Citi Double Cash review: A top 2% cash-back credit card
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BLUEPRINT
Updated 7:10 a.m. UTC Nov. 14, 2023
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Earning a total of 2% cash back on purchases — 1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they’re paid off, plus, for a limited time, 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24, the Citi Double Cash® Card is a great credit card for people who don’t want to track various spending categories. Plus, there’s a long introductory APR period on balance transfers.
Editor’s note: This article contains updated information from a previously published story.
About the Citi Double Cash® Card
Though there are now many credit cards on the market offering 2% back on every purchase, the Citi Double Cash did it before it was popular. Cardholders earn a net 2% cash back on purchases — 1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they’re paid off, plus, for a limited time, 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24. There are no spending caps and no limit to the amount of cash back you can earn and there’s no annual fee to carry the Double Cash.
The card’s simple reward structure makes it perfect for people who don’t like earning elevated rewards in some categories but subpar rates in others, as many cash-back cards do. And, the Double Cash doesn’t require you to keep track of rotating categories or spending caps.
In addition, anyone looking to pay off high-interest debt from a non-Citi credit card will appreciate the intro APR offer: 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months. After that, the standard variable APR will be 19.24% to 29.24%. An intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3%, whichever is greater, applies to transfers completed in the first 4 months. After that, the fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
However, despite being a solid choice for consumers who want a flat-rate card, the Double Cash falls short in a few respects. It typically does not offer a welcome bonus, which many competing cash-back cards do (however, it is currently offering $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening), and its intro APR is limited to balance transfers only and not purchases. Plus, it charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, so it’s not a good card to use when traveling outside the United States.
It’s also light on benefits. You won’t get perks such as cell phone protection, extended warranty protection or rental car insurance, which can be had on some other no-annual-fee credit cards.
Citi Double Cash® Card
Citi Double Cash Card basics
- Annual fee: $0.
- Welcome bonus: $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening.
- Rewards: Earn 2% cash back on purchases — 1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they’re paid off, plus, for a limited time, 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.
- APR: 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months. After that, the standard variable APR will be 19.24% to 29.24%. An intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3%, whichever is greater, applies to transfers completed in the first 4 months. After that, the fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- Foreign transaction fees: 3%.
- Other perks and benefits: Issuer offers an online tool to check if you’re pre-selected for a Citi credit card
Citi Double Cash Card other details
Citi Double Cash Card rewards
The Citi Double Cash Card earns 2% cash back on purchases — 1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they’re paid off, plus, for a limited time, 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24. If you prefer to earn the full rewards after just making a purchase, you may prefer a different 2% card.
Though the Double Cash is marketed as a cash-back credit card, rewards come in the form of Citi ThankYou Points. Points can be redeemed for cash back to a linked bank account with no minimum redemption amount required. You can also redeem points as statement credits to your card or take them as a paper check in the mail.
Additional redemption options include gift cards, charitable donations and shopping with points at participating online and in-store partners. However, if shopping with points, beware that you may get subpar value compared to redeeming for cash back. For example, if you redeem points when checking out at Walmart, the redemption rate is 1,250 points for $10. That comes out to a value of 0.8 cents per point, compared with 1 cent per point redeemed to a checking account.
Points can also be transferred to a limited selection of Citi’s travel partners. But if you also hold a Citi Premier® Card * The information for the Citi Premier® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. or a Citi Prestige® Card (this card is not currently accepting new applicants), you can transfer to Citi’s full list of travel partners.
Citi Double Cash Card rewards potential
Using government data and other publicly available information, we estimate that a household in the U.S. that would be in the market for this card has an annual income of $84,352 and $25,087 in expenses they are likely to be able to charge to a credit card. We’ll use those numbers to determine what you might be able to earn in rewards using this card.
Since the Citi Double Cash is a flat-rate card, cardholders earn 2% cash back on purchases — 1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they’re paid off, plus, for a limited time, 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24. With $25,087 in annual spending, that’s $501.74 per year in cash back rewards.
Citi Double Cash Card APR
The Citi Double Cash Card has a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months. After that, the standard variable APR will be 19.24% to 29.24%. An intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3%, whichever is greater, applies to transfers completed in the first 4 months. After that, the fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
Citi Double Cash Card pros
- Free Credit Score: Access your FICO Score at no cost.
