Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card Review [2023]: Flexible Rewards with $0 Annual Fee

The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card is a flexible rewards card that offers cash rewards and travel redemptions. It also offers a generous welcome bonus and you can earn bonus points in multiple, everyday categories, including restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. And all of this is with a $0 annual fee.

This Wells Fargo Autograph review covers the card’s strengths and weaknesses so you can decide whether it’s the right fit for you.

Awesome Rewards Rates + Intro APR

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

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Rates and fees

Current Offer

Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months (that’s a $200 cash redemption value)

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

Earn unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans; plus earn 1X points on other purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months (that’s a $200 cash redemption value)
• Earn unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans; plus earn 1X points on other purchases
• Intro APR on purchases
• $0 annual fee

Drawbacks

• No intro APR on balance transfers

Card Details

• Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value
• Earn unlimited 3X points on the things that really add up - like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases
• $0 annual fee
• 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR thereafter
• Get up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your eligible Wells Fargo card (subject to a $25 deductible).
• Redeem your rewards points for travel, gift cards, or statement credits. Or shop at millions of online stores and redeem your rewards when you check out with PayPal.
• Enjoy a premium collection of benefits at a selection of the world's most intriguing and prestigious hotel properties with Visa Signature Concierge.
• Select “Apply Now” to learn more about the product features, terms and conditions.

Key takeaways

• Good earning potential, especially for a $0-annual-fee card.
• Generous welcome offer — Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months (that’s a $200 cash redemption value).
• Useful travel perks like car rental coverage, travel and emergency assistance services, and no foreign transaction fees.

Who should get the Wells Fargo Autograph Card?

The Wells Fargo Autograph Card is likely best if you want a $0-annual-fee credit card that offers a generous welcome bonus and excellent earning potential on everyday purchases. It might not make sense if you don’t have a good or excellent credit score.

With the welcome bonus, you can earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. Regular earnings are detailed in the rewards rate: Earn unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans; plus earn 1X points on other purchases.

The Wells Fargo Autograph also provides cardholders with an intro APR offer on purchases, cell phone protection, and Visa Signature perks. For a $0 annual fee, it has loads of benefits and earning potential.

Card basics

Wells Fargo Autograph Card benefits and perks

Earning potential

What sets this card apart is its earning potential — you can earn unlimited 3x points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans; plus earn 1x points on other purchases. 

The categories where you can earn higher bonuses are common spending categories, and there’s no cap on the amount you can earn. Some cards, like the Chase Freedom Flex℠, have a cap on the amount you can earn in the highest earning categories.

The Autograph Card’s categories aren’t rotating, so you don’t need to worry about selecting new categories each month or quarter.

My Wells Fargo Deals

You can stretch your earnings even further with the My Wells Fargo Deals program. Deals typically involve a discount on a product your purchase with an eligible card. You can see current My Wells Fargo Deals when you log into your Wells Fargo Account. 

For example, my current deals include 10% cash back from Domino's and 5% cash back from a Kroger fuel purchase. 

Welcome offer

The Wells Fargo Autograph Card has a solid welcome offer where you can earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months (that’s a $200 cash redemption value). The purchase requirement isn’t too high. That said, there are other cards with lower purchase requirements and similar bonuses.

For example, the Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card allows you to $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. But the Active Cash has a flat earnings rate where you can earn 2% cash rewards on purchases. If your spending aligns with the bonus categories of the Autograph, that’s likely a better choice.

Cell phone protection

Most credit cards don’t offer cell phone protection, but the Wells Fargo Autograph does. Receive up to $600 of protection (minus a $25 deductible) per successful claim against phone damage or theft when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your card.

Travel benefits

The Autograph is designed to be a travel-friendly card, and its benefits reflect that. It includes:

• Auto rental collision damage waiver: Receive up to $50,000 in rental car coverage toward a covered accident or theft on eligible car rentals.
• Roadside dispatch: Receive access to a pay-per-use roadside assistance program that offers services such as towing, tire changing, fuel delivery, and more.
• Travel and emergency assistance services: Receive 24/7 access to travel and emergency assistance services such as lost luggage locator service, emergency message service, and medical referral assistance.
• Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection: Receive exclusive benefits at over 900 luxury hotels worldwide. This could include food or beverage credit, late check-out, and an automatic room upgrade.
• Visa Signature Concierge service: Receive 24/7 access to the Visa Signature Concierge service for assistance with travel, entertainment, and other needs.
  
