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Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Wells Fargo Autograph Journey: Which Is Better In 2025?
July 1, 2025
Editor's Picks
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®: This card is great for everyday spending, especially on dining and at drugstores, offering straightforward cash back rewards without an annual fee.
- Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card: This card is ideal for frequent travelers and diners looking to earn high rewards on hotels, flights, and dining.
Chase Freedom Unlimited® Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a closer look at why the Chase Freedom Unlimited® stands out in a crowded field of cash back cards.
- With no annual fee, every dollar in rewards you earn is pure value back in your pocket.
- It offers a powerful combination of a high flat-rate on all purchases plus bonus cash back on everyday categories like dining and drugstores.
- Spending just $334 per month across the 3% dining and drugstore categories nets you over $120 in cash back each year (publisher-formulated estimate).
Pros
- It features a straightforward rewards program that offers a high flat rate on general spending while also rewarding purchases in popular bonus categories.
- Cardholders gain access to valuable protections like extended warranty and purchase protection, benefits not always found on cards without an annual fee.
- The card is a key component of the Chase Ultimate Rewards® ecosystem, allowing points to be combined with premium Chase cards for potentially greater value.
Cons
- It carries a foreign transaction fee, making it a less-than-ideal choice for use abroad.
- To unlock the card’s full potential, such as transferring points to travel partners, it needs to be paired with a premium Chase travel card.
- Approval typically requires a good to excellent credit score, which may be a barrier for some applicants.
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a breakdown of why we like the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card.
- It offers exceptionally high rewards rates on travel and dining without requiring you to book through a specific portal.
- The card includes valuable travel protections and cell phone insurance, which are standout perks for a mid-tier card.
- You only need to spend about $3,167 in the 3X dining and other travel categories to completely offset the card's annual fee with rewards (publisher-formulated estimate).
Pros
- Earns high rewards rates on popular spending categories like travel and dining without being restricted to a proprietary booking portal.
- Features flexible point redemption, including valuable transfers to a selection of airline and hotel partners.
- Recognized by industry experts as one of the best new travel cards available.
Cons
- Charges an annual fee, which may not be worth it for infrequent travelers.
- Has a limited selection of airline and hotel transfer partners compared to competitors.
- Lacks premium travel perks like airport lounge access or annual hotel credits.
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey vs Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Categories
Deciding which is better, Chase Freedom Unlimited or Wells Fargo Autograph Journey, depends entirely on your spending habits and financial goals. One card is a straightforward cash back earner, while the other is built for racking up travel rewards.
- Chase Freedom Unlimited® is best for cash back seekers and those new to rewards who want a simple earning structure for everyday spending. It's also a great choice for existing Chase customers looking to build a powerful rewards strategy.
- Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card is designed for frequent travelers who want to earn rewards quickly on flights, hotels, and dining. It's a strong contender for those seeking valuable travel perks without committing to a premium card.
Redemption
Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Rewards are earned as points that can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards, and travel booked through the Chase portal. These points can also be transferred to premium Chase cards to access travel partners for potentially greater value.
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card: Points are designed for travel and can be redeemed by transferring to a selection of airline and hotel loyalty programs. Alternatively, you can use your points to book flights, hotels, and other travel directly through Wells Fargo.
Travel Perks
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®: This card is not primarily a travel card and does include a foreign transaction fee. However, you can book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal. Its main travel benefit is the ability to pair it with a premium Chase travel card, which allows you to transfer your points to airline and hotel partners.
- Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card: As a dedicated travel card, it has no foreign transaction fees. It also includes an annual airline credit. Points can be used to book travel directly through the Wells Fargo portal or transferred to various airline and hotel loyalty programs.
Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos
To make the right choice, a tool like Kudos can help you compare top-rated cards based on your own spending.
- Simulate how much you could earn with different cards using the 'Test Drive' feature, which analyzes your real transaction history to give personalized reward projections before you apply.
- Receive personalized card recommendations based on your actual spending patterns to find the optimal match for your wallet.
- Maximize rewards at checkout with a tool that automatically suggests the best card to use for each purchase, and stack extra rewards through Kudos Boost.
- Monitor your transactions, spending habits, and credit score all in one platform.
Who Should Choose the Chase Freedom Unlimited®?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is an excellent choice for everyday spenders who want to earn consistent cash back on all their purchases without paying an annual fee or tracking complicated bonus categories. It's particularly well-suited for those new to credit card rewards, thanks to its straightforward earning structure, as well as existing Chase customers looking to build a powerful rewards strategy. Cardholders can maximize their earnings by pairing it with a premium Chase card, which allows them to transfer points for potentially greater value.
Who Should Choose the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey?
The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card is designed for frequent travelers, particularly millennials and Gen Z, who want to earn significant rewards without paying a premium annual fee. It's a great fit for those who spend regularly on travel and dining, as it offers high reward rates on hotels, flights, and restaurants. Ultimately, it's ideal for individuals seeking flexible point redemptions and valuable travel protections, making it a strong contender in the mid-tier travel card market as detailed in this in-depth review.
Alternatives to Consider
If our Chase Freedom Unlimited® vs. Wells Fargo Autograph Journey comparison has left you feeling like neither card is the perfect match, don't worry. There are plenty of other excellent rewards cards on the market that might be a better fit for your spending habits.
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Tips for Application Success
Before You Apply
- Check your credit score - Most rewards cards require good to excellent credit for approval.
- Plan your spending - Make sure you can naturally meet any minimum spending requirements for a welcome offer.
- Know the issuer's rules - Some banks have restrictions on how many cards you can open in a certain timeframe.
Application Strategy
- Know the rules - Be mindful of issuer restrictions, such as the Chase 5/24 rule or Wells Fargo's one-card-per-six-months policy.
- Time your application - Apply before a large planned purchase to help meet the spending threshold for a welcome offer.
- Consider your card ecosystem - Some cards, like the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, offer greater value when paired with other cards from the same issuer.
Our Methodology
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.
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
Which card is better for travel rewards?
The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey is built specifically for travel, offering higher rewards on a wide range of travel and transit purchases. While the Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns valuable points, it's more of a general-purpose card whose travel value is best unlocked when paired with a premium Chase travel card.
What are the annual fees for these cards?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® has no annual fee, making it a strong choice for everyday spending without an upfront cost. The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey, as a premium travel card, does carry an annual fee.
Can I have both the Chase Freedom Unlimited and Wells Fargo Autograph Journey cards?
Yes, you can absolutely hold both cards since they are issued by different banks. This can be a smart strategy, allowing you to use each card for its strongest bonus categories to maximize your overall rewards.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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