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The best Citibank credit cards come packed with extra features. From generous cash back rewards to lengthy balance transfer offers, there’s something for nearly every type of card user. Here are the best credit cards that Citibank offers and how to pick the best one to add to your financial toolbox.
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BEST FOR CUSTOMIZABLE REWARDS
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
Reward rate
5
5% cash back on your first $2,000 in eligible net purchases each quarter on the combined two categories you choose.
3
5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Travel Center.
-1
1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
1
1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
Intro offer
$200 bonus
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
16.74% - 26.74% (Variable)
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card is packed full of bonus rewards categories. It will take more than a little effort to track them all, but people who don’t mind strategizing to earn high rewards for all their purchases will enjoy having this card in their collection.
Pros
- Multiple rotating and fixed bonus categories, which can make it easier to earn rewards quickly
- The $200 sign-up bonus (after spending $1,000 within the first 120 days of account opening) increases the card’s first-year value
Cons
- The $2,000 combined spending cap each quarter for your chosen 5% categories limits your ability to rake in rewards
- Having to track and enroll in rotating categories can be a hassle for some
- New! $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening.
- 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories you choose
- 5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Travel Center
- 2% cash back on one everyday category, like Gas Stations/EV Charging Stations, Grocery Stores or Restaurants
- 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
- 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles. After that, a variable APR currently 16.74% – 26.74%
- No Annual Fee
- Pay over time by splitting eligible purchases of $100+ into equal monthly payments with U.S. Bank ExtendPay™ Plan.
- Terms and conditions apply.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Purchase intro APR
0% Intro APR on purchases for the first 15 billing cycles.
Balance transfer intro APR
0% Intro APR on balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles.
BEST FOR PERSONAL LOAN ALTERNATIVE
Upgrade Cash Rewards Elite Visa®
Reward rate
2.2
Earn 2.2% unlimited cash back on card purchases every time you make a payment
Intro offer
$200
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
8.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
If you value having an incentive for making your credit card payments, you will find a lot to love with this card option. You’ll earn a competitive rate of 2.2 percent cash back on your purchases each time you make a payment. The card is also fairly affordable, skipping the annual fee, foreign transaction fees and many other common maintenance fees.
Pros
- You won’t need to use your reward earnings to offset any maintenance fees.
- You’ll earn a bonus after you open a Rewards Checking account and make three purchases with the card in your first 60 days.
Cons
- The high end APR range is well above average. That could prove costly if you don’t have the credit needed to qualify for the lower range and you end up carrying a balance.
- You won’t get a break on interest if you carry a balance since there are no intro APR offers on purchases or balance transfers.
- $200 bonus on your Upgrade Card after opening a Rewards Checking account and making 3 debit card transactions within 60 days.*
- New Feature: Pay your balance in full early each month and avoid interest with EarlyPay.
- Earn 2.2% unlimited cash back on card purchases every time you make a payment
- See if you qualify in seconds with no impact to your credit score
- No Fees – $0 annual fees, $0 activation fees, $0 maintenance fees
- Combine the flexibility of a card with the low cost and predictability of a loan
- Access to a virtual card, so you can start earning while you wait for your card to arrive in the mail.
- Contactless payments with Apple Pay® and Google Pay™
- Mobile app to access your account anytime, anywhere
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud liability
- *To qualify for the $200 welcome bonus, you must open and fund a new Upgrade Rewards Checking Account and make 3 debit card transactions within 60 days of your Upgrade Card account opening. The bonus credit will be posted to your Upgrade Card as a rewards credit within 1-2 billing periods following the third debit transaction on your Rewards Checking account. Your Upgrade Card must be in good standing to receive the bonus.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Purchase intro APR
N/A
Balance transfer intro APR
N/A
BEST FOR GAS
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
Reward rate
3
3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.
1
New! 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
-1
1% Cash Back on other purchases.
1
1% Cash Back on other purchases.
