Head-to-head · flat 2%
Citi Double Cash vs Wells Fargo Active Cash.
Both cards earn a flat 2% on every purchase with no annual fee. On the calculator they tie exactly, so the choice comes down to ecosystem, foreign-transaction fees, and which bank you'd rather deal with when something goes wrong.
The cards at a glance
| Citi Double Cash | Wells Fargo Active Cash | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 |
| Earn rate | 2% (1% + 1%) | 2% (flat) |
| Foreign transaction fee | 3% | 3% |
| Network | Mastercard | Visa |
| Cell-phone protection | No | Yes (up to $600, $25 deductible) |
| Transfer to airline partners | Yes, with Citi Premier ($95/yr) | No |
| Redemption mechanics | Statement credit, check, gift cards | Statement credit, cash, gift cards |
On the calculator, the result is identical
Both cards earn 2% on every spending category. Whatever your monthly numbers are, they tie. At $33,000/yr total spend (our default profile), both produce $660/yr. The calculator can't separate them — and it shouldn't try to.
So what actually separates them?
Pick Citi Double Cash if…
- You ever plan to add a Citi Premier ($95/yr). Pairing the Double Cash with the Premier unlocks transferable ThankYou points — moving redemption value from 1¢ flat to potentially 1.5–2¢ via partners like Choice, Wyndham, JetBlue, and Avianca.
- You prefer Mastercard's broader merchant acceptance in some regions. (Visa and Mastercard acceptance is nearly identical in the US, slight differences abroad.)
Pick Wells Fargo Active Cash if…
- You'd use the cell-phone protection. Pay your monthly cell bill on the card and you get up to $600 of phone-damage coverage per claim ($25 deductible). At ~$30/mo cell-bill spend that benefit alone can dwarf a year of rewards.
- You don't plan to add a transfer-partner card later. Active Cash redemptions stay at 1¢ flat — no upside, no setup.
- You bank with Wells Fargo. Statement credits hit the same login.
What both cards are bad at
- International travel. 3% foreign-transaction fee on both. Use a different card abroad.
- Heavy specialist spend. If you spend $700/mo on dining and $600/mo on groceries, the right specialist card will out-earn either flat-2% card by $200–$400/yr.
If you're stuck choosing. If you're choosing one card and never adding another, pick whichever bank you already have a relationship with. The 2% is the same. The bank you call for a fraud charge isn't.
Run your numbers
Try the everyday-spend calculator →
Read next
Disclaimer: figures are illustrative estimates. Benefits like cell-phone protection are subject to issuer terms which change. This is not financial advice. Verify all terms with the issuer.