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Citibank credit cards: Which one is best for you?
See the best Citi cards of 2021, compare Citi cards, and browse our list of unbiased reviews.
Compare all Citibank credit cards
Want a side-by-side look at all of Citibank's credit card options? See how they compare in terms of annual fee, rewards and intro APR period.
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Citi — a finder.com advertising partner — is one of the largest credit card issuers in the United States, offering a variety of credit cards. Finder’s credit card experts reviewed all of these cards and compared them against one another based on several factors, including the value they offer versus their annual fee, additional card features and APRs. We’ve ranked the eight best Citi credit cards based on our comparisons to help you make the right choice for your financial needs.
In 2021, we made room for Citi’s flagship travel card, which offers a unique complimentary-night benefit among a competitive luxury-card landscape. We also added the Citi Rewards+® Card which offer solid everyday rewards and a great reward-rounding mechanic.
- Why trust us? Unlike our competitors, Finder’s credit card experts research and write about all credit cards, including those from providers who aren’t partners on our site. Our trustworthy, unbiased evaluations are solely meant to help you choose the best credit card for your financial needs.
What are the best Citibank credit cards?
- Finder’s pick: Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card: Best for balance transfers
- Citi® Double Cash Card: Best for cash back
- Citi Premier® Card: Best for travel
- Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi: Best for gas
- Citi Rewards+® Card: Best for rewards rounding
- Citi® Secured Mastercard®: Best secured credit card
- Citi Prestige® Credit Card: Best for premium travel
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard®: Best value for American Airlines flyers
Best for balance transfers
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
670
Min. credit score
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
Annual fee
n/a
Rewards
Rewards
n/a
Welcome offer
Welcome offer
The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card has long been the balance transfer card of choice for long intro periods. Though the card doesn't have the longest intro period available as of January 2021, the simplicity of the card, lack of annual fee and opportunity for intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers means this card should remain high on your list for balance transfer cards.
- Intro APR for purchases and balance transfers. Get a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for an impressive 18 months after account opening, then 14.74% to 24.74% variable after that. You'll also get a 0% intro APR on purchases for 18 months following your account opening. After the intro period passes, your rate reverts to an APR between 14.74% to 24.74% variable.
- No annual fee. You won't pay an annual fee to use this card.
- No rewards. The card is excellent for saving money on interest, but you won't earn any rewards on your purchases.
- No signup bonus. There's no bonus to earn upon signup.
| Annual Fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Purchase APR | 0% intro for the first 18 months (then 14.74% to 24.74% variable) |
| Balance transfer APR | 0% intro for the first 18 months (then 14.74% to 24.74% variable) |
| Welcome offer | N/A |
| Estimated welcome offer value | |
| Rewards | N/A |
Best for cash back
Citi® Double Cash Card
670
Min. credit score
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
Annual fee
Up to2%
Cash back
Cash back
n/a
Welcome offer
Welcome offer
Though it lost some of its shine thanks to stiffer competition through 2020, the Citi® Double Cash Card remains no-annual-fee favorite for cash back. Earning 2% back your purchases is still higher than the industry average for flat-rate cards, and you'll often find an intro APR on balance transfers with this card.
- Intro APR: 0% on balance transfers for 18 months after account opening. After that, your balance transfer APR will be 13.99% to 23.99% variable.
- Rewards: Superb cash back. Earn Up to 2% cash back on purchases (1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay).
- No intro APR period on purchases. You don't get to save money with a 0% intro APR period on purchases.
- No signup bonus. There's no bonus to earn when you signup for the card.
| Annual Fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Purchase APR | 13.99% to 23.99% variable |
| Balance transfer APR | 0% intro for the first 18 months (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable) |
| Welcome offer | N/A |
| Estimated welcome offer value | |
| Rewards | Up to 2% cash back on purchases (1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay) |
Best for general travel
Citi Premier® Card
670
Min. credit score
Min. credit score
$95
Annual fee
Annual fee
Up to3x
Points
Points
60,000
Points welcome offer
Points welcome offer
As far as mid tier travel cards go, the Citi Premier® Card offers just enough perks for the price a year. And since it earns in a variety of everyday categories such as restaurants and gas stations, this is a 'can't-go-wrong' pick. And if you redeem points through the ThankYou Travel Center, your points are worth 25% more.
- Signup bonus: 60,000 bonus ThankYou Points. To earn them, spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of opening your account. These points are worth $750 in airfare when you redeem them through the ThankYou Travel Center.
- Rewards: Wide variety of rewards. 3x points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, flights and hotels. And earn 1x points on all other purchases.
- Points transfers. Transfer your points to airline and hotel loyalty programs such as TrueBlue and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.
