{"id":24188,"date":"2018-06-13T11:05:41","date_gmt":"2018-06-13T15:05:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/?p=24188"},"modified":"2026-04-08T13:17:53","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T13:17:53","slug":"wells-fargo-cash-wise-card","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/cash-back\/wells-fargo-cash-wise-card\/","title":{"rendered":"Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa\u00ae Card Review"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><strong>The Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> card (closed to new applicants) is no longer available; it was replaced by the <a data-ccid=\"4048251\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/cash-back\/wells-fargo-active-cash\/\">Wells Fargo Active Cash<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Card<\/a> . Read our <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/cash-back\/wells-fargo-active-cash\/\" rel=\"noopener\">full review of the Wells Fargo Active Cash card here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>For historical reference, here's what the Cash Wise Visa offered:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>The Cash Wise Visa is a highlight of Wells Fargo\u2019s rewards card lineup and one of the better <a href=\"\/credit-cards\/0-apr-credit-cards-with-no-annual-fee\/\">no-annual-fee cash-back cards<\/a> on the market. In addition, it earns an introductory <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsfargo.com\/mobile\/payments\/cash-wise-digital-wallet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">1.8% cashback rate on qualified digital-wallet purchases<\/a>\u00a0and an unlimited 1.5% cash rewards on purchases in all other categories.<\/p>\n<div class=\"qs-card\" data-id=\"3006103\">\n            <div class=\"qs-data\">\n                <div class=\"qs-view\">\n                    <div class=\"qs-cardname\">Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> card<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-image\"><img data-aspectratio=\"150\/95\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/CardArt-WellsFargoCashWiseVisaCard.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa\u00ae card (closed to new applicants)\" \/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-apply\"><a class=\"qs-learn-more\" data-ccid=\"3006103\" href=\"\/blog\/cards\/WellsCashWise\">Learn More<\/a><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-rates\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Bonus<\/strong>\r\n(This card is closed to new applicants)<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"qs-info\">\n                    <strong class=\"qs-cardname\">Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> card<\/strong>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Bonus<\/strong>\r\n(This card is closed to new applicants)<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee:<\/strong><b>$0<\/b><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-tabs\"><a class=\"qs-more\" href=\"#more\">Show more<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"er\">Earning Rates<\/a><div class=\"qs-tab-er\"><ul>\r\n<li>1.8% cash rewards on qualified digital wallet purchases, like Apple Pay<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> or Google Pay\u2122, during the first 12 months from account opening<\/li>\r\n<li>Unlimited 1.5% cash rewards on purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <a class=\"qs-share\" href=\"\/find-a-card\/WellsCashWise\/\" title=\"copy\"><svg width=\"12\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><use href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/awardwallet\/public\/builds\/icon\/icon-sprite.svg?v2026-5-15b009cd64#share-square\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/use><\/svg><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<p>The card provides up to $600 of damage or theft insurance for your cell phone and gives you a <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.myfico.com\/fico-score-9-whats-the-difference\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">free FICO<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Score 9 Experian Credit Score<\/a>\u2014all without charging an annual fee!<\/p>\n<p><img data-aspectratio=\"780\/516\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"516\" class=\"wp-image-24192 aligncenter lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Wells-Fargo_FICO-9-Score.png\" alt=\"&quot;Get\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Wells-Fargo_FICO-9-Score.png 780w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Wells-Fargo_FICO-9-Score-300x198.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Taken at face value, the Cash Wise Visa doesn\u2019t offer the same value as a straight 2% cash back card like the <a data-ccid=\"3002009\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/citi-double-cash-card\/\">Citi Double Cash<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Card<\/a>, but it\u2019s when you look behind the scenes that things start to get interesting. Much like Chase\u2019s Freedom cards, the Cash Wise Visa is marketed as a cash back card, and while on its own is exactly that, it has the power to effectively convert that cash to points in the <a href=\"https:\/\/gofarrewards.wf.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wells Fargo Go Far Rewards program<\/a>, if you have a rewards-earning Go Far Rewards card.<\/p>\n<p>What isn\u2019t common knowledge, is you can transfer that cash back to anyone for free, and if that account holds a Wells Fargo Visa Signature<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Card (closed to new applicants), your cash converts to points that you can redeem for 1.5\u00a2 per point towards airfare!<\/p>\n<p>When you consider that neither card charges an annual fee, you\u2019re effectively getting the same fixed-value redemption value on flights as the <a data-ccid=\"3006090\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/ChaseFreedomUnlimited\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Chase Freedom Unlimited<sup>\u00ae<\/sup><\/a>  (<a data-ccid=\"3006090\" href=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/fs-bin\/click?id=g3lR0xvjyAU&offerid=1993744.10005134&type=3&subid=04add52db511fc738c41b21b2743bc48a&subid=639396\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a>) &#8211; <a data-ccid=\"4048084\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/sapphire-reserve\/\">Chase Sapphire Reserve<sup>\u00ae<\/sup><\/a>  (<a data-ccid=\"4048084\" href=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/fs-bin\/click?id=g3lR0xvjyAU&offerid=1975477.10005148&type=3&subid=0440e04b0bc6ca532e6aabd8f220431ec&subid=639396\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a>) combo, without the $795 price tag! More on this later.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Cash_Wise_Visa_Points_Earning_Redeeming_Potential\">Cash Wise Visa Points Earning & Redeeming Potential<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The Cash Wise Visa features an introductory 1.8% cash back on qualified digital-wallet purchases for the first 12 months. The intro deal includes purchases made with major digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay, so you\u2019ll receive 1.8x Go Far Rewards points for every dollar when you pay using the digital wallet on your cell phone or smartwatch. You can find more details about the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsfargo.com\/mobile\/payments\/cash-wise-digital-wallet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">included digital wallets here<\/a>.