Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus vs Wells Fargo Active Cash: Which Is Better In 2025?

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Breakdown

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Why We Like It

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Here’s a closer look at why we recommend the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card.

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• The card offers a simple, unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase, with no need to track spending categories or worry about reward caps.
• While it carries no annual fee, it does have foreign transaction fees, but it also includes cell phone protection when you use the card to pay your monthly bill.
• Since there's no annual fee to recoup, a business that spends $10,000 per year would earn $200 in cash back (publisher-formulated estimate).

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Pros

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• Offers a simple, flat-rate cash back structure on all purchases, eliminating the need to track or activate spending categories.
• Cardholders get valuable benefits like cell phone protection without having to pay an annual fee.
• New users can benefit from a welcome bonus and an introductory APR period on both purchases and qualifying balance transfers.

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Cons

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• Foreign transaction fees make this card a less-than-ideal choice for purchases made abroad.
• Redemption options are limited, requiring you to have an eligible Wells Fargo account or take a statement credit.
• Approval generally requires a good to excellent credit score.

Wells Fargo Active Cash® vs Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus

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Categories

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Deciding which is better, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card or the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, depends on your spending habits and reward preferences. One is a dedicated airline card for travelers, while the other offers simple cash back on all purchases.

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• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: This airline card is designed for budget-conscious or occasional Southwest Airlines flyers. It's also a great entry-level option for those new to travel rewards or aiming to earn the Southwest Companion Pass.
• Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: This cash back card is best for users who want a simple, flat-rate rewards structure without tracking bonus categories. It's ideal for those who prefer straightforward cash rewards over travel points.

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Redemption

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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: Points earned with this card are redeemed through the Southwest Rapid Rewards program, primarily for flights on Southwest Airlines. You can also use points for other travel-related purchases like hotels, car rentals, and gift cards.

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Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: This card offers flexible cash rewards that can be redeemed for statement credits to lower your account balance or deposited directly into an eligible Wells Fargo account.

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Travel Perks

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• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: The travel ecosystem for this card is exclusively focused on Southwest Airlines. Cardholders receive two EarlyBird Check-In® opportunities each year and get a percentage of their points back on inflight purchases. While it lacks airport lounge access, all points earned count toward the coveted Southwest Companion Pass®. It's important to note that this card does include a foreign transaction fee.
• Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: As a straightforward cash back card, this option does not offer a travel ecosystem or perks like a dedicated booking portal or airport lounge access. It is also subject to a foreign transaction fee, which makes it less suitable for spending abroad compared to a dedicated travel card.

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Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos

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If you're still on the fence, a tool like Kudos can help by letting you compare nearly 3,000 credit cards using your own spending data.

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• Test drive cards: See how much you could earn with a new card before applying. Kudos uses your real spending data to create personalized earnings projections without a hard credit pull.
• Approval odds analysis: Get a detailed analysis of your approval odds for a card based on your credit report.
• Welcome offer guarantee: If you find a better public welcome offer within three months of being approved through Kudos, they will match it.
• Stack rewards: Earn extra rewards on top of your credit card points by shopping with Kudos Boost.
• Manage everything in one place: Track your spending, monitor your credit score, and manage all your credit cards from a single platform.

Who Should Choose the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus?

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The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is an excellent choice for occasional Southwest flyers and beginners in the travel rewards world. Its lower annual fee makes it accessible for budget-conscious travelers who still want to earn valuable points on their flights and everyday spending. It's also a strategic tool for Southwest loyalists working toward the coveted Companion Pass, as detailed in this complete 2025 guide.

Who Should Choose the Wells Fargo Active Cash®?

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The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is an excellent choice for small business owners who prioritize straightforward, flat-rate cash back rewards over complex travel points systems. It's particularly well-suited for those with good to excellent credit who can benefit from its unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases, a 0% intro APR period for large expenses, and cell phone protection offering up to $600 per claim. Business owners who want a simple, no-annual-fee card for everyday expenses will find this card's features highly valuable.

Alternatives to Consider

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If our Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash® comparison has left you looking for other options, you're in luck. There are several other excellent cards on the market that might be a better fit for your wallet.

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_{Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.}

Tips for Application Success

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Before You Apply

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• Check your credit score – Most rewards cards require a good to excellent credit history for approval.
• Define your rewards goal – Decide if you prefer straightforward cash back or the potential of travel points.
• Review your spending habits – Align the card’s benefits with your typical spending to maximize its value.

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Application Strategy

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• Know the issuer’s rules – Be mindful of application restrictions, such as Chase's 5/24 rule, which can affect your approval.
• Leverage your banking history – An existing relationship with an issuer like Wells Fargo or Chase can sometimes help your application.
• Prepare for a follow-up call – If denied, you can often call the issuer’s reconsideration line to provide more context for your application.

Our Methodology

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We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.

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Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Which card offers more flexible rewards?

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The Wells Fargo Active Cash card provides more flexible rewards in the form of cash back, which you can use for anything. In contrast, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card's points are primarily for use within the Southwest Airlines ecosystem.

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Is the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card good for everyday spending?

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While you can use the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card for everyday purchases, it's most valuable for spending that earns bonus points on Southwest purchases and with partner merchants. A flat-rate cash-back card often provides a better return on general spending.

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Can I use the rewards from the Wells Fargo Active Cash card for travel?

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Yes, because the Wells Fargo Active Cash card earns cash rewards, you can redeem them as a statement credit to offset any travel purchase, including flights on any airline. This allows you to book travel without being tied to a specific carrier.

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