Citi Custom Cash Review

You can request a Citi Custom Cash℠ Card credit limit increase online, through the Citibank mobile app, or by calling customer service at 1-888-872-2214. To raise your chances of being approved for a higher credit limit, pay your bill on time for at least six straight months, reduce your outstanding debt, and update the income Citibank has on file. Citibank will be more likely to increase your credit limit if the revised income clearly shows that you can afford a higher limit.

How To Get a Citi Custom Cash Credit Limit Increase Online

1. Log in to your online account or the Citibank mobile app.
2. Choose the Citi Custom Cash card from the list of account options (if you have more than one Citibank card).
3. Click “Credit Card Services,” and then “Request a Credit Limit Increase.”
4. Enter your total annual income and your monthly mortgage or rent payment amount . Click “Next.”
5. Confirm the information entered and click “Submit” to complete the request.

You should receive a decision in just a few seconds. If you're approved for a Citi Custom Cash credit limit increase, the new limit is effective immediately.

Impact of a Citi Custom Cash Credit Limit Increase on Your Credit Score

When you request a Citi Custom Cash credit limit increase, Citibank will conduct a hard pull of your credit report, which will cause a short-term dip in your credit score. Citibank cannot do a hard pull without your permission, though.

Alternatively, you could be eligible for a Citi Custom Cash credit limit increase without even requesting one. The Citi Custom Cash card may offer an automatic credit limit increase if Citibank's regular review of your account shows a history of on-time payments and low debt. An automatic credit limit increase involves a soft pull, which does not affect your credit score.

Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is a Mastercard, not a Visa. You can use your Citi Custom Cash Card at nearly 11 million merchants that accept Mastercard nationwide, and you can use it abroad in more than 200 countries and territories.

There are a few differences between Visa and Mastercard credit cards, such as the network-level benefits they offer, but those differences are relatively small. The two card networks have a lot in common, including extensive worldwide acceptance. As a result, it's more worthwhile to compare individual credit card offers than to focus on getting a card from a particular network.

The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card reports to the credit bureaus monthly, within days after the end of a cardholder's monthly billing period. Citi Custom Cash reports the card's credit limit, account balance, payment history, and more to all three of the major credit bureaus: TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. Citibank may use a specific credit bureau more than another, depending on the applicant's home state, and other factors.

Once Citi Custom Cash reports your account information to a credit bureau, it may take a few days before the updates appear on your credit report. New Citi Custom Cash cardholders may not see any new credit account info on their credit report for one or two billing periods after getting a card.

If you'd like to review your up-to-date credit score and TransUnion credit report, you can sign up for a free account on WalletHub. That way, you'll be able to check every day to see if there's any new information about the Citi Custom Cash on your credit report.

Yes, you can upgrade your Citi Custom Cash℠ Card to a better offer as long as you've had the card for at least several months, and you will have the best odds if your credit score and income have gone up since you applied. To see if your Citi Custom Cash card qualifies for an upgrade, call customer service at 1 (800) 950-5114. Citibank also periodically sends targeted upgrade offers to existing cardholders by email.

Citi Custom Cash Card Upgrade: What You Should Know

• Citibank does not state a specific amount of time the card account must be open before it's eligible for an upgrade, but it's a good idea to wait at least 6 months before requesting an upgrade.
• A history of on-time payments and low credit utilization increases your chances of getting an upgrade.
• Citibank only allows upgrades to cards within the same card family. For example, you cannot upgrade from Citi Custom Cash to a business card or co-branded card.
• If you upgrade to a Citibank card with an annual fee, the charge will appear on the new card's first monthly statement.
• You will not be eligible for any initial bonuses or introductory 0% APR offers associated with the new card, unless they're included as part of the upgrade offer.
• Citi Custom Cash card upgrades do not require a hard inquiry on your credit report, so there's no effect on your credit score.

A Citi Custom Cash card upgrade typically takes just a few minutes. If you are approved, you should receive your card within 7-10 days from the approval date. Your card number won't change, but you will receive a new card with an updated expiration date and security code.

You can use your old card until the new one arrives, and it will have all the benefits of the new card as soon as the upgrade is complete. Your current credit limit and APR will carry over to the new card, as will any unredeemed rewards, unless stated differently in the upgrade terms.

To freeze a Citi Custom Cash Card, log in to your online account or the Citibank mobile app and navigate to “Citi Quick Lock .” You can also call Citibank customer service at 1 (800) 950-5114 and ask them to freeze your card, though it is much easier to lock and unlock a credit card on the app.

Freezing your Citi Custom Cash Card will temporarily prevent most purchases from being made with your card number, which can be convenient if you lost your credit card or if you're trying to control your spending. For lost cards, it's also important to note that you'll never be held responsible for unauthorized purchases thanks to a $0 fraud liability guarantee.