- 0% Fraud Liability: You aren’t liable for unauthorized charges on the card.
- Compatible With Digital Wallets: Use your card with digital wallets such as Apple Pay.
- ID Theft Protection: Offered by Mastercard, this benefit monitors your information for suspicious activity and can help resolve identity theft if it has occurred. Enrollment required.
- Citi Entertainment: Get early access to tickets for concerts, sporting events and more.
Citi Double Cash cons
- Doesn’t have an intro APR on purchases.
- Lacking in benefits.
How the Citi Double Cash Card compares to other cash-back cards
Citi Double Cash Card vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
The Wells Fargo Active Cash Card earns 2% cash rewards on purchases and charges no annual fee. It also offers a welcome bonus: a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first three months of account opening.
There’s also an intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers: 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then a 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR applies thereafter. Balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3%. After that a fee of up to 5%, with a minimum of $5 applies.
You can get cellphone protection against damage or theft of up to $600 per claim (subject to a $25 deductible, up to two claims per 12-month period) when you pay your monthly phone bill with the Wells Fargo Active Cash.
The card also provides 24/7 access to the Visa Signature Concierge, as well as benefits when staying at a property in the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection (terms apply).
However, it’s worth noting the Active Cash does not offer any travel transfer partners.
Citi Double Cash Card vs. Citi Custom Cash® Card
The Citi Custom Cash card charges no annual fee and comes with a unique rewards program. You earn 5% cash back on purchases in a top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent each month and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Categories eligible for the elevated rewards rate include restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs and live entertainment.
There’s also a welcome bonus: $200 cash back, in the form of 20,000 ThankYou points, after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. The Custom Cash is marketed as a cash-back card, but rewards are earned in the form of Citi ThankYou Points.
The card provides a 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on purchases and from the date of the first transfer for balance transfers within the first four months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% to 29.24%. There is a balance transfer fee of 5% of each balance transfer with a $5 minimum.
Citi Double Cash Card vs. Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card * The information for the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The Capital One Quicksilver earns 1.5% cash back on purchases and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Its earning rate may be less impressive than that of a 2% cash-back card, but it comes with a couple advantages.
The Quicksilver offers a welcome bonus of a one-time $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
The card also charges no foreign transaction fees. If you’re planning to travel abroad, that makes the Quicksilver a good choice for your trip.
The Quicksilver charges no annual fee and comes with the following intro APR periods: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then a 19.99% to 29.99% variable APR. There is a 3% balance transfer fee on the amounts transferred in the first 15 months.
Should you get the Citi Double Cash?
If you’re looking for a cash-back credit card with a simple, flat-rate earning structure, the Double Cash is an excellent choice. It’s also a solid option for anyone looking to do a balance transfer from a non-Citi card and pay off the transferred debt during a long intro APR period.
However, there are better cards to choose from if you want to earn your cash back upfront, rather than half after making a purchase and half after submitting a payment — and if you are looking to earn elevated cash back on specific spending or need a card to take abroad, another card is a better fit.
Citi Double Cash Summary
Yes, the Citi Double Cash is a good credit card. Its flat rewards rate is one of the best you’ll find when it comes to cash-back cards without specific bonus categories or spending caps. Plus, it charges no annual fee and comes with an intro APR on balance transfers.
That said, some consumers may prefer applying for a different credit card due to the Citi Double Cash Card’s 3% foreign transaction fee.
Which card you get will depend on your spending patterns and whether you place a higher value on simplicity or the chance to earn elevated rewards on a specific category. The Double Cash is a good card for everyday spending, while the Custom Cash is a good companion card—useful if you want to earn 5% cash back on purchases in a top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent each month and 1% cash back on all other purchases. You may want to consider pairing the two cards and using the Custom Cash on categories where it can earn elevated rewards and the Double Cash on all other spending.
Yes, you can have more than one Citi credit card. In fact, pairing the Double Cash with the Custom Cash is an excellent cash-back strategy. This allows you to earn 5% cash back on purchases in a top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent each month and 1% cash back on all other purchases with the Custom Cash and 2% cash back on purchases — 1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they’re paid off, plus, for a limited time, 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24 with the Double Cash. You can even link the two rewards accounts in your online Citi login and pool your rewards, making it quicker to view and redeem ThankYou points.
*The information for the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card and Citi Premier® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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