First-year winner
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
$140 Year 1 edge
$698 vs $558
Compare Cards
Stack up the better credit card
Compare two cards side by side with your real spend, credits, fees, and rewards.
Card A
Card B
Monthly spend
Start with spending categories
Monthly Total
$2,430/mo
Reward assumptions
Credits & benefits
Count the credits and perks you actually expect to use. Credit rows start with conservative default values; edit them for your own merchant, timing, or travel friction.
Card A
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Counted benefits
$0
Credits
None
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Perk
IHG Award-Night Perks
Other · No listed cash value
IHG co-brand cards are built around hotel-program value such as elite-style perks and award-night enhancements on eligible stays.
Perk
No Annual Fee
Other · No listed cash value
You can keep the card long term without paying a recurring annual fee.
Perk
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible international purchases do not incur an added foreign transaction surcharge.
Perk
Travel Rewards Ecosystem
Other · No listed cash value
The card is designed to fit into a broader travel-rewards setup through issuer redemptions, hotel stays, flights, or travel-portal bookings.
Card B
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
Counted benefits
$0
Credits
None
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Perk
Cellular Telephone Protection
Cell Phone · No listed cash value
Can provide coverage for eligible cell phone damage or theft when the monthly wireless bill is paid with the card.
Perk
Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
Rental Car · No listed cash value
Can provide coverage for eligible rental car damage or theft on qualifying rentals.
Perk
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Access to referrals and coordination support while traveling away from home.
Perk
Roadside Dispatch
Other · No listed cash value
Access to a pay-per-use roadside assistance dispatch service.
Perk
Visa Signature Concierge
Concierge · No listed cash value
Eligible cardholders can request concierge assistance for travel, dining, and event planning needs.
Perk
Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection
Travel Credits · No listed cash value
Eligible bookings can include space-available upgrades and on-property hotel benefits.
Verdict
Wells Fargo Autograph wins year 1. IHG One Rewards Traveler wins long term.
Winner after year 1
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
$60 ongoing edge
$558 vs $498
Long-term breakeven: the higher-reward option needs roughly $0 per year in this spend mix to overcome the fee and benefit gap.
Chase
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Year One
$558
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$558
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$558
1.91% effective return
Welcome Offer
None
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
None
$0 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
No listed offer
No spend threshold in dataset
Why it wins
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • There is no meaningful active welcome offer in the current dataset.
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
Year One
$698
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$498
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$498
1.71% effective return
Welcome Offer
$200
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
None
$0 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$1,000
3 mo window · $333/mo pace · Comfortable
Why it wins
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
Spend Mix Math
Where the value actually comes from
Category returns are based on the spend mix you entered, your point-value assumption, and the benefits you chose to count.
Dining
3x
$5,400
IHG One Rewards Traveler
$162
3.00%
Wells Fargo Autograph
$162
3.00%
Groceries
1x
$7,800
IHG One Rewards Traveler
$78
1.00%
Wells Fargo Autograph
$78
1.00%
Travel
5x
$3,000
IHG One Rewards Traveler
$150
5.00%
Wells Fargo Autograph
$90
3.00%
Gas
3x
$1,920
IHG One Rewards Traveler
$58
3.00%
Wells Fargo Autograph
$58
3.00%
General
1x
$11,040
IHG One Rewards Traveler
$110
1.00%
Wells Fargo Autograph
$110
1.00%
Total annual spend
$29,160 across this mix
IHG One Rewards Traveler$558
Wells Fargo Autograph$498
Raw Breakdown
Full side-by-side details
Use the spec table below when you want the literal field-by-field differences in rewards, benefits, transfer partners, fees, and approval profile.
| Metric | IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card | Wells Fargo Autograph Card |
|---|---|---|
| Costs | ||
| Annual fee | Free | Free |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Rewards | ||
| Dining rewards | 3x | 3x |
| Gas rewards | 3x | 3x |
| Streaming rewards | — | 3x |
| Travel rewards | 5x 5X points on eligible IHG hotel purchases with the card. | 3x |
| Utilities rewards | — | 3x Transit and select phone plans represented under utilities category. |
| All rewards | — | 1x |
| Offer | ||
| Welcome offer | — | 20,000 pts Spend $1,000 in 3 mo |
| Benefits | ||
| Estimated benefits | 4 listed | 6 listed |
| Benefit highlights | IHG Award-Night Perks · No Annual Fee · No Foreign Transaction Fees · +1 more | Cellular Telephone Protection · Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver · Travel and Emergency Assistance Services · +3 more |
| Profile | ||
| Credit needed | Good | Good |
| Network | — | visa |
| Reward type | Points | Points |
Costs
Annual fee
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Free
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
Free
Foreign transaction fee
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
None
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
None
Rewards
Dining rewards
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
3x
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
3x
Gas rewards
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
3x
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
3x
Streaming rewards
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
—
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
3x
Travel rewards
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
5x
5X points on eligible IHG hotel purchases with the card.
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
3x
Utilities rewards
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
—
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
3x
Transit and select phone plans represented under utilities category.
All rewards
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
—
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
1x
Offer
Welcome offer
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
—
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
20,000 pts
Spend $1,000 in 3 mo
Benefits
Estimated benefits
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
4 listed
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
6 listed
Benefit highlights
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
IHG Award-Night Perks · No Annual Fee · No Foreign Transaction Fees · +1 more
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
Cellular Telephone Protection · Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver · Travel and Emergency Assistance Services · +3 more
Profile
Credit needed
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Good
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
Good
Network
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
—
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
visa
Reward type
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Points
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
Points