Wells Fargo Reflect® Card Review

This card features a lucrative intro APR offer that proves beneficial for many new cardholders. Beyond the intro APR offer, this no-annual-fee card offers additional benefits including cell phone protection (terms apply) and more.
author Jennifer Doss

Wells Fargo Reflect® Card

Wells Fargo Reflect® Card
Our Rating:   
Excellent, Good
on Wells Fargo's secure website

CardRatings Editor's Analysis: Pros & Cons

  • Enjoy intro 0% APR on both purchases and qualifying balance transfers made within 120 days of account opening and on purchases for a whopping 21 months. After the promotional period, the ongoing rate becomes a RegAPR.
  • Pay your monthly cell phone bill with your card and enjoy cell phone protection benefits.
  • This is not a rewards card, so if you're looking to earn rewards on purchases, this card may be a let down.
Terms and Limitations Apply.

At CardRatings.com we discuss the most up-to-date news and trends within the credit card space. Since we first pioneered the concept of online credit card reviews in 1998, our team of financial experts has provided comprehensive and unbiased credit card reviews for more than 175 cards, plus hundreds of additional resource articles to help educate everyday cardholders so they can feel more confident about their card choices. All our content is written and reviewed by industry experts. Though our content may occasionally contain references to products from our partners, we maintain strict editorial integrity and advertiser relationships and compensation never influences ratings, reviews or featured products. The difference between editorial content and advertising must always be clearly stated. Learn more.

CardName INTRO APR OFFER

The CardName's primary appeal lies in its intro APR offer. New cardholders can take advantage of an intro 0% APR on both purchaes and qualifying balance transfers made within 120 days of account opening and on purchases for 21 months. After the promotional period, the ongoing rate becomes a RegAPR. Balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate of BalanceTransferFees. This offer is among the longest intro periods we know of for both purchases and balance transfers and could certainly make a difference in your bottom line if you have a large purchase on the horizon or an existing balance on another card that you need some addiitonal time to pay off without racking up tons of additional interest charges.

CardName CELL PHONE PROTECTION

Along with additional benefits (discussed below), the CardName offers cell phone protection as an included benefit for Reflect® cardholders. Just use your credit card to make your monthly cell phone bill payment (this is the main qualifying factor), and you are eligible for up to $600 in protection against covered damage or theft (subject to a $25 deductible) and up to two paid claims per 12-month period.

To make use of this protection plan, the supplemental coverage cannot be covered by other insurance policies (think cell phone insurance programs, renters' insurance or employees' programs). Only after all other forms of coverage are exhausted can this policy be applied. The coverage is only applicable to the repair or replacement of the original device so it can't be used to try and upgrade in case of an emergency. One key thing to take note of is that this policy doesn't cover lost devices. With all of this in mind, this card's coverage policy is still a good additional sense of security not included with most other credit cards and could mean that you feel comfortable dropping the supplemental coverage you might be carrying on your device.

CardName ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

Aside from the intro APR offer and included cellphone coverage, this card has a few other benefits to note.

My Wells Fargo Deals: Along with several other qualifying cards, CardName holders have access to personalized deals from a variety of merchants, both online and brick and mortar, through My Wells Fargo Deals. Just use your eligible card to make a qualifying purchase and you could receive either a discount on your purchase or cash back in the form of a statement credit. While this is not a cash-back program – and Reflect® is not a rewards card – it is a way cardholders could earn some cash back in the form of statement credit. The list of merchants and deals changes frequently, so check the Wells Fargo app regularly to stay up-to-date.

Zero liability protection: This card comes with protection against fraudulent purchases.

Roadside dispatch: Wells Fargo offers a pay-per-use roadside assistance program that could provide you an added sense of security on the road. The standard services covered include standard towing (up to five miles before additional fees are added), tire changing (tires not provided), jump starting, lockout service (no key replacement), fuel delivery (up to five gallons and the cost of the fuel) and standard winching. Service fees are subject to change but cardholders will be notified of the pricing of services before anyone is dispatched. While this may seem steep to some, there are no membership fees, annual dues or caps on usage so this service could very well save you money in the long-term (depending on how many times you find yourself needing road-side assistance).

