Citi Double Cash vs Wells Fargo Active Cash
On an illustrative household's spending, Citi Double Cash comes out about $318 a year ahead once both annual fees are paid.
The short version
- Over a year: Double Cash nets $847 and Active Cash nets $529, after fees of none and none.
- Where it flips: Double Cash stays ahead at every level of spending this looks at, from a fraction of that household's to many times it.
- Category by category: Double Cash earns more on 1, Active Cash on 0 — the table below. Pick by where most of your money goes.
- What they pay in: Double Cash earns Citi ThankYou Points (1.60¢ each) and Active Cash earns Cash Back (1.00¢ each) — which is why everything here is in dollars.
Priced on a household spending $2,205 a month on a card — the assumption, in full. Credits, perks and welcome offers are not priced; each card's page lists them.
Where each one earns more
| Spending on | Double Cash per $100 |
Active Cash per $100 | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everything Else | $3.20 base rate |
$2.00 base rate |
Double Cash |
Only categories where the two differ and at least one pays a bonus, plus everything else. No rotating or chosen categories are switched on, and a rate that needs the issuer's travel portal is not counted.
Side by side
| Double Cash | Active Cash | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Citi | Wells Fargo |
| Annual fee | none | none |
| Foreign transaction fee | 3% | 3% |
| Earns | Citi ThankYou Points | Cash Back |
| A year, before the fee | $847 | $529 |
| A year, after the fee | $847 | $529 |
| Rates checked | 2026-08 | 2026-08 |
Each card on its own
- Citi Double Cash — every rate, where it ranks, what the issuer lists besides rewards
- Wells Fargo Active Cash — every rate, where it ranks, what the issuer lists besides rewards
- Every travel card, ranked
- Which card adds the most to your own wallet
Carry both? Use the right one.
Cardful picks between them at every checkout, store by store.