Citi Double Cash Card Review 2024—Ideal For Everyday Purchases

• Citi Double Cash Introduction
• Citi Double Cash Fine Print
• Citi Double Cash Quick Facts
• What Is the Citi Double Cash Card Best For?
• Citi Double Cash Credit Score Requirements
• Citi Double Cash Card Rewards
• Citi Double Cash Introductory Rate
• Citi Double Cash Card Benefits
• How To Maximize Citi Double Cash Card Rewards
• How the Citi Double Cash Card Stacks Up
• Is the Citi Double Cash Card for You?
• Methodology
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Citi Double Cash® Card earns rewards twice, with a rate of 2% cash back on all purchases—1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they’re paid off. This earning structure provides plentiful rewards all-around, as long as you make at least your minimum payments on time.

The card also offers a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months. After that, the standard variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%, based on creditworthiness. An intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3%, whichever is greater, applies to transfers completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, the fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5). Because the intro APR only applies to balance transfers, if you make purchases, those charges will incur interest unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month. If you need to use a card for balance transfers and purchases, consider another balance transfer card.

Other benefits with the Citi Double Cash® Card include no annual fee, no cap on earnings and a small array of extras, like $0 liability for unauthorized charges, 24/7 fraud monitoring and the now near-ubiquitous contactless and digital wallet options. Rewards are straightforward and easy enough to redeem via a variety of options.

Read more. Best Credit Cards

Interest Rates

• Regular APR: 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
• Purchase intro APR: N/A
• Balance transfer intro APR: 0% intro for 18 months on Balance Transfers. After that, the APR will be 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable), based on your creditworthiness

Fees

• Annual fee: $0
• Balance transfer fee: 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum after 4 months of account opening
• Foreign purchase transaction fee: 3%

• Earn up to 2% cash back on all purchases—1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they’re paid off
• 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months. After that, the standard variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%, based on creditworthiness. An intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3%, whichever is greater, applies to transfers completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, the fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5)
• $0 liability for unauthorized charges
• Contactless pay and digital wallet options
• 24/7 fraud monitoring

Read more. Best Cash-Back Credit Cards

The Citi Double Cash Card is best for earning simple cash back on every purchase without having to worry about tracking bonus categories or activating them. It could also be a strong option for those who have another card that earns Citi ThankYou® Points, like the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card. By combining these cards, you’d earn bonus rewards on several spending categories while earning a minimum of 2% on every other purchase (after purchases are paid off). Plus, Citi Strata Premier cardholders have access to more transfer partners where they can potentially get above-average value for their points.

Applicants with a credit score of at least “Fair” may be approved for the Citi Double Cash card. According to FICO®’s credit score ranges, this means you’ll likely need a credit score of at least 580 to meet the card’s eligibility requirements.

Earning Rewards

Though not quite as straightforward as a flat 2% cash-back card, the Double Cash rewards 2% cash back on all purchases—1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they’re paid off to those who pay at least the minimum due on time.

• Rewards are earned as Citi ThankYou Points.
• There are no bonus categories, so all purchases qualify for the same amount of earning power
• There’s no limit to the rewards that may be earned.
• Rewards are not earned on balance transfers, cash advances, account fees, interest or on items that are later returned.

New cardholders can qualify for a welcome bonus: Earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening, fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points.

Redeeming Rewards

ThankYou Points can be redeemed in multiple ways, including the following:

• Turning rewards earned with the Citi Double Cash Card into cash back is the simplest and can be done as a statement credit, check or direct deposit (each point equals 1 cent).
• Booking travel through Citi Travel (each point equals 1 cent).
• Transferring your points to Citi’s travel partners
  • If you only have the Double Cash Card, the only travel partners you can access will be Choice Privileges Rewards, JetBlue TrueBlue and Wyndham Rewards.
  • If you have an eligible Citi travel card, your points can be transferred to a variety of partners—including Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Singapore Airlines, and more.
• Gift cards (each point equals 1 cent), although you may find discounted gift cards.
• Paying with points for online shopping at participating merchants (often for less than 1 cent per point)
• Sharing your points with other Citi ThankYou members

Rewards Potential

To determine the rewards potential of the Citi Double Cash Card we consider what an average household might spend on a credit card each year. Forbes Advisor uses data from various government agencies to determine baseline income and spending averages across various categories. The 70th percentile of wage-earning households brings in $118,438 annually and we base spending on that number.

Citi Double Cash® Card Rewards Potential

Category	Earning Rate	Estimated Annual Spend	Estimated Annual Earnings
All Purchases	1X	$39,337	39,337
All Payments for Purchases	1X	$39,337	39,337
			Total: 78,674 Citi ThankYou Points

See More See Less

The Citi Double Cash Card offers a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months. After that, the standard variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%, based on creditworthiness. An intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3%, whichever is greater, applies to transfers completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, the fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).

The standard rate card APR applies to all purchases from account opening as there is no introductory APR on purchases.

Citi Double Cash Cash-Back Benefits

• Earn rewards twice, up to 2% on each purchase. 2% cash back on all purchases—1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they’re paid off

Citi Double Cash Travel Benefits

• Additional rewards when booking through Citi. Earn an additional 3% cash back when you book hotels, attractions, or rental cars through the Citi travel portal through December 31, 2024

Citi Double Cash Other Benefits

• 24/7 customer service. Around-the-clock support
• Digital wallets. Compatible mobile device contactless pay options
• $0 liability for unauthorized charges. No cardholder responsibility for unauthorized transactions
• 24-hour fraud protection. Cardholders receive alerts when suspicious activity is detected
• ID theft protection. This program is offered by Mastercard and provides alerts when suspicious activity occurs as well as help resolving problems.
• Citi Entertainment. Access to events and presale tickets for concerts and shows.