- Annual fee. You'll pay an annual fee of $95.
- No intro APR period. With this card, you won't get a intro APR period on purchases or balance transfers.
| Annual Fee | $95 |
|---|---|
| Purchase APR | 15.99% to 23.99% variable |
| Balance transfer APR | 15.99% to 23.99% variable |
| Welcome offer | 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months |
| Estimated welcome offer value | $750 based on Finder's valuation |
| Rewards | 3x points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, flights and hotels and 1x points on everything else |
Best for gas
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
740
Min. credit score
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
Annual fee
Up to4%
Cash back
Cash back
n/a
Welcome offer
Welcome offer
This is an excellent all-around cashback product, provided you don't mind (or even prefer) receiving your rewards in the form of Costco statement credits. Notably, it earns 4% back on gas, which is as high as you'll find on a non-travel rewards card that doesn't feature rotating categories.
- Annual fee: None with your paid Costco membership.
- Rewards: Great cash back for several categories. Earn 4% cash back on your first $7,000 in eligible gas purchases (then 1%), 3% back on restaurant and travel purchases, 2% back on Costco and Costco.com purchases and 1% back on all other purchases.
- No foreign transaction fees. Use this card freely online with foreign merchants or abroad and you won't pay any foreign transaction fees.
- Limited reward redemption. You can only redeem your rewards once every year.
- No intro APR period. There's no 0% intro APR period on purchases or balance transfer, or a 0% deferred interest on Costco purchases.
| Annual Fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Purchase APR | 15.24% variable |
| Balance transfer APR | 15.24% variable |
| Welcome offer | N/A |
| Estimated welcome offer value | |
| Rewards | 4% at gas stations on up to $7,000 annually (then 1%), 3% at restaurants and on travel, 2% at Costco and 1% on all other purchases |
Best for rewards rounding
Citi Rewards+® Card
670
Min. credit score
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
Annual fee
Up to2x
Points
Points
15,000
Points welcome offer
Points welcome offer
There isn't another rewards card on the market quite like the Citi Rewards+® Card. That's because rewards earned with this card will be rounded up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase. This makes it a phenomenal card for racking up points on small, numerous purchases.
- Rewards: Best for gas and groceries. Earn 2x points at gas stations and supermarkets. This applies to the first $6,000 in qualifying purchases per calendar year, after which you will earn 1x points.
- Rounding gets you more points. Your points will be rounded up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase.
- A good intro APR. Get a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months after account opening, then 13.49% to 23.49% variable.
- Foreign transaction fees. Because of the 3% foreign transaction fee, this may not be a good card to us with foreign merchants abroad or online.
- Penalty APR. If you miss a payment, Citi may impose a penalty APR of up to 29.99% variable.
| Annual Fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Purchase APR | 0% intro for the first 15 months (then 13.49% to 23.49% variable) |
| Balance transfer APR | 0% intro for the first 15 months (then 13.49% to 23.49% variable) |
| Welcome offer | Earn 15,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months |
| Estimated welcome offer value | $150 based on Finder's valuation |
| Rewards | Earn 2x points at supermarkets and gas stations on up to $6,000 annually, then 1x points after that and on all other purchases |
Best secured credit card
Citi® Secured Mastercard®
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
Annual fee
n/a
Rewards
Rewards
n/a
Welcome offer
Welcome offer
This is Citi's only secured credit card. It's not the best secured card you'll find, but it's a good choice if you want a product from a reputable provider. One note: this card is for those new to credit, not those with poor credit.
- Annual fee: None.
- $200 minimum security deposit. Other secured cards might require higher security deposits.
- Build your credit. Citi will report your card activity to all three major credit bureaus: TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. With responsible use, you can build your credit.
- Deposit lockdown. Citi will keep your deposit for at least 18 months or unless Citi deems your account eligible and returns your deposit earlier than that.
- No rewards program. You won't earn any rewards on your purchases. This isn't surprising, considering it's a secured card. But it is possible to find other secured cards that do reward you for your purchases.
| Annual Fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Purchase APR | 22.49% variable |
| Balance transfer APR | 22.49% variable |
| Welcome offer | N/A |
| Estimated welcome offer value | |
| Rewards | N/A |
Best for premium travel
Citi Prestige® Credit Card
740
Min. credit score
Min. credit score
$495
Annual fee
Annual fee
Up to5x
Points
Points
50,000
Points welcome offer
Points welcome offer
The information about Citi Prestige® Credit Card has been collected independently by Finder and and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.
