There is no single "best" Citi card — the right one depends on what you spend on and whether you want rewards or a low interest rate
Citi offers roughly a dozen active credit cards, and they serve different purposes. If you spend heavily on groceries and gas, the Citi Custom Cash Card returns 5% on your top category. If you travel frequently, the Citi Prestige Card includes trip cancellation insurance and lounge access. If you are rebuilding credit, the Citi Secured Credit Card is designed for that specific situation. If you want the lowest possible interest rate, you might choose a Citi card with a 0% introductory APR period instead of chasing rewards.
The decision comes down to three questions: What do you spend the most money on each month? Do you carry a balance, or do you pay in full? Are you willing to pay an annual fee for benefits you will actually use? Your answer to those three questions narrows the field from a dozen cards to two or three real contenders.
Key Takeaways
- Citi's highest-earning rewards card is the Custom Cash Card, which returns 5% on your top spending category (up to $500 per month, then 1%), but it has no annual fee and requires good credit.
- The Citi Prestige Card charges $495 per year but includes trip cancellation insurance, airport lounge access, and a $250 annual travel credit that offsets part of the fee.
- The Citi Double Cash Card earns 2% back on all purchases (1% when you buy, 1% when you pay), making it simple if you do not want to track bonus categories.
- If you carry a balance month to month, a 0% APR introductory card may save you more money than any rewards card, because interest charges quickly exceed any cash back you earn.
- Citi Secured Credit Card is the only option if you have limited or damaged credit history, and it reports to all three credit bureaus to help you build a score.
The highest-earning card for most people: Citi Custom Cash Card
The Citi Custom Cash Card has no annual fee and returns 5% cash back on your highest spending category each month, up to $500 in purchases (then 1% after that). The may be able to access categories are gas, groceries, transit, parking, dining, and streaming services. Most people spend the most on groceries or gas, so this card will earn 5% on whichever one that is for you.
The catch is that you have to activate the category each month through the Citi app or website. If you forget, you earn 1% on everything. You also need good credit to be approved — Citi typically looks for a credit score of 670 or higher, though the exact threshold varies.
The math: if you spend $500 per month on groceries, you earn $25 in cash back that month. Over a year, that is $300 with no annual fee. If you spend less than $500 per month on your top category, you still earn 5% on what you do spend, then 1% on everything else, which is competitive with most other no-fee cards.
The simplest card if you do not want to track categories: Citi Double Cash Card
The Citi Double Cash Card earns 1% cash back when you make a purchase and another 1% when you pay the bill, for a total of 2% on everything. There is no annual fee, no bonus categories to activate, and no spending caps. You earn the same rate whether you buy groceries, gas, or plane tickets.
This card is straightforward but earns less than the Custom Cash Card if you have a clear top spending category. However, if your spending is spread across many categories or changes month to month, the Double Cash Card's flat 2% is simpler and often more rewarding than trying to optimize the Custom Cash Card's 5% category.
Like the Custom Cash Card, the Double Cash Card requires good credit and has no annual fee. The main downside is that you have to remember to pay your bill to earn the second 1% — if you only earn the first 1% at purchase, you are earning half the advertised rate.
The premium card with travel benefits: Citi Prestige Card
The Citi Prestige Card charges $495 per year and is designed for frequent travelers. It includes trip cancellation insurance, trip delay reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, and access to airport lounges through the Priority Pass program. It also offers a $250 annual travel credit that you can use toward airfare, hotels, or rental cars, which covers about half the annual fee.
The card earns 3x points per dollar on travel and dining, 1x on everything else. Points are worth roughly 1 cent each when you redeem them for travel, so 3x points on a $100 dinner is worth about $3 in value. The travel credit and insurance benefits are what justify the $495 fee, not the points alone.
This card is worth considering only if you take at least two or three trips per year and would use the lounge access and travel insurance. If you travel once a year or less, the annual fee will cost you more than the benefits are worth. You also need excellent credit — Citi typically requires a score of 740 or higher.
