Wells Fargo Credit Card Preapproval

Wells Fargo is a bank with a two-century-long history and ranks among the four largest financial institutions in the US. Unsurprisingly, this means many are eager to open accounts there and obtain the bank’s debit or credit cards.

The bank is considered trustworthy by both businesses and ordinary citizens. One of the factors contributing to this is the complex financial monitoring and customer vetting system, which ensures potential clients meet the necessary criteria before becoming account holders or card users.

Today, we’ll discuss the Wells Fargo credit card preapproval program, its requirements, features, and how you can increase your approval chances.

What is Credit Card Preapproval?

Getting Wells Fargo preapproval is similar to getting approval from any other bank. A key benefit of this feature is that it does not impact the applicant’s credit history. After you submit your application, the bank conducts a superficial check of your economic profile without submitting requests to external agencies.

If the bank likes what it finds there, you get preapproved for a Wells Fargo credit card. This means you have a high (but not 100%) chance of approval for one or more of the bank’s credit card offers. By the way, try not to confuse the Wells Fargo prequalify credit card program with preapproved. The former compares your info with the requirements, while the latter shows your chances of getting the card.

Which Wells Fargo Credit Cards Offer Preapproval?

Wells Fargo continually expands and modifies its services. What this means in practice is there’s a changing list of cards you can get preapproval (or prequalify) for. The list currently includes:

• Autograph Journey Card. A payment tool with great bonus offers on hotel stays and airlines, ideal for frequent travelers who value comfort.
• Autograph Card. A simplified version of the previous card, with no annual fee and some rewards for staying at hotels and dining out. It also provides 3x cashback on gas stations, phone plans, and even some streaming services.
• Active Cash Card. A card for everyday expenses with a 2% cashback and no annual fees. It also has favorable credit terms and free transfers during the first 120 days of use.
• Reflect Card. A basic credit card with a 21-month grace period. It does not have bonus points or cashback, so it’s suitable only for users who occasionally need a small loan.
• Choice Privileges Mastercard. A premium card. No annual fee, extensive bonuses, cashback, and additional features for frequent travelers.
• Choice Privileges Select Mastercard. An even more premium version of the previous card with a $95 annual fee. It provides a simply unheard-of 10% cashback at Choice Hotels chain, as well as 5% on categories like gas stations and grocery stores.

You can submit a preapproval application for one or more cards from the list above. However, even a positive result does not guarantee you will get it. Preapproval is merely a tool for figuring out your chances before a formal application (which impacts your credit score).

How Credit Card Preapproval Works

Under the Wells Fargo preapproval credit card program, the bank only analyzes your personal and financial information it already has or can obtain from credit bureaus like Experian, TransUnion, or Equifax. Since this isn't a deep check, it won't affect your credit score. At the same time, the superficial analysis does not allow the issuer to guarantee that your actual application will be approved.

Wells Fargo allows its potential users to check for prequalified credit card offers and evaluate their chances of approval.

How to Get Wells Fargo Preapproved?

Here’s a detailed step-by-step guide:

• Open the Wells Fargo preapprove tool.
• Select your current or potential customer status with the bank.
• Enter your full name in the first three fields of the form.
• Provide your home address, city, state, and ZIP Code.
• Enter the last 4 digits of your Social Security number.
• Accept the terms and click "Continue."

You’ll receive a list of cards you are eligible for and an offer to send a formal application.

Note: Getting prequalified requires only a soft check of your information and does not impact your credit score. However, it is less informative than a full check and does not guarantee a positive result for the actual application.

If you pass prequalification and preapproval, you can apply for the card that interests you. However, at this stage, the issuer will conduct a hard check, including your credit history, with targeted requests to various agencies. In this case, your credit score may temporarily drop.

How to Increase the Chances of Getting Preapproved

Even if you check the Wells Fargo preapproval requirements, you may still face some challenges when applying. A key factor here is your credit score, which ideally should be around 670–850. If you want to guarantee approval from the bank, you should focus on improving your creditworthiness. Here’s how you can do it:

• Pay off your debts on time.
• Avoid leaving outstanding balances on credit or interest.
• Minimize overdrafts.
• Add funds to your checking and savings debt accounts.
• Keep your financial details and income updated.
• Limit the number of active credit lines you have at any given time.

With these simple tips, you can improve your FICO score and increase your chances of getting approved for a Wells Fargo card.