Credit Cards » Compare Credit Cards » Citi vs. Wells Fargo Credit Cards: Travel, Rewards, 0% Intro & CashBack Side By Side

Citi vs. Wells Fargo Credit Cards: Travel, Rewards, 0% Intro & CashBack Side By Side

Wells Fargo has fewer credit cards options than Citibank, but it doesn't mean they offer less enticing rewards. Here's our comparison

Article update: November 29, 2024

Article update:November 29, 2024

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If you have accounts with both Citi and Wells Fargo, or if you're trying to figure out which one has the best credit card for you, we've broken down the popular cards each bank offers by category.

Let's look at your options for cashback, travel, 0% intro APR, and more.

Wells Fargo vs. Citibank: Which Offers Better Cashback Card?

Both Citi and Wells Fargo offer great options for consumers seeking a cashback card with no annual fee.

For those who prefer not to track spending categories and want more flexibility, the Wells Fargo Active Cash and Citi Double Cash cards are great options. Both offer a 0% introductory APR and have similar rewards structures. However, the Active Cash card has a slight advantage thanks to its welcome bonus, which the Double Cash card doesn't offer.

If you typically spend more in specific categories, the Citi Custom Cash card offers higher cashback rates on those categories. While the Custom Cash card provides higher cashback rates, it has a low spending cap, making it more suitable for lower spenders.


	The Wells Fargo Active Cash Card	Citi® Double Cash Card	Citi Custom Cash℠ Card
Annual Fee	$0	$0	$0
Rewards	2% 2% cash rewards on purchases (unlimited)	1% – 2% 2% cash back rewards rate – 1% every time you swipe and another 1% upon payment.	1-5% 5% cash back on your highest eligible spend category each billing cycle up to the first $500 spent and 1% cash back thereafter
Welcome bonus	$200 $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 in purchases in the first 3 months	N/A $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months	$200 $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening (20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back)
0% Intro APR	15 months on purchases and qualifying balance transfers	18 months on balance transfers	15 months on purchases and balance transfers
Foreign Transaction Fee	3%	3%	3%
Purchase APR	19.49% – 29.49% Variable APR	18.74% – 28.74% (Variable)	18.49% – 28.49% (Variable)
	Read Review	Read Review	Read Review

Basic Travel Card Comparison: Citi Rewards+ vs. Autograph

If you're looking for a travel card with no annual fee, two solid options are the Citi Rewards+ card and the Wells Fargo Autograph Card. There's no clear-cut winner here, as the best choice depends on your personal spending habits.

Both cards come with a 0% introductory APR and no annual fee. The Citi Rewards+ card provides a higher rewards rate on travel-related purchases, while the Autograph card offers better rewards for dining and gas.


	Citi Rewards+® Card	Wells Fargo Autograph Card
Annual Fee	$0	$0
Rewards	1X – 5X Earn 5X points on rental car, hotel and attraction purchases booked through cititravel.com (ends 12/31/2025), 2X points at supermarkets and gas stations (on up to $6,000 in purchases per year, then 1X points) with 1X points on all other purchases	1X – 3X 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Also, earn 1X points on other purchases
Welcome bonus	20,000 points Earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,500 within the first 3 months of account opening (redeemable for $200 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com)	20,000 Points 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months
0% Intro APR	15 months on purchases and balance transfers	12 months on purchases
Foreign Transaction Fee	3%	$0
Purchase APR	17.99% – 27.99% (Variable)	19.49% – 29.49% Variable APR
	Read Review	Read Review

Premium Travel Card Comparison: Which Bank Wins?

When it comes to premium travel cards providing, there are two main options.

These mid-tier cards include the Citi Strata Premier card and the new Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card. Both carry similar annual fees, and there is no clear winner when it comes to rewards structure, as each offers a higher ratio in different categories.

With the Citi Strata Premier card, cardholders enjoy travel protection such as travel accident insurance, trip cancellation and interruption protection, access to exclusive travel deals, and options to transfer ThankYou® Points to participating airline loyalty programs.

The Autograph card also offers various travel protections, including lost baggage reimbursement, auto rental collision damage waiver, and even cellular telephone protection.


	Citi Strata Premier Credit Card	Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card
Annual Fee	$95	$95
Rewards	1X – 10X 10X per dollar on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com, 3X points on restaurant, supermarket, gas station, and air travel and other hotels purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other purchases	1X – 5X 5X points on hotels, 4X points on airlines, 3X points on other travel and restaurants and 1X points on other purchases
Welcome bonus	75,000 points 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $750 in gift cards or travel rewards on thankyou.com	60,000 points 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months
0% Intro APR	None	N/A
Foreign Transaction Fee	$0	$0
Purchase APR	21.24% – 29.24% (Variable)	21.24% – 29.99%
	Read Review	Read Review

0% Intro APR: Citi Simplcity, Diamond or Wells Fargo Reflect?

If you're looking for a balance transfer card with a long 0% introductory APR, several options stand out in the industry. Citi offers two strong choices: the Simplicity card and the Diamond Preferred card, while Wells Fargo competes with its Reflect card.

However, we believe the BankAmericard is the clear winner here, offering a comprehensive package that includes a long 0% introductory APR on both purchases and balance transfers.


	Citi Simplicity® Card	Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card	Wells Fargo Reflect Card
Annual Fee	$0	$0	$0
Rewards	None	None	N/A
0% Intro APR	12 months on purchases and 21 months on balance transfers	21 months on balance transfers and 12 months on purchases	21 months on purchases and balance transfers
Balance Transfer Fee	$5 or 5% (whichever is greater)	$5 or 5% (the greater)	5$ or 5% (the greater)
Foreign Transaction Fee	3%	3%	3%
Purchase APR	18.74% – 29.49% (Variable)	17.49% – 28.24% (Variable)	17.49% – 29.24% Variable APR
	Read Review	Read Review	Read Review

Bottom Line

Both Citi and Wells Fargo provide a wide range of credit cards to suit various needs.

While Citi has long been a leader in the credit card market, Wells Fargo has recently introduced some compelling new cards, making it a strong competitor and even a leader in certain categories.

Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Baruch Silvermann is a financial expert, experienced analyst, and founder of The Smart Investor. Silvermann has contributed to Yahoo Finance and cited as an authoritative source in financial outlets like Forbes, Business Insider, CNBC Select, CNET, Bankrate, Fox Business, The Street, and more.

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Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

Credit Card Reviews Methodology

In order to determine the best possible credit cards, we look at things like fees, interest rates and rewards. We do this with companies that are associated with us as partners as well as other offerings. From there, we make a decision about what the best card is related to different categories and needs. We focus on interest rate cost & fees, especially the cost of carrying a balance, rewards – cards accumulate rewards in different currencies—points, miles, cash back—and their values vary widely usability – cards that accept a wide range of credit profiles and offer simple solutions for things like checking your credit score or contacting. We also consider customer reviews.

We look at cards related to good or excellent credit ratings that will then provide a range of different benefits and improvements for someone who has these scores. We also look at low fees when it comes to those who have lower credit scores.