Wells Fargo Active Cash Card vs. Capital One Venture Card [Detailed Comparison]

Making complicated things simple can result in easier living, and this adage can apply to credit cards. You could find value in not having to strategize your spending or memorize a card’s reward-earning structure.

This preference to keep things simple is the basis of our card picks for today’s comparison.

Designed to earn rewards on every purchase, paying with the Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card or the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card daily could be second nature.

Simplified earning can be great, but these cards offer much more.

We’ll look closely at earning potential, the value of those earnings at redemption time, and travel and shopping protections and benefits that could add more value.

Wells Fargo Active Cash Card vs. Capital One Venture Card — Overview

We’ll expand on all the features and benefits of the Wells Fargo Active Cash card and the Capital One Venture card coming up next.

First, a comparison of card attributes can be helpful when viewed side-by-side. Here is a quick summary of how the cards compare overall:

The Value of a Welcome Offer

You’ll have a unique opportunity immediately after approval for the Wells Fargo Active Cash card or Capital One Venture card.

Welcome bonus offers can be worth hundreds of dollars and can jumpstart your reward earnings. You can earn these bonuses after meeting minimum spending requirements within a specified period after card approval.

Offers change, so review the most current information in these card snapshots before applying.

Rates & Fees

Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Wells Fargo Active Cash card earns 2% cash rewards on purchases with no annual fee.

Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card

The Wells Fargo Active Cash card earns 2% cash rewards on purchases with no annual fee.

Welcome Offer

Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months

$200 cash rewards bonus

Annual Fee

$0

APR

0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% Variable APR thereafter

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
• No annual fee
• 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% Variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5. (rates & fees)

Cons

• No bonus categories for those who want to optimize certain purchases

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
• Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
• Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
• 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% Variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
• $0 annual fee.
• No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
• Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature^® Concierge.
• Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% Variable APR thereafter
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction converted to U.S. dollars.

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Welcome Offer

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

75,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent Credit (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• Up to a $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit

Cons

• $95 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Limited elite benefits

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

Bottom Line:

The Wells Fargo Active Cash card and the Capital One Venture card have welcome offers that can potentially be worth hundreds of dollars. You can earn the bonus by meeting minimum spending requirements within the specified period after card approval.

Earning Potential

The Wells Fargo Active Cash card earns cash rewards, while the Capital One Venture card earns Capital One miles. These miles are not frequent flyer miles and function more like points.

The beauty of our featured cards’ earning structures is their simplicity. Use the card for your purchases and earn double rewards or double miles. That’s it.

Here’s how our featured cards earn rewards:

If you don’t mind using Capital One Travel to book hotels, vacation rentals, or rental cars, you can earn 5x miles on those purchases with the Capital One Venture card.

Aside from the limited Capital One 5x bonus categories, both cards have flat-rate fixed earnings on every purchase. If you spend $20,000, you earn $400 in cash rewards on the Wells Fargo Active Cash card or 40,000 Capital One miles on the Capital One Venture card.

With earning structures that are very similar, the value you receive at redemption time will determine the ultimate worth of the rewards you earn.

Bottom Line:

The Wells Fargo Active Cash card and Capital One Venture card have similar flat-rate earning structures. The Wells Fargo Active Cash card earns unlimited 2% cash rewards on every purchase, while the Capital One Venture card earns 2x miles per dollar spent on every purchase. The Capital One Venture card also earns 5x miles on select travel via Capital One Travel.

Redemption Options

It’s time to transform the rewards you’ve earned on the Wells Fargo Active Cash card and Capital One Venture card into something special.

You’ll have several choices when you’re ready to redeem your rewards, including travel, statement credits, cash, or other items of value.

The value of your rewards can differ by card and the redemption option you select, so let’s review all the possibilities:

We value rewards earned on the Wells Fargo Active Cash card at a flat rate of 1 cent each. Capital One miles can potentially be worth 1.8 cents each or more.

Wells Fargo Active Cash Card

You can redeem rewards earned on the Wells Fargo Active Cash card for a statement credit, cash, or travel via Wells Fargo Rewards. There are other redemption options, but none yield greater than 1 cent per point in value.

If you have a premium Wells Fargo card that earns Wells Fargo Rewards points, you can transfer rewards from the Wells Fargo Active Cash card to these cards. The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card and the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card have access to 5 airline transfer partners and the Choice Privileges hotel loyalty program.

The Wells Fargo Active Cash card as a stand-alone card offers value at redemption time but rewards are worth a flat rate of 1 cent. The offset is that the card has a $0 annual fee.

Capital One Venture Card

Redeem miles earned on the Capital One Venture card for travel via Capital One Travel for 1 cent each. You can receive even greater potential value for Capital One miles by transferring them to airline or hotel partners to redeem for award flights or free hotel nights.

With 15+ transfer partners, you can book award flights with every major airline alliance and 3 hotel program partners. Utilizing transfer partners can increase the value of your rewards substantially over redeeming miles for just 1 cent each.

You can also redeem miles for a general statement credit, but the value for your rewards is low, just 0.5 cents per mile.

Bottom Line:

Transferring miles earned on the Capital One Venture card to airline or hotel partners can result in the best value for your rewards. Cash rewards earned on the Wells Fargo Active Cash card are worth a fixed value of 1 cent each unless you have transfer partner access via the Wells Fargo Autograph card or Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card.

Travel Protections and Benefits

Travel protections can provide peace of mind during your journey. Benefits can save you money on select travel purchases or add comfort and perks to your trip.

