Citi, an advertising partner of The Ascent, offers a variety of high-quality credit cards. There are many Citi cards that will suit your needs, whether you want cash back, flexible travel points, or an option to avoid interest. These are our top picks for the best Citi credit card.
Citi Credit Cards: The Best
- Low interest: Citi(r) Diamond Preferred(r) Card
- Cash rewards: Citi(r) Double Cash Card - 18-month BT offer
- Customizing your cashback: Citi Custom Cash(sm) Card
- Balance transfers: Citi Simplicity(r) Card
- Citi Premier(r), Card
- Rounding up points: Citi Rewards+(r) Card
- Costco members: Costco Anywhere Visa(r), Card by Citi
- Costco members: Costco Anywhere Visa(r), Business Card by Citi
- Premium travel: Citi Prestige(r) Card
- American Airlines travel: Citi(r) / AAdvantage(r) Platinum Select(r) World Elite Mastercard(r)
Review of the top Citi credit cards
This is a list of the top Citi credit cards, so you can see which one is your favorite.
Citi(r), Diamond Preferred(r), Card
Excellent for: 0% Intro APR
Citi(r), Diamond Preferred(r), Card offers a long 0% intro APR deal, which applies to both balance transfers and purchases.
Citi(r) Double-Cash Card - 18-Month BT Offer
Great for: Cashback
Citi Double cash benefits include a rate up to 2% on purchases (1% when buying, 1% when paying your bill). Balance transfer transactions are eligible for a 0% intro APR.
Citi Custom Cash (sm) Card
Great for: Customizing your cash back
Citi Custom Cash(sm), Card features a strong rewards program, a big bonus, and a long 0% intro interest rate. This is the most flexible offer we have ever seen.
Citi Simplicity(r) Card
Excellent for: Low fees
Citi Simplicity(r), Card is free of fee. There are no annual fees, late fees, or penalty APR. You also get a 0% intro APR for purchases and balance transfers.
Citi Premier(r) Card
Great for: Travel rewards
The biggest Citi Premier(r), Card benefits are the great welcome bonus and versatile travel rewards. There is no foreign transaction fee.
Citi Rewards+ (r) Card
Great for: Extra rewards
Citi Rewards+(r), Card rounds up purchases to 10 points. This card has no annual fees and a 0% intro APR for purchases and balance transfers.
Citi Costco Anywhere Visa(r), Card
Great for: Gas rewards
The Costco Anywhere Visa(r), Card by Citi allows you to earn the best cash back rates on gas. You also get bonus rewards at Costco for dining out, traveling, and shopping at Costco.
Costco Anywhere Visa(r), Business Card by Citi
Excellent for: Business owners get bonus cash back
With the Costco Anywhere Visa(r), Business Card from Citi, business owners can get more for gas, restaurants, travel, and Costco purchase.
Citi Prestige(r) Card
Excellent for: Luxury travel perks
Citi Prestige benefits include everything frequent travelers need. This premium credit card offers big bonus points, access to airport lounges, and no foreign transaction fees. You can also enjoy a fourth night free when you book up to two hotel stays each year.
Citi(r), / AAdvantage (r) Platinum Select(r), World Elite Mastercard(r).
The best: American Airlines benefits
Citi AAdvantage Benefits include a free checked bag, preferred boarding, and the opportunity to earn a $125 American Airlines flight discount every year. You also get valuable bonus miles with this card.
Citi credit cards: Types
Citi offers many credit cards. We'll be covering the most important Citi credit cards below.
0% intro APR cards
Citi's Zero Intro APR Cards do not charge interest for an initial period. You can choose to get a purchase or balance transfer with a 0% intro APR offer. Intro 0% APR for purchases means purchases made during the intro period are free of interest. The 0% intro rate on balance transfers ensures that you don't have to pay interest on any balances you transfer, including those from other credit card accounts, during the intro period.
Citi has a strong reputation for this, with many cards offering 0% intro APR. This type of credit card is worth looking into if you are interested. You can also get a card that offers 0% intro APR for purchases and balance transfers. Citi Flex Plan is another financing option that Citi offers via its credit cards. Citi Flex Plan loans with fixed interest rates are available if your card offers this type of offer.
Cash back cards
Citi Cash Back Card rewards you with a percentage back on everyday purchases. Some cashback credit cards offer the exact same rate for purchases. The Citi(r) Double Cash Card – 18-month BT offer is one example. Other cards, like the Costco Anywhere Visa (r) Card from Citi and Citi's Business Credit Card with Costco, offer higher rates for bonus categories. Cash can be redeemed as a statement credit, or a deposit to a banking account.
Cards with low fees
Citi's low-fee cards keep credit card ownership costs to a minimum. These cards don't have an annual fee and can be used to get around fees completely. Others go one step further. Citi Simplicity(r), for example, is a card that goes one step further. It does not charge late fees and has no annual fees.
What credit score is required to get a Citi credit card?
Citi offers credit cards for all credit scores. There is no minimum credit score to get a Citi card. The Citi(r), Secured Mastercard(r), is the most accessible card option for those with a credit score below 600. It requires a security deposit because it is a secured card. Different requirements apply to other cards. The best Citi credit cards, including its rewards credit card, are for consumers with credit scores of 700 and higher.
What are Citi ThankYou Points and how do they work?
Citi ThankYou points are reward points that you can use to redeem for travel, gift certificates, purchases at select merchants, and cash back. Many Citi rewards cards can earn ThankYou points on eligible purchases. The Citi Rewards Card you have will determine which redemption options are available.
What Citi cards earn ThankYou points?
These Citi cards earn ThankYou points:
- Citi Premier(r) Card
- Citi Prestige(r) Card
- Citi Rewards+ (r) Card
- Citi Rewards+(sm) Student Card
- AT&T Access Card from Citi
Only the Citi Premier(r), Citi Prestige(r), and Citi Prestige(r), Cards allow you to transfer ThankYou Points to any Citi travel partner. All three other cards don't allow you to transfer ThankYou points. You can transfer rewards points to one Citi partner with JetBlue using the Citi Rewards+(r), or the student version. This transfer ratio is lower than that offered by the Citi Rewards+(r) Card and the student version of the card.
Which Citi credit card is right for you?
You can choose which Citi credit card is best for you based on your needs.
Start by identifying your No. 1. You need a credit card. This will help you narrow down your choices and determine which Citi credit card you should get. These are some common scenarios and the best cards for them:
- Want to get easy-to-understand rewards for your spending? Citi cashback cards are the best option. This type of reward is very valuable because everyone can use cash.
- If you travel frequently during the year, a Citi travel card is a great choice. Either choose one that is tied to American Airlines or a more general-purpose card like the Citi Premier(r), Card, or Citi Prestige(r).
- If you have large purchases that you cannot pay immediately Get a Citi card with a 0% intro APR. You will have the option to make monthly payments and pay off your purchases without interest.
- If you have credit card debt, Look into Citi's balance transfer cards. You can transfer your balances and get a 0% intro APR. These typically have a small balance transfer fee.
- Working on your credit score? The Citi(r), Secured Mastercard(r), has the most flexible approval criteria. This card is open to applicants with lower credit scores. They can use it to improve credit.