Wells Fargo Reflect® Card review: Lengthy intro APR offer for purchases and balance transfers
The Wells Fargo Reflect offers one of the longest zero-interest periods available, but its value depends on how much time you need to pay down debt and whether you value earning rewards.
Written by
Writer, Fox Money
Holly Johnson has more than 10 years of finance experience with bylines at CNN, Forbes Advisor ,and Time Magazine.
Updated November 15, 2024, 1:03 PM EST
Written by
Editor
Gabriela Walsh is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance® and a personal finance editor at Red Ventures. Her previous work experience includes various editorial positions at FinanceBuzz. She combines her understanding of language and literature with her commitment to delivering content that empowers others to build healthy money management skills.
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The Wells Fargo Reflect stands out in the balance transfer landscape for its exceptionally long intro APR period on purchases and balance transfers. While it offers one of the longest zero-interest periods on the market, the card’s higher balance transfer fee and lack of rewards require some consideration.
Think of this card as a debt management tool rather than a rewards card. It trades earning potential for breathing room on interest charges, which could be exactly what some consumers need.
Fox Money rating: 8.7/10
The Wells Fargo Reflect is ideal for those with significant debt to consolidate who prioritize a longer repayment timeline over rewards. However, its higher balance transfer fee may not make sense for smaller balances.
How the Wells Fargo Reflect works
The Wells Fargo Reflect is designed to give cardholders extra time to pay down large purchases or consolidate debt without accruing interest. Its extended intro APR period provides significantly more time than most competitors, though this comes at the cost of other perks.
Pros
- Extended intro APR offer for purchases and balance transfers
- No annual fee
- Cellphone protection included
- Auto rental coverage and roadside dispatch
Cons
- Higher balance transfer fee
- No rewards program
- Limited additional benefits
Wells Fargo Reflect rewards
Don’t expect to earn cash back or points with this card — it’s built for debt management, not rewards.
Earning rewards
The Wells Fargo Reflect trades earning potential for one of the longest zero-interest periods available. Plenty of other cards fit the bill if you’re looking for an intro APR offer and rewards. For example, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offer both features, though with shorter intro APR periods.
This tradeoff is worth considering carefully. While other cards might offer cash back and zero interest, they typically cut the interest-free period by several months. You’ll need to decide whether earning rewards is worth having less time to pay your balance.
Wells Fargo Reflect benefits
While the card’s main selling point is its lengthy intro APR offer, it does include some practical benefits worth noting.
Intro APR offer
The card’s standout feature is its intro APR period, which extends several months longer than most competitors offer. However, this comes with a 5% balance transfer fee (minimum $5), which is higher than the 3% that many other 0% APR cards charge.
What difference does this fee make? Transferring $5,000 in debt would cost you $250 upfront, while $10,000 would incur a $500 fee. Compare this to cards with a 3% fee; the same transfers would cost $150 and $300, respectively. The question becomes whether the extra interest-free months justify the higher initial cost.
Cellular telephone protection
Your phone gets protection worth up to $600 per claim (with a $25 deductible) when you pay your phone bill with the card. Coverage is limited to two paid claims in any 12-month period and applies to damage or theft, though not lost phones.
Roadside dispatch
This card also offers access to a roadside assistance hotline that provides emergency assistance services like towing, locksmith, and fuel delivery. While calling the service is free, you’ll pay for any assistance you receive.
Secondary auto rental coverage
When you charge your rental car to the card, you’ll also get secondary auto rental coverage in the U.S. and primary coverage in other countries that qualify for coverage. Coverage is worth up to $50,000 for damage or theft.
Wells Fargo Reflect drawbacks
Despite the benefits of the Wells Fargo Reflect, there are some downsides to consider.
High balance transfer fee
The 5% balance transfer fee is higher than what many competitors charge. While the longer intro period might offset this cost for some, it makes transferring debt more expensive upfront.
Lack of rewards
You won’t earn cash back or points on purchases, and it doesn’t come with a sign-up bonus, either. This could mean leaving money on the table if you plan to use the card for new purchases.
How the Wells Fargo Reflect compares
The Wells Fargo Reflect shines for what it is — a zero-interest credit card with no annual fee. But there are other credit cards to consider if you're interested in earning rewards or hoping for a lower balance transfer fee.
Wells Fargo Reflect vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited®
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is worth considering if you want an intro APR offer and rewards for spending. This card offers a minimum of 1.5% cash back on all purchases, plus elevated rates on travel booked through Chase Travel℠, dining, and drugstore purchases.
The tradeoff is fewer months at zero interest, but the rewards might outweigh the shorter timeline for some spenders.
Wells Fargo Reflect vs. BankAmericard® Credit Card
The BankAmericard® Credit Card could be a good fit if you want a lower balance transfer fee and don’t care about earning rewards. It charges 3% for balance transfers but offers fewer months at zero interest. This could be more cost-effective for smaller balances you can pay off quickly.
Who should get this card?
The Wells Fargo Reflect makes sense if you have considerable high-interest debt to consolidate and need as much time as possible to pay it off. The longer intro period could lead to considerably more interest savings, even with the higher balance transfer fee taken into account.
Who should choose a different card?
Consider other options if you have a relatively small balance to transfer or can pay off your debt more quickly. A card with a lower balance transfer fee might save you money in these cases.
Similarly, if you plan to use the card for new purchases after transferring a balance, a card that offers both rewards and a shorter intro APR period might provide better value.
How we rated this card
Every credit card review we publish has gone through a rigorous editorial process to ensure accuracy and objectivity.
We rate all credit cards on a 10-point system, with 10 being the highest possible score and 1 being the lowest possible score. We assess each card across several key factors, weighted based on what our research shows matters most to readers like you. Learn more about our methodology here.
Editorial disclosure: Opinions expressed are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.