Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
Both cards cost $0/yr. The Chase Freedom Unlimited leads on travel; the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card on everyday spending.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Chase Freedom UnlimitedChase · No annual fee
Wells Fargo Active Cash CardWells Fargo · No annual fee
Overview
- Annual fee
- Chase Freedom Unlimited$0Wells Fargo Active Cash Card$0
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Chase Freedom Unlimited$200 cash backWells Fargo Active Cash Card$100 cash back
- Rewards
- Chase Freedom UnlimitedCash backWells Fargo Active Cash CardCash back
- Foreign transaction fee
- Chase Freedom Unlimited3%Wells Fargo Active Cash Card3%
- Network
- Chase Freedom UnlimitedVisa SignatureWells Fargo Active Cash CardVisa Signature
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- Chase Freedom Unlimited3%HighestWells Fargo Active Cash Card2%
- Drugstores
- Chase Freedom Unlimited3%HighestWells Fargo Active Cash Card2%
- Everything else
- Chase Freedom Unlimited1.5%Wells Fargo Active Cash Card2%Highest
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Dining & delivery
- Chase Freedom Unlimited
- Free DashPass membership for 6 months · $60 one-time
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card—
Perks & access— means none on record
- Hotel status & programs
- Chase Freedom Unlimited—Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
- 900+ luxury hotel properties with exclusive perks
- Other perks
- Chase Freedom Unlimited
- 24/7 travel assistance when you're away from home
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card- 24/7 Visa Signature Concierge service
- Extra cash back at select merchants with personalized deals
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- Chase Freedom Unlimited
- Up to $6,000 trip cancellation and interruption coverage · up to $1,500
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card— - Rental car
- Chase Freedom Unlimited
- Free rental car coverage when you decline counter insurance
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card- Up to $50,000 rental car coverage when you decline the count
- Purchase & returns
- Chase Freedom Unlimited
- Up to $500 protection for damaged or stolen purchases
- 24/7 fraud monitoring
- Zero Liability on unauthorized charges
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card— - Extended warranty
- Chase Freedom Unlimited
- Add an extra year to manufacturer warranties
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card— - Cell phone
- Chase Freedom Unlimited—Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
- Up to $600 coverage for damaged or stolen phones
- Other protections
- Chase Freedom Unlimited
- 24/7 lost/stolen card assistance worldwide
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card- 24/7 worldwide travel and emergency assistance
- Get emergency cash and card replacement worldwide
- Check your FICO score anytime for free
- 24/7 roadside help with free towing up to 5 miles
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Chase Freedom Unlimited
- 1.5% cash back on every purchase with no caps or categories
- 5% on Chase Travel, 3% on dining and drugstores
- $200 bonus after $500 spend in 3 months
- 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers
- $0 annual fee with Visa Signature benefits
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card- Unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase with no category limits
- No annual fee
- $100 welcome bonus after just $500 spend in 3 months
- 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers
- Cell phone protection up to $600 per claim when paying bill with card
- Cons
- Chase Freedom Unlimited
- 3% foreign transaction fee
- 1.5% base rate lower than Freedom Flex's 5% rotating categories
- Points worth only 1 cent without Sapphire card pairing
- No premium travel insurance or lounge access
- Lower welcome bonus than Sapphire cards
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card- 3% foreign transaction fee makes it poor for international use
- No bonus categories - heavy dining/travel spenders earn less than category cards
- Points have no transfer partners (cash back only)
- Requires good to excellent credit
- Penalty APR of 29.99% for late payments
Category-by-Category Winner
The Chase Freedom Unlimited wins in 2 of 3 categories. The Wells Fargo Active Cash Card leads in 1. 1 more category depend on booking channel or caps.
Travel
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Chase Freedom Unlimited earns 5X when conditions are met; Wells Fargo Active Cash Card earns 2X (2X without restrictions)
Dining
Chase Freedom Unlimited earns 3X vs 2X
Drugstores
Chase Freedom Unlimited earns 3X vs 2X
Everyday purchases
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card earns 2X on all other spending vs 1.5X
Year One vs Ongoing Value
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Both scenarios favor the Chase Freedom Unlimited on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | Chase Freedom Unlimited | Wells Fargo Active Cash Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $373 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $373 Year one: $603 | Rewards: $348 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $348 Year one: $448 | Chase Freedom Unlimited | Chase Freedom Unlimited |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $1,490 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $1,490 Year one: $1,720 | Rewards: $1,392 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $1,392 Year one: $1,492 | Chase Freedom Unlimited | Chase Freedom Unlimited |
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Chase Freedom Unlimited if you:
- +Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
Get the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card if you:
- +Prefer a high flat rate across all spending
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the Chase Freedom Unlimited on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 2X on the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card vs 1.5X on the other card.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which card earns more rewards, the Chase Freedom Unlimited or Wells Fargo Active Cash Card?
- The Wells Fargo Active Cash Card has a higher base earn rate (2X vs 1.5X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
- What benefits does the Chase Freedom Unlimited have that the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card doesn't?
- The Chase Freedom Unlimited focuses on earn rates, while the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card offers cell phone protection.
- Should I get the Chase Freedom Unlimited or the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card?
- Both cards have the same $0/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published October 12, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.