Intro offer
$200
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
16.24%-27.24% Variable
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
This card’s terrific mix of practical bonus categories make it a smart standalone option for earning rewards on everyday spending. Along with its impressive cash back rate at U.S. gas stations and U.S. supermarkets, it carries a top-tier rate on U.S. online retail purchases, a hard-to-find bonus category that gives the card an extra layer of versatility.
Pros
- It carries one of the best combined cash back rates available at no annual fee at U.S. gas stations and U.S. supermarkets. Those two categories make up a big chunk of the average person’s budget.
- You can earn $7 back per month on The Disney Bundle streaming package, which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ (each month you spend $13.99 or more on an eligible subscription, terms apply). To earn that much back in a month via the card’s 3 percent categories, you’d typically need to spend over $230.
Cons
- You’ll only earn 3 percent cash back on your first $6,000 in annual spending in each of the card’s bonus categories (then 1 percent). While that’s a high limit, it could hold you back if you’re sharing an account across multiple households.
- The card carries a 2.7 percent foreign transaction fee, so it’s not a good option if you’re looking for a single rewards card you can use at home and abroad.
- Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- No Annual Fee.
- Balance Transfer is back! Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. After that, 16.24% to 27.24% variable APR.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.
- New! 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
- Get $7 back each month after using your Blue Cash Everyday® Card to spend $13.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription to The Disney Bundle, which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. Enrollment required.
- Terms Apply.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Purchase intro APR
0% on purchases for 15 months
Balance transfer intro APR
0% on balance transfers for 15 months
BEST FOR GROCERIES
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Reward rate
6
6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
1
6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
3
3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations
0
3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations
1
1% Cash Back on other purchases
Intro offer
$350
Annual fee
$95
Regular APR
16.24%-26.24% Variable
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
With generous rewards rates in family-friendly categories including purchases at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations, on-the-go families will have a hard time finding a more rewarding credit card.
Pros
- The base reward program is uber-lucrative, making this card a good choice for people looking for long-term value.
- You don’t have to keep track of rotating spending categories or enrollment deadlines.
Cons
- There is no intro APR offer on balance transfers.
- You won’t earn the extra rewards for grocery shopping at major superstores and wholesale clubs, as those don’t count as U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months after account opening. Plans created after that will have a fixed monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
- Low intro APR: 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 16.24% to 26.24%.
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
- $95 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Purchase intro APR
0% on purchases for 12 months
Balance transfer intro APR
N/A
BEST FOR ROTATING CASH BACK CATEGORIES
Discover it® Cash Back
Reward rate
5
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate.
1
Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
Intro offer
Cashback Match™
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
13.49% - 24.49% Variable
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
The Discover it Cash Back is a popular choice for cash back rewards because of the rotating bonus categories. It’s an exciting way to earn cash back quarter by quarter and all year-round without committing to a set rewards category.
Pros
- Discover will match the cash back you earn at the end of the first year.
- There are a few cash back redemption options, including credit to your account and donations.
Cons
- You must enroll to take advantage of the bonus categories each quarter.
- There is a spending limit on your highest cash back category each quarter ($1,500 in combined purchases per quarter).
- Intro Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
- New! Discover helps remove your personal information from select people-search websites. Activate by mobile app for free.
- Every $1 you earn in cash back is $1 you can redeem.
- New Intro APR: Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 13.49% to 24.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- No annual fee.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Purchase intro APR
0% for 15 months
Balance transfer intro APR
0% for 15 months
BEST FOR UP TO 2% CASH BACK
Citi® Double Cash Card
Reward rate
2
Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
Intro offer
$200 Cash Back
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
16.24% - 26.24% (Variable)
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
If you make your payments on time each month, it’ll be tough to find a better cash back card than the Citi Double Cash Card. With healthy financial habits, this card effectively becomes a 2 percent flat-rate cash back card (1 percent when you make purchases and another 1 percent when you pay your bill), a rare find in the cash back market.