Best value for American Airlines flyers
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard®
670
Min. credit score
Min. credit score
$99
ongoing
Annual fee
Annual fee
Up to2x
Miles
Miles
50,000
Miles welcome offer
Miles welcome offer
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® perhaps the best American Airlines credit card available at the moment thanks to the value it brings versus the price. It allows you to earn a generous signup bonus and solid miles on your purchases without putting a strain on your wallet.
- AAdvantage miles. Earn 2x miles on your American Airlines purchases, at restaurants and at gas stations, and 1x miles on all other purchases.
- Signup bonus. Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,500 within your first 3 months of card membership.
- Flight discount. Earn an annual $125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend $20,000 or more with your card every year.
- Annual fee. During the first year you won't pay an annual fee, but starting from the second, you'll pay a $99 each year.
| Annual Fee | $0 intro annual fee for the first year ($99 thereafter) |
|---|---|
| Purchase APR | 15.99% to 24.99% variable |
| Balance transfer APR | 15.99% to 24.99% variable |
| Welcome offer | 50,000 miles after spending $2,500 in the first 3 months |
| Estimated welcome offer value | $750 based on Finder's valuation |
| Rewards | 2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, at gas stations and restaurants and 1x miles on all other purchases |
The information about Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® has been collected independently by Finder and and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.
How to apply for a Citibank card
Select your favorite Citi card above and click Apply now to start the application process. After reviewing the card, you can click Learn more and apply to begin. Before you apply, check that you meet the eligibility requirements and have the required information on hand.
Eligibility criteria
- You must be at least 18 years old.
Information you’ll need
To complete the application, you’ll need to provide information that includes:
- Your name and residential address.
- Your Social Security number.
- Your email address, phone number and date of birth.
- Financial information like your annual income and income source.
Once approved, you can activate your Citi card online, by phone or through the Citi mobile app.
How many Citi cards can I have?
You can have as many Citi credit cards as you can get approval for. But there is an 8/65/95 rule to keep in mind.
In essence, this rule says you can apply for your second Citi card eight days after you applied for your first card. After that, you have to wait 65 days to apply for your third card. The number 95 means you have to wait at least 95 days between Citi business credit card applications.
Is this the same as the Citi-48-month rule?
No. The Citi 48-month rule is a policy that restricts you from gaining the signup bonus from a card more than once within a 48-month period. Not all cards are affected, so check out the full 48-month rules for more information.
Can I prequalify for a Citi credit card?
Yes, Citi gives you the option to prequalify for a card without a hard pull on your credit. All you have to do is visit Citi’s prequalification page, fill out the form and wait to receive your offer.
Once you choose your card and apply for it, Citi will do a hard pull on your credit.
How do I choose the best Citibank credit card?
Citi has plenty of great card options, so you might find choosing one a little tough. To narrow down the best choice for your wallet, you’ll want to look into a few factors:
- Consider your existing debt. Citi boasts three cards with long intro APRs of 18 months or more on balance transfers. If you want to consolidate your existing debt and pay it off within that intro period interest free, you’ll want to check out these balance transfer options.
- Review your typical spending. You have a few solid reward options available to you through Citi, so pick a card that will earn you the most rewards on your specific spending habits. And if your spending is more spread out over various categories, the Citi® Double Cash Card is a great flat cash back pick.
- Look for appealing travel perks. If you travel frequently, Citi has a few solid options to choose from when it comes to additional perks and features. Citi is the go-to provider for American Airlines cobranded credit cards, including favorites like the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard®. You can also consider the Expedia cards for a more general travel card option.
- Look at the credit requirements. Several of Citi’s cards require a good or excellent credit score to qualify. If you need help building your credit score, the Citi® Secured Mastercard® is a good choice, as you can apply with no credit score, make a security deposit and start building your credit.
Types of Citi cards
Citibank is known for offering balance transfer credit cards with some of the longest 0% intro APR period. You can also find great travel cards that use the ThankYou rewards program, and cobranded travel cards with American Airlines, Expedia and Costco.
On the downside, Citi doesn’t have a whole lot of small business cards to choose from. You have only two cobranded credit card options — an American Airlines card and a Costco card.
Compare Citibank credit cards by card type
Citi card for bad or fair credit
Unlike other card providers that specialize in cards for building credit, Citi doesn’t offer a credit card specifically for those with bad credit.
Instead, Citi offers a secured card for those who are new to credit. It’s an excellent card with a $0 annual fee, free access to your FICO score and it reports to all three major credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. With timely payments, you can boost your credit score.
If your credit is severely damaged, you might have a better chance of qualifying for a secured card from a different bank.
Standout benefits of Citibank credit cards
- Rewards. Most Citibank credit cards offer rewards. This can either be in the form of cash back, ThankYou points or cobranded miles and points.
