Wells Fargo Autograph Card

Got this card about 18 months ago after my old cashback card started feeling stale. The Autograph has been my daily driver ever since – not perfect, but solid enough that I have not looked for a replacement.

Here is my honest take after actually using it, not just reading the marketing materials.

Why I Got It

No annual fee. That was the main thing. I had been paying $95/year for a travel card I was not getting enough value from. Wanted rewards without the annual hit to my wallet.

The 3x points on restaurants, travel, and gas stations sealed the deal. Those are my biggest spending categories. Made sense on paper, and it has worked out in practice.

How the Rewards Actually Work

You get 3x points on:

• Restaurants (including takeout and delivery – Doordash counts)
• Travel (hotels, flights, car rentals)
• Gas stations
• Transit (I use this for Uber sometimes)
• Popular streaming services
• Phone plans

Everything else is 1x. Not exciting but standard for a no-fee card.

Points are worth about 1 cent each when you redeem for cash or statement credits. So that 3x is effectively 3% back. Not class-leading but competitive.

What I Actually Earn

Rough estimate from my last year: spent maybe $1,800 on restaurants, $400 on gas, $1,200 on travel, and $600 on streaming/phone. That is about 12,000 points from bonus categories.

Everything else was probably another $8,000 at 1x = 8,000 points.

So around 20,000 points total, worth about $200. Not life-changing but decent for a free card.

Redemption Options

This is where the card is… fine. You can redeem for:

• Cash back (statement credit or deposit)
• Travel through their portal (not great value honestly)
• Gift cards (okay selection)
• Random merchandise (never worth it)

I just take the cash back. Their travel portal prices are not consistently good enough to bother with. Some folks try to get fancy with transfers but for me, cash is cash.

The Sign-Up Bonus

I got 20,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months. That was easy – just put my normal spending on it. Worth $200 in cash back.

They change the bonus periodically so check what is current. Anything above $150 effective value is solid for a no-fee card.

Things I Like

No annual fee. This is huge. I will keep this card forever just for the credit history length.

Good category coverage. Restaurants, travel, and gas hits most of my discretionary spending.

Cell phone protection. Pay your phone bill with the card and you get up to $600 for damage or theft (with a $25 deductible). I have not used this but it is nice to have.

Intro APR period. 0% for the first 12 months on purchases. Used this when I needed a new laptop – paid it off over 6 months without interest.

Things That Bug Me

Foreign transaction fees. 3% on purchases outside the US. Took this card to Mexico once before I realized. Dumb mistake on my part. Now I have a separate card for international stuff.

Point value is meh. 1 cent per point is not exciting. Some cards give you better redemption rates if you jump through hoops. This is simple but not optimized.

App is okay but not great. The Wells Fargo app works but is not as slick as some competitors. Functional, not delightful.

Customer service varies. Had one issue with a disputed charge. Took three calls to resolve. Not terrible but not impressive either.

How It Compares

Versus Chase Freedom Unlimited: Chase gives flat 1.5% on everything which might be better if you do not hit the Autograph bonus categories much. But if you eat out and travel regularly, Autograph wins.

Versus Capital One Quicksilver: Same deal – Quicksilver is 1.5% flat. Simpler but lower ceiling.

Versus Citi Double Cash: 2% on everything. Higher baseline but no bonus categories. Depends on your spending pattern.

Honestly, for a no-fee card in my spending profile, the Autograph works out better than the flat-rate options. Your math might be different.

Who Should Get This Card

People who eat out regularly. Seriously, 3% on restaurants adds up fast if that is where your money goes.

People who want decent rewards without annual fee drama. Set it and forget it.

People who already bank with Wells Fargo. Makes account management easier.

Who Should Skip It

International travelers. That 3% foreign transaction fee is a dealbreaker.

Points maximizers. If you want to play the transfer partner game, there are better cards (with annual fees).

People who mostly shop online at random retailers. The bonus categories are pretty specific. General spending only gets 1x.

My Bottom Line

It is a good card. Not amazing, not disappointing. Does what it promises without complications or fees.

I have earned maybe $500 in rewards over 18 months with zero effort beyond using it for the right purchases. For a free card, that is solid.

Would I recommend it? Yeah, if your spending matches the categories. Would I say it is the best card out there? No. But best is subjective anyway.

It lives in my wallet, gets used daily, and I do not think about it much. For an everyday credit card, that is probably the goal.