Pros
- You can convert your cash back earnings to Citi ThankYou points when paired with a card like the Citi Premier® Card, which can be redeemed for travel, gift cards and more.
- There are no spending category restrictions or rotating categories
Cons
- Your rewards can expire with this card if you don’t use it for a year.
- The sign-up bonus spending requirement is higher than you’ll find on many no-annual-fee cash back cards.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
- For a limited time, earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 16.24% – 26.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Purchase intro APR
N/A
Balance transfer intro APR
0% intro for 18 months on Balance Transfers
A closer look at our top Citibank credit cards
Citi Custom Cash Card: Best for automatic bonus category
- What we love about the Citi Custom Cash Card: Earning a high level of cash back is a relatively easy feat with this card since it automatically adjusts to your highest eligible spend category per billing cycle and awards you 5 percent back on up to $500 (then 1 percent). For example, if you spend the most on groceries, you can earn at least $25 back.
- Who this card is good for: If you’re seeking a lucrative cash back card with a simple rewards structure, this is the card for you.
- Alternatives: The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers a solid alternative for consumers who love almost everything about the Citi Custom Cash, but want a simpler welcome bonus. Freedom Flex cardholders also get a $200 bonus, but it comes in the form of a statement credit, unlike the Custom Cash, with which you’d have to redeem ThankYou points. The Freedom Flex is also a bit easier to obtain because the spending requirement is only $500 within the first three months of account opening, whereas the Custom Cash requirement is $750 within the first three months of account opening
Citi Double Cash Card: Best for overall Citi cash back card
- What we love about the Citi Double Cash Card: This card provides cardholders with a solid cash back rate and impressive security perks. The Citi lost wallet service ensures that a card that is lost or stolen will be replaced within 24 hours. Citi will also provide you with emergency cash should you need it in the meantime.
- Who this card is good for: The Citi Double Cash is best for simple cash back seekers who always pay off their balances. This card doesn’t come equipped with many perks, but it will give cardholders the chance to earn pretty solid rewards.
- Alternatives: the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a good second choice. Cardholders will get a $200 cash reward after spending $1,000 within the first three months of account opening.
Citi Diamond Preferred Card: Best balance transfer card
- What we love about the Citi Diamond Preferred Card: This card touts a long APR period for both purchases and balance transfers. It can be valuable for anyone looking to make a large purchase or pay down debt.
- Who this card is good for: Anyone who wants to save on interest payments. With the long introductory APR period, cardholders can carry a balance for 21 months without being charged any interest (then 15.99 percent to 25.99 percent variable thereafter).
- Alternatives: If you were considering the Citi Diamond Preferred card to complete a balance transfer then the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card might be a good alternative. The reflect also skips the annual fee, and provides cardholders with a long balance transfer period 18 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers (up to 21 months with on-time minimum payments during the intro period). The Reflect, however, follows up the introductory balance transfer period with a slightly lower APR (15.24 percent to 27.24 percent variable APR).
Citi Rewards+ Card: Best for pairing with other Citi credit cards
- What we love about the Citi Rewards+ Card: Cardholders will get standard rewards card features plus, rewards are rounded up to the nearest 10 points on purchases.
- Who this card is good for: Someone with another Citi card looking to make the most of their rewards. For example, a traveler will likely want to pair this card with a card like the Citi Premier® Card to maximize its rewards.
- Alternatives: The Citi Premier Card also works as a good alternative to the Citi Rewards+ Card. You’ll get a wider variety of rewards categories, and it’s particularly lucrative for frequent travelers and foodies.
Citi Premier Card: Best for travel rewards on everyday purchases
- What we love about the Citi Premier Card: The bonus categories reward major spending categories—supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and dinings—at the same rate of 3X points, a rare feature in a rewards credit card.
- Who this card is good for: Travelers who want to earn on everyday spending at the same rate they earn on air travel and hotel purchases
- Alternatives: If the bulk of your spending falls outside of traditional categories and you still want to earn, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a solid alternative. Capital One Venture Rewards cardholders will earn 5X miles on rental cars and hotels booked through Capital One Travel and 2X miles on everything else.
