Picture a hypothetical household that spends about $3,000 a month on cards: $700 on groceries, $250 on gas, $400 at restaurants, $300 on utilities and streaming, and the remaining $1,350 on everything from school supplies to car repairs. Until recently, a popular way to squeeze that budget was the Citi Custom Cash, which paid 5% on whichever eligible category was your biggest each month, up to $500 of spending, and 1% on the rest.
For this household, Custom Cash would have paid 5% on $500 of groceries ($25) and 1% on the other $2,500 ($25), for about $50 a month. A flat 2% card on the same $3,000 pays $60.
That comparison matters now because Citi stopped accepting applications for the Custom Cash on May 28, 2026. Existing cardholders keep their cards, but new applicants can’t get one, and Citi’s own page points them to the Citi Double Cash instead. So this review covers the card you can actually apply for, and whether it’s a good replacement.
In short
The Citi Double Cash pays 2% on purchases (1% when you buy, 1% when you pay), has no annual fee, no categories to track and no earning caps, and adds a long intro period on balance transfers. It’s one of the strongest everyday cards for people who want simplicity, though it charges a foreign transaction fee and has no intro APR on new purchases. JustMobs rating: 4.4/5.
How the rewards work
The structure is unusual. You earn 1% when you make a purchase and another 1% when you pay it off. Pay your bill in full each month and the result is a clean 2% on everything. If you pay only the minimum, you earn the second 1% only on what you’ve paid, and you’ll pay interest on the rest, which is a bad trade.
On top of the base rate, Citi adds an extra 3% on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through Citi Travel, for 5% total on those bookings. Most people won’t use that often, but it’s a nice extra if you book a hotel through the portal anyway.
Redeeming
Rewards are tracked as Citi ThankYou points. For cash back, 10,000 points equals $100 as a statement credit. There’s no minimum for statement credits or direct deposits to a bank account; a mailed check requires at least $5. You can also move points into the wider ThankYou program if you hold other Citi cards, which opens up travel transfer options.
Fees and rates as of 2026
| Term | Details |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 |
| Rewards | 2% on purchases (1% + 1%); 5% total on hotels, car rentals and attractions via Citi Travel |
| Intro APR on balance transfers | 0% for 18 months |
| Intro APR on purchases | None |
| Balance transfer fee | Lower intro fee for transfers made in the first months, then a higher standard fee |
| Foreign transaction fee | Yes, a percentage of each purchase |
| Network | Mastercard |
Citi’s published terms set the regular variable APR and fee percentages based on your credit, and the balance transfer terms are the kind of thing issuers adjust. Read the pricing details on the application before you transfer anything. Citi also advertises a cash bonus for new cardholders who meet a spending requirement; the amount can change.
The balance transfer angle
A long 0% window on transferred balances makes the Double Cash a two-in-one card for some people: pay down existing debt interest-free, then use it as an everyday 2% card once the debt is gone.
Two cautions. First, the balance transfer fee is charged up front, so it’s a cost even if you pay no interest. Second, transferred balances don’t earn rewards, and new purchases don’t get a 0% rate. If you charge new spending while carrying a transferred balance, those purchases can start accruing interest. If paying down debt is your main goal, compare it with the Citi Simplicity, which is built around balance transfers. The CFPB’s credit card guides explain how transfer fees and promotional rates work.
What’s not to like
- Foreign transaction fees make it a poor choice for travel abroad.
- No 0% on purchases, so it’s not the card for financing a big purchase.
- No category bonuses. A household that spends heavily on groceries may do better with a card like the Amex Blue Cash Everyday, which pays 3% at US supermarkets up to a yearly cap.
- The two-step earning confuses some people, though in practice it only matters if you carry a balance.
Double Cash vs. the card it replaces
For households whose spending is concentrated, Custom Cash could beat a flat card on the first $500 of a category. But the $500 monthly cap was tight, and anything beyond it earned 1%. For most budgets above roughly $1,500 a month in total card spending, a flat 2% matches or beats it with zero tracking. If you still have a Custom Cash, keep it, and pair it with a flat-rate card for everything outside your top category.
Against other flat-rate cards, the Double Cash’s main competition is the Apple Card, which pays 2% only when you use Apple Pay and 1% with the physical card, but has no foreign transaction fee.
Frequently asked questions
Do I lose rewards if I pay late?
You’ll owe a late fee and interest, and you only earn the second 1% when payments post. A late payment reported to the credit bureaus can also hurt your score for years. Payment history is the largest factor in FICO scores.
Can I still get the Custom Cash through a product change?
Citi’s notice covers new applications. Whether product changes to Custom Cash remain available is up to Citi; ask before you assume.
Should I redeem often or let points pile up?
For pure cash back, there’s no reward for waiting: 10,000 points is $100 whether you redeem now or next year. Redeeming as a statement credit every month or two keeps things simple and protects you if Citi ever changes its program terms.
Where it fits in your wallet
The Double Cash works best as the card you use when nothing else pays more. Pair it with a category card for groceries or dining, or a travel card without foreign transaction fees for trips abroad, and let the Double Cash catch the rest at 2%. If you only want one card and rarely leave the country, it can easily be that card by itself.
Current terms, including the bonus and balance transfer pricing, are on Citi’s Double Cash page. Offers can change at any time.
