

$0 Annual Fee
Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of your account opening.
All information about the Citi Double Cash® Card has been collected independently by Daily Drop.
Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of your account opening.
All information about the Citi Double Cash® Card has been collected independently by Daily Drop.
The Citi® Double Cash Card is a cash-back credit card known for its simple yet effective rewards structure. Cardholders can earn cash-back twice—once when making purchases and again when they pay off those purchases. This makes it a valuable choice for those who prefer uncomplicated and rewarding cash-back programs. There are no category restrictions or caps on how much you can earn.
Plus, you do have the option to use these rewards as Citi ThankYou® points when you redeem for travel through the Citi Travel Portal. You can also transfer them to a limited number of Citi's partners: JetBlue TrueBlue, Wyndham Rewards, and Choice Privileges. If you also hold the Citi Premier® Card, you can actually combine these points and unlock access to Citi's entire library of transfer partners for increased value!
[.redeem] 5% [.redeem] total cash back on select travel bookings through the Citi TravelSM portal (earn an additional 3% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel®. This is on top of the 1% when you buy and the 1% as you pay.)
[.redeem] 2% [.redeem] cash back on purchases (1% when you buy and 1% as you pay)
Annual Fee: $150
🏆 Best for $0 Annual Fee and Intro APR
Annual Fee: $0
Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of your account opening.
All information about the Citi Double Cash® Card has been collected independently by Daily Drop.
At Daily Drop, our mission is simple: to help you explore the world affordably and experience life-changing travel by maximizing miles and points. Our team of travel and credit card experts is here to help you make decisions about which cards belong in your wallet. Based on your travel goals, we offer unbiased advice to help you make the best choices. Keep in mind that our suggestions require responsible credit card use.
Here at Daily Drop, we score credit cards using a proprietary formula based on dozens of metrics across six key categories: annual fee, welcome offer, rewards rates, redemption value, benefits & perks, and travel protections. Higher scores indicate better overall value.
We net the annual fee against statement credits you'll likely use and focus on a welcome offer’s true return on spending (ROI) rather than just the headline number. We value rewards by their actual worth in cents per point, which is why flexible, transferable points typically score highest. APR is not a standalone scoring category because we recommend paying in full to maximize points and miles, but an intro 0% APR counts as a perk.
Our reviews are editorial and experience-driven. Our team has earned and redeemed millions of miles and points and tested these cards around the world. After all, we would not be Daily Drop if we were not practicing what we preach.
Read our full methodology for more information.
The Citi Double Cash® Card is what I'd hand someone who tells me they don't want a hobby, they want a rebate.
There's no category calendar to memorize, no quarterly activation, no earning cap. You get 1% when you buy and another 1% when you pay it off, which comes out to 2% on everything when you clear your statement each month. I spent fifteen years working in credit card risk, and a rewards structure built around paying your bill is not an accident; it's a well-designed nudge. It also means the math collapses if you carry a balance, since the interest will eat the 2% and keep going.
Here's the part that you need to know as a Daily Drop reader: this is not a travel card. It charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, which cancels your rewards the moment you land somewhere else. Use it at home; use something else abroad.
And on its own, it's a cash-back card wearing a points costume. Rewards post as Citi ThankYou® Points worth 1 cent each toward cash. You can move them to Citi's travel partners, but from a no-annual-fee card most of those transfers run at a reduced ratio, so you'd usually be trading a guaranteed penny for less than a penny. That calculus changes if you also hold a premium Citi card. Otherwise, take the cash and don't overthink it.
[.pro]A flat 2% on every purchase with no categories to track and no spending caps[.pro]
[.pro]$0 annual fee, so the rewards are pure upside [.pro]
[.pro]Six months to hit the welcome bonus spend, which is more generous than the three months most competitors give you [.pro]
[.pro]Rewards are ThankYou® Points, so they can be pooled with a premium Citi card later for better redemption options [.pro]
[.con]3% foreign transaction fee makes it a poor choice for travel [.con]
[.con] You only earn the second 1% when you pay off your balance (though you should be doing this anyway, it can mean your points arrive later)[.con]
[.con] No intro APR on purchases, only on balance transfers [.con]
[.con] Transfer ratios to travel partners are reduced on no-annual-fee cards, so standalone travel value is thin [.con]
[.redeem] 5% [.redeem] total cash back on select travel bookings through the Citi TravelSM portal (earn an additional 3% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel®. This is on top of the 1% when you buy and the 1% as you pay.)
[.redeem] 2% [.redeem] cash back on purchases (1% when you buy and 1% as you pay)
Make it your default, not your only card. The Double Cash earns its keep on everything that doesn't fall into another card's bonus category: utilities, insurance premiums, medical bills, the pharmacy, the vet, streaming. That spending is usually earning 1x somewhere else in your wallet.
Pay in full, every month. Half of the rewards structure depends on it, and the interest rate is higher than 2%. This is the whole ballgame.
Leave it home when you travel abroad. The 3% foreign transaction fee costs more than the 2% you earn.
Pair it if you want travel value. If you also hold the Citi Strata Premier® Card or the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card, you can pool your Double Cash points into that account and access Citi's full transfer partner list at premium ratios, including American Airlines AAdvantage® at 1:1. Standalone, you can still transfer to most partners, but typically at 1:0.7. That means 1,000 points becomes 700 miles, which is usually worse than just taking the penny.
Time the balance transfer carefully. If you're using the 18-month offer, complete transfers inside the first 4 months to get the 3% fee instead of 5%.
Why? The Strata Elite pairs really well with the Citi Double Cash Card, creating a solid rewards strategy that enhances both everyday spending and travel benefits. The Double Cash Card offers a straightforward 2% cash back on all purchases — 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay. This cashback can be converted into Citi ThankYou points, which can then be transferred to the Strata Elite. By doing so, cardholders can take advantage of the Strata Premier's better transfer ratio to travel partners. This pairing allows you to maximize rewards on routine purchases while also making your points work harder when it’s time to travel.
The recommended credit score for this card is good, which makes it a bit more attainable to those that are still building their credit and might not be eligible for a card with stricter requirements.

