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Citi Double Cash Card — Full Review [2024]

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Jarrod West
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Jarrod West

Senior Content Contributor

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Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 6 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year and his work has been featured in o...
Edited by: Juan Ruiz
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Juan Ruiz

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Juan has extensive experience in writing and editing content related to credit cards, loyalty programs, and travel. He has been honing his expertise in this field for over a decade. His work has been ...
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Kellie Jez

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Kellie’s professional experience has led her to a deep passion for compliance, data reporting, and process improvement. Kellie’s learned the ins and outs of the points and miles world and leads UP’s c...

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Citi Double Cash® Card

Citi Double Cash® Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.
4.26
Learn More(at our partner's secure site)
  • $200 cash back

  • $0

  • 0% Intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers, then 19.24% - 29.24% Variable

  • Fair to Excellent (580-850)

Citi Double Cash® Card

Great card for the average spender with no specific focus category; worry-free cash-back earning on everything!

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.
4.26
Learn More(at our partner's secure site)

The Citi Double Cash® Card has long been one of the top cash-back credit cards on the market, and the card now has the ability to earn Citi ThankYou Points!

This means that cardholders of the Double Cash card will now earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. Cash back is earned in the form of ThankYou Points. This means each billing cycle, you will earn 1 ThankYou point per $1 spent on purchases and an additional ThankYou point for every $1 paid on your purchase balance as long as there is a corresponding balance in your Purchase Tracker.

Citi has turned the Double Cash card into a top choice for those who are looking for an everyday, no-fuss credit card.

Card Snapshot

Welcome Bonus & Info

  • Bonus Offer: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
  • Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
  • To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
  • Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, 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).
  • Citi Double Cash® Card Travel Portal Limited Time Offer: Earn a total of 5 ThankYou Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rental, and attractions, excluding air travel, when booked through the Citi TravelSM portal on ThankYou.com or by calling 1-800-Thankyou and saying “Travel.” Offer is valid through 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) 12/31/2024.

Rewards Center

Citi ThankYou Rewards

Customer Service Number

1-888-248-4226

Pros

  • Uncapped 2% for every $1 spent (1% when you buy and another 1% when you pay)
  • Flexible redemption options
  • No annual fee

Cons

  • No bonus categories
  • 3% foreign transaction fees
  • Lack of premium travel benefits

Great Card If

  • You want a card with no annual fee
  • You prefer a card with a basic earning structure, so you don’t have to memorize bonus categories

Don’t Get If

  • You want a card that offers premium travel perks
  • You want a card that does not charge foreign transaction fees
  • You want a card that offers bonus categories for the things you spend the most on

Double Cash Card — Is It Worth It?

The Double Cash card is an excellent option for those who are looking for a no-annual-fee card that offers a simple but strong earning structure and flexible redemption options.

Since you earn an uncapped 2% back on all purchases (1% at time of purchase and 1% when you pay), without an annual fee, the Citi Double Cash is easily one of the best credit cards for monthly bills and other non-bonused purchases.

Double Cash Card Top Benefits

Introductory APR

Since the typical user of this card is not spending heavily in any given category, they may want to use this card as a way to float some cash.

  • 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%

There is absolutely no hassle as long as you pay the minimum fee each month (go to the Citibank login right away and set up autopay), allowing you to accrue some quick cash if you need it.

If you’re using the intro APR, just be sure you’ve got a plan to have the cash available by the end of the introductory offer; the APR will be retroactive for anything not paid off by that time.

Other Benefits of the Double Cash Card

While this card is a fairly simple, no-frills card, there are a few more benefits worth mentioning.

First, there is no maximum to the double rewards that you can earn. Whether you spend $1,000 or $100,000 a year, you’ll still earn a total of 2% on all purchases (1% at time of purchase and 1% when you pay).

Plus, your Citi ThankYou Points can be redeemed for cash-back, travel, gift cards, and more.

Double Cash cardholders can transfer their ThankYou Points to Choice Privileges at a 1:1.5 ratio and Wyndham Rewards and JetBlue TrueBlue at a 1:0.8 ratio. But, if you have a premium Citi ThankYou Rewards card like the Citi Premier® Card or Citi Prestige® Card, you can pool your points together between the cards and then transfer them to any of the full suite of Citi ThankYou transfer partners.

