Earn rewards for everyday purchases

Rewards cards are everywhere. In fact, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reported that three-fourths of all general credit cards are rewards cards. However, some rewards cards are complicated, requiring you to keep track of spending categories, activate bonus categories, or transfer points to get the most value.

The Citi Double Cash Card offers a simpler option. It provides a flat 2% cash-back rate on every purchase, so there are no rotating categories or monthly activations required. And with no annual fee, it could be a useful addition to your wallet to use on everyday purchases like gas or groceries.

Citi Double Cash Card features

APR

• Purchase APR: 19.24% to 29.24%

• Balance transfer APR: 0% APR for 18 months for balance transfers completed within four months of account opening; after that, the APR is 19.24% to 29.24%

• Balance transfer fee: Introductory fee of 3% of each transfer ($5 minimum) for transfers completed within the first four months of account opening. After that, the fee is 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum).

• Cash advance APR: 29.99% for cash advances

• Penalty APR: Up to 29.99% and applies if you miss one payment or have a payment returned

Annual fee

The Citi Double Cash Card doesn’t have an annual fee.

New cardmember bonus

With the Citi Double Cash Card, you can earn $200 cash back if you spend at least $1,500 on new purchases within the first six months of opening the account. That offer gives you more time to meet the spending requirement than most cards, so it’s more achievable for most households.

Rewards

You’ll earn 2% cash back on every purchase — 1% cash back at the time of the purchase, and another 1% cash back when you pay your bill. There’s no limit on how much you can earn in cash-back rewards.

Citi Double Cash Card rewards redemption options

Your cash-back rewards accrue as Citi ThankYou points, and you can redeem your points in the following ways:

• Gift cards: Citi allows you to redeem your points for gift cards from over 150 major retailers and restaurant chains. Generally, you need to have at least 2500 points — $25 in cash-back rewards — to qualify for a gift card. If you redeem points for gift cards, your points are typically worth one cent each. However, there are occasional sales and bonus offers that give you more value for your points; for example, you can currently get a $25 gift card to Panera or Subway with 2,250 points — giving you 10% more value for your points.

• Shop with points: With the shop with points option, you can link your online accounts with major retailers, such as Best Buy or Walgreens, to your ThankYou points account. Once you link your accounts, you can redeem your points to pay for part or all of your purchase at the time of checkout.

• Travel: You can redeem your points for flights or hotel stays through the Citi ThankYou portal.

• Cash: Citi allows cardholders to redeem points for cash in the form of statement credits or deposits to a checking or savings account.

• Charitable donations: With as few as 1,000 points — $10 in cash-back rewards — you can make charitable donations with your points. You can donate points to major organizations like the American Red Cross, SmileTrain, or UNICEF USA.

Citi Double Cash Card perks and benefits

Although the Citi Double Cash Card has a valuable rewards program, it has few benefits or perks. It only offers the following benefits:

• Identity theft: Through Mastercard, cardholders can take advantage of free identity theft protection and account monitoring services.

• Citi Entertainment: As a cardholder, you get special access to ticket sales for major events, including concerts and games.

Citi Double Cash Card potential drawbacks

• No travel benefits: With some cards, you get added benefits like travel insurance or airport lounge access. But the Citi Double Cash Card is more limited; it doesn’t provide any added travel benefits.

• Charges foreign transaction fees: If you travel outside of the U.S., be aware that the Citi Double Cash Card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee on every purchase.

• No promotional APR on purchases: Although the Citi Double Cash Card offers 18 months at 0% APR on balance transfers, it doesn’t have an introductory APR offer for new purchases.

Where can you use the Citi Double Cash Card?

The Citi Double Cash Card is a Mastercard, so it’s part of the second-largest credit card network. Mastercard cards are accepted by most retailers in the U.S., and it’s also widely accepted in other countries.

Worldwide, there are approximately 335 million businesses. Approximately 37 million businesses accept Mastercard credit cards — slightly lower than the number that accepts Visa cards, the industry leader. As a result, you can use your Citi Double Cash Card anywhere Mastercards are accepted, including grocery stores, gas stations, online retailers, and international merchants.

How to make a Citi Double Cash Card payment

You can make payments on your Citi Double Cash with the following methods:

Online or mobile app

To make a payment on your Citi Double Cash Card online, follow these steps:

1. Visit the Citi login page or launch the mobile app and enter your username and password.

2. Under account details, click on “Make a Payment”.

3. Select your payment amount from the available options, such as the minimum payment due or the full statement balance, or manually enter a different payment amount.

4. Choose a date for the payment; you can choose the same day or set a date in the future.

5. Enter your payment details. If you haven’t made an online payment before, you’ll need to provide your bank account and routing numbers.

6. Verify the information is correct and click on “submit payment.”

After submitting the payment, you’ll be redirected to a confirmation screen, and a payment confirmation will be sent to your email address.

Phone

You can make payments via phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To do so, call 1-800-950-5114 and follow the instructions for making a payment.

Mail

You can mail your payment by sending a check to the following address: Citi P.O. BOX 9001037 Louisville, KY 40290-1037

Citi customer service info

Alternative cards to consider

Still in the market for a great rewards credit card to add to your wallet? Here are some additional options for credit cards that offer great earning opportunities.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Why we like it: Apart from The Platinum Card‘s is one to consider for its premium value. sleek design choices (there are three currently), cardholders get over $1,500 in statement credits across travel, dining, and entertainment right from the start. This includes $200 in hotel statement credits (minimum 2 night stay required), $240 in digital entertainment in statement credits, and $155 for your Walmart+ membership (terms apply, see rates and fees). This is before you even get into the multiple ways to earn points towards your travels or purchases. These include 5x points on prepaid hotels through AmexTravel.com, 5x on flights booked through American Express Travel, and 1x points on everything else.

And if you’re interested in bonus points, new card members can earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases within the first six months.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Why we like it: Blue Cash Preferred Card card members currently have three new card member offers on the table — $0 intro annual fee for the first year ($95 after), $250 statement credit (after $3,000 in eligible spending within the first 6 months), and 0% intro APR for the first 12 months (then a variable rate of 19.24% – 29.99%). Terms apply; see rates and fees.

As a Blue Cash Preferred Cardholder, users can earn 6% on U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%), 6% on U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% on transit and U.S. gas stations, and 1% on all other purchases. Plus, you get multiple statement credits with services like Disney+ and Equinox+ after enrollment. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. All of this comes together for a premium cash-back credit card package.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Why we like it: Big on travel but not on long waits and crowded airports, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Card elevates your travel experience. Card members receive $300 in annual travel credit, 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months, and a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus. Plus, you can easily book your trip through the Capital One Travel app, which provides you with matching rates, better prices, and notifications on the best time to buy.

For those concerned about the earning potential — you shouldn’t. With this card, you earn double miles on every purchase with no cap, plus 10x miles on hotels and 5x on flights (both need to be booked through Capital One Travel). While you’re waiting to jet set, you and two guests can enjoy access to Capital One’s partner lounge network (this is after you skipped the long wait at security because you also get up to $100 in credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck).

Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn’t include all currently available offers.