Is the Citi Rewards+ Card a good first time credit card?

The credit score needed for the Citi Rewards+ Card is 700 or higher. This means you will need at least "good" credit to qualify for the Citi Rewards+ Card.

That’s quite a bit higher than the average American’s credit score, but it’s obtainable with a history of timely payments and low credit utilization. It might be possible to get approved with a slightly lower score if something else in your financial profile balances it out, like an especially high income. But it’s better to not take the risk and to only apply with a score of 700+.… read full answer

While the Citi Rewards+ Card credit score requirement is key to getting approved, it’s certainly not the only factor Citi looks at. Income is the other most important consideration, and Citi will also look at things like your credit history, income, existing debt load, the number of times you’ve applied for credit recently and more.

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… read full answer (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:

The Citi Secured is open to applicants with limited credit (less than 3 years of credit history). It has a $0 annual fee.

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.

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 6/30/2023, 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).

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.

The best Citi Rewards+ Card benefits are EMV chip technology and monthly credit bureau reporting. These perks are certainly good to have, though it’s important to note that they are also relatively common benefits for credit cards.

Citi Rewards+ Card Benefits

• EMV chip technology
• Monthly credit bureau reporting
• Citi quicklock
• Citi entertainment
• Rewards of 1 - 2 points per $1 on purchases… read full answer

While these benefits aren’t bad, the Citi Rewards+ Card simply doesn’t have as many benefits as a lot of the other credit cards on the market.