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Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.The Citi Double Cash® Card is a great option for people that want a simple and flat earnings rate on all purchases without having to worry about earning different amounts in different spending categories. While the Citi Double Cash® Card doesn’t come with a lot of other perks, it does have a $0 annual fee and earns cash back at a high rate.
Plus, the cash back that you earn is paid in the form of valuable Citi ThankYou® points. You can redeem your ThankYou® points as cash or transfer them to Citi’s hotel and airline transfer partners. The Citi Double Cash® Card also comes with a good balance transfer offer, so it can be a great option for someone looking to pay down a balance on another card.
Intro Purchase APR
N/A
Regular Purchase APR
19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
Intro BT APR
0% intro APR for 18 months on Balance Transfers
Regular BT APR
19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
Annual Fee
$0
Cash Advance Fee
5% of each cash advance; $10 minimum
Foreign Transaction Fee
3%
Balance Transfer Fee
There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies if completed after 4 months of account opening.
One of the highest earning, flat-rate rewards cards
Unlike some other credit cards that offer different earning rates in different spending categories, the Citi Double Cash® Card has a flat-rate earning structure, where you will earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24. This is one of the highest rates of cash back you can get for a card with no annual fee.
Rewards are easy to redeem
The rewards that you earn with the Citi Double Cash® Card are fairly easy to redeem as well. Although it’s marketed as a cash back card, your rewards are actually paid out as 2 Citi ThankYou® points per $1 spent, rather than 2% cash back. You can redeem your ThankYou® points for:
There are no minimums when you redeem your rewards for a statement credit or direct deposit.
You can transfer rewards to other Citi cards
The rewards that you earn with the Citi Double Cash® Card are actually paid out in Citi’s valuable transferable currency — ThankYou® points. With just the Double Cash card, you can transfer your points to Choice Hotels, Wyndham Rewards and JetBlue TrueBlue. But if you also have a premium Citi credit card like the Citi Premier® Card, you’ll get a better transfer ratio with these partners and unlock many other hotel and airline transfer partners.
In fact, the Citi Premier® Card and Citi Double Cash® Card make a powerful duo, thanks to their complementary earning categories. This makes the Citi Double Cash® Card one of Citi’s best kept secrets for travel card enthusiasts.
Long intro APR for balance transfers
One of the benefits that comes with the Citi Double Cash® Card is its long intro APR on balance transfers. You’ll get an intro APR of 0% intro APR for 18 months on Balance Transfers. After, a 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) APR applies. The long intro period makes Citi Double Cash® Card one of the best balance transfer cards. It’s an attractive option if you’re looking to save money by transferring a balance from another credit card.
You don't earn 2% cash back immediately
With the Citi Double Cash® Card, you don’t earn the 2% cash back immediately when you make a purchase. Instead, you’ll earn unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. You don’t get the second half of your cash back until you pay what you’ve charged to the card. You’ll also forfeit the additional 1% when you redeem rewards for statement credits. As a comparison, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card earns unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases right away.
No intro APR for purchases
While this card has an introductory APR on balance transfers, it lacks a 0% intro APR for new purchases. Many balance transfer credit cards, including the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, offer an introductory APR on both purchases and balance transfers. In other words, the Citi Double Cash® Card isn’t the best choice if you have a big purchase coming up.
Charges a foreign transaction fee
Because the Citi Double Cash® Card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, you’ll want to leave it at home when traveling outside the United States. Opt for a card with no foreign transaction fee instead.
Few other benefits
The Citi Double Cash® Card is light on benefits outside its rewards program, especially when compared to similar cards. For example, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card also has a flat-rate earning structure and offers purchase protection, extended warranty protection, car rental insurance and various trip and travel insurances.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offers a similar rewards rate to the Citi Double Cash® Card, but exceeds it in almost every way.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card has no annual fee and lets you earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases. It also offers a sign-up bonus and an introductory APR on both balance transfers and new purchases. Plus, it has cellphone protection of up to $600. Not to mention, it pays the 2% cash back as soon as you make a purchase, rather than making you wait for half of your rewards. This may make the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card an all-around better option for simple, flat-rate cash back.
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Annual Fee | Welcome Offer | Rewards Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Citi Double Cash® Card
 Apply Now
on Citibank's secure site Rates & Fees |
$0 | Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. | Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24. |
Apply Now
on Citibank's secure site Rates & Fees |
|
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card*
Learn More
on Wells Fargo's secure site |
$0 | Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months | Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases |
Learn More
on Wells Fargo's secure site |
|
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site |
$0 | Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. | Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases |
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site |
|
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Apply Now
on Capital One's secure site Rates & Fees |
$0 | $200 Cash Back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening | 3% Cash Back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®); 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply); 8% Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases; 1% Cash Back on all other purchases |
Apply Now
on Capital One's secure site Rates & Fees |
If you want to earn cash back on new purchases without rotating categories, the Citi Double Cash® Card has one of the best flat-rate cash back programs on the market. Additionally, this card is a good option if you have credit card debt and need a while to pay it off interest-free by means of a balance transfer. If you’re looking for similar cash back credit cards, you can also consider the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card as another card that earns 2%.
Apply Now
Yes, the Citi Double Cash® Card does have foreign transaction fees. You’ll be charged a foreign transaction fee of 3% for each purchase made in a foreign country. If you’re planning on traveling out of the country, you should use a different credit card to make your purchases.
Citi Double Cash® Card rewards are issued as Citi ThankYou points. Your ThankYou points do not expire as long as your account remains open. If you close your account, or convert it to another Citi card that does not participate in the ThankYou points program, you’ll have 60 days to use your points.
No, the Citi Double Cash® Card does not have an annual fee. This can make it a great card to keep for the long term.
No, the Citi Double Cash® Card does not have any sort of rental car or travel insurance. The Citi Double Cash® Card is a very basic card with no annual fee and a high rate of cash back on all purchases, but very few other benefits.
No, there is no extended warranty that comes from making purchases with the Citi Double Cash® Card. If you’re looking for a card that comes with an extended warranty, you’ll want to consider our list of the best cards with extended warranty protection.
Because the Citi Double Cash® Card is a very basic credit card, it does not come with an extensive list of benefits. So there is no additional credit card purchase protection when making purchases with the Citi Double Cash® Card.
Whether you are approved or not for the Citi Double Cash® Card will depend on many different factors, including your credit score, income and other aspects of your overall financial profile. You are likely to need Fair/Good/Excellent credit to be approved for the Citi Double Cash® Card.
The Citi Double Cash® Card is issued as a Mastercard. You can use your Citi Double Cash® Card anywhere the Mastercard payment network is accepted.