Citi Secured Mastercard: Best for building credit
- What we love about the Citi Secured Mastercard: You’ll get the standard credit-building tools, plus a higher-than-average credit limit compared to other secured credit cards.
- Who this card is good for: People working on their credit. This is an easily accessible card meant to help people with lower scores build up their credit.
- Alternatives: It’s rare that a secured credit card earns substantial rewards, but if you were hoping to find one that does, consider the Discover it® Secured Credit Card. Discover it Secured cardholders will earn 2 percent cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, then 1 percent. Plus, it earns unlimited 1 percent cash back on all other purchases.
Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard: Best for frequent American Airline Flyers
- What we love about the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard: For occasional travelers, this middle-of-the-road card offers solid perks and a respectable welcome bonus. Get 50,000 miles when you spend $2,500 within the first three months of account opening. Plus, with the MileSAAver discount, you’ll receive up to a 7,500-mile, round-trip discount for flights over 500 miles.
- Who this card is good for: Occasional travelers who prefer to fly American Airlines. Though this card has less substantial rewards than other similar cards, its low annual fee of $99 (waived for the first 12 months) and hefty welcome bonus make it a great pick for people who only fly occasionally and want to earn rewards for their travel purchases.
- Alternatives: For more serious travelers who want to get more from their American Airlines credit card—like lounge access around the world and a $100 application fee for Global TSA Precheck—the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is an excellent choice.
What is Citi?
Since launching its first credit card in 1967, when it was called First National City Bank, Citi has become a global bank specializing in investments, mortgages and credit cards. It’s also the largest credit card issuer in the world, with more than 138 million accounts.
Creditcard's Insight
You can use multiple Citi credit cards to maximize your ThankYou Points earning potential. Read our full guide on the Citi trifecta and how to use it.
Types of Citi credit cards
Citi carries many different types of credit cards that can satisfy a variety of diverse needs. In addition to popular rewards cards for consumers, Citi issues numerous other types of cards, including business credit cards, balance transfer cards and even a secured credit card. Depending on your credit score and the features that matter most to you, Citi may have just what you’re looking for. Here’s a look at the main types of Citi cards.
Cash back
Citi cash back credit cards charge no annual fee and are geared toward people looking for less hassle in how they earn cash rewards on their purchases. The Citi Double Cash Card and the Citi Custom Cash Card are two of the issuer’s most popular cash back credit cards and both feature prominently in Credit Card list of the best cash back cards.
Travel rewards
Citi’s most popular travel rewards credit card is the Citi Premier Card. This mid-level travel card gives you a chance to rack up a lot of rewards thanks to its wide range of bonus categories, including many everyday expenses. Though it still services customers who already own the Citi Prestige card, the issuer stopped offering this top-of-the-line luxury card in the summer of 2021.
No annual fee
If you’re looking to take advantage of a low-cost credit card that offers rewards and perks, Citi offers a number of no-annual-fee credit cards. Whether you’re looking to earn rewards or transfer and pay off existing debt, Citi has plenty of options that won’t come with the burden of a yearly fee being added on.
Intro APR offers
Most Citi credit cards with 0% intro APR offers let you make payments on purchases and balance transfers for a limited time without worrying about interest charges. Some of these cards, like the Citi Diamond Preferred card, offer longer intro offers for balance transfers than they do for new purchases. Of all the Citi cards that offer an intro APR offer, the Citi Double Cash Card is the only one that covers balance transfers but doesn’t offer one for purchases.
Co-branded credit cards
Co-branded credit cards are a partnership between a credit card issuer and a merchant. Citi partners on rewards cards with big-name brands like American Airlines and its AAdvantage rewards program as well as the warehouse giant Costco.
Who should get a Citibank credit card?