Here are the travel protections and benefits on the Wells Fargo Active Cash card and the Capital One Venture card, plus those unique to each card:

• Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver — Reserve and pay for your car rental with your card and refuse the rental agency’s CDW/LDW insurance to receive coverage for damage and theft.
  • Capital One Venture Card: This card includes MasterRental Insurance, which provides secondary coverage in the U.S. if you have car insurance. It offers primary coverage if you do not have insurance or if you are renting outside of the U.S.
  • Wells Fargo Active Cash Card: Coverage is secondary in the U.S., meaning you must first file a claim with any other applicable insurance before card coverage applies. You will have primary coverage outside of the U.S. without the need to file a claim with other insurance first.
• Roadside Dispatch — The Wells Fargo Active Cash card offers roadside dispatch, and the Capital One Venture card offers Master RoadAssist. Both coverages provide a 24/7 roadside service call, which includes limited towing, jump-starting, lockout service, tire-changing, emergency fuel delivery, and standard winching.
• Travel Assistance Services — Make 1 call during your travels to receive help arranging emergency transportation, translation services, medical/legal referrals, assistance with lost luggage, and more. The cost of actual services received is the responsibility of the cardholder.

Wells Fargo Active Cash Card

• Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection Benefits — Book your stay using your card to receive an upgraded room on arrival (when available), complimentary breakfast for 2, a $25 food/beverage credit, complimentary Wi-Fi, late checkout on request (when available), VIP guest status, and a best rate guarantee.

Capital One Venture Card

• Lost or Damaged Luggage — Pay for your common carrier ticket with your card. You could receive up to $3,000 in 12 months (maximum $1,500 per incident) if the carrier misdirects your luggage or if it’s stolen.
• Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Fee Reimbursement — Pay for your application or renewal fee with your card and receive up to $100 in reimbursement as a statement credit.
• Lifestyle Collection Hotel Benefits — Book your stay with your card via Capital One Travel and receive a $50 experience credit, early check-in, late checkout, room upgrade (when available), and complimentary Wi-Fi. Room upgrades do not apply to vacation rentals.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees — The Capital One Venture card does not charge foreign transaction fees (rates & fees).

Bottom Line:

The Wells Fargo Active Cash card and Capital One Venture card come with car rental collision damage waiver coverage and roadside dispatch. Both cards offer luxury hotel collection benefits. The Capital One Venture card has lost or damaged luggage insurance, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee reimbursement, and no foreign transaction fees (rates & fees).

Shopping Protections and Benefits

Should something go wrong with an eligible purchase, shopping protections can provide repair or reimbursement. Shopping benefits can save you money.

Here are the shopping protections and benefits of the Wells Fargo Active Cash card and Capital One Venture card:

Wells Fargo Active Cash Card

• Cell Phone Protection — When you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your card, you’ll receive coverage for damage or theft. The limit is $600 per claim, 2 claims per 12 months (a total limit of $1,200), and a $25 deductible per claim.
• Introductory 0% APR Period — Paying back large or multiple purchases over time without interest charges can save you money. 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% Variable APR thereafter
• My Wells Fargo Deals — Log in to your online card account, select the merchant offers you want to activate, make the required purchase, and earn more rewards.
• Wells Fargo Exclusives — Cardholders enjoy exclusive access to live entertainment events and purchase up to 6 tickets per event.

Capital One Venture Card

• Extended Warranty Protection — For eligible items purchased with your card, the manufacturer’s warranty will be doubled, up to a maximum of 1 additional year. For example, if the product’s manufacturer’s warranty is 18 months, you’ll receive an extra 12 months.
• Purchase Assurance— You could receive up to $1,000 per claim for reimbursement, replacement, or repair of qualifying items purchased with your card. Coverage is for damage or theft and for 90 days from the purchase date. There’s a limit of $25,000 per cardholder within a 12-month period.
• Capital One Offers — Log in to your online card account and select the shopping offers you wish to activate. Make the required purchase and receive cash back as a statement credit.

Bottom Line:

The Wells Fargo Active Cash card has valuable cell phone protection and an introductory 0% APR period on purchases/balance transfers. The Capital One Venture card’s top shopping protections include extended warranty and purchase assurance for eligible items purchased with the card.

Annual Fees and Authorized Users

You’ll want to understand any associated card fees before applying for any card.

The Wells Fargo Active Cash card has a $0 annual fee (rates & fees). The Capital One Venture card has an annual fee of $95 (rates & fees).

The Wells Fargo Active Cash card has an introductory 0% APR period for purchases and balance transfers. When you transfer balances, you can incur associated fees (0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% Variable APR thereafter).

The Wells Fargo Active Cash card charges a foreign transaction fee of 3% of the transaction converted to U.S. dollars (rates & fees). The Capital One Venture card does not charge this fee (rates & fees).

There is no additional fee to add authorized users to either card (rates & fees of the Capital One Venture card).

Final Thoughts

The Capital One Venture card is the better card mostly due to its direct access to airline and hotel transfer partners and additional travel/shopping protections and benefits. But the card does have an annual fee.

For travelers, the card choice is easy as the Capital One Venture card does not charge foreign transaction fees (rates & fees), while the Wells Fargo Active Cash card does.

With a $0 annual fee, the Wells Fargo Active Cash card could provide value as it offers cell phone protection, hotel collection benefits, and the ability to earn unlimited cash rewards. Plus, saving on interest charges with the introductory 0% APR benefit could be compelling if you have multiple or large purchases coming up.

If you have, or plan to get, the Wells Fargo Autograph card or Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card, the ability to transfer rewards and take advantage of travel transfer partners is also a reason to consider the card.

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For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa^® or Mastercard^® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

Enrollment required through Capital One website or mobile app. Upon enrollment, eligible cardholders will remain at upgraded status level through December 31, 2024.  Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier.  Additional terms apply.