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The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers a generous unlimited points reward system, a $300 welcome bonus, and opportunities to save with literally every purchase. It’s a solid card for people with good-to-excellent credit and responsible spending habits looking to earn rewards on day-to-day purchases like dining, travel, streaming, and more.
However, despite its $0 annual fee, the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card’s APR is incredibly high, meaning that this could still be quite an expensive card if you don’t pay the card’s balance off diligently.
Quick Review
The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers a bountiful list of point-earning opportunities and introductory offers. This card makes savings easy and effortless. Here’s what you can get:
- Unlimited 3x points on dining, travel, gas, transit, select streaming services, and phone plans
- Unlimited 1x points on everything else
- $300 value welcome bonus when you spend $1,500 in the first 3 months
- 0% APR for first 12 months
The unlimited points reward system is generous and exciting. To understand just how much you’re getting with the program, it’s important to understand that a rewards point on the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card is equivalent to one cent, or 1% of your purchase. Therefore, the unlimited 3x point category gives you 3% (or 3 cents per dollar spent) back in points to use on future purchases.
From eating out to filling up your tank, you can earn 3x points (1 base point and 2 bonus points) for many day-to-day purchases. These categories are non-rotating and unlimited, making the saving potential huge. The 1x points on everything else is on par with competing cards.
The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card also comes with a 30,000 point welcome bonus, which has a value of $300. The bonus comes with a spending requirement of $1,500 in your first 3 months, which isn’t an unreasonable threshold.
The drawbacks of the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card include its high APR of 18.74%–28.74% (variable) and the fact that the points system may make it seem like you’re earning and saving a lot more than you actually are. For example, while 1000 points may sound like a lot, it actually only has a $10 value. So be careful not to spend more than you normally would on bonus categories in a bid to earn more points.
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card Important Details
Basic Card Details
- Annual fee: $0
- Purchase APR: 18.74%–28.74% (variable)
- Initial credit limit: At least $1,000
- Rewards rate: 1%–3%
- Welcome bonus: $300 value
- Grace period: 25 days
Additional Information
- Up to $600 in cell phone protection when you pay your phone bill with your card
- Auto rental collision damage waiver
- Built-in zero liability protection
- Access to Roadside Dispatch® service
- Access to travel and emergency services assistance
- Emergency cash advances and card replacements
- Free credit checks and personalized credit insights with Credit Close-Up℠
- Exclusive access to My Wells Fargo Deals
- Points can be redeemed for purchases, gift cards, or travel
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card Feature Breakdown
Learn more about the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card’s features to determine if it’s the right credit card for your needs.
Fees
- Annual fee: $0
- Introductory balance transfer fee: $5 or 3% (whichever is greater) for first 120 days
- Balance transfer fee: $5 or 5% (whichever is greater)
- Cash advance fee: $10 or 5% (whichever is greater)
- Foreign transaction fee: None
- Late payment fee: Up to $40
Interest Rates
- Purchase APR: 18.74%–28.74% (variable)
- Introductory purchase APR: 0% for the first 12 months
- Balance transfer APR: 18.74%–28.74% (variable)
- Cash advance APR: 28.99%
The introductory 0% APR for your first year is incredibly helpful, especially if you’re getting the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card specifically to make big purchases that may take a few months to pay off. However, after the introductory period ends, your purchase APR may skyrocket up, so make sure to pay off any large balances during the first 12 months of card ownership.
Rewards
The points reward system for theWells Fargo Autograph℠ Card is pretty good with plenty of opportunities to save. You get 3% cash back on:
- Dining
- Travel
- Gas
- Transit
- Select streaming services
- Phone plans
Then you get 1% back on all other purchases.
All the earning categories are unlimited, and because the card doesn’t have an annual fee, there’s no pressure to spend up to a certain amount to make the card worth it. It’s notable that the dining category also includes drinking establishments.
What’s more is that none of the categories are limited to specific establishments. This means you can shop, eat, and pump gas where you want instead of adjusting your spending habits to meet your card’s requirements.
