Citi Custom Cash Credit Card

$200 cashback and no annual fee, as well as other rewards with Citi Custom Cash credit card.

If there’s something we love in our credit cards it’s cashback rewards programs. Thankfully, Citi Custom Cash has it, as well as a killing intro offer and other benefits for every type or buyer. One common problem with rewards cards tends to be their high annual fee, which doesn’t affect Citi Custom Cash either. 

This is an annual fee-free credit card with a lot more than meets the eye. Another important thing you’ll want to know: most types of purchases are part of the rewards program. This means that Citi Custom Cash is your perfect companion for everyday use. 

Now all you have to do is find out everything about APRs and fees, as well as eligibility criteria for this credit card. We also describe how the intro offer and rewards programs work, so keep reading to decide if this is indeed the credit card for you. 

How does Citi Custom Cash work? 

For starters, the Citi Custom Cash is one of the rare examples of 5% cashback for your purchases. You can earn up to 5% as long as you shop in eligible categories, of which there are plenty to choose from. So you get rewards without having to pay an annual fee, sounds good enough for you? It gets better since there’s also an intro APR offer.

The credit card also tries to make your life simpler through its automated rewards. You won’t have to worry about activating reward categories, the Citi Custom Cash card will do it for you. Your only job here is to purchase as much as you want and redeem rewards after every billing cycle. 

On the down side, there isn’t much more to this credit card. If you’re looking for advantages for travel, for example, you’ll need another card that focuses on this type of purchase. There are even other Citi cards choices that could be more interesting for you. 

Perhaps you’ll actually enjoy this lack of other details and perks. After all, it is a simple rewards card that doesn’t ask much of its user. As long as you keep using it, you’re sure to get some points at the end of the month. 

Understand the cashback for Citi Custom Cash

Everything with Citi Custom Cash is pretty straightforward. There are 10 day to day spending categories that include: 

• Entertainment; 
• Groceries; 
• Select travel;
• Select transit;
• Gas stations;
• Drugstores;
• Home improvement stores;
• Streaming services;
• Fitness clubs;
• Restaurants.

The credit card automatically selects your top spending category and you start collecting cashback points. This top eligible category collects 5% cashback, but there’s a $500 spending limit for these rewards. 

You’ll also collect points on the other categories and purchases above $500. In this case, the available offer is 1% in rewards and this applies for every billing cycle. 

Another advantage for this card is that your top billing category gets an update every billing cycle. So if you spent a lot on restaurants one month and started using the home improvement category the other, you won’t have to worry. Your credit card will update and you’ll get points at whatever it is you’re spending more on. 

Main benefits for this credit card

The cashback program isn’t everything there is to this credit card. Find out more of the benefits below: 

• No annual fee;
• 5% cashback on your top spending category;
• 1% cashback on all eligible purchases;
• $200 cashback sign-up bonus; 
• 0% APR intro bonus; 
• Low interest after intro bonus offer, 14,24% to 24,24%;
• Access to Citi Entertainment; 
• Contactless payment for this credit card; 
• Free FICO score check. 

Certainly, not everything is perfect with this card. You’ll find out some of the cons below. 

Cons for Citi Custom Cash

The main problem with Citi Custom Cash is its low cap on rewards. Since you can earn 5% cashback on up to $500 spending, you’ll probably max out quite fast. After that, all you get is a 1% reward, which is quite low when compared with other Citi rewards cards. 

Initially, you won’t even notice this problem since there’s a bonus intro offer. By spending at least $750 on your first billing cycle, you’ll get a $200 cashback bonus to spend as you see fit or even get as a check. So a good option is to use this credit card along with other options to get as many benefits as possible.

Is there a sign up bonus? 

Yes, and it’s a great one at that. After spending R$750 on purchases in the first 3 months with Citi Custom Cash you’ll get $200 cashback in the form of 20.000 points. If you’re running away from interest rates on other credit cards, this offer is also great. 

You’ll get 0% interest rates for both purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. This means it’s your chance to start paying off those balances before they end up costing much more. 

Rates and fees for Citi Custom Cash

There isn’t an annual fee to worry about, but you must be aware of other rates and fees you’ll have to pay. Find out more below: 

• 14,24% to 24,24% APR after the first 15 months;
• 3% foreign transaction fee;
• 5% or $5 balance transfer after the intro period. 

Since there’s a lengthy intro period you probably won’t have to think about fees for quite some time. Enjoy this time to pay off your balance before you’re hit with possibly high variable interests and balance transfer fees. 

How to apply for the credit card

Here comes the main problem with Citi Custom Cash: it’s only available for people with good to excellent credit scores. Other than that, you’ll just have to apply using Citi’s official website. If you already have a Citi Custom Cash credit card you won’t be able to apply for this product again for at least 48 months. However, other Citi products won’t be a problem. Actually, we even recommend you combine other cards to make the best out of this one. 

You can apply quickly through Citi’s official website.