At a glance
The Citi Double Cash® Card is a no-annual-fee credit card offering a high flat-rate rewards amount of 2%: 1% when you make a purchase and another 1% when you pay off a purchase. You can also earn a cash-back welcome bonus fulfilled as ThankYou® Points. It lacks an introductory purchase APR but still offers a solid rewards amount with a simple rewards structure.
- Intro Offer
-
$200 cash back Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 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 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.; Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.
Citi is an advertising partner.
Our take
The Citi Double Cash® Card is one of the highest-yielding flat-rate credit cards on the market. However, you don’t earn all the rewards upfront like you do with other cash-back cards. Instead, you earn 1% cash back when making a purchase and another 1% when paying it off. And if you’re looking for an interim travel credit card, for a limited time the Double Cash earns 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals, and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through Dec. 31, 2024.
Earning cash back when you pay off a purchase may seem like a drawback, but it shouldn’t be. After all, you’ll benefit most from a cash-back credit card if you pay your balance in full each month to avoid interest charges.
The no-annual-fee Citi Double Cash® Card also offers $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first six months after opening the account. This bonus offer comes in the form of 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. It’s not the most competitive bonus, but it does give this card an extra edge.
Although this card works best as a rewards credit card, if you have debt, the Double Cash has a balance transfer offer that you can use for debt consolidation.
Overall, these benefits make the Citi Double Cash® Card a solid choice for a range of goals, but it especially sticks out as a top option for anyone who wants to earn generous cash back on everything they buy.
Pros and cons
Pros
A flat rewards rate on all purchases means no complicated rewards categories to track
Generous introductory APR offer on balance transfers
No annual fee
Earns ThankYou points instead of direct cash back, which can can be combined with a premium Citi ThankYou card for more redemption options
Welcome bonus offer
Cons
Introductory APR applies only to balance transfers, not new purchases
A 3% foreign transaction fee applies to purchases made abroad
Late payments result in up to a 29.99% variable penalty APR
The welcome bonus has a higher spending requirement than competitor cards
Who is this card best for?
With a generous flat rewards rate and intro APR offer for balance transfers, the Citi Double Cash could be a solid choice for many. Here’s how to know whether it will work for you.
You prefer a simple rewards card
If you don’t want the hassle of dealing with tiered rewards cards or strategizing to get the most value from a cash-back card, a flat-rate card like the Double Cash makes it easy to earn a competitive rate without added stress.
You want to maximize your credit card rewards
If you do like to strategize to get the most from your credit cards, a flat-rate cash-back card can work well with a higher-rate rewards cards. If you already have a tiered card that earns 3% to 5% on your top spending categories, you might only be earning 1% on all other purchases with that card. In this case, adding a flat-rate card that earns up to 2% like the Double Cash will help you maximize your rewards potential for all your other purchases.
You want an extra incentive to pay off your balance every month
One unique feature of the Citi Double Cash is that you get 2% cash back on purchases: 1% when you make a purchase and another 1% when you pay off your balance. If you need extra motivation to pay off your balance every month, this card might give you the push you need.
That said, you should always aim to pay off your credit card on time and in full every month to avoid costly interest charges and fees.
You have a compatible Citi ThankYou card
While the Citi Double Cash isn’t the only 2% cash-back card out there -- the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card and Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card* offer similar rewards rates -- one thing sets it apart from the competition: It earns ThankYou points.
Citi’s reward program currency can be transferred to one of Citi’s airline and hotel transfer partners via a premium Citi ThankYou card. But to take advantage of Citi’s transfer partners, you must have one of Citi’s premium ThankYou cards -- like the $95-annual-fee Citi Premier® Card. Otherwise, you can’t benefit from this strategy.
If you don’t have a premium travel credit card from Citi that unlocks all the available hotel and airline transfer partners, the Citi Double Cash allows transfers to only a few partners on its own: Choice Privileges, JetBlue TrueBlue and Wyndham Rewards.
Who isn’t this card best for?
While the Citi Double Cash is a versatile option, it’s not the right fit for everyone. You may not benefit from this card if you fit any of the below scenarios:
You already have a 2% flat-rate cash-back card
If you already have a cash-back card that earns 2% or more on general purchases, you probably don’t need another one. Instead, look for category-specific cards that maximize rewards in one of your top spending categories, whether that’s gas, groceries, dining out, travel or something else.
You’re committed to another card issuer’s travel point system
If you’re already earning travel points in another issuer’s ecosystem -- such as Chase, American Express or Capital One -- and aren’t interested in expanding to Citi, it’ll likely be more worthwhile to stick with a card that earns points in your preferred rewards currency.
Even if the earnings rates are slightly less advantageous, you’ll typically get far more value by transferring points to travel partners instead of redeeming them for cash back.
You’re trying to pay down debt
The Citi Double Cash comes with a helpful balance transfer offer -- 0% introductory APR for 18 months, followed by a variable APR of 19.24% to 29.24% (balance transfers must be completed within four months of account opening). This is a good offer for a rewards card, but it’s far from the best out there. Other balance transfer cards offer longer introductory periods -- some up to 21 months -- with lower balance transfer fees and no rewards that could entice you into spending while you work to pay down your debt.
