An exciting 5% cash back card with terrific flexibility.
The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card, is a 5% cash back card from Citi and joins the Citi® Double Cash Card as the second non-cobranded cashback card in the provider’s lineup. It offers a unique spin on the traditional 5% cashback card configuration: You’ll earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spending category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent. It will revert to a 1% reward rate after that. It otherwise earns 1% back on all other purchases, comes with a $200 signup bonus after you spend $1,500 in your first 6 months of account opening, requires no annual fee and carries a 18.99% to 28.99% variable APR.
Doing the math, 5% of $500 is $25. If you spread this out over the year, you’ll earn $75 a quarter with this rate, which is the same earning cap you’d find on a rotating category card like the Chase Freedom Flex℠. The main benefit the Citi Custom Cash has over a typical rotating category card is how much easier it is to reach that spending cap.
Considering your eligible categories include everyday categories like restaurants, gas stations and grocery stores, you have plenty of options each month for maxing your rewards. And if you’re familiar with traditional rotating category cards, you’ll know that not every quarter offers categories that make it easy to max your earning cap – the current Freedom Flex categories, for example, are on gas stations and home improvement stores, which is likely less useful for a city commuter without a car. In fact, Citi has stated that this card was directly influenced and customized for the millennial market and pandemic-spending, where consumers value the simplicity and flexibility of cash back more than a rewards program.
The lack of annual fee and signup bonus are just icing on the cake for the Citi Custom Cash. In fact, it’s unique reward structure may very well be the future of all rotating category cards. We had seen a sign of this over 2020 as providers sought ways to increase card usability during the pandemic. The Citi Custom Cash is the natural evolution of this desire for flexibility and the result is an excellent rewards card well worth a spot in most cardholder’s wallets.
finder.com's rating: 4.9 / 5
★★★★★
| Annual fee | $0 |
| Welcome offer | $200 cash back after spending $1,500 in the first 6 months. Fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back |
| Rewards | 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle on up to the first $500 spent, then 1% cash back thereafter and on all other purchases |
| Purchase APR | 0% intro for the first 15 months (then 18.99% to 28.99% variable) |
| Balance transfer APR | 0% intro for the first 15 months (then 18.99% to 28.99% variable) Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. |
| Minimum credit score | 670 |
| Issuer | Mastercard |
| Balance transfer fee | Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. |
| Cash advance rate | 29.99% variable |
| Cash advance fee | $10 or 5% of the cash advance amount, whichever is greater |
| Penalty APR | Up to 29.99% variable |
| Foreign transaction fee | 3% of the transaction value |
| Late payment fee | Up to $41 |
| Returned payment fee | Up to $41 |
| Security deposit | N/A |
| Rates & fees | Terms apply, see rates & fees |
You can apply for the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card by doing the following.
To qualify for the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card, you’ll want to apply with a good to excellent credit score of 670 or higher.
Here are other similar cash back credit cards to compare to help you find the best card that suits you.
As of August 2021, Citi is not accredited with the Better Business Bureau and earns an F rating from the organization. Of the 5,433 customer complaints, all have been resolved. Many complaints mention billing and collection issues. Note that this F rating refers to Citi’s likelihood to interact with its customers, not the rating of the card or business itself.
Citi features a 1.4 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot as of August 2021. Customer complaints include difficulties transferring money and unexplained account closures. Again, this rating is based on customer interactions with Citi, not the card itself.
The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is an excellent cashback card that takes a traditionally somewhat tricky to navigate 5% cash back system and makes it much simpler to use and maximize. Given the ease of use and big value, the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is a new favorite at Finder and a cashback card that can easily fit into nearly any wallet.
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Our team evaluates credit cards to determine their value against similar cards on the market.
We rank card types — travel, cash back, business — on a set of factors that are most relevant to that type of card. We create these rankings to help you narrow down a credit card that best suits your spending and budget.
Steven Finder
Senior writer
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