The
Citi Custom Cash® Card is a good credit card to consider if you have
good credit or better and you want to automatically get
5% cash back in your biggest spending category each month. It is a worthwhile option in general, given its attractive rewards and lack of an annual fee, but this card is best for fairly light spenders. The
5% rewards rate only applies to a maximum of $500 in purchases each billing cycle.
If you’re on the fence about applying for the Citi Custom Cash Card, the sign-up incentives might just sway you. New cardholders can earn a
$200 initial bonus and enjoy 0% introductory APRs on balance transfers.
What I Like About the Citi Custom Cash Card
$200 Initial Bonus
The Citi Custom Cash initial bonus is
$200 as a reward for spending
$1,500 in the first
6 months after opening an account. More specifically, the bonus will be awarded as 20,000 ThankYou Points, which can be redeemed for
$200 cash back.
The average cash back credit card has an initial bonus of
$235, according to WalletHub’s
Credit Card Landscape Report, which tracks 1,500+ offers. So, this offer is pretty good but not elite.
0% Intro APR on balance transfers
Citi Custom Cash offers
0% for 18 months on balance transfers. For context, credit card offers with 0% APR promotions are interest-free for an average of
13 months for balance transfers, according to our research.
The only potential downsides here are the Custom Cash Card’s high regular APR and balance transfer fee.
5% Cash Back on Your Biggest Monthly Expense
The first $500that you spend in your biggest eligible spending category each billing cycle gets
5% back. The Citi Custom Cash Card’s 5% cash back categories are:
- Restaurants
- Gas stations
- Grocery stores
- Select travel
- Transit
- Streaming services
- Drugstores
- Home improvement stores
- Fitness clubs
- Live entertainment
Unlike with some other cards, you don't have to sign up for new bonus categories with Citi Custom Cash each month or quarter. The rewards automatically reflect your biggest expenses.
4% Cash Back on Citi Travel
If you use this card to book hotels, car rentals, and attractions on the Citi Travel portal, you’ll get 4% cash back. That’s an excellent earning rate, nearly quadrupling the market average. Just make sure you can’t save more than 4% on your booking by making your reservation elsewhere.
$0 Annual Fee
The Citi Custom Cash Card’s
$0 annual fee makes it
$26.75 per year cheaper than the average credit card offer. This is another reason why the card is good for light spenders. It also makes it easier to justify getting the card to complement others in your wallet, rather than as your everyday spending vehicle.
What I Don’t Like About the Citi Custom Cash Card
1% on Most Purchases
Except for the first $500 that you spend each billing period in your top eligible purchase category, and any trips you happen to book through Citi Travel, you will earn just
1% back on everything you buy with this card. That’s only about average for a rewards card, so big-spenders should have another card to use for everyday spending if they decide to get Citi Custom Cash for its bonus earning rates.
3% Foreign Transaction Fee
The Citi Custom Cash Card’s
3% foreign fee applies to purchases made while traveling abroad as well as online shopping with foreign merchants. It’s best to use a
credit card with no foreign fee for such transactions.
17.74% - 27.74% (V) APR
Depending on each applicant’s overall creditworthiness, the
Citi Custom Cash® Card interest rate can be anywhere from
17.74% to 27.74% (V). The average interest rate among new credit card offers is
22.76%. To avoid expensive interest charges, you need to pay your bill in full every month when the regular APR is in effect.
5% (min $5) Balance Transfer Fee
Citi Custom Cash could still save you money on transferred debt, thanks to its 0% intro APR promotion. But most 0% balance transfer credit cards have lower transfer fees. So, if you’re mainly looking for a
balance transfer credit card, you should explore other options.
Good Credit Needed
The
Citi Custom Cash® Card requires
good credit or better for approval. You can
check your latest credit score for free here on WalletHub to see where you stand.
Note: This review is not provided, commissioned or endorsed by any issuer. Opinions and ratings are our own.