Wells Fargo Credit Cards

Wells Fargo Financial credit card is just another name for the bank’s revolving credit cards. This covers all Wells Fargo credit cards available right now, since Wells Fargo doesn’t offer any charge cards.

Some of the confusion over the term “Wells Fargo financial card” might stem from the fact that Wells Fargo has a website by the name of wellsfargofinancialcards.com. But this appears to be an older site because it makes mention of “Cash on Demand” cards, which Wells Fargo no longer offers. Wells Fargo’s newer (or at least more high profile) site is simply wellsfargo.com. Rest assured, there’s no difference between a “financial card” and a regular credit card.

Wells Fargo Financial credit cards cover a wide range of needs, from earning cash back (Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card) to points (Wells Fargo Rewards® Card) and avoiding interest (Wells Fargo Platinum card). There’s also a travel card (Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card) and a card for students with limited credit (Wells Fargo Cash Back College℠ Card). So there’s something for almost everyone and plenty of good offers to consider.

The Wells Fargo foreign transaction fee is either 0% or 3%, depending on the card. The Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card and the Hotels.com® Credit Card don’t have a foreign fee, but all other Wells Fargo cards charge 3%. So, most people with a Wells Fargo credit card or debit card will pay an extra 3% on purchases from a foreign merchant, both in-person and online. That’s why it’s best to get a Propel card for making international purchases.

The Wells Fargo Propel has really good rewards, too. It offers 3 points / $1 spent on travel, gas, dining, streaming, and transit expenses, along with 1 point / $1 on everything else. It also has a $0 annual fee. But this card is not the only option for avoiding Wells Fargo’s foreign transaction fees. Plenty of other credit card companies, like Chase, Citi and U.S. Bank, offer cards with no foreign transaction fees. Plus, none of the cards from Capital One, Discover or USAA charge foreign transaction fees.

The standard Wells Fargo cash advance fee is $10 or 5% of the cash advance amount, whichever is greater. Wells Fargo’s cash advance APR is currently between 23.99% and 25.99%. The exact rate depends on your overall creditworthiness at the time you’re approved for an account. But those terms are the same for all Wells Fargo credit cards.

Given the high costs, you should avoid cash advances. But it’s still worth knowing how to perform such a transaction and how much it will cost should you need to get one in an emergency. And the first step in being able to do a Wells Fargo cash advance is requesting a PIN from customer service.

To get a Wells Fargo cash advance PIN, call customer service at (800) 642-4720. After that, you’ll be able to take out up to $500 in cash per day from your line of credit, up to your cash advance limit.

If you have a Wells Fargo checking account, you can link it to your credit card as overdraft protection. If your bank account balance dips below zero, you’ll get a cash advance from your credit card to cover transactions. But this isn’t a great option. You’ll pay a $12.50 fee for advances under $50, and $20 for anything above. Plus, the same high cash advance APR applies right away.

At the end of the day, a Wells Fargo cash advance costs too much in fees and interest to be a good option for convenient cash. But if you do one, make sure to repay your balance as soon as possible. Unlike purchases, cash advances do not come with any grace period. Interest starts accruing as soon as you make a withdrawal, so repaying your advance as soon as possible will save you money.

You can’t check for Wells Fargo credit card pre-approval. The only way to find out if you’ve been pre-approved for a Wells Fargo credit card is to receive an offer in the mail. If you get such an offer, it means Wells Fargo has done a soft inquiry on your credit history and determined that you’d be a good candidate for the card they mailed you about. Pre-approval doesn’t guarantee your application will be successful. But it does mean you have extremely good odds.

If you’ve received a Wells Fargo pre-approval offer, it will include a unique code. To respond, just go to the Wells Fargo credit card page, click “Respond to an Offer,” and enter your code.

And if you haven’t received a pre-approval offer, you can still estimate your chances of success before actually applying.

Here’s what you should know about Wells Fargo Credit Card pre-approval:

• Wells Fargo will look at a combination of your credit history, income and other debts to determine whether to approve you for a card. You can stay on top of your credit score with WalletHub’s free daily updates.
• Some cards may simply be out of reach, depending on your credit standing. For example, the Wells Fargo Rewards® Card requires excellent credit. And you need good credit or better to get the Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card or Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card. If you have bad credit, the Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card is your best shot at approval
• One of the best ways to improve your chances of approval is to boost your credit score. You can do this by paying down your debt, making your monthly payments on time, and using less of your available credit. WalletHub’s personalized credit analysis will tell you exactly what to do.
• If you already have a Wells Fargo credit card, credit reallocation may help you get a new one. Reallocation lets you shift some of your credit limit from an existing Wells Fargo card to a new Wells Fargo card. You can’t shift your entire credit limit, and it’s not guaranteed to get you approved for a new card, but it can’t hurt. To ask about credit re-allocation, call (800) 642-4720.