How to Freeze a Citi Custom Cash Card Online

1. Log in to your Citibank online account or mobile app.
2. Pick the Citi Custom Cash Card and select “Lock Card” under the card name.
3. Change the settings so that your card is in the locked position.

Locking your Citi Custom Cash Card will stop new purchases and cash advances. But it will continue to allow recurring transactions, balance transfers, payments, credits, returns, dispute adjustments, fees, and rewards redemptions. To start using your credit card at full capacity again, just navigate back to the Citi Quick Lock  page and unlock the Citi Custom Cash Card.

The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card offers rental car insurance as a free benefit. Citi Custom Cash rental car insurance covers damage or theft of the vehicle, damage or theft of personal items, loss of use and towing charges. Cardholders are covered up to the actual repair cost, current market value of the vehicle or $50,000 per incident. To get the coverage, a cardholder must decline the rental agency's insurance and pay for the rental entirely with a Citi Custom Cash credit card or cash back rewards.

Key Things to Know About Citi Custom Cash Rental Car Insurance

• Coverage Amount. Up to the actual repair cost, current market value of the vehicle or $50,000 per incident.
• File Claims for Domestic Rentals Through Primary Insurance First. The Citi Custom Cash card rental car insurance benefit provides secondary coverage for domestic rentals up to 15 days, so you will need to file a claim through your primary insurance carrier first, if you have one.
• Coverage Is Primary When Abroad. If you're renting a vehicle outside of your home country, coverage under the Citi Custom Cash card rental car insurance benefit is primary and lasts for up to 15 days.
• Not All Vehicles Or Incidents Are Covered. The Citi Custom Cash rental car insurance benefit does not cover trucks, pickups, recreational vehicles, vehicles with fewer than four wheels, vehicles rented for more than 15 consecutive days, or cars with a suggested retail price higher than $50,000. Coverage also does not apply to certain incidents such as any loss occurred under the influence of drugs or alcohol or while in violation of the rental agreement, damage sustained off-road, and mechanical failure due to wear and tear.

Citibank Rental Car Insurance Claims

To file a Citi Custom Cash rental car insurance claim, call the Benefit Administrator at the number in your benefits guide or visit the card's benefits website to obtain a claim form. You will need to submit the claim form, along with any requested supporting documents – such as a receipt showing the vehicle rental charge, a copy of a valid driver's license, the rental agreement, or a police report – no later than 180 days after the incident.

No, Citi Custom Cash does not have travel insurance. While Citi Custom Cash does have benefits such as lost and stolen card reporting, emergency and Mastercard airport concierge, travel insurance is not among the card's perks. This is because the Citi Custom Cash is made for people who want good rewards on everyday spending.

If you're looking for a travel credit card, check out WalletHub's recommendations for the best credit cards for travel insurance and travel rewards. Before picking a card, also be sure to check your credit score for free on WalletHub so that you know which cards you'll be able to qualify for.

The Citi Custom Cash Card annual fee is $0 per year. Citi Custom Cash's $0 annual fee is lower than the average annual fee among new credit card offers right now. It's not the only fee you need to worry about with the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card, though.

Citi Custom Cash Fees

• Annual Fee: $0
• Cash Advance Fee: 5% (min $10)
• Foreign Fee: 3%
• Balance Transfer Fee: 5% (min $5)
• Max Late Fee: $40

Yes, the Citi Custom Cash Card has a grace period of at least 23 days, lasting from the end of each billing cycle until the payment due date. If cardholders pay their Citi Custom Cash statement balance in full every month, Citibank will not charge any interest.

Keep in mind that you are not required to pay the entire balance by the due date. But if you decide to pay less than the full amount due, you will lose the grace period. The remaining Citi Custom Cash balance and any new purchases will then start to accrue interest that compounds daily. To get a credit card grace period back, you will need to pay the statement balance in full for two consecutive months.

It's also important to note that grace periods do not apply to cash advances or balance transfers.

The Citi Custom Cash Card balance transfer fee is 5% (min $5). The balance transfer fee on the Citi Custom Cash Card is assessed when an eligible debt is moved to the card, and the fee amount will be automatically added to the balance.

This credit card is great for balance transfers, as it offers an introductory APR of 0% for 15 months, which can help cardholders save money on interest. For reference, the average balance transfer card offers low interest for 13 months and charges a transfer fee of 2.44%. But keep in mind that a regular APR of 15.49% - 25.49% (V) will apply to the balance after the intro period ends.

There are very few credit cards without a balance transfer fee, so you shouldn't rule out a balance transfer card simply because of the fee. Instead, you should take all factors into consideration using WalletHub's Balance Transfer Calculator.