- Intro Offer
-
$200 Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 19.24% – 29.24% (Variable)
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
-
580 – 850
Fair – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
1% – 5% Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter.; Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2025.; Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
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The Citi Custom Cash® Card* gives you a lot of power with its flexibility. It offers a cash-back category that adjusts to your spending in any given month. Most credit cards with a flex category dictate the terms each rotation, but the Citi Custom Cash automatically applies a 5% cash-back rate on your highest eligible spending category each billing cycle (up to the first $500 spent, then 1%). The card self-customizes to your budget, without any intervention on your part.
Plus, you can earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2025.
On top of that, you can also collect a decent welcome bonus and enjoy an introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers. While it’s not the best in its class for the welcome bonus or intro APR, it’s a strong card to have in your wallet when combined with the value of the rewards program.
We’ll break down the purchase categories that are eligible for the higher cash back rate, explain other features of this card and also offer recommendations for supplementary cards.
Cash-back program
Offering 5% on your highest eligible spend category, on up to $500 per billing cycle (then 1%), this card will automatically apply the rewards rate based on your spending. So if you spend the most money on grocery stores in one billing cycle, the 5% rewards will be applied to those purchases. If you spend more on gas stations the next billing cycle, the 5% rewards will then be applied to those purchases.
Eligible spending categories include restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs and live entertainment. These are the biggest spending categories for most Americans, and 5% is one of the highest rewards rates on the market. For all purchases that don’t fall into your flexible spending category that month, you’ll earn 1%.
Other cards with rotating categories -- like the Chase Freedom Flex℠* and Discover it® Cash Back* -- don’t adjust according to your spending habits, but set the spending category for specific months or periods.
Citi Custom Cash rewards are earned in the form of ThankYou points. ThankYou points can be redeemed for a statement credit, direct deposit, check, gift card, travel or for purchases at checkout at Amazon.com. Points are typically worth 1 cent each when redeemed through Citi’s rewards portal Thankyou.com.
Welcome bonus
For the welcome bonus, you’ll earn $200 cash back if you spend $1,500 within the first six months of account opening, which is a good bonus-to-spend ratio, though not the best available (fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back). Some cards let you earn nominally more, but it’s not uncommon to see welcome bonuses with four times the spending requirement to earn the welcome bonus. All things considered, this welcome bonus is pretty accessible.
If you’re primarily trying to maximize your welcome bonus earnings, check out our page for the best credit card welcome bonuses.
Intro APR
With the Citi Custom Cash, you’ll get 15 months of 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers (19.24% to 29.24% variable APR, thereafter). While not the longest promotional period available, it offers a great way to finance a large purchase while earning cash back.
When it comes to balance transfers -- which must be completed within four months of account opening to qualify for the intro APR -- you might be better off with a different card. While most balance transfer cards charge a 3% fee, and some even offer no balance transfer fees, the Citi Custom Cash Card card charges a particularly high balance transfer fee at 5% (or a $5 minimum). Thus, it’s best used for the introductory APR on purchases and the rewards program.
Other cards to consider
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card doesn’t offer as high of rewards rates as the Custom Cash’s flexible spending category, but it does offer the same simplicity with one of the highest flat-rates on cash rewards on the market. You’ll earn 2% cash rewards on purchases -- no thinking required.
This card offers a 0% introductory APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for 15 months from account opening (20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR thereafter). The welcome bonus is also competitive with the Custom Cash’s bonus.
For more details, see our full review of the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
If you’re looking to maximize cash back on the common big-spending categories, like U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations and transit, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express* might be able to earn you even more rewards than the Citi Custom Cash. However, this card comes with a $0 intro annual fee for the first year then $95.
Still, it could be worthwhile. You earn a whopping 6% back on groceries at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 in purchases per year, then 1%. This will probably cover the majority of your grocery budget for the year, if not all of it. You’ll also earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% on transit, 3% on gas at U.S. gas stations, and 1% on other purchases. Cash back is earned in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. This covers a lot of the same ground that the Citi Custom Cash can potentially cover -- but simultaneously.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
For more details, see our full review of the Blue Cash Preferred Card.
How Citi Custom Cash® Card compares to other cards
- Intro Offer
-
$200 Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 19.24% – 29.24% (Variable)
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% for 15 months on purchases
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- Fair – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
1% – 5% Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter.; Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2025.; Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Intro Offer
-
Earn $250 Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- Annual fee
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- APR
- 19.24% – 29.99% Variable
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% on purchases for 12 months
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
1% – 6% 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%); 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions; 3% Cash Back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more; 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations; 1% Cash Back on other purchases
- Intro Offer
-
$200 cash rewards Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
2% Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
FAQs
Cash-back credit cards offer cardholders rewards on their spending in the form of statement credits or cash. A statement credit is a reduction in the amount due to the credit card company on your monthly bill. Note that rewards are not always available the month you earn them -- they are usually applied to your balance by credit card issuers after one or two billing cycles.
The redemption process for cash-back credit cards is either automatic or very simple. Some cards automatically apply cash rewards to your statement balance each month. Others require you to log in and redeem available rewards points for statement credits. Most points don’t expire, but you will lose them if you close the account before redeeming them.
Cash-back credit cards generally fall into four primary categories: flat-rate, tiered, rotating or choose your own.
Flat-rate cards offer the same rate for every purchase. Tiered cards offer a different rewards rate for different categories of spending. Rotating category cards offer different rewards each quarter, determined by the card issuer. Choose-your-own category cards allow you to choose your rewards category.
To choose the best cash-back credit card for you, the most important thing is to have a clear idea of how you’re already spending money each month. Once you identify the categories where you have the highest, most consistent spending, use the charts in our list to determine which card will net you the highest return. Consider other features of the cards, too, such as APR, sign-on bonuses and foreign transaction fees -- make sure you get something that fits with your lifestyle and spending habits.
Your credit card choice may also be affected by your credit score. Most of the cards we recommend require a good or excellent credit score, which is typically around 670 or higher. If you don’t meet the credit criteria required, there are credit cards available that are specifically for those trying to rebuild credit, like secured credit cards. Alternatively, you can look into the best credit cards for no credit and the best credit cards for bad credit.
Our approach
We review the cards that are in the highest demand and offer the best benefits. We scour the fine print so there aren’t any surprises when you open an account. We find the key factors that make a card stand out and compare them with other top cards. That way, readers can opt for a different card with similar features if our pick isn’t right for them. Our reviews are regularly checked and updated to incorporate new recommendations, as well as to reflect changes in offers and the market.
*All information about the Citi Custom Cash Card, Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express, Discover it® Cash Back and the Chase Freedom Flex has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
