Choice Privileges® Mastercard®
A no-annual-fee hotel card from Wells Fargo.
Rates, fees, and full terms are set by Wells Fargo and can change. See current rates & fees on the issuer’s site, and always confirm the latest terms before applying.
Our review
The Choice Privileges Mastercard is a free card for Choice Hotels, another budget-friendly program with brands like Comfort Inn and Quality Inn. Like the free Wyndham card, its appeal is that Choice award nights can be cheap, so even modest earning turns into a decent number of free stays.
It will not excite luxury travelers, but for budget and road-trip stays, a free Choice card is a painless way to rack up cheap nights.
Think twice if: you do not stay at Choice or want upscale hotels, since this is a value-stay program.
Our 6.8 out of 10 rating
Each score weighs the rewards rate, value after the annual fee, welcome offer, points flexibility, and perks, with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. This is our editorial assessment to help you compare cards, not a guarantee of approval or of the value you will get.
Earning rates at a glance
Rewards: how it earns
You earn 5x on travel and gas, 3x on groceries and phone bills, plus points at Choice, with no annual fee. Because Choice award nights can be inexpensive, those points stretch into free stays fairly quickly, which is the main draw. Use it for the bonus categories and Choice stays.
| Category | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | 5x | Bonus category |
| Gas | 3x | Bonus category |
| Groceries | 3x | Bonus category |
| Phone and internet bills | 3x | Bonus category |
| Everything else | 1x | Everything else |
Every point and mile above is valued at a flat 1 cent, the same honest standard we use for every card. Run your own spending through the calculator to see what this card would actually return for you.
Best ways to earn & redeem
Put your travel, gas, and groceries spending on this card to earn at its highest rates, and let a different card handle the categories it does not bonus. Its travel rate is among the stronger ones you will find in that category.
When you cash in, redeem the miles or points inside the single loyalty program this card is tied to. We value every point at a flat 1 cent, so treat any transfer upside as a bonus rather than the baseline — see what your points are really worth.
Pros and cons
- No annual fee
- 5x on travel and gas
- Choice award nights can be cheap
- Solid welcome bonus for a free card
- Points locked to Choice
- Built for budget stays, not upscale travel
- Limited value if you do not stay at Choice
The welcome bonus
The current welcome offer is 40,000 points, earned after you spend $1,000 in 3 months. Valued honestly at a flat 1 cent per point, that is worth about $400. The spending requirement works out to roughly $333 per month, so make sure it fits your normal budget rather than pushing you to overspend. Enough for several budget nights.
First-year value vs ongoing value
| Welcome bonus | 40,000 points |
| To earn it | $1,000 in 3 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $927 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $527 |
The welcome bonus makes year one the high point: roughly $927 in value once you count the bonus, this card’s rewards, and its credits, minus the no fee. After that, the honest figure is about $527 a year, so judge whether it earns its keep on the ongoing number, not the first-year headline.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent, on average spending.
Benefits and protections
Beyond the rewards, the perks and protections worth knowing about include:
- No foreign transaction fees
Statement credits
This card does not come with recurring statement credits. Its value is in the rewards rate and welcome offer.
Who should get it, and who should skip it
If you take road trips or stay at budget hotels, a free Choice card is a handy tool, the low award pricing means your points go further than you would expect.
If you prefer upscale hotels or do not stay at Choice, it will not fit your travel. But for value-focused travelers, this free card pulls its weight.
Alternatives to the Choice Privileges® Mastercard®
Pairs well with
The Choice Privileges® Mastercard® earns the most in its bonus categories, so pair it with a no-fee flat-rate card to cover everything it only earns a base rate on.
Frequently asked questions
Best-card guides featuring this card
Learn more
How does it rank for your spending?
Every card is ranked by what it actually returns on the way you spend. Run your numbers and see where the Choice Privileges® Mastercard® lands.
Calculate My CardOffer details verified against issuer sources as of November 2026. Editorial opinions are our own. Cardocrat values all points at a flat 1 cent and never inflates redemptions.
