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Compare Citibank credit cards
This bank offers many attractive cards, including travel, cashback and balance transfer products.
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Citibank — a finder.com advertising partner — is one of the largest credit card issuers in the United States, offering a variety of strong products. Take a look at this provider if you want a great cashback or balance transfer card.
What's in this guide?
Best of Citibank credit cards
Citibank offers almost 20 credit cards, most of them travel products. It also offers an attractive cashback card and two best-in-class balance transfer cards.
Best for balance transfers: Citi Simplicity® Card
This is a simple card with no annual fee that offers an excellent intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers. If you want to get rid of debt you’ve accumulated from other credit cards, this could be the Citibank card for you.
Best secured credit card: Citi® Secured Mastercard®
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.
Best for cash back: Citi® Double Cash Card
The Citi® Double Cash Card is a no-annual-fee favorite. With a flat cashback rate on all purchases and a bonus amount added as you pay them off, you’ll find simple and strong rewards. Citibank occasionally offers an intro APR on balance transfers. When it does, you’ll typically find an impressive promotion.
Best for travel: Citi Premier℠ Card
Citibank offers a few general travel cards, including the Citi Premier℠ Card.
The Citi Premier℠ Card costs $95 a year starting the second year. For most, it’s the option that’s just right. Points give you lots of flexibility, as you can redeem them for a variety of travel rewards. And if you redeem them through the ThankYou® Travel Center, they’re worth 25% more.
If you’re a frequent American Airlines flyer, you might like one of Citibank’s co-branded airline cards, such as the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®.
The Citi Premier℠ Card costs $95 a year starting the second year. For most, it’s the option that’s just right. Points give you lots of flexibility, as you can redeem them for a variety of travel rewards. And if you redeem them through the ThankYou® Travel Center, they’re worth 25% more.
If you’re a frequent American Airlines flyer, you might like one of Citibank’s co-branded airline cards, such as the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®.
Best for everyday purchases: Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
An excellent all-around cashback product. Give it serious consideration if you spend heavily on gas, dining, travel or Costco purchases.
Quick look at Citibank credit cards
- Citi Simplicity® Card: Best for balance transfers
- Citi® Secured Mastercard®: Best secured credit card
- Citi® Double Cash Card: Best for cash back
- Citi Premier℠ Card: Best for travel
- Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi: Best for everyday purchases
How we selected the best Citibank credit cards
We evaluated every Citibank credit card on dimensions such as annual fee, rewards and benefits. We also took into account the primary function of each product. Ultimately, the cards we included in this list offered the most value for their costs, as well as standout features compared to other products from Citi and competing providers.
Our pick for a Citi credit card
Compare Citibank credit cards
Updated January 20th, 2020
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Full list of Citibank credit cards
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- Citi Premier℠ Card
- Citi Prestige® Credit Card
- Citi Rewards+℠ Card
- Citi Rewards+℠ Student Card
- Citi Simplicity® Card
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard®
- Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
- Citi® Double Cash Card
- Citi® Secured Mastercard®
- CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard®
- Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card
- Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
Compare Citibank credit cards by card type
How to apply for a Citibank card
Go to the Citibank website and click Apply Now. Before you apply, check that you meet the eligibility requirements and have the required information on hand.
Eligibility criteria
- You’re 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.
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.
Through the Quick Lock feature, you can lock your card if you misplace it. Just use the Citi Mobile App or log in to your account on the Citibank website.
The bank also offers $0 liability protection on unauthorized transactions. It attempts to stop fraud before it happens through 24/7 monitoring and suspicious-activity alerts through phone, text, email or mail.
Citibank rewards program
For its non-co-branded rewards cards, Citibank offers either cash back or ThankYou® Points.
If you earn cash back, you can redeem your rewards when your cash rewards balance is $25 or more. You can redeem cash back through these methods:
- Check.
- Statement credit to your card account.
- Credit to your linked Citi savings or checking account.
- Credit to a checking account that you’ve used to pay a Citi credit card bill at least twice.
If your card gives ThankYou® Points, you can redeem them for a variety of rewards, including:
- Gift cards.
- Merchandise.
- Travel.
- Points transfers.
- Cash back.
- Statement credit.
- Donations to charity.
Typical features and benefits of a Citibank card
- Rewards. Most Citibank products offer rewards. Exceptions include balance transfer cards and the bank’s secured credit card.
- No annual fee or waived first-year fee. Several Citibank cards offer no annual fee. If you want a powerful travel card but aren’t sure you want to pay an annual fee, try a card that waives the fee for the first year.
- Ongoing APR between 15% and 26% variable. With strong credit, you may qualify for an ongoing APR near the bottom of this range. With weaker credit, you may get a relatively high APR around 26% variable.
- No foreign transaction fees. Many Citibank cards are travel products and don’t charge foreign transaction fees, which makes them great companions when traveling abroad.
- Signup bonus. Many Citibank cards offer signup bonuses. Exceptions include products like the Citi® Double Cash Card and the bank’s balance transfer cards.
- Mobile app. You can download the bank’s mobile app to monitor your account, make payments and more.
- Citi Entertainment. Receive discounts on a variety of entertainment events when you book online with your Citi card.
See offers for cards from other brands
Bottom line
Travel cards are Citibank’s bread and butter with a plethora of options, but 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 other credit card providers to compare more options.
Frequently asked questions
Ask an Expert
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 can go ahead and read further on this guide and check on options for your teen.
If you are referring to offers from Citi, they have the Citi ThankYou 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