Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card review: Get rewarded for everyday spending

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This offer is no longer available on our site: Chase Freedom Flex℠

Pros

  • High rewards rate on several everyday spending categories
  • Welcome bonus
  • No annual fee

Cons

  • Mediocre base rewards rate
  • No major travel perks

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card: Core features

The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers outsized rewards for a travel card with no annual fee. Here are some of the top features to keep in mind as you determine whether it’s the right fit for you.

Impressive rewards on everyday categories

The card offers three points per $1 spent on these six different spending categories.

  • Restaurants, including dine-in, takeout, catering, delivery and more
  • Travel, including airfare, hotels, car rentals, cruises and more
  • Gas, including gas stations and electric vehicle charging stations
  • Transit, including subways, rideshares, parking, tolls and more
  • Popular streaming services
  • Phone plans, including cellphone and landline providers

The variety of rewards categories is solid for a travel card, on par with some of the pricier travel rewards cards you see. And the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card holds its own among general rewards cards with rotating categories and spending caps, like the Chase Freedom Flex℠ card, with unlimited rewards that stay the same year-round. Just keep in mind that non-bonus spending will only net you one point per $1, which isn’t all that great of a rewards rate.

Welcome bonus

It’s common for a no-annual-fee credit card to offer a sign-up bonus. With this card, you’ll get 20,000 bonus points (worth $200) when you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

No major travel perks

While its rewards are solid, if you’re considering the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card as a travel card, you may be disappointed to find that it has no major travel benefits. You’ll get an auto rental collision damage waiver, but that’s relatively standard among travel cards.

If you want to up your travel game with travel-related credits, elite status, airport lounge access or other benefits, take a look at some of the top travel credit cards out there.

What else you need to know about the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

As you consider your options, here are some other details to know about the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card.

  • Intro APR — New cardholders get an introductory 0% APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening, after which the variable purchase APR will be 19.74%, 24.74%, 29.74%.
  • Additional cash back — The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card provides access to additional cash back offers with select merchants through My Wells Fargo deals.
  • Other benefits — The card offers cellphone protection, roadside dispatch, emergency cash disbursement and card replacement, and travel and emergency assistance services.
  • No foreign transaction fees — You won’t have to worry about additional costs when you take this card abroad.

Understanding your points and redemption

The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers points that you can use for a variety of redemption options, including …

  • Travel
  • Cash back
  • Statement credits
  • Mortgage payments (if you have a Wells Fargo mortgage)
  • Gift cards
  • Shopping with participating retailers

What sets the card apart from some other travel cards is that each redemption option gives you a value of 1 cent per point — some other cards may offer less than 1 cent per point with some their redemption options. Though there are plenty of rewards programs with points worth more than double that depending on how you redeem them.

Who the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card is good for

Consider this credit card if you spend a lot of money in its bonus categories, don’t want to keep track of rotating categories, and want flexibility with how you can use your points. While the card’s base rewards rate isn’t great, you can still maximize the card’s value by pairing it with another card that offers a higher base rewards rate.

It’s also worth considering if you want a decent welcome bonus but don’t want to deal with an annual fee. The card’s bonus doesn’t compare with some of the top travel credit cards on the market, but it’s still a solid value.

On the flip side, if you’re looking for a card with great travel benefits on top of the rewards program, this one might not be the best fit.

Not sure this is the card for you? Consider these alternatives.

If you’re not sure that the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card is the right fit, or you simply want to shop around and compare other options, here are some cards to keep in mind.


About the author: Ben Luthi is a personal finance freelance writer and credit cards expert. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and finance from Brigham Young University. In addition to Credit Karma, you can find his wo… Read more.