Citi Custom Cash and Citi Double Cash – CreditCards.com

The value of award points and miles often varies depending on what airlines and hotels will let you redeem them for, but cash back is usually valuable. Citi is one of the leading issuers of bonus credit cards, including Citi Custom Cash℠ Card in its lineup, which offers up to 5 percent cash back on select purchases each month. Comparing this card with an old favorite, Citi® Dual Payment Cardthe competition is fierce and the card that works best for you really depends on how much you spend.

Map details

Card	Citi Personal Payment Card	Citi Dual Cash Card
Interest rate	5% cash back on up to $500 spent per billing cycle in your spending category, then 1%; 1% back on all other purchases	Cashback up to 2% (1% cashback on purchase and 1% on balance payment on statement)
welcome bonus	$200 Cashback (Processed as 20,000 ThankYou Points) after you spend $750 on purchases within 3 months of opening an account.	Nobody
Annual fee	$0	$0
Estimated annual fee ($1,325/month, $15,900/year including welcome bonus)	$503 based on $300 per month for spending in your highest category.	$318

Citi Custom Cash and Citi Double Cash

Receiving awards

Winner: Citi Custom Cash

If we’re only talking about rewards, Citi Custom Cash will bring the average cardholder more money back per year. Up to $500 per billing cycle, you can get a 5 percent cashback on the category you spent the most in that cycle. Eligible bonus categories include restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, some streaming services, fitness clubs, and more. You will also receive 1% cashback on other purchases. If you spend around $15,900 per year and max out the 5 percent bonus tier (which should be fairly easy to do), we estimate you will earn $399 in cash per year. If you also add a $200 signup bonus, after you spend $750 for three months, you will receive a $599 reward after the first year.

Citi Double Cash is much easier, although it still brings in a decent amount of rewards. You get 1% cash back on everything at the time of purchase and another 1% on purchases with no limits. You just need to remember to pay your balances on time to get that second percentage back.

Use of awards

Winner: Draw

Because they have the same issuer and are technically cashback cards, Citi Custom Cash and Citi Double Cash allow you to use the same ways to redeem your rewards. In fact, both cards return money in the form of Citi ThankYou points, which opens up redemption options including ticket bookings, gift cards, and points-based purchases, as well as more traditional methods such as cashback, credit statement, and direct deposit. .

Also, if you also keep Citi Premier® Cardyou can combine your points to a Premier Card and transfer points to one of Citi’s partner airlines.

0% introductory annual

Winner: Citi Custom Cash

Even though its 0% starting APR only lasts for 15 months, it can still help you if you have another high-interest credit card debt or are planning a major purchase soon (a washing machine). , dryer, bookcase, etc.) . Keep in mind, however, that the initial APR only applies to balance transfers made within the first four months of opening an account, and there is no initial balance transfer fee on the card, charging you 5 percent (or $5, whichever what more) right at the gate for every transfer you make.

The Citi Custom Cash APR introductory offer is only useful for cardholders with a small amount of debt because this balance transfer fee can quickly cut any money you save with zero interest if you transfer a lot.

Other privileges and benefits

Winner: Draw

While credit cards with no annual fees usually don’t come with a lot of extra features, these two cashback cards offer some basic account features like automatic alerts, a mobile app, and the ability to choose a due date. Other benefits include Mastercard ID theft protection, fraud early warning and free access to your FICO score. Both cards also offer damage and theft protection, which can be a great advantage if you have an incident.

In addition, both cards also offer access to the Citi Entertainment program. This benefit offers you exclusive access to music, sports, cooking and more.

What card should you get?

These two Citi credit cards are very similar, so your choice depends on your spending.

Custom Cash is an easy-to-use, flexible earning card that automatically selects your 5% tier according to the tier you spent the most on during that billing cycle, great for cardholders who are constantly spending $500 or more in one category. However, since Citi Double Cash has no cashback restrictions, it is great for big spenders.

• If you are a humble spenderA: Because the Custom Cash Card limits your 5 percent cash back bonus to $500 per billing period, you can only earn $25 cash back bonus each month, and only 1 percent thereafter in your top tier plus on all other purchases. Citi Custom Cash is best for humble spenders who maximize the 5 percent category without averaging their rewards, earning as little as 1 percent on a lot of other purchases.
• If you spend more than $2,000 per month: At some point, the $500 monthly spending cap on Citi Custom Cash starts to hinder how much money you can make instead of maximizing your purchases. According to our calculations, those who spend $2,000 per month (or $24,000 per year) will receive the same $480 in cashback from both Citi Custom Cash and Citi Double Cash. Anything over $2,000 a month, you’ll start earning more with Citi Double Cash – this makes the flat rate cashback card the best choice for big spenders. Double Cash also makes sense for those spending large amounts outside of the Custom Cash spending categories, which are eligible for 5 percent.
• If you spend a lot in the top spending categoriesA: Anyone who spends $500 or more securely on the top categories like groceries, gas, streaming services, restaurants, and more will find it easiest to use Citi Custom Cash’s 5 percent bonus rate. You can manage your recurring expenses and watch the cash back.

bottom line

Citi Custom Cash and Citi Double Cash are high value cashback cards that are better than many of their competitors. Each has its own formula that rewards cardholders with predictable cashback for day-to-day expenses. Large consumers may enjoy the unlimited 2 percent on Citi Double Cash more, while modest consumers may find Citi Custom Cash more worthwhile.

Jason Steele is a professional journalist and credit card expert who has been contributing to online publishing since 2008. He was one of the original contributors to The Points Guy and his work has been appearing there since 2011. leading personal finance and travel. He is often interviewed and quoted by the mainstream media on credit card and travel topics. Jason is passionate about travel credit cards, which he uses to earn rewards that he can use for himself and his family to travel the world. Jason is also the founder and producer of CardCon, an annual conference for credit and credit card journalists.