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Citi Double Cash® Card review: Earn rewards for everyday purchases

Kat Tretina
5 min read

Rewards cards are everywhere. In fact, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reported that three-fourths of all general credit cards are rewards cards. However, some rewards cards are complicated, requiring you to keep track of spending categories, activate bonus categories, or transfer points to get the most value.

The Citi Double Cash Card offers a simpler option. It provides a flat 2% cash-back rate on every purchase, so there are no rotating categories or monthly activations required. And with no annual fee, it could be a useful addition to your wallet to use on everyday purchases like gas or groceries.

  • Purchase APR: 19.24% to 29.24%

  • Balance transfer APR: 0% APR for 18 months for balance transfers completed within four months of account opening; after that, the APR is 19.24% to 29.24%

  • Balance transfer fee: Introductory fee of 3% of each transfer ($5 minimum) for transfers completed within the first four months of account opening. After that, the fee is 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum).

  • Cash advance APR: 29.99% for cash advances

  • Penalty APR: Up to 29.99% and applies if you miss one payment or have a payment returned

The Citi Double Cash Card doesn't have an annual fee.

With the Citi Double Cash Card, you can earn $200 cash back if you spend at least $1,500 on new purchases within the first six months of opening the account. That offer gives you more time to meet the spending requirement than most cards, so it's more achievable for most households.

You'll earn 2% cash back on every purchase — 1% cash back at the time of the purchase, and another 1% cash back when you pay your bill. There's no limit on how much you can earn in cash-back rewards.

Your cash-back rewards accrue as Citi ThankYou points, and you can redeem your points in the following ways:

  • Gift cards: Citi allows you to redeem your points for gift cards from over 150 major retailers and restaurant chains. Generally, you need to have at least 2500 points — $25 in cash-back rewards — to qualify for a gift card. If you redeem points for gift cards, your points are typically worth one cent each. However, there are occasional sales and bonus offers that give you more value for your points; for example, you can currently get a $25 gift card to Panera or Subway with 2,250 points — giving you 10% more value for your points.

  • Shop with points: With the shop with points option, you can link your online accounts with major retailers, such as Best Buy or Walgreens, to your ThankYou points account. Once you link your accounts, you can redeem your points to pay for part or all of your purchase at the time of checkout.

  • Travel: You can redeem your points for flights or hotel stays through the Citi ThankYou portal.

  • Cash: Citi allows cardholders to redeem points for cash in the form of statement credits or deposits to a checking or savings account.

  • Charitable donations: With as few as 1,000 points — $10 in cash-back rewards — you can make charitable donations with your points. You can donate points to major organizations like the American Red Cross, SmileTrain, or UNICEF USA.

Although the Citi Double Cash Card has a valuable rewards program, it has few benefits or perks. It only offers the following benefits:

  • Identity theft: Through Mastercard, cardholders can take advantage of free identity theft protection and account monitoring services.

  • Citi Entertainment: As a cardholder, you get special access to ticket sales for major events, including concerts and games.

  • No travel benefits: With some cards, you get added benefits like travel insurance or airport lounge access. But the Citi Double Cash Card is more limited; it doesn't provide any added travel benefits.

  • Charges foreign transaction fees: If you travel outside of the U.S., be aware that the Citi Double Cash Card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee on every purchase.

  • No promotional APR on purchases: Although the Citi Double Cash Card offers 18 months at 0% APR on balance transfers, it doesn't have an introductory APR offer for new purchases.

The Citi Double Cash Card is a Mastercard, so it's part of the second-largest credit card network. Mastercard cards are accepted by most retailers in the U.S., and it's also widely accepted in other countries.

Worldwide, there are approximately 335 million businesses. Approximately 37 million businesses accept Mastercard credit cards — slightly lower than the number that accepts Visa cards, the industry leader. As a result, you can use your Citi Double Cash Card anywhere Mastercards are accepted, including grocery stores, gas stations, online retailers, and international merchants.

You can make payments on your Citi Double Cash with the following methods:

To make a payment on your Citi Double Cash Card online, follow these steps:

  1. Visit the Citi login page or launch the mobile app and enter your username and password.

  2. Under account details, click on "Make a Payment".

  3. Select your payment amount from the available options, such as the minimum payment due or the full statement balance, or manually enter a different payment amount.

  4. Choose a date for the payment; you can choose the same day or set a date in the future.

  5. Enter your payment details. If you haven't made an online payment before, you'll need to provide your bank account and routing numbers.

  6. Verify the information is correct and click on "submit payment."

After submitting the payment, you'll be redirected to a confirmation screen, and a payment confirmation will be sent to your email address.

You can make payments via phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To do so, call 1-800-950-5114 and follow the instructions for making a payment.

You can mail your payment by sending a check to the following address: Citi P.O. BOX 9001037 Louisville, KY 40290-1037

Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn't include all currently available offers.