- ThankYou rewards program. Some Citi credit cards are part of the ThankYou program, which is similar to Chase Ultimate Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards. If you already bank with Citi and want to get into one of the best travel rewards program, a ThankYou rewards card is the way to go.
- Long balance transfer periods. At one point, Citi offered the longest 0% intro APR period for 21 months on two of its cards. This is slightly lower now, but it’s still on the high end and rarely offered by other card providers.
- Virtual credit cards. Citibank is one of the rare card providers that offers virtual credit card numbers to some of its cards. This is an excellent safety feature that hides your actual credit card information when shopping at shady online vendors.
- Citi Entertainment. With Citi Entertainment, you receive discounts on a variety of entertainment events when you book online with your Citi card, plus you get exclusive access to presale tickets and experiences.
What are some alternatives to Citibank credit cards?
Citi isn’t the only provider to look at if you want high-level cards. For example, American Express, Discover, or Chase are a few other examples of providers that offer the same breadth of quality and variety as Citi.
Full list of Citibank credit card reviews
Personal
Business
Cobranded
- American Airlines AAdvantage MileUpâ„ Card
- AT&T Access Card from Citi
- Brooks Brothers Platinum Mastercard®
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard®
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®
- Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
- Expedia® Rewards CARD from Citi
- Home Depot Consumer Credit Card
- L.L.Bean Mastercard
- My Best Buy® Visa® Card
- Sunoco Rewards Credit Card
- Wawa® Credit Card
Bottom line
While travel cards are Citibank’s bread and butter, the provider offers a superb cashback product and top-notch balance transfer cards.
If you’re not sure whether a Citibank product is right for you, check out market-leading credit cards to compare more options.
Frequently asked questions
How does Citibank keep my credit card information secure?
Citibank uses advanced technology to keep your information safe online and on mobile. It deploys 128-bit SSL encryption to secure the information you transmit, as well as an SSL certificate that helps you confirm you’re on the correct website. Additionally, the bank uses two-step verification if it needs to confirm your identity.
What should I do if I lose my Citibank card?
First, lock your card with Citi Quick Lock. Then call 1-800-950-5114 to report your lost card. Citibank will cancel your current account, then issue you a new account number and credit card.
Can I cancel my Citi card without calling?
To cancel your Citi card online you have to chat with a Citi representative. This may not always work, in which case you’ll need to call in to cancel.
How we rate our cards
★★★★★ — 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.
Read more on this topic
- Citi concierge: How does it work?
A concierge service can help with things like your travel itinerary or even landing concert tickets.
- Citi virtual credit card: How does it work?
A virtual credit card number can increase your card’s security against online fraud.
- Citi extended warranty: How does it work?
Citi offers a market-leading extended-warranty benefit.
- How to activate a Citi credit card
There are three ways to activate a Citi credit card.
- Does Citi have purchase protection?
Get coverage if an eligible item you purchased with your card gets damaged or stolen.
- Citi car rental insurance: Do I still get this perk?
Citi has eliminated the benefit from most of its cards.
- How to get a Citi card cash advance
Make cash withdrawals with a Citi credit card, but at a high price.
- What is Citi Entertainment
Get access to presale tickets or preferred tickets for live entertainment events.
- Citi mobile app review
Monitor your accounts, change your pin or lock or unlock your cards with your smartphone.
- How to increase your Citi credit limit
Increase your purchasing power with responsible credit card use.
I would like to cancel my credit card account, but it is not yet activated. Can you cancel an account without activating it first? I got the card in hopes to transfer a balance off another card but decided against it and I no longer need it.
Hi Nicole,
Thanks for leaving a question on finder.
You can surely cancel your credit card anytime. However, just because you didn’t activate the card doesn’t change the fact that you applied and was approved for a line a credit. You can do that with a phone call to the credit issuer. But just be aware that if it has helped your score go up because it broadened your credit utilization ratio, your scores will likely drop once you lose that credit line. But don’t worry too much about that as you can hike it back up by deleting any debt you’re carrying elsewhere and make sure to always pay your creditors on time.
Please send me a message if you need anything else. :)
Cheers,
Joel
Is my 16 year old eligible to apply for a credit card with or without me as a consignor?
Hi Cherylee,
Thanks for reaching out.
Legally, no one can get a credit card on their own unless they’re at least 18 years old. Anyone under 18 can only be an authorized user on someone else’s — for example, their parents’ — account. You may check on credit card options for your teen.
If you are referring to offers from Citi, they have the Citi Thank You Preferred Card for College Students, in which the minimum age requirement is for the applicant to be at least 18 years of age and is currently an enrolled college student.
Best Regards,
Joanne