Article updated on Oct 1, 2024
Looking for a Citi credit card? Here's how to find the right fit for your wallet.
Why You Can Trust CNET Money
Our Experts
Written by Evan Zimmer has been writing about finance for years. After graduating with a journalism degree from SUNY Oswego, he wrote credit card content for Credit Card Insider (now Money Tips) before moving to ZDNET Finance to cover credit card, banking and blockchain news. He currently works with CNET Money to bring readers the most accurate and up-to-date financial information. Otherwise, you can find him reading, rock climbing, snowboarding and enjoying the outdoors. Jaclyn is a CNET Money editor who relishes the sweet spot between numbers and words. With responsibility for overseeing CNET's credit card coverage, she writes and edits news, reviews and advice. She has experience covering business, personal finance and economics, and previously managed contracts and investments as a real estate agent. Her tech interests include Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink.
Edited by Jaclyn is a CNET Money editor who relishes the sweet spot between numbers and words. With responsibility for overseeing CNET's credit card coverage, she writes and edits news, reviews and advice. She has experience covering business, personal finance and economics, and previously managed contracts and investments as a real estate agent. Her tech interests include Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink.
CNET staff -- not advertisers, partners or business interests -- determine how we review the products and services we cover. If you buy through our links, we may get paid.
Reviews ethics statement
Written by
Evan Zimmer has been writing about finance for years. After graduating with a journalism degree from SUNY Oswego, he wrote credit card content for Credit Card Insider (now Money Tips) before moving to ZDNET Finance to cover credit card, banking and blockchain news. He currently works with CNET Money to bring readers the most accurate and up-to-date financial information. Otherwise, you can find him reading, rock climbing, snowboarding and enjoying the outdoors.
Jaclyn is a CNET Money editor who relishes the sweet spot between numbers and words. With responsibility for overseeing CNET's credit card coverage, she writes and edits news, reviews and advice. She has experience covering business, personal finance and economics, and previously managed contracts and investments as a real estate agent. Her tech interests include Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink.
Edited by
Jaclyn is a CNET Money editor who relishes the sweet spot between numbers and words. With responsibility for overseeing CNET's credit card coverage, she writes and edits news, reviews and advice. She has experience covering business, personal finance and economics, and previously managed contracts and investments as a real estate agent. Her tech interests include Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink.
Article updated on Oct 1, 2024
Best flat-rate cash-back card
Citi Double Cash® Card
4.0/5
Rating Breakdown 4.0
Welcome Bonus 3.0
Rewards Program 5.0
Value for Money 5.0
Benefits 2.0
Fees and APR 3.5
Rewards / Travel
We rate credit cards using our Rewards / Travel methodology for cards tailored to earning rewards. We focus on each card's reward potential, the value you get compared to the card's cost, the benefits and the card's rates and fees. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $0
Rewards Rate
1% - 5% Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.; Plus, a special travel offer, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/25.
Intro offer available Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
Apply Now with Citi
Great for travelers
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
3.7/5
Rating Breakdown 3.7
Welcome Bonus 3.5
Rewards Program 4.0
Value for Money 4.0
Benefits 3.5
Fees and APR 3.0
Rewards / Travel
We rate credit cards using our Rewards / Travel methodology for cards tailored to earning rewards. We focus on each card's reward potential, the value you get compared to the card's cost, the benefits and the card's rates and fees. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $95
Rewards Rate
1x - 10x Earn 10 points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.; Earn 3 points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.; Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Intro offer available Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
Apply Now with Citi
A long balance transfer offer
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
3.8/5
Rating Breakdown 3.8
Offer Length 5.0
BT Fee 3.0
Offer Terms 3.0
On-going Value 3.0
Fees and APR 3.0
Balance Transfer / Intro APR
We rate credit cards using our balance transfer / Intro APR methodology for cards whose primary feature is a promotional period where new purchases or a transferred balance will accrue no or low interest for a period of time. We rank these credit cards based on the quality of their introductory offers, fees, lasting value and standard rates. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $0
Rewards Rate
N/A This card doesn't offer cash back, miles, or points
Adaptable cash-back card
Citi Custom Cash® Card
3.7/5
Rating Breakdown 3.7
Welcome Bonus 3.5
Rewards Program 4.0
Value for Money 4.0
Benefits 3.0
Fees and APR 3.5
Rewards / Travel
We rate credit cards using our Rewards / Travel methodology for cards tailored to earning rewards. We focus on each card's reward potential, the value you get compared to the card's cost, the benefits and the card's rates and fees. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $0
Rewards Rate
1% - 5% Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter.; Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2025.; Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
A good Intro APR offer
Citi Simplicity® Card
4.2/5
Rating Breakdown 4.2
Offer Length 5.0
BT Fee 5.0
Offer Terms 3.0
On-going Value 3.0
Fees and APR 3.0
Balance Transfer / Intro APR
We rate credit cards using our balance transfer / Intro APR methodology for cards whose primary feature is a promotional period where new purchases or a transferred balance will accrue no or low interest for a period of time. We rank these credit cards based on the quality of their introductory offers, fees, lasting value and standard rates. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $0
Rewards Rate
N/A This card doesn't offer cash back, miles, or points
Unique rewards features
Citi Rewards+® Card
3.1/5
Rating Breakdown 3.1
Welcome Bonus 3.0
Rewards Program 3.0
Value for Money 3.0
Benefits 3.0
Fees and APR 3.5
Rewards / Travel
We rate credit cards using our Rewards / Travel methodology for cards tailored to earning rewards. We focus on each card's reward potential, the value you get compared to the card's cost, the benefits and the card's rates and fees. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $0
Rewards Rate
1x - 5x Special offer: earn 5 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com through December 31, 2025.; Earn 2X ThankYou® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter.; Earn 1X ThankYou® Points on All Other Purchases.