There’s no way to check for Wells Fargo credit card pre-approval. But if you know your credit score, and what type of card you want, you should be able to get a ballpark sense of your approval chances.

You can only cancel your Wells Fargo credit card by phone at (800) 642-4720. But if your card is lost or stolen, you can easily report it online.

Before completely cancelling your card, though, make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. It might make sense for a card with an annual fee that you don’t plan to use anymore, for instance. But if your Wells Fargo credit card isn’t costing you any money, you’re better off keeping it open. In general, the more available credit you have, the better it is for your credit score. An account with zero balance also helps your credit utilization. And you’ll still get credit for paying on time every month.

The credit score implications are at least worth considering before you cancel any credit card account, especially if you plan to take out a big loan in the next six months or so. In any case, it’s always good to have an escape plan, so all Wells Fargo cardholders should know how to cancel their accounts should the need arise.

To cancel a Wells Fargo credit card:

• Pay any pending balance and redeem your rewards first. You won’t be able to close your account with an unpaid balance, and you’ll lose any unredeemed rewards once your account is closed.
• Call Wells Fargo credit card customer service at (800) 642-4720. Enter your card number, press the pound key and tell the representative that you’d like to close your account.
• Wells Fargo will close your account immediately. They will mail a letter formally confirming the change within 10 business days of your call.
• Check your free credit report. At the very least, make sure to do so two months after receiving Wells Fargo’s letter, to confirm the account is closed.

After closing your Wells Fargo credit card, you may want to re-evaluate how much you spend on any other credit cards you may have. Closing a credit card means you have less available credit, and thus possibly higher credit utilization, which can be bad for your score. You can monitor your credit score with WalletHub’s free daily updates to ensure that your credit isn’t affected by closing your Wells Fargo account.

The best Wells Fargo cash back credit card is the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card because it has an initial bonus of $150 Cash Rewards for spending $500 in the first 3 months. It also offers 1.5 - 1.8% cash back on all purchases and has a $0 annual fee. It even gives 0% for 6 months intro APR on purchases and 0% for 6 months on balance transfers to new cardholders. These features make Wells Fargo Cash Wise an attractive card all-around.

The only other Wells Fargo cash back credit card is the Wells Fargo Cash Back College℠ Card, which offers 3% cash back on up to $2,500 spent on gas, grocery and drugstore purchases during the first 6 months. It gives 1% cash back on everything else and has $0 annual fee. It also offers an intro APR of 0% for 6 months on purchases and 0% for 6 months on balance transfers. The rest of Wells Fargo’s rewards credit cards give you points.

Cash back rewards do not expire as long as your account stays open. That’s the good news. The bad news is there aren’t any card options for people with fair, bad or limited credit, other than the Wells Fargo Cash Back College℠ Card. This card is available to students with limited history.

If you’re in one of those groups, you may want to try cards from other issuers. The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card gives 1.5% cash back and you can get it even with limited history. And the Discover it® Secured Credit Card card allows people with bad credit to earn up to 2%.

Yes, you have to get Wells Fargo to activate your credit card; you can do this online, through the Wells Fargo mobile app, or over the phone at 1 (800) 642-4720. To activate over the phone, you must provide your full card number and verify your identity. To activate online or through the app, log in to your Wells Fargo online account (or create one first). In total, the activation process should take you less than five minutes. And you’ll be able to use your card right after.

Here’s how to activate a Wells Fargo credit card:

• Online: Log in to your Wells Fargo account on the activation page. From there, verify your identity by entering your personal information (address, Social Security number) in order to activate your card. If you don’t have an online account yet, you can create one in minutes by entering your account number and SSN and then making a username and password.
• Over the phone: Call Wells Fargo at 1 (800) 642-4720. Enter your card number. Enter any identifying information requested, like your Social Security number.
• Wells Fargo App: Download “Wells Fargo Mobile” for iOS or Android. Log in to the app using the same username and password as your online account. Select your card from your list of accounts to activate it.

You need to activate your Wells Fargo credit card before you can use it. And it’s a quick and easy process, so you should be able to start using your card within minutes of receiving it.

If you’re looking to activate a Wells Fargo debit card instead, you can use all of the above methods. But there’s a fourth way to activate a Wells Fargo debit card. You can activate it at any Wells Fargo ATM by simply inserting your card and entering your PIN. Your PIN should have been mailed to you in a separate envelope from the one with your card.

To get a Wells Fargo credit card, you must be at least 18 years old and have a steady source of income. You’ll need to at least be able to pay the Wells Fargo Secured Card’s $300 security deposit, plus its monthly bills and your other expenses. That’s the easiest Wells Fargo credit card to get, available even to people with bad credit. All of the others require good/excellent credit for approval.

You can apply for a Wells Fargo credit card online, at a branch or by using the return envelope enclosed in a mailed offer. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to apply for a Wells Fargo card by phone. Well-qualified online applicants may receive instant approval. Otherwise, you will receive a decision within 5 to 7 business days and get your card in the mail 7 to 10 business days after that. You cannot get expedited card delivery.

But those are just the basics. If you really want to get the right Wells Fargo credit card for your needs, your first step should be checking your credit score. Once you’ve got a sense of which Wells Fargo credit card(s) you’re likely to qualify for, the next step is to narrow down your options based on rewards, rates, and fees. Which you should focus on depends on how you plan to use the card. In general, rewards cards are best for people who pay in full every month; 0% cards are best for carrying a balance for a limited time, and no annual fee cards are best for light-spenders or infrequent use.

Here is how to get a Wells Fargo credit card:

1. Check your latest credit score to find out which cards you’re most likely to be approved for.
2. If you received a pre-approved offer in the mail, you can respond by mail or online.
3. If you weren’t pre-approved, start an application online or by visiting a branch. 
4. Be sure to enter all information asked, including income, employment status, housing status, etc.
5. If you aren’t approved immediately, wait 5 to 7 days for a decision letter by mail along with information about your credit report and Wells Fargo’s privacy policy.
6. If you’re approved, wait 7 to 10 business days from your approval date to receive your card.

Wells Fargo does not allow you to check for pre-approval online. You can only find out if you’re pre-approved through an offer in the mail with a special code. You can respond to the offer by return mail. You can also click the “Respond to an Offer” link on the Wells Fargo credit card page using your pre-approval code. Pre-approval doesn’t guarantee your application will be approved, but your chances are good.

If your Wells Fargo credit card application is denied, you have the option to request a reconsideration. This gives you the opportunity to correct or remove any incorrect information from your credit report that may have influenced the issuer’s decision to deny. You can contact the Wells Fargo Credit Card Reconsideration Department at 1 (866) 412-5956 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday till Friday and 1 (800) 1 (800) 967-9521, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays.

To add a Wells Fargo authorized user, sign in to your Wells Fargo account online and navigate to the “Account Services” tab. Then, click the “Credit Card Service Center” link and look under “Account Management” to find the “Add Authorized Users to Your Account” button. Click it, and you’ll be able to add your new authorized users to your Wells Fargo credit card account.

Keep in mind that Wells Fargo authorized users aren’t legally responsible for any charges made on the account. That’s important because by adding someone as an authorized user to your Wells Fargo card, you’re authorizing them to make charges on the account.

The best Wells Fargo business credit card is the Wells Fargo Business Platinum credit card, because it has a $0 annual fee and gives 1.5% cash back per $1 spent on all purchases. There’s also an initial bonus of $300 when you enroll in the rewards program and spend $3,000 in the first 3 months of opening the account. New cardholders will get a special introductory APR of 0% for 9 months on purchases and 0% for 9 months on balance transfers, so it’s good for business owners who want to finance large purchases in the near future. Plus, there’s no extra charge for additional authorized users.

It’s important to note that there are 2 options for rewards with Wells Fargo Business Platinum. You can either enroll in the cash back rate, or choose to receive Wells Fargo rewards points at a rate of 1 point per $1 spent instead, plus a 1,000-point bonus for spending at least $1,000 in any given billing cycle. You’ll still get the initial bonus with the points option - it will simply come as points instead of cash back. Rewards points can be redeemed for flights, gift cards, and more.