Citi® Double Cash Card review

Finder experts pick Citi® Double Cash Card as a 2021 best product for credit cards.

How to apply for the Citi® Double Cash Card

1. Click Apply now.
2. Complete the application form with your personal and financial information.
3. Review your application and submit it.

What credit score do I need?

You need a good to excellent credit score of 670 or higher to increase your chances of approval.

Based on a finder.com poll of hundreds of Citi® Double Cash Card users.

What makes this card tick? We looked at the highlights

Who is this card best for?

This card is ideal for someone who can combine it with another rewards card. This way, another card can be used on categories where you earn more than 2% rewards and use the Citi® Double Cash Card on all other purchases.

Card benefits

• Cash back. Earn 1% when you make a purchase and another 1% when you pay it off. This lets you earn cash back twice and is the highest unlimited rate on all purchases that you can get. The industry standard is 1.5% back. Citi may also grant access to the Citi Bonus Cash Center, which offers even more opportunities for cash back with select merchants.
• Intro APR on balance transfers. Get a 0% intro APR for 18 months for balance transfers that are completed within 4 months of your account opening. Keep in mind that even during the intro period, you’ll pay a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the transaction. After the intro period, a transfer APR of 13.99% to 23.99% variable applies. This is one of the longest intro APR periods that you can get when compared to similar cards.
• No annual fee. You get these perks without paying an annual fee.
• Citi Entertainment. Enjoy special access when you want to buy presale tickets or VIP packages for concerts, sports events, dining and more.
• Credit card protection. Citi monitors your account 24/7 and alerts you in case of suspicious activity. You can also get your lost card replaced within 24 hours.

Deeper dive: Citi Entertainment

This feature is offered by all Citi credit cards and it can be an excellent perk if you often go out either on concerts, theater plays or sporting events.

Formerly known as Citi Private Pass, Citi Entertainment gives you access to presale tickets, VIP packages and preferred seats on select events. Just remember to use your Citi® Double Cash Card to purchase the tickets.

What to watch out for

• Balance transfer limits. Complete all balance transfers within 4 months of card membership to use the intro APR period. Otherwise, the standard APR of 13.99% to 23.99% variable will apply.
• High late payment fees. You’ll pay up to $40 for each late payment. If you make one late or returned payment, Citi may impose a penalty APR of up to 29.99% variable, which may last indefinitely.
• Citi® Double Cash Card foreign transaction fees. Use this card abroad and you’ll pay a fee of 3% of each transaction. This can quickly add up on a trip spanning several days.

Deeper dive: balance transfers

The 18 months of 0% intro APR period on balance transfers (13.99% to 23.99% variable after that) is a useful perk if you already have credit card debt. This way you can move your debt to the Citi® Double Cash Card and pay it off without accruing interest.

However, there are some drawbacks to consider:

• Fees. Making a balance transfer will cost you either a $5 or 3% of your total transfer, whichever is higher. This makes your $7,000 balance transfer cost $210.
• Time limitations. You must make your balance transfer in your first 4 months of account opening. Otherwise, you can’t use the 0% intro APR period.
• Amount limitations. You can only transfer amounts that don’t exceed your available credit limit. For example, your credit limit is $5,000. You can only make a balance transfer of $4,850. In this case, you’ll pay a $145 transfer fee, which makes a total of $4,995.
• Doesn’t earn cash back. Balance transfers are exempt from earning cash back.

What are my odds of preapproval?

When you’re ready, request a Citi credit card prequalification, select the perks you want — in this case, flat cash back on all purchases — and Citi will do a soft pull to see if you prequalify for any of their cards that match your criteria.

Keep in mind, card approval is not guaranteed even if you prequalify for the card. Typically, approval odds are between 80% and 90% if you prequalify. With a good to excellent credit score of 670 or higher, you improve your chances of approval.

Citi® Double Cash Card reviews and complaints

Customer praise

Most customers love that they can earn cash back twice, and they love the long intro APR period on balance transfers. Some customers claim they often receive an intro APR balance transfer offer long after they opened their account.

Customer complaints

Some customers were disappointed with the card and claim that their accounts were locked because of fraudulent activity when there was no fraud. Also, customers complain about the low credit limits they received and that they find Citi stingy with credit limit increases.

Another thing some customers dislike is that you can’t redeem your cashback rewards until you reach a minimum of $25.

