Citi Custom Cash Card Review 2023

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There are lots of excellent credit cards that earn cash back on the market, and they all earn rewards in slightly different ways. Some cards earn a flat rate of cash back on all purchases or extra rewards in fixed categories, and others have rotating bonus categories that change every quarter.

The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card takes a different approach. Cardholders earn 5% cash back on up to $500 in purchases in the eligible category they spend the most in each billing cycle (then 1%) and 1% on all other purchases.

The categories that qualify include common expenses that should appeal to just about everyone: restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment.

Citi Custom Cash Card Review: Is It the Best Credit Card for You?

For a card with no annual fee, the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card offers a generous welcome bonus: Citi Custom Cash℠ Card. Because the card earns cash back in the form of Citi ThankYou points, you've got flexibility in how you redeem your rewards. Not only can you redeem Citi ThankYou points for cash back, but also for travel booked through Citi, gift cards, merchandise, and — if you also have the Citi Premier® Card or Citi Prestige® Card (no longer available to new applicants) — transfers to Citi's airline and hotel partners.

The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is a good choice if you don't want to keep track of rotating bonus categories, especially if your highest spending category changes from month to month. It's also worth considering if you already have a lot of rewards credit cards, but are looking for another card to use on purchases — like home improvement stores or fitness clubs — that don't typically earn a bonus with other cards.

If you're in the market for a 5% cash back card, there are two other cards that are worth a look. The Discover it® Cash Back earns 5% cash back in categories that rotate every quarter, on up to $1,500 in spending (then 1%) Discover It Cashback rotation.

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ has a similar earning structure, but Chase's rotating bonus categories are different.

However, with the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Discover it® Cash Back, you'll need to keep track of these categories, and also register for the bonus before you earn bonus cash back. If that sounds like too much of a hassle, the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card may be a better choice for you.

We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

Citi Custom Cash Card Rewards

Citi Custom Cash welcome bonus

New Citi Custom Cash℠ Card - Product Name Only cardholders can earn Citi Custom Cash℠ Card - Intro Bonus. That's a respectable offer for a no-annual-fee card, and it's similar to bonuses on competing cards like the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card - Product Name Only, Chase Freedom Flex℠ - Product Name Only, and U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card - Product Name Only.

How to earn rewards with the Citi Custom Cash

The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card's most compelling feature is the 5% cash back (5x Citi ThankYou points) it earns on up to $500 in purchases each billing cycle, in the eligible category where you spend the most (then 1%).

That's a good deal if you tend to change your spending habits from month to month. For example, one month you might do a lot of driving and have high fuel expenses, but the next you may stay closer to home and spend more on groceries. 

In travel, transit, and streaming services categories, only certain types of purchases or merchants are eligible, but most typical spending is included:

• Select travel includes airline, hotel, cruise line, and travel agency purchases — however, timeshares, boat leases and rentals, campgrounds and trailer parks, and real estate agencies are excluded
• Select transit includes categories you might normally lump in with travel — car rentals, ferries, commuter railways, subways, taxis/limousines/car services, passenger railways, bridge and road tolls, parking lots/garages, bus lines, and motor home and recreational vehicle rentals are all eligible (bike/scooter rentals, auto clubs, and insurance companies are not)
• Select streaming services span all of the major players, including Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Music, Apple Music, CBS All Access, Disney+, AT&T TV NOW, ESPN+, fuboTV, HBO Max, NBA League Pass, Netflix, Pandora, Showtime, Sling TV, Spotify, Starz, SiriusXM, Vudu, YouTube Red, YouTube TV, and Tidal

If you don't have any other cards that earn a bonus in any of these categories, using the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card for your regular spending and earning 5x rewards in your top monthly category is the easiest approach. But if you have other cards in your wallet, you can use the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card in categories where you might not otherwise earn a bonus.

How to use Citi Custom Cash rewards

The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card doesn't earn pure cash back in the traditional sense; instead, cardholders earn rewards in the form of Citi ThankYou points. This is the same rewards currency earned by other Citi credit cards, including the Citi Premier® Card, Citi® Double Cash Card, and Citi Rewards+® Card.