Emergency cash disbursement and card replacement: If you do not have access to your card for a variety of reasons (lost, damaged or stolen) and need emergency funds or a replacement, you'll have access to a replacement card in one to three business days or an emergency cash advance disbursement. Cardholders are responsible for the costs and expenses related to these services (and cash advances do begin accruing interest immediately rather than after a grace period like purchases) but it can be useful to have security in case of an emergency.

POTENTIAL DOWNSIDES OF THE CardName

While this card has numerous benefits for cardholders, as with any card there are downsides to consider, beginning with it not being a rewards card.

Perhaps you're primarily interested in an intro 0% APR period, which this card definitely offers, but so do a lot of rewards cards out there. If you're most interested in rewards and the intro APR period is just an added bonus, perhaps you should look elsewhere. On the other hand, if you truly need a lengthy intro APR period and rewards aren't really something you're considering, this card fits the bill. Remember, though, that it's generally not a smart move to open credit cards only to close them a year or two later – your credit score will likely suffer from the lack of lengthy credit history. With this in mind, cards that will be useful to you long-term, likely those with rewards, could prove more fruitful than this one.

Additionally, while you don't have to worry about an annual fee with this card, you do need to consider a couple of other potential fees.

First, should you choose to take advantage of the intro balance transfer offer, be prepared for the balance transfer fee: BalanceTransferFees.

Another fee to remember is the foreign transaction fee. If you use this card abroad or to make online purchases in a foreign currency, you'll pay a foreign_fee foreign transaction fee for each purchase. This is bad news for frequent travelers who'd want to use this card abroad or for people who shop online with foreign merchants. There are other cards on the market that don't have such fees and wouldn't limit the user's purchasing choices.

HOW THE CardName COMPARES TO OTHER CARDS

CardName vs. CardName

discontinued

A perennial favorite among balance transfer cards is the CardName. The Citi card's intro 0% APR period lasts for 21 months for balance transfers and 12 months for purchases; after the intro period, the APR becomes RegAPR. As with the Reflect® card, you need to consider a balance transfer fee with the Diamond Preferred® offer: BalanceTransferFees (Citi is a CardRatings advertiser.)

Neither card is a rewards card, but the Diamond Preferred® card falls short when it comes to the purchase intro APR length; if that's your primary goal, the Reflect® card could be a better option. That said, the CardName does offer cardholders access to their FICO scores online as well as special access to certain tickets and enterntainment experiences through Citi Entertainment®.

CardName vs. CardName

discontinued

As far as other offerings from Wells Fargo, a comparable option to the Reflect® card is the CardName – this one, however, offers with nice rewards.

The CardName extends an intro 0% APR for 15 months on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (then, RegAPR), so it's a shorter intro period than that available with the Reflect® card. But, remember, this one offers rewards: 2% cash back rewards on all eligible purchases, which could add up fast.

As a Wells Fargo card, the CardName offers the same access to the My Wells Fargo Deals portal as well as the cell phone protection mentioned above.

Once again, this comparison is about deciding how long of an introductory offer you need to fully pay off your debt during the intro period as well as whether you'd appreciate earning rewards.

IS THE CardName A GOOD CARD?

How useful the CardName is primarily depends on what your intent is for having it. If you're looking to escape from interest for a lengthy period of time, as well as appreciate a card that incentivizes paying your bills responsibly, there won't be many better options than the Reflect® card. As with choosing any card, consider your goals and needs before making an application decision.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the date it was written. Please keep in mind that credit card offers change frequently. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this article. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. See the online credit card application for full terms and conditions on offers and rewards. Please verify all terms and conditions of any credit card prior to applying.

This content is not provided by any company mentioned in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed here are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any such company. CardRatings.com does not review every company or every offer available on the market.