The 0% APR option if you carry a balance
If you plan to carry a balance from month to month, the interest you pay will almost always exceed any rewards you earn. Citi offers several cards with 0% introductory APR periods — typically 0% for 6 to 21 months on purchases, depending on the card and your creditworthiness.
For example, the Citi Diamond Preferred Card offers 0% APR for 21 months on purchases (then a variable rate of 16.99% to 26.99% after that). There is no annual fee during the promotional period. If you transfer a balance from another card, you pay a 3% transfer fee, but you get 0% APR on that transfer for 21 months as well.
The strategy here is to pay down the balance during the 0% period so you owe nothing when the regular APR kicks in. If you cannot pay it off by the time the promotional period ends, you will owe interest at a high rate, so this option only makes sense if you have a concrete plan to eliminate the debt.
The card for building or rebuilding credit: Citi Secured Credit Card
The Citi Secured Credit Card is designed for people with no credit history or a damaged credit history. You deposit cash as collateral — typically $200 to $2,500 — and that amount becomes your credit limit. You use the card like any other card, and Citi reports your payment history to all three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion).
There is a $0 annual fee for the first year, then $39 per year after that. The card earns 1% cash back on all purchases. After you have made on-time payments for several months and your credit score improves, you can request that Citi convert the card to an unsecured card and return your deposit.
This is not a rewards card — the 1% cash back is modest. The real value is that it reports to all three bureaus and gives you a way to build a credit history from scratch or recover from past damage. If you have fair or poor credit, this is often your only option with Citi, and it is a legitimate path to approval for better cards later.
How to compare these cards side by side
Start by listing your average monthly spending in each category: groceries, gas, dining, travel, and everything else. Then calculate what you would earn with each card over a year. For the Custom Cash Card, multiply your top category by $500 × 12 months × 5%, then add 1% on everything else. For the Double Cash Card, multiply your total annual spending by 2%. For the Prestige Card, subtract the $495 annual fee from the points value plus the $250 travel credit.
If you carry a balance, ignore rewards entirely and focus on the 0% APR period. Calculate how much you would pay in interest on your current balance at your current card's APR, then compare that to what you would pay (nothing) during the 0% period on a Citi card. The difference is your real savings.
Citi publishes the full terms for each card on its website, including the APR ranges, annual fees, and bonus categories. You can also see your own credit score for free through most banks or through sites like Credit Karma, which helps you predict which cards you are likely to be approved for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to pay an annual fee to get the best rewards?
No. The Citi Custom Cash Card and Double Cash Card both have no annual fee and earn competitive rewards — 5% and 2% respectively. The Prestige Card's $495 fee is only worth it if you travel frequently and will use the insurance and lounge benefits. For most people, a no-fee card is the better choice.
What credit score do I need for each Citi card?
Citi does not publish exact score requirements, but the Custom Cash Card and Double Cash Card typically require good credit (670+), the Prestige Card requires excellent credit (740+), and the Secured Card is for people with limited or poor credit. You can check your own score for free before you apply to get a sense of which cards you might may have access to for.
Can I switch from one Citi card to another?
Yes, you can have multiple Citi cards at once, or you can close one and open another. If you close a card, make sure you have paid off the balance first. Opening a new card will trigger a hard inquiry on your credit report, which temporarily lowers your score by a few points, so space out applications by at least a few months if you are planning to apply for multiple cards.
Which card earns the most cash back?
The Citi Custom Cash Card earns the most if you have a clear top spending category — 5% on up to $500 per month in that category. If your spending is spread across many categories, the Double Cash Card's flat 2% on everything often earns more in practice because there is no cap and no category to activate.
What happens to my rewards if I close the card?
Cash back rewards are yours to keep — closing the card does not erase them. Points-based rewards (like on the Prestige Card) are also yours, but you should redeem them before you close the card to avoid any issues. Check your Citi account for any unredeemed rewards before you close.