• No foreign transaction fee: This card has no foreign transaction fees, so you can avoid racking up these additional charges if you make purchases while abroad.

Drawbacks to the Wells Fargo Autograph Card

The Wells Fargo Autograph offers travel redemptions, but you can’t transfer points to any travel partners. Transfer partners allow you to transfer your points to airline or hotel loyalty programs, giving you more flexibility and value with your points.

If you compare credit cards, many other travel cards do offer this redemption option for your points or miles.

For example, Capital One has over a dozen airline transfer partners and three hotel transfer partners. Chase has 11 airline partners and three hotel transfer partners.

Earning & redeeming Wells Fargo Rewards

Potential earnings in years one and two

Here's a look at how your points can add up with the Wells Fargo Autograph Card. To calculate these values, we used a point valuation of 1 cent.

Remember, this is an estimation. The actual value will be determined by how much you spend and in which categories you spend.

Year one earnings: $755

Year two earnings: $555

These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Mode, which looks at points earned via spending, the welcome bonus, and the annual fee.

Best ways to earn

One of the best ways to earn the most points possible with a rewards program is to use your card on purchases you’re already planning to make. This could include everyday spending such as gas, eating out, and public transit. The Autograph lines up well with these spending categories.

The Wells Fargo Autograph offers 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. You can also earn 1X points on other purchases.

This card’s bonus categories align with many everyday expenses, and it would likely be beneficial for you to use your card on those purchases. Keep in mind that using your card to pay your cell phone bill could offer bonus points and cell phone protection.

Maximizing your redemptions

The Wells Fargo Autograph offers these redemption options for your rewards points:

• Account deposits or statement credits
• Mailed check
• Cash by withdrawal from a Wells Fargo ATM
• Travel
• Gift cards
• Charitable donations
• Merchandise
• Pay with Rewards at participating merchants, including PayPal Checkout
• Transfers to a Rewards Pool or another Wells Fargo Rewards account

Redemption values don’t tend to vary with Wells Fargo Rewards, which means you typically receive the same value (1 cent per point) for your points regardless of which option you choose. The most popular options for rewards cards are often for cash or travel redemptions. But the best option for you depends on your preferences.

Wells Fargo Autograph Card FAQs

Other cards to consider

The Wells Fargo Autograph hits many of the right notes, including a $0 annual fee, a worthwhile welcome offer, and bonus categories that align with everyday expenses. But if it’s not the right credit card offer for you, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card or the Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is likely a better option if you want a travel rewards card. It has a $95 annual fee and offers valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards for all eligible purchases. Transfer your points to over a dozen transfer partners or receive a 25% bonus if you redeem points toward travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.

Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred review for more information.

The Wells Fargo Active Cash could make sense if you want a flat-rate cash rewards card. It has a $0 annual fee and cardmembers can earn 2% cash rewards on purchases. This type of earning rate helps to keep things simple because you don’t have to worry about multiple bonus categories with different rates.

Check out our Wells Fargo Active Cash review to learn more.

Awesome Rewards Rates + Intro APR

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Apply Now

Why We Like It

Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months (that’s a $200 cash redemption value)

Rates and fees

Apply Now

See how these cards compare:

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
• 25% more value when redeeming rewards for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards
• 10% anniversary point bonus each year
• $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through Ultimate Rewards
• Premium travel protection benefits

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

• $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
• Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
• Intro APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
• $0 annual fee
• Rates and fees

Author Details

Ben Walker, CEPF Ben Walker, CEPF, is a Senior Credit Cards Writer at FinanceBuzz. For over a decade, he's leveraged credit card points and miles to travel the world. His expertise extends to other areas of personal finance — including loans, insurance, investing, and real estate — and you can find his insights on The Washington Post, Debt.com, Yahoo! Finance, and Fox Business.

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