Is the Citi Custom Cash Worth It?
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Written by
Joseph Hostetler
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Edited by
Emily Gadd
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Reviewed by
Jasmin Baron
The no-annual-fee Citi Custom Cash® Card comes with a welcome bonus: Earn $200 in 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. On top of that, it earns up to 5% cash back on common purchases like restaurants and grocery stores.
Among the many valuable Citi Custom Cash benefits is a feature that automatically awards 5% cash back on up to $500 per billing cycle (then 1%) in the eligible category where you spend the most. This perk is handy enough to have the Custom Cash Card rank as one of the best cash-back credit cards.
So is the Citi Custom Cash worth it? Here’s what you need to consider.
Quick Verdict
The Citi Custom Cash Card is one of the most unique and intriguing cash-back credit cards ever stamped by an embossing machine. It’s got no annual fee, and it even provides a generous intro APR offer.
Among the best Citi Custom Cash Card perks is its 5% cash back for everyday spending categories. It even takes extra steps to ensure that you get as big a return as possible. Read below to see what we mean.
Citi Custom Cash: At a Glance
- Annual fee: $0
- Welcome offer: Earn $200 in 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.
- Rewards structure: 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. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Plus, earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked with Citi Travel®.
- Intro APR offer: 0% intro APR for 15 months on Purchases and Balance Transfers, then 17.99% - 27.99% (Variable) APR
- Estimated value: At least $300 per year if you maximize the 5% cash back by spending $500 in a single eligible category each billing cycle
Who Should Consider Citi Custom Cash?
If you don’t like the effort involved in memorizing bonus categories and keeping track of which credit card to use at which store, the Citi Custom Cash Card is ideal. It monitors your spending, identifies which eligible bonus category you’ve spent the most in each month and automatically awards you a 5% bonus for it (for up to $500 in monthly spending, then 1%).
In other words, it exerts the brainpower for you. It’s the AI of credit cards. No manual enrollment, just swipe as you normally would and get the maximum return each month.
Additionally, the Custom Cash Card is great for those who hold Citi travel credit cards like the Citi Strata Premier® Card or the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (both advertising partners). That’s because these cards allow you to unlock greater potential in your rewards (we’ll explain in a minute).
Who Should Skip Citi Custom Cash?
Here’s the thing — no matter your financial goals or your rewards strategy, the Citi Custom Cash Card is an excellent complement to it. The ability to earn an easy 5% back for purchases you plan to make anyway is a win.
That said, the card isn’t good for international travel. You’ll pay a 3% foreign transaction fee, which can add up quickly depending on your spending habits during your trip.
You may also not value the card as much if you don’t spend close to $500 per month in a single eligible category. If, for example, you spend $3,000 across various categories each month, you may be better off opening a flat-rate card like the Citi Double Cash® Card, an advertising partner, which earns 1% when you make a purchase and 1% when you pay off that purchase (effectively a 2% cash-back card).
How To Maximize Citi Custom Cash’s Value
Spend $500 per Month in an Eligible Bonus Category
With the Citi Custom Cash Card, you can earn 5% back on up to $500 in your top eligible spending category each month (after you hit that threshold, you’ll earn 1%). Spend less than that, and you’re leaving money on the table. Eligible categories are:
- Restaurants
- Gas stations
- Grocery stores
- Select travel
- Select transit
- Select streaming services
- Drugstores
- Home improvement stores
- Fitness clubs
- Live entertainment
Of course, you certainly shouldn’t spend extra money just to max out a monthly 5% category — but spending $500 per month at the grocery store is, unfortunately, not challenging these days.
Escape High-Interest Debt With 0% Intro APR Offer
The Citi Custom Cash Card comes with a 0% intro APR for 15 months on Purchases and Balance Transfers, then 17.99% - 27.99% (Variable) APR. This is a competitive interest-free window that can be a boon for anyone with credit card balances — or other high-interest loans — that they can’t pay off in the near future. You may save many hundreds of dollars, depending on how much you owe.
Convert “Cash Back” Into Travel Rewards
The Citi Custom Cash Card doesn’t actually earn cash back — it earns Citi ThankYou® points, which you can redeem for cash back at a rate of 1 cent per point. In other words, the card technically earns 5 Citi ThankYou points per dollar for your top eligible spending category each month, up to spending limits.
That matters because you can redeem Citi ThankYou points in other ways, too, including converting your rewards into airline miles and hotel points with Citi’s transfer partners, such as American Airlines, JetBlue, Wyndham and Choice Hotels. With some strategy, this can deliver a value higher than 1 cent per point — making it a more valuable redemption option than cash back.
Even better, you can combine your rewards with those earned from Citi travel credit cards like the Citi Strata Elite or the Citi Strata Premier Card to gain access to improved partner transfer ratios.
Citi ThankYou points are one of my favorite rewards currencies. I’ve used them to book countless flights for pennies on the dollar, most recently three business class seats on Air France between Paris (CDG) and New York (JFK). The flight cost 182,000 Flying Blue points — but would have cost more than $13,000 in cash.
Final Verdict on the Citi Custom Cash
Because the Citi Custom Cash Card has no annual fee, it’s a low-stakes way to enter the world of credit card rewards. It earns points in a uniquely effortless way, and it even gives you the option to transfer your points to airline and hotel programs for (nearly) free travel.
Throw in the fact that the card comes with a strong welcome bonus and a solid intro APR offer, and the card can shimmy itself a spot into just about anyone’s wallet.
The information related to Citi Custom Cash® Card was collected by CardCritics™ and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. CardCritics™ does not receive a commission for these products.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Citi Custom Cash
What credit score do you need for the Citi Custom Cash Card?
You should apply for the Citi Custom Cash Card with at least a good credit score (670+ on FICO’s scale) to give yourself the best chance at approval. Citi will consider other factors, including your overall financial picture, when evaluating your application.
What are the eligible 5% cash back categories for the Citi Custom Cash Card?
Eligible 5% cash back categories for the Citi Custom Cash Card include restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs and live entertainment.
Does the Citi Custom Cash Card charge foreign transaction fees?
Yes, the Citi Custom Cash Card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee. If you have plans to travel abroad or make frequent international purchases, consider one of the best cards with no foreign transaction fees instead.