\u00a0 All other purchases earn 1.5% cash back across the board, with no cap on the number of points you can earn.<\/p>\n<p>As a standalone card, you can redeem cash back earned on the Cash Wise Visa in increments of $25 online or via phone, or in increments of $20 when you use a debit card at a Wells Fargo ATM. If you transfer the Go Far Rewards points earned with the Cash Wise Visa to an account that holds the Wells Fargo Visa Signature<a href=\"\/blog\/link\/WellsFargoVisaSignatureCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\"><\/a>, those points can be redeemed for 1.5\u00a2 per point towards airfare.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re earning at 1.5x for all purchases and redeeming at 1.5\u00a2 per point towards airfare, you\u2019re getting 2.25% return on your everyday spend, beating the earlier comparison of 2% cash back. If you factor in the intro 1.8x earning rate on qualified digital-wallet purchases, you\u2019re getting a 2.7% return towards airfare, with no annual fee attached.<\/p>\n<p>If you spend over $50K on the Wells Fargo Visa Signature per year, your fixed-rate redemption value climbs to a mammoth 1.75\u00a2 per point, which means the 1.5% cash back effectively becomes a 2.625% return on everyday spend, and 1.8% translates into 3.15% back towards airfare!<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Cash_Wise_Visa_Feature_Benefits\">Cash Wise Visa Feature Benefits<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As a no annual fee rewards card, the list of benefits isn\u2019t as long or packed with features as some of its premium competitors, but cardholders receive a few standout perks worth mentioning.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Unlimited 1.5% Cash Back<\/strong> &#8211; While many rewards cards cap the cash back you can receive, this one allows you to earn unlimited cash back rewards every year.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Intro 1.8% Cash Back on Digital-Wallet Purchases<\/strong> &#8211; Earn an additional 20% rewards for the first 12 months on qualified digital-wallet payments.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cell Phone Protection<\/strong> &#8211; Pay your monthly cell phone bill with your Cash Wise Visa, and you\u2019re protected in the case of damage or theft for up to $600 (with a $25 deductible).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Free FICO<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Score 9 Experian Credit Score<\/strong> &#8211; Monitor your FICO<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> score free of charge.<\/li>\n<li><strong>No Annual Fee<\/strong> &#8211; There are only so many annual fees you can pay each year before the points and miles hobby becomes unsustainable. This card charges no annual fee, freeing up your out of pocket cash for premium cards with top-tier perks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span id=\"Application_Restrictions\">Application Restrictions<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Similar to <a href=\"\/credit-cards\/how-to-check-5-24-status\/\">Chase\u2019s 5\/24 policy<\/a> and other <a href=\"\/credit-cards\/bank-america-234-policy\/\">bank restrictions<\/a> on\u00a0new card applications, Wells Fargo credit card applications include some specific rules and restrictions you should be aware of before applying for a new rewards card.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>One card every 6 months<\/strong> &#8211; The T&C\u2019s state you may not qualify for more than one card in a six month period:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;You may not qualify for an additional Wells Fargo credit card if you have opened a Wells Fargo credit card in the last 6 months.&#8221;<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>One bonus offer per 15 months<\/strong> &#8211; You\u2019ll only qualify for the introductory or bonus offers on Wells Fargo cards once every 15 months:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;Eligibility for introductory rate(s), fees, and bonus rewards offers<\/em><br \/>\n<em>You may not be eligible for introductory annual percentage rates, fees, and\/or bonus rewards offers if you opened a Wells Fargo Credit Card within the last 15 months from the date of this application, and you received introductory APR(s), fees, and\/or bonus rewards offers, even if that account is closed and has a $0 balance.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2><span id=\"Final_Thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As a standalone cash back card, there are other offers available that can produce better returns. But when you factor in the ability to transfer to a Go Far Rewards points earning card from the Cash Wise Visa to another account free of charge. Then redeem them for a higher value towards flights, this card combo becomes a viable alternative to the <a data-ccid=\"3006090\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/freedom-unlimited\/\">Freedom Unlimited<\/a> &#8211; <a data-ccid=\"4048084\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/sapphire-reserve\/\">Sapphire Reserve<\/a> combo for folks over 5\/24, or if you primarily redeem for domestic or cheap economy airfares. The $600 cell phone protection is best in class for a no annual fee card, and the free FICO<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> score is a handy tool for those that like to keep a close eye on their credit profile.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ftoc\"><div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"toc_light_blue no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Page Contents<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#Cash_Wise_Visa_Points_Earning_Redeeming_Potential\">Cash Wise Visa Points Earning & Redeeming Potential<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Cash_Wise_Visa_Feature_Benefits\">Cash Wise Visa Feature Benefits<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Application_Restrictions\">Application Restrictions<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Final_Thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa\u00ae card (closed to new applicants) is a highlight of Wells Fargo\u2019s rewards card lineup and one of the better no-annual-fee cashback cards on the market. In addition, it earns an introductory 1.8% cashback rate on qualified digital-wallet purchases and an unlimited 1.5% cashback on all other purchases.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":35290,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":null,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"default","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[12055],"tags":[12620,14753,12781],"coauthors":[36390],"class_list":["post-24188","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-credit-cards","tag-card-reviews","tag-cash-back","tag-wells-fargo"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24188","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24188"}],"version-history":[{"count":71,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24188\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":255153,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24188\/revisions\/255153"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35290"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24188"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24188"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24188"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=24188"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}