American Airlines card
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
3.3/5
Rating Breakdown 3.3
Welcome Bonus 3.0
Rewards Program 3.5
Value for Money 3.0
Benefits 4.0
Fees and APR 3.0
Rewards / Travel
We rate credit cards using our Rewards / Travel methodology for cards tailored to earning rewards. We focus on each card's reward potential, the value you get compared to the card's cost, the benefits and the card's rates and fees. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $595
Rewards Rate
1x - 4x Earn 4x AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases.; 1 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on other purchases
Build credit with Citi
Citi® Secured Mastercard®
3.3/5
Rating Breakdown 3.3
Accessibility 3.0
Effectiveness 3.0
Cost 5.0
Other Perks 2.0
Fees and APR 3.0
Credit Building
We rate credit cards using our credit-building methodology for cards designed to help grow your credit score. Student credit cards, secured credit cards and credit cards with low or no credit requirements fall into this category. We rank them based on how easy they are to qualify for, credit-building features and how much they cost. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $0
Rewards Rate
N/A This card doesn't offer cash back, miles, or points
Our Experts
Written by Evan Zimmer has been writing about finance for years. After graduating with a journalism degree from SUNY Oswego, he wrote credit card content for Credit Card Insider (now Money Tips) before moving to ZDNET Finance to cover credit card, banking and blockchain news. He currently works with CNET Money to bring readers the most accurate and up-to-date financial information. Otherwise, you can find him reading, rock climbing, snowboarding and enjoying the outdoors. Jaclyn is a CNET Money editor who relishes the sweet spot between numbers and words. With responsibility for overseeing CNET's credit card coverage, she writes and edits news, reviews and advice. She has experience covering business, personal finance and economics, and previously managed contracts and investments as a real estate agent. Her tech interests include Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink.
Edited by Jaclyn is a CNET Money editor who relishes the sweet spot between numbers and words. With responsibility for overseeing CNET's credit card coverage, she writes and edits news, reviews and advice. She has experience covering business, personal finance and economics, and previously managed contracts and investments as a real estate agent. Her tech interests include Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink.
CNET staff -- not advertisers, partners or business interests -- determine how we review the products and services we cover. If you buy through our links, we may get paid.
Reviews ethics statementWhy You Can Trust CNET Money
Before searching for a high value rewards card, we recommend building healthy credit habits, like paying your full credit card balance on time each month. Carrying a balance on your credit card can offset any rewards you might earn, so we recommend opting for a credit-building card if you’re just getting started.
Table of Contents
- Best Citi credit cards
- Credit score requirements for Citi credit cards
- How to get preselected for a Citi credit card
- How does Citi stack up to other issuers?
- How many Citi cards can you have?
- Is Citi the right credit card issuer for you?
- How to choose the right Citi credit card
- How to apply for a Citi credit card
- FAQs
Written by
Evan Zimmer
Staff Writer
Evan Zimmer has been writing about finance for years. After graduating with a journalism degree from SUNY Oswego, he wrote credit card content for Credit Card Insider (now Money Tips) before moving to ZDNET Finance to cover credit card, banking and blockchain news. He currently works with CNET Money to bring readers the most accurate and up-to-date financial information. Otherwise, you can find him reading, rock climbing, snowboarding and enjoying the outdoors.
Written by
Jaclyn DeJohn
Editor
Jaclyn is a CNET Money editor who relishes the sweet spot between numbers and words. With responsibility for overseeing CNET's credit card coverage, she writes and edits news, reviews and advice. She has experience covering business, personal finance and economics, and previously managed contracts and investments as a real estate agent. Her tech interests include Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink.