The Wells Fargo Reflect might not be a good fit for you if you nod to any of the below:
- You need a card to use while traveling abroad (foreign transaction fees really hurt)
- You’re looking for a card with guaranteed cash back or rewards points for your purchases
- You’re looking to make a balance transfer and haven’t explored other options out there
Summary
If you want a card that offers a low purchase interest rate for an extended period of time, it’s really hard to beat the Wells Fargo Reflect Card.
But if you’re on the hunt for a great balance transfer deal, or if you want to earn rewards for your purchases, you should probably look at alternative options.
Read more:
About the author
