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Citi Custom Cash® Card review: Simple and flexible 5% cash back
Editors’ Take: This card will reward you with cash back that automatically adjusts to your top spending category each billing cycle. There’s no annual fee, but cash-back rewards are capped.
Image: hands-thumbs-upGreat for flexible cash back
Image: cashAnnual fee: $0
The average credit score for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is 682
The average credit limit for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is $6,719
Explore more about this card:
Here’s the average credit limit of members who matched their Citi Custom Cash® Card or similar cards.
% of members by credit limit range
The average credit limit for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is $6,719, with $500 being the most common.
Here’s the average credit score of members who matched their Citi Custom Cash® Card or similar cards.
% of members by credit score range
The average credit score for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is 682, with 760 being the most common. Note this is just one of the deciding factors when it comes to getting approved.
This content is curated by Intuit Credit Karma’s Editorial team using data from members who were approved for this card or similar cards, or who self-matched this card or similar cards. Intuit Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our third-party advertisers don’t review, approve or endorse this content. Information about financial products not offered on Credit Karma is collected independently. Our content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted.
Member stats
Updated daily
Image: low-utilization35%
Average credit utilization (or what percent of the card’s credit limit is being used) of members who matched with this card or similar cards.
Image: meetup44 years
Average age of members who matched this card or similar cards.
Image: cash-give-1$89,484
Average annual income of members who matched this card or similar cards. Note: Income may be estimated for some members by Credit Karma and may differ from members’ actual incomes.
Pros and cons
Image: yesHassle-free bonus cash back rewards
Image: yesGenerous introductory APR offers
Image: yesMultiple ways to redeem points
Image: ConEarning caps on bonus categories
Image: ConLow sign-up bonus
Image: ConForeign transaction fee
Citi Custom Cash® Card review
Updated October 17, 2024
This date may not reflect recent changes in individual terms.
Written by: Clint Proctor
5 things you should know about the Citi Custom Cash® Card
The Citi Custom Cash® Card offers simplicity of use with a 5% earnings potential that’s typically reserved for rotating bonus cards.
If you’re considering this card, here are five things you should know.
1. 5% cash back on autopilot
With the Citi Custom Cash® Card, you don’t have to worry about tracking bonus categories or stopping at specific stores to earn ThankYou® Points.
Instead, you’ll earn 5% cash back on whichever eligible spending category was your highest during your monthly billing period — on up to the first $500 spent. Eligible 5% bonus categories include restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, drugstores, home improvement stores, select travel and transit, gyms and entertainment. You’ll earn unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases, as well as on purchases in your bonus category after you’ve hit the spending cap.
2. Introductory APR and welcome bonus offers
You’ll receive an intro 0% APR on purchases for the first 15 months from account opening, and on balance transfers for 15 months from the date of your first balance transfer. That could come in handy if you’re looking to finance a large, one-time purchase in addition to earning ongoing cash back.
To qualify for the intro rate, balance transfers must be completed within four months of account opening. And you’ll have to pay a balance transfer fee of 5% (minimum $5).
After the introductory period, the variable APR for both purchases and balance transfers rises to a variable 18.24% - 28.24%.
New cardholders may also qualify for a $200 cash back sign-up bonus after spending at least $1,500 on purchases within the first 6 months with the card.
3. Flexible redemption options
There are multiple ways you can redeem the ThankYou Points you earn with Citi Custom Cash® Card, including for gift cards, travel or shopping with points at retailers like Amazon.com. You can also redeem your points for cash through direct deposit, check or a statement credit. There are no minimum redemptions when you choose cash redemption through direct deposit or statement credit.
4. No annual fee
Like some other cash back cards, Citi Custom Cash® Card doesn’t charge an annual fee. But there’s a 3% foreign transaction fee. So if you do a lot of traveling abroad, you may want to look for a different rewards card.
5. No unlimited bonus categories
A couple of other cash back cards offer unlimited cash back categories on top of rotating quarterly bonus categories, but you won’t find that with the Citi Custom Cash® Card.
Instead, every purchase outside of your single bonus category each billing cycle earns just 1%. This means that your maximum cash back at the bonus rate will be capped at $25 per month and $75 per quarter.
Other card details to know
The Citi Custom Cash® Card doesn’t come with extra perks, but here are a couple of other things worth noting.
- Citi Entertainment — As a cardholder, you’ll get special access (including pre-sale tickets) for live concerts, sporting events, culinary experiences, and more.
- Contactless payments — The card is contactless-chip enabled, which means that cardholders can make safe and secure in-person purchases without having to touch a payment terminal.
- Free FICO® score — Getting monthly access to your FICO score is nice. But it probably shouldn’t be one of your top reasons for picking a credit card as there are several other ways to check your credit scores and reports for free.
Who this card is good for
The Citi Custom Cash® Card could be a solid option if you don’t want to spend time tracking bonus categories and are looking for a straightforward way to earn up to $300 in bonus cash per year. But if you’re looking to maximize the amount of cash you can earn through unlimited bonus categories, other cards may have the potential to be more valuable.
Not sure this card is right for you? Consider these alternatives.
Here’s a couple of other cards to consider if the Citi Custom Cash® Card won’t work for your needs.
- Discover it® Cash Back: If you’re looking for a generous welcome bonus offer, this card is worth checking out.
- U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card: This card could be a great fit if you’re looking for a way to earn cash back on a hefty cell phone bill.
Member reviews
Most helpful positive review
February 16, 2024
Do not trust these reviews
— Credit Karma Member
Reading through all of these reviews, I was hesitant before applying. However, when looking close, most of the reviews complain about being denied. Why review a card poorly just cause you didnt get approved. People are coming up with all sorts of reasons as to why they think they got denied and driving the reviews down. Additional bad reviews are about the credit limit, but why would you want a huge limit if the limit on the 5% back is only $500 per period. A large limit is not necisarily a good thing for this card because after the 5% limit of 500$ you only get 1% which is far worse than most cards out there on the market. Do your own research into this card, and dont believe everything you see in these reviews. There is no minimum income requirement contrary to many reviews. This seems like it will be a great addition to my wallet and yours as well if used as intended.
Most helpful negative review
February 20, 2024
Credit Score Nightmare: Unjustified Limit Drop
— Credit Karma Member
I recently encountered a disheartening experience with my Citi Bank credit card that has left me questioning the reliability of their services. Initially pleased with a $5000 credit limit, I was blindsided when the company unilaterally reduced it to $900, citing a vague reason related to a delinquent credit obligation with either this account or another creditor. Confused and concerned about this sudden change, I promptly reached out to Citi Bank's customer service seeking clarification. Unfortunately, my attempts to obtain a clear explanation proved futile, as the representatives were unable to provide a satisfactory answer. The lack of transparency in their communication left me frustrated and unsure of the basis for the credit limit reduction. To compound the issue, in order to have my credit limit reinstated, I was informed that I needed to submit a rate increase request. This process felt unnecessary and caused significant inconvenience. As a result of the reduced credit limit, my credit utilization skyrocketed from 20% to a staggering 70%, leading to a substantial 63-point drop in my credit score. This entire ordeal has raised serious concerns about the communication and customer service practices of Citi Bank. A sudden and poorly explained credit limit reduction can have severe repercussions on one's creditworthiness, and the lack of transparency in this instance is alarming. I expected better from a reputable institution like Citi Bank, and this experience has certainly eroded my confidence in their credit card services. While Citi Bank may offer various benefits, the unexpected and poorly explained changes to my credit limit have overshadowed any positive aspects. If you value consistency, transparency, and fair treatment as a cardholder, my recent encounter with Citi Bank would lead me to caution against choosing their credit card services.