1. Pay your bill in full each month. This not only minimizes interest charges, but also helps you earn rewards faster, since you earn 2% cash back on all purchases—1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they’re paid off.
2. The Double Cash earns rewards in the form of ThankYou points, which can be redeemed for cash back at 1 cent each. But these points can’t be transferred to all Citi airline and hotel partners.
3. Pair the Double Cash with the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card to expand your redemption options. Since Citi allows you to combine points across cards, this will unlock Citi’s full range of transfer partners.
4. Keep in mind that cash is always more flexible than ThankYou Points, hotel points or airline miles. So, at times, a statement credit or check may be a wise choice.

Compare your options before redeeming, to ensure you’re getting the best value for your rewards.

Ask an Expert

How many Citi cards should I have?

Becky Pokora

Credit Cards Writer

Cole Schenewerk

Credit Cards Writer

Clint Proctor

Credit Cards Lead Editor

 

If you already have a Citi card, it might be advantageous to get another. That’s because several Citi cards each earn ThankYou points but with different category bonuses. By holding two or more cards, you can increase your earnings potential while still pooling all your points in a single rewards account.

Becky Pokora

Credit Cards Writer

 

There’s no set answer to the question of how many cards you should have, but additional cards could increase your redemption options. For example, some of the best Citi Credit Cards might allow you to earn bonus points in specific categories and then you could earn 2% on everything else with the Double Cash.

Cole Schenewerk

Credit Cards Writer

 

If you’re devoted to the Citi ThankYou Points ecosystem, it could make sense to have two or more Citi cards. Personally, I like having multiple transferable points currencies at my disposal so I’ve limited my Citi credit card portfolio to just the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card.

Clint Proctor

Credit Cards Lead Editor

Citi Double Cash® Card vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Unlike the flat-rate Citi Double Cash, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® rewards are a bit more complex, but likely more rewarding. The Chase Freedom Unlimited earns 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on eligible dining and drugstores and 1.5% on all other purchases, plus an additional 1.5% cash back on the first $20,000 in purchases the first year.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited should work better for those who regularly eat out instead of buying groceries. It’s also a winner when it comes to an introductory APR on purchases. It offers a 0% introductory APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24% applies. An intro transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies in the first 60 days of account opening. After that, a fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer applies.

Both cards lack annual fees, but they differ again when it comes to travel benefits: The Chase Freedom Unlimited offers travel insurance—trip cancellation and interruption insurance and a secondary auto rental collision damage waiver. Both cards have a foreign transaction fee.

Like the Citi Double Cash, the Freedom Unlimited also offers a welcome bonus: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on up to $20,000 spent in the first year, worth up to $300 cash back.

Read more. Citi Double Cash vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited

Citi Double Cash® Card vs. Discover it® Cash Back

The Discover it® Cash Back earns 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter up to a quarterly maximum of $1,500 in spending when activated. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically. The most unique feature of the card is the Cashback Match™ at the end of the cardholder’s first year. That feature makes this an amazing card—for the first year. After the first year, some cardholders may do better with the Citi Double Cash Card. Both cards have no annual fee.

The Discover it® Cash Back offers a 0% introductory APR for 15 months on purchases and eligible balance transfers. Then, a standard rate of 18.24% - 28.24% variable applies. A balance transfer fee of up to 5% of the amount transferred applies. Whereas the Citi Double Cash Card’s intro period is longer, but only applies to balance transfers.

While the Discover it® Cash Back has no foreign transaction fee, Discover cards aren’t accepted as widely among overseas vendors as cards on the Mastercard and Visa networks.

Citi Double Cash® Card vs. Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

For no annual fee, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card (rates & fees) packs a punch. The card earns an unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, and 1% on all other purchases. If your spending aligns with the categories on the SavorOne Cash Rewards, you’ll earn more than you would with the Double Cash.

The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card also outshines the Citi Double Cash® Card with its intro APR offer, which applies not only to balance transfers but purchases as well. Cardholders get a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; 3% balance transfer fee for the first 15 months, 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you.

Travelers will be ecstatic to know that the SavorOne Cash Rewards doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees while the Double Cash does. New cardholders can tack on a welcome bonus: Earn a $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

As far as other benefits and protections are concerned, the SavorOne Cash Rewards is similar to the Double Cash. The card offers $0 fraud liability, extended warranty protection and a complimentary 24/7 concierge service.

The Citi Double Cash Card presents a lucrative option for those with fair credit or above looking for a solid all-around cash-back card or the ability to transfer high-interest balances from another card. It’s an excellent option for those looking for a second card to maximize cash back in purchase categories not bonused by their other cards.

The card isn’t a fit for those who won’t be able to pay down purchases to earn the second half of the cash-back reward available with this card—but at that point, neither is any other rewards card. Rewards cards have higher than average interest rates, which will quickly outweigh the value of any points or cash back earned.

Forbes Advisor considers a variety of criteria when assigning credit cards a rating. Cards are graded based on numerous factors, including:

• Annual fees
• Welcome bonus offers
• Ongoing earning rates
• Value of individual rewards
• Included travel or merchant credits
• Additional cardholder benefits

Card features we expect cardholders to use the most often are weighted more heavily in our ratings. Altogether, the factors come together to provide a star rating for each individual card.

To learn more about our rating and review methodology and editorial process, check out our guide on how Forbes Advisor rates credit cards.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.