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The Citi Double Cash® Card earns up to 2% cash back on purchases (1% when you buy, 1% when you pay), which is the highest unlimited cash back rate we've come across. Plus, the card includes a long 0% intro APR for balance transfers to help you pay off debt faster. Keep reading our Citi Double Cash® Card review to learn how it could help you save.
Great for: Cash back and balance transfers
Fair to Excellent (580-850)
Intro APR N/A
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: 0%, 18 months
Regular APR
19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
Rewards 2% cash back: 1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay
Up to 2% cash back
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer 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.
20,000 ThankYou® Points
This card combines a top-notch balance transfer offer for 18 months with best-in-class unlimited 2% cash back on purchases. There's no introductory APR for purchases, so if you use that long balance transfer offer you'll be charged interest on all new purchases until the full balance is paid off. However, once you conquer that balance transfer, this may become your go-to card thanks to the high cash back rate.
This card is a good fit for: Cardholders wanting either a standout, high-earning option for a one-card wallet, or people wanting to pay off debt faster with a long balance transfer offer.
This Citi credit card has some high-value benefits for cardholders.
Earn 20,000 ThankYou® Points -- which can be redeemed for $200 in cash -- when you spend $1,500 in the first 6 months.
The Citi Double Cash® Card has the highest potential flat rate for cash back. "Potential" is the operative word here, because you receive 1% cash back when you make a purchase, then receive the other 1% when you pay off the purchase. If you pay late, you lose the second half of your cash back. It's an interesting quirk that motivates you to pay your bill on time.
SEE MORE: Best Cash Back Credit Cards
The card has a 0%, 18 months intro APR offer on balance transfers. The go-to 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) APR applies after the intro period. There's a balance transfer fee of 3% ($5 min.) on transfers in the first four months, 5% ($5 min.) thereafter. Those fee amounts are in line with what other card issuers charge.
Even compared to other top balance transfer cards, 18 months is a long time. If you need to pay off debt, this card can help you do it more efficiently, saving you money on interest and potentially getting you out of debt sooner.
MORE OPTIONS: Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards
The Citi Double Cash® Card has a $0 annual fee. Many cash back cards have no annual fee, so this isn't a major advantage. But it's still nice for your budget when you don't have to pay anything for your credit card.
If you also have an eligible Citi travel card, such as the Citi Premier® Card or the Citi Prestige® Card, you can convert all the cash back you earn to Citi ThankYou points. You can then use those points for travel redemptions, including transfers to Citi's many travel partners.
This option makes the credit card a fantastic complement to a Citi travel rewards card. You can use the travel card for any purchases where it will earn you bonus points. For all your non-bonus spending, you can take advantage of the Citi Double Cash® Card and essentially earn 2 ThankYou points per $1 spent. It's a simple, effective way to maximize your credit card rewards.
This card also offers the flexibility of redeeming cash back rewards for statement credits, direct deposit, and even receiving a check in the mail.
LEARN MORE: A Complete Guide to Citi ThankYou Points
Citi credit cards include free access to your FICO® Score, which is a standout feature. While most credit cards offer credit score monitoring of some sort, Citi goes the extra mile to provide access to an official FICO® Score, which is what most credit lenders use to make a credit decision.
Before you apply for this Citi card, it's important to know about the drawbacks.
RELATED: Best Sign-Up Bonus Credit Cards
Although this card has an excellent balance transfer offer, it doesn't offer a 0% intro APR on purchases. If you need to pay off big purchases over time, then this isn't the card for you.
TOP OPTIONS: Best 0% APR Credit Cards
The Citi Double Cash® Card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee. While the card certainly isn't alone in charging this fee, it will increase your travel expenses if you go out of the country and don't have another card to use. Make sure to get a credit card without this type of fee if you plan to travel internationally -- travel credit cards are a good way to go.
Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.
A FICO® Score of at least 580 is recommended when applying for the Citi Double Cash® Card. While this card was originally intended for consumers with good or excellent credit, Citi has gotten more lenient with approvals. Even with fair credit, it's possible to qualify. Keep in mind that your credit score isn't the only criteria used when assessing your application.
You want your finances to be as uncomplicated as possible. With its cash back rate, the Citi Double Cash® Card is a card you can use for all your spending. It's also one of the best credit cards if you want to refinance debt, such as credit card debt.
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Citi Double Cash® Card | Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card | Citi Custom Cash® Card |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
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Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Fair to Excellent (580-850)
Fair to Excellent (580-850) |
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Fair to Excellent (580-850)
Fair to Excellent (580-850) |
Welcome Offer: 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. 20,000 ThankYou® Points |
Welcome Offer: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. $200 cash rewards |
Welcome Offer: 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. 20,000 ThankYou® Points |
Rewards Program: 2% cash back: 1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay Up to 2% cash back |
Rewards Program: Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases. 2% cash rewards |
Rewards Program: 5% cash back in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle (up to the first $500 spent), 1% cash back on other purchases. Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2025. 1% - 5% cash back |
Intro APR: N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: 0%, 18 months |
Intro APR: 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers Purchases: 0% intro APR, 15 months from account opening Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers |
Intro APR: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months |
Regular APR: 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) |
Regular APR: 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR |
Regular APR: 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) |
Annual Fee: $0 |
Annual Fee: N/A $0 |
Annual Fee: $0 |
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At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
The Citi Double Cash® Card earns 2% cash back on purchases: 1% when you make purchases and another 1% when those purchases are paid off. It's a different earning structure than most credit cards, since you need to pay your card's balance to earn the full cash back rate. If you pay late, you lose the second half of your cash back.
Credit limits for the Citi Double Cash® Card range from $500 to over $25,000. Citi determines your credit limit based on several factors, including your income, debt, and credit score.
The Citi Double Cash® Card is marketed to people with fair to excellent credit, meaning those with a credit score of at least 580.
The Citi Double Cash® Card is a Mastercard.
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We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.
The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Mastercard.