Sign up & start saving!
Get our weekly newsletter for the latest in money news, credit card offers + more ways to save
Finder makes money from featured partners, but editorial opinions are our own. Advertiser Disclosure
Citi Custom Cashâ„ Card Review
An exciting 5% cash back card with terrific flexibility.
finder.com’s rating: 4.9 / 5
★★★★★
- Get this card if you have diverse spending needs that change from month to month.
- Pick something else if you regularly spend most in a single category and exceed $500 a month in that category.
- Apply with a good to an excellent credit score of 670 or higher.
No reviews yet.
Write a review
$200
Welcome offer
Up to 5%
Cash back
$0
Annual fee
0%
Intro purchase APR
for the first 15 months (then 18.49% to 28.49% variable)
Details
| 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 18.49% to 28.49% variable) |
| Balance transfer APR | 0% intro for the first 15 months (then 18.49% to 28.49% variable) Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. |
| Minimum credit score | 670 |
| Issuer | Mastercard |
Review by
Steven Dashiell
steven.dashiell@finder.comSteven Dashiell is a senior personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in all things banking and credit cards. With more than 300 articles under his belt, he aims to help readers embrace credit cards and maximize their banking rewards. Steve is studying to become a Certified Educator in Personal Finance, and is a frequent face on Finder’s YouTube channel, offering the latest in credit card hacks and advice. His expertise has been featured in U.S. News & World Report, Time, CBS, Fox Business, Lifehacker, Martha Stewart Living, among other top publications.
Expert review
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 18.49% to 28.49% 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.
How to apply for the Citi Custom Cashâ„ Card
You can apply for the Citi Custom Cashâ„ Card by doing the following.
- Go to the provider's site to Learn more about how to apply for Citi Custom Cashâ„ Card.
- Fill out the requested information and click Agree & submit.
What credit score do I need for the Citi Custom Cashâ„ Card?
To qualify for the Citi Custom Cash℠Card, you’ll want to apply with a good to excellent credit score of 670 or higher.
Citi Custom Cashâ„ Card benefits
- Flexible rewards. The Citi Custom Cash℠Card earns 5% back on your highest eligible spending category each billing cycle, on up to $500 that cycle. After meeting the cap you’ll earn 1% back until the next billing cycle. This puts its total accelerated earnings on par with a rotating category card, but without the quarterly limitations. If you were worried about the complexities of a rotating category cash back card, the Citi Custom Cash℠Card is your answer.
- Rewards on everyday spending. The rewards categories offered on this card are strong, as they include most typical spending areas. Eligible categories are grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, drugstores, live entertainment, home improvement stores and fitness clubs. It also includes select spending on the following categories: travel, transit and streaming services.
- Signup bonus. The card’s $200 bonus after you spend $1,500 in your first 6 months is higher than the average you’d find on a 5% cashback card, which usually sticks to the $100 to $150 range if they offer a bonus.
- No annual fee. You won’t pay an annual fee to use this credit card.
Citi Custom Cashâ„ Card drawbacks
- High penalty APR. Missing payments on this card can result in a hefty penalty APR of up to 29.99% variable.
- Foreign transaction fees. This card isn’t great for travelers abroad. You’ll pay 3% on transactions made outside of the US.
Compare cash back credit cards
Here are other similar cash back credit cards to compare to help you find the best card that suits you.
1 - 3 of 31
Citi Custom Cashâ„ Card reviews and complaints
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.
Bottom line
The Citi Custom Cashâ„ 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 Cashâ„ Card is a new favorite at Finder and a cashback card that can easily fit into nearly any wallet.
Credit card ratings
★★★★★ — 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.