Best Ways To Earn and Redeem Your Citi Points

While you’ll rack up Citi ThankYou Points fast (which is earned as points), there are lots of other great options that help you earn more Citi ThankYou Points, as well.

When it comes time to redeem, the best option goes to those who also hold a premium ThankYou Rewards card like the Citi Premier card or the Citi Prestige card, as they can transfer the points earned from your Double Cash card and have access to the full list of Citi transfer partners.

This will unlock all of the best ways to redeem Citi ThankYou Points, which include using your points to book luxurious first and business class award tickets!

Alternative Card to the Double Cash Card

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This all-purpose cash-back card offers great bonus categories, including bonus points for every purchase you make!

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

This all-purpose cash-back card offers great bonus categories, including bonus points for every purchase you make!
Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
Up to $300 cash back
$0
0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is easily one of the best cash-back credit cards on the market. There aren’t many no-annual-fee credit cards that offer multiple great bonus categories like 5% back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1.5% back on all other purchases.

When paired with other Chase cards in the Ultimate Rewards family, you can transfer that cash back into points if you wish – making it one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet.

Pros

  • 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
  • 5% back on travel purchased through Chase Travel
  • 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases
  • 1.5% back on all other purchases
  • No annual fee
  • Earn big on travel purchased through Chase Travel
  • Everyday bonus on dining and drugstores
  • Straightforward cash-back on all other purchases
  • Ability to pool points

Cons

  • 3% foreign transaction fee
  • INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
  • Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
  • After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
  • No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
  • Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
  • No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
  • Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
  • Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

The Freedom Unlimited card is another compelling no-annual-fee card but earns 5% back on travel through the Chase travel portal, 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases, plus 1.5% cash-back on all other purchases instead of 2%, 1% at the time of purchase and 1% when you pay, offered with the Double Cash card. The Freedom Unlimited card can also earn Chase Ultimate Reward points when paired with a premium Chase card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

Read more about how these 2 cards compare: Double Cash card vs. Freedom Unlimited card


We’ve compared the Double Cash card to other popular cards:

The information regarding the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information for the Citi Prestige® Card has been collected independently by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Chase Freedom Flex℠ was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Double Cash card worth it?

The card is a great beginner card for those looking to get started in the credit card points world. Thanks to its uncapped 2% ThankYou Points per $1 on all purchases, flexible redemptions, and no annual fee, it makes a great addition to your wallet.

What is the Double Cash card annual fee?

$0 — there is no annual fee on this card.

What is the Double Cash card foreign transaction fee?

The foreign transaction fee on the card is 3%.

What credit score is needed for the Double Cash card?

There is no specific credit score required to apply for the Double Cash card, nor is there one that will guarantee your approval should you decide to apply. Citi will take your credit score into consideration, along with other factors like your stated income, years of credit history, and the average age of your credit accounts.

But generally speaking, you should feel good about your approval odds on the Double Cash card if your credit score is at least 700 and you have a few years of credit history.

Which card is better: the Chase Freedom Flex℠ Credit Card or the Double Cash card?

Neither card is necessarily better than the other. But some will find one card to be much better suited for them based on their unique needs.

While neither card charges an annual fee, the Freedom Flex card earns 5% back on rotating quarterly categories, 5% back on travel purchased through the Chase travel portal, 3% back on dining and drugstores, and 1% back on all other purchases.

Meanwhile, the Double Cash card does not offer any bonus categories but earns an uncapped 2% back on all purchases.

So, if your spending patterns mainly fall within the bonus categories of the Freedom Flex card, then that would be a much better fit for you. If your spending habits are varied, or you don’t want to be bothered with memorizing different categories, then go with the Double Cash card.

Is the Double Cash card a Visa or Mastercard?

The Double Cash card is a Mastercard and is accepted anywhere in the world that Mastercard is accepted.

Where can I transfer my ThankYou Points earned with the Double Cash card?

If you do not also hold a premium ThankYou Point earning card like the Citi Prestige card or Citi Premier card, then your only transfer partner options will be Choice Privileges at a 1:1.5 ratio and Wyndham Rewards and JetBlue TrueBlue at a 1:0.8 ratio.

If you do pair your Double Cash card with a premium ThankYou Rewards card, you will have access to all of Citi’s transfer partners.

Jarrod West's image

About Jarrod West

Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 6 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year and his work has been featured in outlets like The New York Times.

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