Citibank offers a robust lineup of credit cards. Here are some types of consumers who can benefit the most from owning a Citibank credit card.
If you already bank with Citi, accessing your credit card information will be simple as you can just sign into the app you use to access your bank account. You can boost your rewards earning potential when you pair a Citi card with a qualified Citi checking account.
Cash back cards are great for helping you earn rewards on everyday and special purchases. Citi offers a strong suite of cash back cards that meet a variety of needs. If you’re not great with keeping track of bonus categories, the Citi Custom Cash card rewards you automatically in your highest eligible spend category. The Citi Double Cash card allows you to redeem your points easily as a statement credit.Citi Simplicity and Citi Diamond Preferred cardholders can also see some serious savings when they shop for event tickets, and certain products and services using Citi Easy Deals and Citi Entertainment.
Most Citi cards require good-to-excellent credit. The Citi Secured Mastercard, however, is a solid option for those looking to boost their credit scores or build credit history. It doesn’t offer much in the way of perks or rewards, but you’ll skip the annual fee and the $200 deposit is less than similar competitor cards deposits.
Still unsure if a Citi credit card is right for you? Check out our Credit Card Spender Type Tool where you can get personalized credit card recommendations based on your credit score, spending habits and daily needs.
How to choose a Citi credit card
Prior to applying for a credit card from any issuer, it’s essential to consider your spending habits, your current financial situation and what you’re interested in getting out of the card. The questions below should help narrow down your options in choosing a Citi card:
Are you primarily interested in getting a temporary break from APR on purchases or balance transfers? If yes, focus on Citi cards with introductory 0 percent APR offers designed to help you temporarily avoid the cost of interest.
You’ll need to find a rewards card that matches up with categories where you spend the most, but it’s equally important to consider the amount of spending your budget allows for. Be sure that the rewards you’re capable of earning outweigh any annual fees.
Some Citi cards have travel-related perks like free checked bags on select flights. Travelers will benefit from these features, but people who don’t travel frequently should look to other Citi options.
If you’re a frequent flyer with an allegiance to American Airlines, or a shopper with a Costco membership, Citi’s co-branded cards could have plenty to offer you. The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi offers cardholders cash back on gas, restaurant, travel purchases and purchases from Costco and Costco.com. Additionally, casual travelers and travel hackers alike can find value from one of Citi’s AAdvantage credit cards. Cardholders can earn points for flights and get several benefits—like free checked bags and discounted in-air purchases—to make traveling with American Airlines more enjoyable.
What are Citi ThankYou Points?
The ThankYou rewards program is similar to most credit card loyalty programs, allowing cardholders to earn ThankYou Points by making eligible purchases. Cardholders can redeem points for travel, gift cards, statement credits and more.
Here are some notable ThankYou Points features available with certain Citi credit cards:
- With the Citi Rewards+ Card every purchase is rounded up to the nearest 10 points. This feature makes a $6 coffee worth 10 points rather than six.
- The Citi Premier Card earns 3 points per dollar spent at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels and earns 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
For more information, see our Citi ThankYou Points guide.
How to redeem Citi rewards points
You can redeem Citi ThankYou points for a variety of things, including gift cards, merchandise and other non-travel related purchases, but the bulk of the value is housed in transferring points to a Citi ThankYou rewards transfer partner.
Bear in mind that there are two types of points earned with Citi credit cards: basic Citi ThankYou points and “full-fledged” Citi ThankYou points. The main difference between the two is that you cannot transfer basic ThankYou points to travel partners, while you can with full-fledged points. You can, however, still redeem basic points for travel through Citi.
Bear in mind that there are two types of points earned with Citi credit cards: basic Citi ThankYou points and “full-fledged” Citi ThankYou points. The main difference between the two is that you cannot transfer basic ThankYou points to travel partners, while you can with full-fledged points. You can, however, still redeem basic points for travel through Citi.
Creditcard's Insight
Citibank serves approximately 200 million customers in 160 nations worldwide, making it one of the largest financial institutions in the world.
