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The Citi Double Cash® Card hit the market in 2014 and has since become a staple credit card for earning cash back. The rewards are pretty straightforward. Cardholders earn up to 2% cash back on every purchase: an unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
Below, we break down Citi Double Cash Card's rewards, benefits and fees to help you decide if it's the right fit for your wallet.
The Citi Double Cash® Card is one of the best no-annual-fee cash-back cards thanks to its straightforward rewards structure.
- Balance transfers get a long intro APR
- Generous flat-rate cash-back rewards structure
- No annual fee
- Travelers face a foreign transaction fee
- Intro APR only applies to balance tranfer
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- 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.
- 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, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 17.49% - 27.49%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
Balance transfer fee
There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies if completed after 4 months of account opening.
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Welcome bonus
New Citi Double Cash cardholders can earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. While six months is longer than the three-month welcome bonus earning period offered by other credit cards, it requires more spending. For example, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offers a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in the first three months.
Benefits and perks
Unlike some rewards cards, the Citi Double Cash Card doesn't come with a ton of additional perks. Cardholders do have access to Citi Entertainment®, which provides early access and special perks at music, theater, dining and sports events. It also offers extended warranty coverage (depending on eligibility), which could help cover larger purchases.
How to earn and redeem rewards
The Citi Double Cash's easy-to-use rewards program requires no quarterly activation, there are no special bonus categories and there's no limit to how much you can earn.
Note, cash back is technically awarded in the form of Citi ThankYou® Points (more on that below).
Earning
Cardholders earn up to 2% cash back on every purchase: an unlimited 1% cash back when you buy and an additional 1% back when you pay for those purchases. This encourages good financial behavior, as you get the most rewards when you pay off your bill on time and in full.
The card also earns 5% total cash back on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through Citi Travel.
Redeeming
Cardholders can redeem cash back in any amount as a direct deposit or statement credit, and if you'd prefer a check, you'll need a minimum redemption of $5. Your ThankYou® Points can also be redeemed for a variety of other rewards, such as gift cards and even travel via Citi's transfer partners. Note that you won't get the strongest transfer rates; those can be unlocked with a more premium Citi card:
Citi ThankYou® Points travel partners
| Citi Strata Elite℠ Card and Citi Strata Premier® Card transfer ratios | Citi Strata℠ Card, Citi Double Cash® Card and Citi Custom Cash® Card transfer ratios | |
|---|---|---|
| Accor Live Limitless | 1:0.5 | 1:0.35 |
| Aeromexico Rewards | 1:1 | 1:0.7 |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | 1:1 | 1:0.7 |
| Cathay Pacific Cathay | 1:1 | 1:0.7 |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 1:1 | 1:0.7 |
| Emirates Skywards | 1:0.8 | 1:0.56 |
| Etihad Guest | 1:1 | 1:0.7 |
| Eva Air Infinity MileageLands | 1:1 | 1:0.7 |
| Flying Blue (KLM and Air France) | 1:1 | 1:0.7 |
| I Prefer Hotel Rewards | 1:2 | 1:1.4 |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 1:1 | 1:0.7 |
| Leaders Club | 1:0.2 | 1:0.14 |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 1:1 | 1:0.7 |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club | 1:1 | 1:0.7 |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 1:1 | 1:0.7 |
| Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus | 1:1 | 1:0.7 |
| Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | 1:1 | 1:0.7 |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 1:1 | 1:0.7 |
| Choice Privileges | 1:1.5 | 1:1.05 |
| Wyndham Rewards | 1:1 | 1:0.7 |
Rates and fees
The Citi Double Cash stands out in part because of its $0 annual fee. However, there is a 3% foreign transaction fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.
For new cardmembers, this card has a very long introductory period for balance transfers at 0% APR for the first 18 months (17.49% to 27.49% variable APR thereafter). There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first four months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
Card comparison
Wells Fargo Active Cash
Between the Citi Double Cash and the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, both cards earn the same flat rate on purchases. The biggest difference is when you get your rewards: The Active Cash card gives you the full 2% cash rewards at the time of purchase, compared to Citi's 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay. While it's a fairly minor detail, Wells Fargo's simpler system may be more ideal.
When it comes to redeeming your rewards, the Double Cash offers more flexibility. In addition to traditional statement credits and a direct deposit, ThankYou® Points can be transferred to any of Citi's airline or hotel partners, albeit at a less than 1:1 rate. This isn't an option for the Active Cash, as it requires an additional Wells Fargo card, like the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card (see rates and fees), to unlock transfer partners.
The Active Cash Card does offer cell phone protection if you use the card to pay for your cell phone bill. If your phone is damaged or stolen, Wells Fargo will reimburse the replacement or repair for up to $600 (with a $25 deductible).
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is great if you want simplicity thanks to its flat-rate 2% unlimited cash rewards on purchases and $0 annual fee.
- High flat-rate return on purchases
- Intro-APR for purchases and qualifying balance transfers for a year
- No annual fee
- Cell phone protection
- Has a foreign transaction fee
- Limited redemption options unless you pair it with a Wells Fargo card that allows point transfers
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 18.49%, 24.49%, or 28.49% variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don't expire as long as your account remains open.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
Balance Transfer Fee
3% intro for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%, min: $5
Foreign Transaction Fee
3%
Chase Freedom Unlimited
While not quite as strong as the Citi Double Cash, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees) earns 1.5% cash back on all purchases. What it does have is the ability to earn double that (3% cash back) at drugstores and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services).
The Freedom Unlimited is another no-annual-fee credit card, and it can help you save on food delivery with six months of complimentary DoorDash DashPass when you activate by Dec. 31, 2027. Plus, you'll receive up to $10 off one non-restaurant DoorDash order every quarter through Dec. 31, 2027 (with an active DashPass membership).
While you're losing an extra 0.5% on some purchases, you also have the ability to earn a higher rate on categories like dining, which could easily make up the difference depending on your habits.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a no-annual-fee card that earns generous cash-back on everyday purchases and a lucrative welcome bonus.
- Users get a high rewards rate and strong welcome bonus
- Purchases and balance transfers get long intro APR
- No annual fee
- Travelers face a foreign transaction fee
- Few rewarding ongoing benefits
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can use points to redeem for cash through an account statement credit or an electronic deposit into an eligible Chase account located in the United States!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.24% - 27.74%.
- No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Intro fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, in the first 60 days. After that, either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
Is the Citi Double Cash Card right for you?
The Citi Double Cash is an excellent option if you're looking to earn flat-rate cash back and don't want to pay an annual fee. It's also a good option if you need a little motivation to pay your credit card bill on time, as it rewards an extra 1% back when you pay off your purchases.
The card doesn't come with flashy perks or statement credits, but it does offer the option to boost your rewards value. Since the Double Cash technically earns Citi ThankYou® Points, you can score heightened value from transfer partner travel with select airlines and hotels.
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