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Wells Fargo Active Cash vs Choice Privileges Select Mastercard

Both are Wells Fargo cards. Here is every spend category, ranked by what each card actually returns.

Best card by category Card terms as of Oct 29

Everything else

  1. Active Cash 2.0% 2% base rate
  2. Choice Privileges Select Mastercard 0.9% 1x base rate

Groceries

  1. Choice Privileges Select Mastercard 4.3% 5x
  2. Active Cash 2.0% 2% base rate

Gas

  1. Choice Privileges Select Mastercard 4.3% 5x
  2. Active Cash 2.0% 2% base rate

Phone & internet

  1. Choice Privileges Select Mastercard 4.3% 5x
  2. Active Cash 2.0% 2% base rate

Home improvement

  1. Choice Privileges Select Mastercard 4.3% 5x
  2. Active Cash 2.0% 2% base rate

What the numbers are doing

Abroad the answer flips: Active Cash charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, so once that comes off the rate Choice Privileges Select Mastercard is the better card for everyday spend.

The table is earn rate only — annual fees are not netted out of it. These cards charge Active Cash $0 and Choice Privileges Select Mastercard $95 a year, so a thin lead in one category may not cover the difference.

Where they differ: Active Cash takes everything else; Choice Privileges Select Mastercard takes groceries, gas, phone & internet and home improvement.

pointslipEveryday
Pass content preview
CategoryBest card
Everything elseActive Cash2.0%
GroceriesChoice Privileges Select Mastercard4.3%
GasChoice Privileges Select Mastercard4.3%
Phone & internetChoice Privileges Select Mastercard4.3%
Home improvementChoice Privileges Select Mastercard4.3%

Content preview. Apple Wallet controls the layout; visible categories vary by device. Categories that rank the same as Everything else are left off; every other category is in pass details.

Every category, every card

Everything else

  1. Active Cash — 2.0%
  2. Choice Privileges Select Mastercard — 0.9%

Groceries

  1. Choice Privileges Select Mastercard — 4.3%
  2. Active Cash — 2.0%

Gas

  1. Choice Privileges Select Mastercard — 4.3%
  2. Active Cash — 2.0%

Phone & internet

  1. Choice Privileges Select Mastercard — 4.3%
  2. Active Cash — 2.0%

Home improvement

  1. Choice Privileges Select Mastercard — 4.3%
  2. Active Cash — 2.0%
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