Lawrence Stone, Wallethub Credit Card Analyst
@lawrence50
The easiest Citi card to get is the Citi® Secured Mastercard® because it is the only one that will accept applicants with limited credit (less than 3 years of credit history). This card requires a $200 refundable security deposit but has a $0 annual fee. It also helps build credit history with monthly reporting to all three major credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax and Experian).
More info regarding Citi credit cards score requirement
Aside from the Citi Secured, nearly all other Citi credit cards require good credit or better (a credit score of 700+) for good odds of approval. Some of these cards include the Citi Double Cash Card or the Citi Premier® Card.
However, there are a number of store cards that also make it among the easiest Citi cards to get. Citi store cards require at least fair credit (a credit score of 640+) for approval. But purchases are limited to the affiliated merchant or its website. The Best Buy® Store Card and the Shell Gas Card, for instance, are among the many store cards that also have a full-fledged co-branded version on either the Visa or Shell Credit Card network, which can be used anywhere the network is accepted. Those cards aren’t as easy to get as the store versions, as they require at least good credit.
Here are some of the easiest Citi cards to get:
- Overall Citi® Secured Mastercard®
The Citi Secured is open to applicants with limited credit (less than 3 years of credit history). It has a $0 annual fee.
- Best for Best Buy Best Buy® Store Card
The Best Buy Store Card requires fair credit or better (a credit score of 640+). It has a $0 annual fee. Earns 2.5 points per $1 spent on Best Buy purchases.
- Best for Gas Shell Gas Card
To get the Shell Gas Card, you need fair credit or better (a credit score of 640+). It has a $0 annual fee. Offers savings: 30¢ per gallon (up to 35 gallons) on your first 5 Shell fuel purchases made by 6/30/2022, after that 10¢ per gallon (up to 20 gallons) every time you fill up, 10% Shell rebates on your first $1,200 Shell non-fuel purchases (per year).
- Best for Sears purchases Sears Store Card
The Sears Store Card requires fair credit or better (a credit score of 640+). It has a $0 annual fee.
The easiest Citi cards to get come with limitations. They offer low minimum credit limits, high interest rates and few rewards and benefits. And with the Citi store cards, beware of deferred interest promotions. Deferred interest means that there’s 0% interest as long as the balance gets paid in full by the end of the promotion. If it’s not paid in full, Citibank charges interest on the original purchase amount from the date of purchase, at the card’s regular APR.
It may also be beneficial to look outside of Citibank to some of the easiest cards to get from other issuers. Aside from lenient approval requirements, some of these also offer rewards and have annual fees as low as $0. And they report to the three major credit bureaus. So, if you use them responsibly, you'll be able to build or rebuild your credit and have future access to some of the best Citi credit cards, or other excellent options from different issuers.
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Grace Porter, Member
@grace_porter
The easiest Citi card to get is the Citi® Secured Mastercard®. You don’t need any credit history, and the minimum deposit is $200. There’s also a $0 annual fee, and the APR can be as high as 23.99% (V). However, if you have at least a good credit score, you could try applying for the Citi Double Cash Card, which has awesome rewards.
Doris Buchanan, Member
@doris_buchanan
The easiest one to get would be the Citi® Secured Mastercard®, since you don't need any credit history. Unless you've got a bankruptcy on your file, you should be able to get approved for that one without any trouble.
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