Citi ThankYou points are incredibly versatile. With any Citi ThankYou card, you can redeem your points at a rate of 1 cent apiece in a number of ways:

• Statement credits
• Cash back in the form of a direct deposit
• Airfare, hotels, car rentals, and more through the Citi Travel portal
• Gift cards
• Charity donations

You can also cash in points for merchandise by using them to pay at checkout with Amazon or PayPal, but you'll get a relatively poor rate of just 0.8 cents per point when you redeem this way. A better bet would be to use your Citi Custom Cash℠ Card (or other Citi card) to make these purchases directly, then redeem points at 1 cent apiece for a statement credit to offset the charge.

Things get more lucrative if you also have the Citi Premier® Card or Citi Prestige® Card, because when you have one of these cards, you can access the full range of Citi transfer partners:

Transferring points to partners to book award flights can get you a much higher value from your Citi ThankYou points, depending on the transfer partner and flight or route you book.

Citi Custom Cash Card Benefits and Features

As you might expect from a no-annual-fee card, the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card isn't packed with benefits, but its rewards system makes up for the lack of flashy perks.

Introductory 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers

If you have big purchases coming up that you need to pay for over time, or already have credit card debt you want to consolidate, the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card could give you some breathing room. New cardholders receive a Citi Custom Cash℠ Card (then a Citi Custom Cash℠ Card APR).

As long as you're able to pay off your balance before the introductory APR expires, using a 0% APR credit card can help you save money on interest or get out of debt faster.

Citi Entertainment

Citi Custom Cash℠ Card members get access to the Citi Entertainment program, which offers presale tickets, preferred seats, VIP events, and more.

Citi Custom Cash Card Annual Fee and Other Costs

The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card doesn't charge an annual fee, but there are other fees to be aware of. It's not a good card for international purchases, because it charges foreign transaction fees (3% of each purchase transaction in US dollars).

Like other cards, the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card also charges fees for other activities, including:

• Balance transfers: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
• Cash advances: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
• Late payments: Up to $41
• Returned payments: Up to $41

How the Citi Custom Cash Card Compares

Citi Custom Cash vs Double Cash

*eligible 5% cash back categories on the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card are restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment

Citi Custom Cash vs other cash-back credit cards

*eligible 5% cash back categories on the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card are restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment

Citi Custom Cash Card Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How hard is it to get approved for the Citi Custom Cash card?

Most people who are approved for the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card have a credit score in the good to excellent range (a FICO score of at least 670).

If you're not quite where you need to be yet, read our guides on improving your credit score and how using credit cards can help boost your score.

What is Citi Custom Cash credit limit?

The credit limit you receive on the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card depends on several factors, including your credit score, income, existing debt, and relationship with Citi. Typically the minimum limit is $500, but it could be much higher. 

Does the Citi Custom Cash offer instant approval?

The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is one of several Citi credit cards that may give you the option to access an instant virtual card number when you're approved online. You can use this card number to access your credit line before the physical card arrives in the mail (which normally takes a week or so). Be sure to screenshot or write down the number, though, because you won't be able to retrieve it after the application process. 

Is the Citi Custom Cash worth it?

The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is a great choice if you prefer a card with no annual fee that earns a high rewards rate in categories where you spend the most. It's particularly valuable if you have other Citi cards, like the Citi Premier® Card, that allow you to transfer rewards to airline and hotel partners.

Is the Citi Custom Cash a Visa or Mastercard?

The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is a Mastercard.

Who is eligible for the Citi Custom Cash card?

You're eligible to earn the bonus on the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card if you don't already have one open and haven't earned a welcome bonus from the card in the past 48 months. 

Methodology: How we reviewed the Citi Custom Cash Card

At Insider, our credit cards team looks at various criteria when reviewing cards like the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card. We evaluated the card relative to competing cash back credit cards with no annual fee and assessed a number of factors, including:

• Ease of use — Are the card's rewards easy to earn and use? Are there multiple options for redeeming rewards?
• Earning potential — Is the card's rewards rate competitive compared to similar cards? If there are bonus categories, are they appealing and useful, and are any of them capped at a certain amount of spending?
• Benefits — Generally, cash back credit cards don't come with a lot of frills. We do look at if the card offers benefits that give it an advantage over competing cards, such as travel insurance, statement credits, and purchase protections.
• Annual fee — If the card does charge an annual fee, is it offset by the card's earning potential or other perks like an intro APR or travel benefits?

You can find out more about Insider's methodology in our guide to how we rate credit cards.