Citi Double Cash Review 2025: Best 2% Cashback Card?

Is the Citi Double Cash® Card good?

The Citi Double Cash® Card is a great option for people who want a simple, flat earning rate on all purchases without having to worry about earning different amounts in different spending categories. While it doesn't come with a lot of other perks, it does have a $0 annual fee and earns cash back at one of the highest flat rates you can find.

Plus, the cash back that you earn is paid in the form of valuable Citi ThankYou® Points. You can redeem your ThankYou® Points as cash or transfer them to Citi's hotel and airline transfer partners. The Citi Double Cash® Card also comes with a good balance transfer offer, so it can be a great card for someone looking to pay down a balance on another card.

Quick facts

Compare the Citi Double Cash® Card to similar cards

Benefits of the Citi Double Cash® Card

One of the highest-earning, flat-rate rewards cards

Unlike some other credit cards that offer different earning rates in different spending categories, the Citi Double Cash® Card has a flat-rate earning structure. You'll 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. Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel. This is one of the highest rates of cash back you can get for a card with no annual fee.

Rewards are easy to redeem

The rewards that you earn with the Citi Double Cash® Card are fairly easy to redeem as well. Although it's marketed as a cash back card, your rewards are actually paid out in Citi ThankYou® Points, rather than cash back. You can redeem your points for:

• Cash back as a statement credit
• Direct deposit
• Check
• Travel
• Transfer to a few of Citi's hotel and airline partners
• Merchandise, gift cards and more

There are no minimums when you redeem your rewards for a statement credit or direct deposit.

Drawbacks of the Citi Double Cash® Card

No welcome bonus

Unlike many credit cards that offer substantial sign-up bonuses worth $200-600, the Citi Double Cash has no welcome bonus. This means you miss out on immediate value that could take months to earn back through the 2% rewards rate.

Limited travel benefits

The card lacks travel-focused perks like trip insurance, airport lounge access, or travel credits. The 3% foreign transaction fee also makes it expensive to use abroad, where many premium cards charge no foreign fees.

Delayed reward earning

You don't earn the full 2% immediately. You get 1% when you buy, then 1% when you pay your bill. While this isn't technically a limitation, it means your rewards earning is tied to making payments on time.

Basic card benefits

Compared to premium cards, the Citi Double Cash offers minimal additional benefits. You won't get purchase protection, extended warranty, or other valuable perks that come with higher-tier cards.

Alternatives to the Citi Double Cash® Card

For welcome bonuses: Chase Sapphire Preferred

If you want a substantial welcome bonus, the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers 60,000 points (worth $750 in travel) after spending $4,000 in 3 months. However, it comes with a $95 annual fee and focuses on travel rewards rather than cash back.

For category optimization: Discover it Cash Back

The Discover it Cash Back offers 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories (up to $1,500 in purchases, then 1%) plus 1% on everything else. It's perfect if you don't mind tracking categories and activating quarterly bonuses.

For international travel: Capital One Quicksilver

While it only offers 1.5% cash back on everything, the Capital One Quicksilver has no foreign transaction fees, making it better for international use. It also comes with a $200 welcome bonus.

For heavy grocery spending: Blue Cash Preferred

The American Express Blue Cash Preferred offers 6% cash back on groceries (up to $6,000 per year) and 3% on gas, but comes with a $95 annual fee. It's ideal if you spend heavily on groceries.

Is this card right for you?

Get the Citi Double Cash if you:

• Want simplicity: You prefer one flat rate over tracking multiple categories
• Spend broadly: Your expenses are spread across many different categories
• Avoid annual fees: You don't want to pay yearly fees for credit cards
• Value consistency: You want predictable rewards without quarterly caps or limits
• Prefer cash over travel: You'd rather have cash back than travel points
• Don't travel internationally: The foreign transaction fee won't affect you

Skip this card if you:

• Want welcome bonuses: You prefer immediate sign-up value
• Optimize spending categories: You're willing to track rotating categories for higher rewards
• Travel frequently: You need travel benefits and no foreign fees
• Spend heavily in specific areas: Category cards could earn you more
• Want premium perks: You value travel insurance, lounge access, or purchase protection

Bottom line

The Citi Double Cash is perfect for people who want to "set it and forget it" with their credit card rewards. If you spend more than $25,000 annually across diverse categories and prefer cash over travel points, this card will likely outperform more complex alternatives.

Why the Citi Double Cash earned 4.8/5 stars

• Earning potential (38/40): Excellent 2% flat rate with no caps or limits
• Fees and costs (25/25): No annual fee, though foreign transaction fees apply
• Benefits and perks (12/20): Limited welcome bonus and travel benefits
• Ease of use (15/15): Simple earning structure and flexible redemption options