A closer look at the Citi Double Cash
Cash-back rewards
With the Citi Double Cash, you’ll earn a flat rate of 2% cash back on everything you buy -- 1% cash back when you make a purchase and the other 1% when you pay off your balance. Through Dec. 31, 2024, you can also earn 5% (for a limited time) cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal.
There are no spending caps or limits with the Citi Double Cash cash-back program, so it’s a solid option if you want to throw all of your purchases on one card. You can redeem the points you’ve earned as a statement credit, direct deposit or check at 1 cent per point.
You can also redeem your cash back for gift cards, travel through Citi or Shop with Points on Amazon or PayPal. Point values vary among these redemption options and your points may be worth less than 1 cent apiece, so we don’t recommend these redemption methods.
Welcome offer
While this card hasn’t always had a welcome offer, it does for now. Cardholders can earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months after account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
Many other cash-back credit cards offer the same bonus, only with a lower minimum spending requirement (even as low as $500 in purchases within three months).
Introductory APR on balance transfers
If you’re looking for a way to tackle high-interest credit card debt, the Citi Double Cash could be used as a balance transfer credit card. You can take advantage of the 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for 18 months (19.24% to 29.24% variable APR thereafter). While it’s not the longest balance transfer period on the market, it’s pretty generous.
To use this offer, you’ll have to complete the balance transfer within the first four months of opening the account. You should allow at least two weeks to make sure your balance transfers in time -- it’s better to have a little wiggle room if you experience delays than miss out on the introductory APR.
The intro balance transfer fee is 3% of the transaction amount, with a $5 minimum, which is standard for the industry. But if you transfer a balance after your first four months, that fee jumps up to 5% ($5 minimum). There are alternative cards with no balance transfer fees, but these cards typically have shorter intro APR periods.
If you do decide to use this card for a balance transfer, you’ll want to avoid making purchases until you pay off your balance. Purchases made during the balance transfer promotion will accrue interest.
Other perks
Many Citi credit cards, including the Double Cash Card, have virtual card capability, which helps you shop more securely online. You can generate a virtual account number through your online account -- this is a one-time credit card number you can use to make a purchase without giving away your real account information to help prevent card fraud.
Your Citi Double Cash Card account also allows you to link your other Citi credit cards for the convenience of managing your cards all from the same log-in.
Comparable cards
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
If you like the sound of 2% cash rewards on your purchases but don’t want to wait to pay off your balance to earn it all, the Wells Fargo Active Cash might be a better option.
The introductory APR period -- 15 months from account opening -- is shorter than the Double Cash’s, but you’ll get 0% intro APR on both purchases and qualifying balance transfers (variable APR will be 20.24%, 25.24% or 29.99% thereafter). This card could help if you’re also looking to finance a large purchase.
You’ll get a welcome bonus with the Active Cash Card: $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 in purchases within the first three months. While this bonus has the same payout as the Citi Double Cash, the minimum spending required to earn the Active Cash’s bonus is considerably lower.
The main downside is that your rewards won’t be as flexible as Citi ThankYou points.
For more details, check out our full review of the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card.
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card* offers similar benefits to the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card, with an identical welcome bonus and a lower cash-back rate.
The cash-back rate on all purchases is 1.5%, and you can earn a $200 welcome bonus when you spend $500 in the first three months after account opening.
You’ll also get a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (19.99% to 29.99% variable APR afterward; 3% balance transfer fee for the first 15 months or 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time. No fee for amounts transferred at the transfer APR).
See our full review of the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards card for more details.
- Intro Offer
-
$200 cash back Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 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
- N/A
- 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 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.; Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.
- Intro Offer
-
$200 Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro on purchases for 15 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
-
1.5% – 5% Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply; Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- 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
The bottom line
If you want to round out your wallet with a 2% cash-back card, the Citi Double Cash is one of the top choices available. Whether you go with the Double Cash or its primary competitor, the Wells Fargo Active Cash, depends on what you value more.
The Active Cash provides a broader introductory APR offer and a cash rewards welcome bonus that’s a little easier to earn. Meanwhile, the Double Cash offers a similar bonus and provides more value for your points in the long run if you plan to get (or already have) the Citi Premier and can take advantage of all of Citi’s ThankYou point travel partners.
If you need some extra incentive to pay off your bill on time (and in full) every month, the Double Cash’s unique rewards structure gives you 1% when you make the purchase and 1% when you pay it off. This structure might give you the psychological kick you need, but plugging your credit card balance into a compound interest calculator might provide much the same effect.
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 aren’t 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, clearly understand how you spend money each month. Pick the card that earns rewards for your highest expenses. Consider other features of the cards, too, such as APR, welcome offers and foreign transaction fees.
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, there are credit cards geared toward 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 Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card and the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Credit Card 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.
