Citi Double Cash vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash: Which Earns More?
Card data current as of July 2026.
Both cards pay a flat 2% on every purchase with no annual fee, and on our representative persona spend they land in an exact tie — about $768/yr each. Neither has bonus categories, so there’s no spend pattern that favors one over the other on earn rate alone.
Who wins for your spending?
Defaults to a representative household budget — edit any field to match your own; the numbers below update live.
Double Cash
No annual fee
$768/yr net
Active Cash
No annual fee
$768/yr net
These numbers tie — before credits.
Category by category, on our representative persona
| Category | Double Cash | Active Cash | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries | $160/yr | $160/yr | Tie |
| Dining | $120/yr | $120/yr | Tie |
| Travel | $140/yr | $140/yr | Tie |
| Gas | $60/yr | $60/yr | Tie |
| Streaming | $18/yr | $18/yr | Tie |
| Transit | $30/yr | $30/yr | Tie |
| Everything Else | $240/yr | $240/yr | Tie |
| Total (before fee) | $768/yr | $768/yr |
Fee & credits
Double Cash
Active Cash
The category table above is earn-only. The calculator's “after your credits” verdict folds in the credit amounts you set — seeded to a conservative estimate, never full face, since most people don't use every credit.
How we calculate this: each category is valued at its best-case bonus rate using conservative, program-specific point values (spend above a bonus cap is not counted; rotating quarterly bonuses and issuer status tiers are excluded). This page scopes two cards and one spend vector — it doesn't allocate spend across your whole wallet. These are estimates, not offers — always confirm current terms with the issuer. Read our full methodology ›
Frequently asked questions
- Which card earns more overall?
- Neither — they tie at a flat 2% cash back on every category we model, with no annual fee on either card.
- Do either of these cards have bonus categories?
- No. Both are deliberately simple flat-rate cards; that simplicity is part of their appeal.
- So what should decide between them?
- Since the earn rate is identical, the deciding factors are usually outside what this calculator models — the current welcome bonus, redemption flexibility, or perks like cell-phone protection. Check current offers directly with each issuer.
See the full ranking for these categories
More head-to-head comparisons
This is a two-card slice. Card Strategist weighs your whole wallet.
See which card actually wins each purchase across everything you carry — not just these two — based on your real spending. No bank linking, no card numbers.
Get your personalized answer — sign up free