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Citi just added a limited-time welcome bonus offer to the Citi® Double Cash Card, and it’s giving the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card a run for its money. The Citi® Double Cash Card normally doesn’t come with a welcome bonus, but now, it’s a lot more evenly matched with the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card.
While these two cash-back cards look very similar on the surface, there are notable differences you should consider before applying.
Here’s how the Citi® Double Cash Card and the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card compare to help decide which cash-back card is best for you.
We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Welcome bonus offers
Citi has stepped up by offering Citi® Double Cash Card cardholders an almost identical welcome bonus to the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card:
Citi Double Cash and Wells Fargo Active Cash welcome bonuses
Citi® Double Cash Card: Citi® Double Cash CardWells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Although cardholders can earn the same reward amount, the spending requirement on Citi® Double Cash Card is slightly higher. That said, Citi is also providing cardholders double the amount of time to meet the requirement, which can make it easier for some folks to earn the bonus.
However, it should be acknowledged that both cards’ spending requirements aren’t all that high, so additional time might not even be necessary (meaning that the benefit of additional time on the Citi card might not be a factor).
Winner: Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Rewards rates
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card earns a flat 2% cash rewards on purchases without limits or exclusions, which is similar, but not identical to the Citi® Double Cash Card rewards rate (effectively 2% cash back on all purchases). Despite the fact that these rates look similar on the surface, the Citi® Double Cash Card isn’t quite as straightforward as it first appears.
With the Citi® Double Cash Card, you earn 1 point per dollar when you make a purchase, and another 1 point per dollar when you pay it off. Each point is worth 1 cent, so this is essentially 2% cash back.
Delayed rewards could potentially lead to problems if you make purchases and carry a balance on your card. Then again, having a balance is a poor idea if you’re pursuing rewards anyway. After all, the high variable APR on both of these cards could wipe out your reward balance.
Winner: Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Redeeming rewards
If you’re looking for flexibility in redeeming rewards, either the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card or the Citi® Double Cash Card are decent options. But the Citi® Double Cash Card gives you more choices because it doesn’t earn cash back directly. Instead, you’ll earn Citi ThankYou points, which are worth 1 cent each when you redeem for cash back (as a check, statement credit, or credit to a linked account, with no minimum redemption amount). You can also use your rewards for gift cards, travel booked through the Citi travel portal, or charitable contributions at the same rate.
There’s also an option to transfer Citi ThankYou points from the Citi® Double Cash Card to a handful of partners: JetBlue (5:4 transfer ratio, so 1,000 Citi ThankYou points equals 800 JetBlue points), Wyndham (5:4 ratio), Choice Privileges (2:3 ratio), and Sears Shop Your Way Rewards (1:10 ratio).
If you also have the Citi Premier® Card, you can combine rewards between your accounts and transfer points to Citi’s full range of airline and hotel transfer partners, including Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, and Emirates.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card allows you to redeem rewards toward purchases charged to the card (starting at $1), gift cards, travel (like airline tickets), and statement credits to a Wells Fargo mortgage, loan, or credit product account. You can also redeem rewards as cash at a Wells Fargo ATM (in $20 increments), but you’ll need a Wells Fargo debit card.
Winner: Citi® Double Cash Card
Benefits and features
Citi Double Cash
The Citi® Double Cash Card only has a few perks, the most notable being Citi Entertainment, which allows cardholders to purchase presale tickets and exclusive experiences to concerts, sporting events, dining experiences, and more.
Other benefits include 24/7 customer service, $0 liability on unauthorized charges, fraud protection, an ID theft protection program, and lost wallet service.
Wells Fargo Active Cash
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offers a few more travel and purchase protections, and while the benefits you’ll get aren’t as robust as you would receive with a premium travel credit card, you do get a handful of decent perks. These include a 24/7 Visa concierge service, access to the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection, cell phone protection, emergency cash disbursement and card replacement, travel and emergency assistance services, and roadside dispatch.
That said, if you’re looking for more perks, a rewards credit card with an annual fee could be a better option. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers primary car rental insurance, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, trip delay insurance, and benefits with DoorDash, Instacart, and GoPuff.
Winner: Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Fees and costs
The Citi® Double Cash Card has a great Citi® Double Cash Card (then a Citi® Double Cash Card APR). However, the intro APR only applies to balance transfers, not new purchases. So while the Citi® Double Cash Card might be good for paying down credit card debt, it won’t be a sound card for paying off large purchases over multiple billing cycles. The card also has a balance transfer fee, cash advance fee, a late payment fee, and a foreign transaction fee.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card has a Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (then a Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card APR). Although the card’s intro APR deal is shorter than Citi® Double Cash Card’s offer, it applies to both balance transfers and purchases. The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card also has balance transfer fees, cash advance fees, a late payment fee, and a foreign transaction fee.
Winner: Tie
Comparison of the Citi Double Cash vs Wells Fargo Active Cash
Citi® Double Cash Card
Wells Fargo Active Cash® CardAnnual fee
Citi® Double Cash Card
Wells Fargo Active Cash® CardRewards rate
1 point per dollar when you buy, plus 1 point per dollar when you pay your bill
2% cash rewards on all purchasesWelcome bonus
Citi® Double Cash Card
Wells Fargo Active Cash® CardBenefits
24-hour fraud protection
24/7 customer service
ID Theft protection program
Lost wallet service
$0 liability on unauthorized charges
Citi Entertainment
24/7 Visa concierge service
Luxury hotel collection
Cellular telephone protection
Emergency cash disbursement and card replacement
Travel and emergency assistance services
Roadside dispatch
Introductory 0% APR offer
Citi® Double Cash Card (then a Citi® Double Cash Card APR)
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (then a Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card APR)
ReviewCiti Double Cash Card review
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card review
Bottom line
For a limited time, Citi is offering a rarely seen intro bonus on the Citi® Double Cash Card, which is almost identical to the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. Both of these no-annual-fee cash-back credit cards are good options, but the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card barely pulls ahead. That being said, there are still reasons you might want to choose the Citi® Double Cash Card.
First, if you want the most flexibility in redeeming rewards, the Citi® Double Cash Card offers more options. Another reason to pick the Citi® Double Cash Card is if you’re looking for a long intro 0% APR on balance transfers to help consolidate and pay down high-interest debt. Third, you might pick the Citi card if you need double the time to become eligible for the welcome bonus offer.
Make sure to check out the best cash-back credit card options and all they have to offer before you decide.