Rewards Redemption
The rewards system works like a cashback program. While you receive points instead of cashback for your purchases, they can both be used for future purchases.
Points can be redeemed three ways: for travel, as a gift card, or on purchases. Remember, one point is equivalent to one cent.
Gift cards can only be redeemed in $25 increments, so they aren’t incredibly useful for everyday use. However, you can redeem points on everyday purchases for as little as $1, which makes it a much more realistic option.
Welcome Bonus
The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card comes with a welcome bonus of 30,000 points, which has a $300 value. You must spend at least $1,500 in your first 6 months to unlock the bonus, which is fairly reasonable.
Cash Advance
A cash advance is when you withdraw money from an ATM or money order using your credit card. While the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card allows cash advances, the APR for them is very high and they come with a fee of at least $5.
These types of interest rates and fees can add up quickly, so we recommend taking out cash using your debit card instead.
Balance Transfers
Balance transfers involve moving debt from one credit card to another. The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card allows balance transfers, although the APR for them is between 18.74%–28.74% (variable).
The 0% APR period on this card only applies to purchases, not balance transfers, meaning this isn’t the ideal credit card for transferring a balance. Instead, look for a card with 0% balance transfer APR if you need to consolidate debt.
Travel Benefits
The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card is great for travelers. You can redeem your points directly on travel purchases and the card comes with several travel-related benefits.
Plus, the card’s reward program allows you to save 3x points on all travel, transit, and gas purchases.
Here are all the other travel benefits you can receive with the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card:
- Roadside Dispatch® services
- Access to travel and emergency services assistance
- Emergency cash advances and card replacements
- Auto rental collision damage waiver
Owning the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card also makes you a Visa Signature® cardholder, which gives you access to 24/7 concierge services and luxury hotel benefits.
There’s also no foreign transaction fee on this credit card, making it a great resource to take abroad.
Other Benefits
Wells Fargo cardholders receive access to the My Wells Fargo Deals program. This exclusive platform features personalized deals from an array of affiliated merchants.
Unfortunately, these are the only additional benefits the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers. While you can earn consistently using this credit card, it doesn’t boast the same impressive array of benefits that many other credit cards on the market have.
Authorized Users
You can easily add authorized users to Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card through your online banking portal. Anyone can be added to your card, from your teenager to even a friend you trust.
However, as the primary account holder, you’ll be responsible for paying off the card’s charges, so add authorized users with caution.
Credit Reporting
Wells Fargo card owners receive access to Credit Close-Up℠, a service that helps you check and track your FICO® Score. You can even get free customized insights and advice to help you build or maintain your score.
Wells Fargo reports to credit bureaus regularly as well, so your card activity will be used to update your credit report.
Customer Service
If you want to speak to Wells Fargo directly regarding this card, here are the relevant contact numbers:
General Banking/Customer Service
(800) 869-3557
Wells Fargo Online®
(800) 956-4442
Should You Get the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card?
FinanceJar verdict
Yes, we would recommend this card for families and individuals looking to save on everyday purchases, especially travel and dining purchases. The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card’s non-rotating categories make earning easy, especially since all of the rewards are unlimited and have little to no restrictions. However, its high purchase APR after the introductory period mean it’s not a great card for regularly carrying a balance.
Who is this card for?
- Frequent flyers and roadtrippers: Given the multiple travel benefits and no foreign transaction fees that make traveling by plane and car cheaper and more convenient, people who love to travel both by plane and car would massively benefit from this card. Some travel features require enrollment, so make sure you’re signed up to all the relevant services before traveling.
- People who love to eat out: The unlimited 3x points on all dining purchases make this card ideal for people who love a night on the town. It’s a helpful little bonus that lessens the blow of a weeknight meal out.
- Families looking to save: Given the 3x points you can earn on dining, streaming, phone plans, and transit, this card would work well for families looking to save on family phone plans, carpooling, and all the necessary streaming services.
Comparable Cards
See how the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card compares to similar cards on the market.