Citi Quick Lock
With Citi Quick Lock you can block new purchases and cash advances—while your recurring transactions continue without being disrupted. If your card is ever lost, you can protect your account without having to cancel and get a new card number. If you find your card, you can unlock it by signing on to your Citi app or Citi online.
Citi Concierge
Citi is helping cardholders travel with ease with Citi Concierge. Cardholders have access to professionals who will help you find everything you need to make your travel experience enjoyable. They’ll help you find everything from restaurants—for dining in or ordering out—to grocery stores and pharmacies.
Virtual Account numbers
For consumers, virtual account numbers provide more privacy and protect cardholders against fraud and theft. Citi is one of the two major U.S. credit card issuers that provide cardholders with a virtual account number to use when making online purchases.
How we choose the best credit cards from Citi
Credit Card personal finance experts have evaluated the top Citi cards according to our 5-star rating system. Our list of criteria for rating credit cards includes:
Rewards
Whether the card offers cash back, travel points/miles or multi-purpose rewards for eligible purchases and the potential returns based on rewards rate (1 percent cash back per $1 spent, 1 mile per $1 spent, and so on).
Perks and benefits
Whether the card offers extras such as retail discounts, extended warranties on purchases, travel insurance and financial management tools.
Annual fee
Whether the card charges an annual fee and if so, how much the card’s overall value and benefits might offset the fee.
Introductory offers
Whether the card has a sign-up bonus, welcome offer or similar sign-up incentive and how much it adds to the card’s overall value.
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Frequently asked questions about Citi credit cards
You can contact Citibank through several channels, but Citi recommends logging in to Citi Online or using the Citi Mobile® App. You can also connect via:
Phone: Call the number on the back of your card or call 1-800-950-5114 (General Customer Support & Services). Appointment: Book an appointment to visit your closest Citi location. Mail: If for any reason written mail would be your preferred communication, this is Citi’s general correspondence mailbox: Citibank Customer Service, P.O. Box 6500 Sioux Falls, SD 57117
Phone: Call the number on the back of your card or call 1-800-950-5114 (General Customer Support & Services). Appointment: Book an appointment to visit your closest Citi location. Mail: If for any reason written mail would be your preferred communication, this is Citi’s general correspondence mailbox: Citibank Customer Service, P.O. Box 6500 Sioux Falls, SD 57117
The short answer is yes, but it comes with certain conditions. According to The Points Guy, Citi is more likely to limit the amount of credit you have across all your Citi cards rather than limiting how many cards you can have. However, Citi also has rules for how frequently you can apply: only one application for either a personal or business card, every eight days.
In many cases, yes. Citi cards are accepted by merchants in more than 200 countries, thanks to Citi’s use of the Visa and Mastercard payment networks. However, you could be charged a foreign transaction fee for each purchase you make abroad or from a foreign merchant, depending on your card.
Probably not. The closest candidate would be the Citi Secured Mastercard, but it’s marketed in the “no credit history” category. The recommended credit scores for other Citi credit cards range from good to excellent. If your FICO Score is between 300 and 579, you should try comparing credit cards for bad credit.
After your account has been open for six months, Citi will usually start reviewing your account on a regular basis. It’s possible that Citi will increase your credit limit automatically if you’ve demonstrated good credit habits, such as regularly paying your full balance on time, but you can also take the direct approach by contacting Citi to request an increase.
In most cases, you’ll need a credit score in the good to excellent range. You should check your credit score and compare it with recommended score ranges to give yourself an idea of the credit cards you have the best chance to qualify for. Consumers with FICO Scores of 740 and above (excellent credit) will have the best chance at qualifying for Citi’s most valuable credit cards.
The Citi credit cards you qualify for will depend on your credit score and overall credit profile. If you’re still working to build your credit, the Citi Secured Mastercard is an excellent choice. There is no minimum credit score requirement for the card and you can obtain the card for a deposit as low as $200.