Even though Citi has been in business for more than 200 years, it was never accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB). As of October 2020, more than 200 reviewers on the BBB site give the bank a score of 1 out of 5. Because Citi failed to resolve customer complaints on the site, BBB has rated the bank with the lowest F rating.

Citi is rated slightly higher at 1.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot where customers mostly complain about poor customer service.

We’ve polled hundreds of Citi® Double Cash Card users — here’s what we’ve found:

	Application process rating: 73%
	Customer service rating: 81%
	Approval rate for 720–850 credit range: 96%
	Top reason people apply: $0 annual fee
	47% pay monthly balance in full

Authorized users or cosigners

You can easily add authorized users to your Citi® Double Cash Card with no restrictions to your relationship or age limit. Because Citi reports authorized users to the credit bureaus, you can help them build credit.

Citi allows you to add up to 10 authorized users for free. Here’s how to do it:

1. Log in to your online account.
2. Navigate to Credit card services and then Authorized users links.
3. Fill out the form and choose whether the authorized user gets online access.
4. As an alternative, call Citi customer support at 855-473-4583 and request to add an authorized user.

Keep in mind, you as the main cardholder are responsible for paying the authorized users’ balances.

How does Citi® Double Cash Card compare to other similar cards?

How much can I earn with these cards?

If you charge $1,500 on your card each month, here’s how much you could earn:

Cards to pair with the Citi® Double Cash Card

The Citi® Double Cash Card is an excellent option for flat rewards on all purchases. But you can boost your rewards if you pair this card with others that are more rewarding on select categories. For example:

• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. This card earns 6% cash back at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 each calendar year, and 1% after that. Also, earn 6% back on US streaming services and 3% back at US gas stations and on transit purchases. Use this card on these categories and use the Citi® Double Cash Card on all other purchases.
• U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card. This card offers 5% back on up to $2,000 each quarter on combined purchases in two categories that you choose. These categories include home utilities, ground transportation, fast food, cell phones, furniture stores, department stores and more. After meeting the quarterly cap, you’ll earn 1% on all purchases.

How do I redeem Citi® Double Cash Card rewards?

Once your reward reaches $25, call 855-473-4583 or visit the Citi website to redeem your reward as a:

• Check
• Statement credit
• Credit to your linked checking or savings account

Compare similar cashback credit cards

Sort by:

Name	Product	Welcome offer	Rewards	Annual fee	Filter values
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express		Up to $350: 20% back on Amazon.com purchases in the first 6 months for up to $200 back, plus $150 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in the first 6 months	6% on select US streaming services, 3% on transit and US gas stations, 6% at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 annually, then 1% after that and on all other purchases (redeem as statement credit)	$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($95 thereafter)		Earn up to $350. In your first 6 months, you can earn a $150 statement credit when you spend $3,000, and earn 20% back on Amazon purchases made with your card, up to $200 total. Having 6 months to earn a welcome offer is a rare benefit as most cards give you only 3. Terms apply, see rates & fees	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express		Up to $250: 20% back on Amazon.com purchases in the first 6 months for up to $150 back, plus $100 statement credit after spending $2,000 within the first 6 months	3% at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year (then 1%), 2% at US gas stations and select US department stores and 1% on all other purchases (redeem as statement credit)	$0		Earn up to $250. You'll get 20% back on Amazon.com purchases in the first six months for up to $150 back, and $100 after you spend $2,000 in the first six months. This is a higher-than-average welcome offer for a card with no annual fee. Terms apply, see rates & fees	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Citi Custom Cash℠ Card		$200 cash back after spending $750 in the first 3 months. Fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back	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	$0		A new cashback card that automatically awards 5% to your highest eligible spending category each billing cycle, on up to $500 (then 1%).	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Bottom line

If you’re looking for a simple credit card with high cash back on all purchases, this could be the right card for you. In addition to cash back, you’ll get one of the longest intro APR periods on balance transfers compared to other cards.

To get the card that best suits your needs, make sure to check out other balance transfer or cashback credit cards.

Frequently asked questions

Can I set my card up with Apple Pay?
Yes. Set up your Citi card with Apple Pay, and use your iPad or iPhone to pay at thousands of stores with a simple touch.

Are concierge services included with the card?
Yes. Nonstop Citi Concierge services are included to help you with travel, shopping, dining, entertainment and more.

Is the Citi® Double Cash Card a Visa?
No, the Citi® Double Cash Card is not a Visa. It is a Mastercard, which offers global acceptance similarly to Visa. It also comes with standard Mastercard features like ID Theft Resolution and Mastercard Global Service.