Choice Privileges Select Mastercard vs Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card
Annual fees: Choice Privileges Select Mastercard $95/yr, Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card $0/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Choice Privileges Select Mastercard on gas stations, Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card on travel.
Card data as of November 13, 2026.
Choice Privileges Select MastercardWells Fargo · $95/yr
Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit CardWells Fargo · No annual fee
Overview
- Annual fee
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard$95Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card$0Lowest
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard60,000 pointsWells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card20,000 points
- Rewards
- Choice Privileges Select MastercardChoice Privileges PointsWells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit CardWells Fargo Go Far Rewards
- Foreign transaction fee
- Choice Privileges Select MastercardNoneWells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit CardNone
- Network
- Choice Privileges Select MastercardMastercard World EliteWells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit CardVisa Signature
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Gas Stations
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard5xHighestWells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card3x
- Grocery Stores
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard5xHighestWells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card1x
- Home Improvement
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard5xHighestWells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card1x
- Telecom
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard5xHighestWells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card3x
- Dining
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard1xWells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card3xHighest
- Streaming
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard1xWells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card3xHighest
- Transit
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard1xWells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card3xHighest
- Travel
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard1xWells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card3xHighest
- Everything else
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard1xWells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit · $120 every 4 years
Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card—
Perks & access— means none on record
- Hotel status & programs
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- Automatic Platinum Elite status
Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card- Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection elite benefits
- Other perks
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- No foreign transaction fees
Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card- Concierge service, 24/7
- Access to live event presale tickets and experiences
- Emergency cash and expedited card replacement services
- 0% introductory APR on purchases for 12 full months
- Exclusive merchant discounts with My Wells Fargo Deals
- Zero foreign transaction fees on international purchases
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- Pay-per-use 24/7 roadside assistance with towing
- 24/7 travel and emergency assistance services worldwide
- 24/7 Visa Signature Concierge for travel and events
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Rental car
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard—Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card
- $50,000 auto rental collision damage waiver
- Purchase & returns
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- Zero Liability on unauthorized transactions
Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card— - Cell phone
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- Up to $800 cell phone protection
Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card- Cellular Telephone Protection · up to $600
- Up to $600 per claim cell phone damage and theft protection
- Other protections
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- 24/7 lost/stolen card assistance worldwide
Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card- Free monthly FICO credit score updates with Credit Close-Up
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- Automatic Platinum Elite status with meaningful benefits
- Industry-leading 10x earning at Choice Hotels
- Strong 5x earning on gas, grocery, home improvement, and phone plans
- 30,000 anniversary bonus points (worth ~$180 in stays)
- 20 elite night credits annually
Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card- 3X points on 6 popular categories: dining, travel, gas, transit, streaming, phone bills
- No annual fee with transferable points (rare combination)
- 1:1 transfers to airline partners including British Airways, JetBlue, and Virgin Atlantic
- No spending caps on bonus categories
- No foreign transaction fees
- Cons
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- $95 annual fee that may be hard to justify for occasional guests
- Higher $3,000 spend requirement for welcome bonus vs no-fee card
- Choice Hotels limited to economy and midscale properties
- Points value relatively low compared to premium hotel programs
- No lounge access or premium travel benefits
Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card- Only 1X on groceries and general shopping
- Welcome bonus of 20,000 points ($200 value) is modest
- Limited hotel transfer options (only Choice Privileges at 1:2 ratio)
- No premium travel benefits like lounge access or travel insurance
- Penalty APR of 29.99% for late payments
Category-by-Category Winner
Both cards win in 4 categories each — it comes down to which categories matter most to you.
Gas Stations
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 3X
Grocery Stores
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 1X
Home Improvement
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 1X
Telecom
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 3X
Travel
Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card earns 3X vs 1X
Transit
Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card earns 3X vs 1X
Streaming
Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card earns 3X vs 1X
Dining
Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card earns 3X vs 1X
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.
The better card depends on how much you spend.
| Scenario | Choice Privileges Select Mastercard | Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $192 Credits (our usable estimate): $30 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $127 Year one: $607 | Rewards: $296 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $296 Year one: $586 | Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card | Choice Privileges Select Mastercard |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $768 Credits (our usable estimate): $30 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $703 Year one: $1,183 | Rewards: $1,183 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $1,183 Year one: $1,473 | Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card | Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard costs $95/yr — that's $95 more than the Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card (no annual fee). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $95 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard includes Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $95 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $95 fee gap means the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard needs roughly $95 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on gas stations and grocery stores and everyday spend.
What You Give Up
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card means losing:
- -Global Entry credit
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard if you:
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
Get the Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card if you:
- +Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
The Bottom Line
The better card depends on how much you spend.
Published annual fees: Choice Privileges Select Mastercard $95/yr, Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card $0/yr — a $95 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard worth the higher annual fee?
- The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard costs $95/yr vs $0/yr for the Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $95 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use.
- Which card earns more rewards, the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard or Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card?
- Both cards earn 1X on everyday purchases. The difference is in bonus categories — check the earn rate comparison above for a full breakdown.
- What benefits does the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard have that the Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card doesn't?
- The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard offers cell phone protection. The Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card offers cell phone protection.
- Should I get the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard or the Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Wells Fargo Autograph Visa Credit Card has a lower $0/yr fee; the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $95/yr.
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published November 13, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.