Citi Double Cash Card review: Easy rewards with 2% cash back on all purchases

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Overview of the Citi Double Cash® Card

The Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees) stands out as one of the most straightforward and rewarding cash-back cards. With the potential to earn up to 2% on every purchase—1% at the time of purchase and another 1% upon payment—it’s hard to find a better no-annual-fee option. Additionally, your rewards can be converted to fully transferable ThankYou points if you hold other select Citi cards. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

*Card rating reflects the views of TPG's editors and is not swayed by the card issuer.

I often recommend the Citi Double Cash Card as the best cash-back option to my friends and family. If you're earning less than 2% back on your credit or debit card purchases, this card is perfect for you, offering up to 2% cash back on all transactions (1% when you make a purchase and another 1% when you pay it off).

To get approved for the Citi Double Cash Card, you typically need a decent credit score of 580 or higher. With no annual fee, it’s an excellent choice to keep in your wallet for the long term.

You will automatically earn cash-back rewards in the form of ThankYou points, which can be redeemed for statement credits and more. However, if you also have a Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see rates and fees) or a Citi Prestige® Card (not available for new applicants), you'll unlock better redemption options, allowing you to convert your rewards into fully transferable ThankYou points.

Let’s dive deeper into this straightforward yet rewarding card.

The information regarding the Citi Prestige has been independently gathered by Dinogo. The card details presented on this page have not been verified or supplied by the card issuer.

Citi Double Cash introductory offer

Currently, the Citi Double Cash Card is offering a $200 cash back reward after you spend $1,500 on purchases within the first six months of opening your account.

This card typically does not come with a welcome bonus, so any offer you receive is an added benefit.

Citi Double Cash advantages

While the Citi Double Cash Card may not boast a wide range of exceptional benefits or perks as a no-annual-fee card, it does provide the following features:

• A chip-enabled card for use at merchants that accept contactless payments
• $0 liability for unauthorized charges
• Access to Citi Entertainment, offering exclusive opportunities to buy tickets for thousands of events
• Enrollment in complimentary ID theft protection, which monitors your information and alerts you to any suspicious activity

Keep in mind that the Citi Double Cash has a 3% foreign transaction fee. Therefore, it's advisable to have an alternative card without foreign transaction fees for use when traveling outside the U.S.

How to earn rewards with the Citi Double Cash

When you use the Citi Double Cash Card, you'll earn cash back in the form of ThankYou points, which have limited transferability. Cardholders receive 1% cash back at the time of purchase and another 1% when they pay off their purchases.

Citi Double Cash cardholders can earn a total of 5% cash-back rewards — that's an additional 3% on top of the standard 1% earned when making a purchase and another 1% when paying — on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through the Citi Travel site until December 31, 2025.

To earn rewards, your card account must be in good standing. This means making at least the minimum payment by the first day of each billing cycle, although it’s recommended to pay your statement in full whenever feasible.

How to redeem rewards with the Citi Double Cash

The Citi Double Cash Card allows you to earn ThankYou points with limited transferability. The value you receive when redeeming these points will vary based on your chosen method. Here’s a breakdown of how to redeem the ThankYou points earned with the Citi Double Cash Card.

Cash back redemption

For a straightforward redemption option that still offers decent value, you can exchange your points for cash-back rewards at a rate of 1 cent per point. You can request this cash back as a statement credit or direct deposit for any amount. Alternatively, you can opt to receive a check by mail if you redeem at least $5 in cash-back rewards.

Gift card redemption

You can also exchange your ThankYou points for gift cards, though the redemption rate varies by merchant. Typically, you'll find the best rates in the sales section; for example, I found a $25 Red Lobster gift card on sale for 2,250 points, offering a redemption rate of 1.11 cents per point.

Travel bookings

You can use the ThankYou points earned with the Citi Double Cash Card for hotels, flights, rental cars, and attractions booked through the Citi Travel portal. In my searches for various types of travel bookings, I found that I could redeem points from my Citi Double Cash account at a rate of 1 cent per point.

Shop using points

You can also redeem Citi ThankYou points at the following retailers through the Shop with Points program:

• Amazon
• Best Buy
• BP/Amoco
• CVS
• Dollar General
• Paypal
• Shell
• Walmart
• 1-800-Flowers

However, when you use the Shop with Points option, the redemption rate is typically less than 1 cent per point. We suggest opting for a statement credit or direct deposit rather than using Shop with Points.

Contribute your points

You can also donate your ThankYou points to various charities, starting from 1,000 points per donation. However, it's generally more advantageous to redeem for a statement credit or direct deposit and then donate to a charity of your choice if you wish to give back.

Point transfers

As mentioned in the following section, you can redeem your points by transferring them to other Citi ThankYou Rewards members or to various travel loyalty programs.

Transferring points with the Citi Double Cash

You can transfer the points earned with your Citi Double Cash Card in two main ways. Firstly, you can transfer up to 100,000 ThankYou points each calendar year to other ThankYou members. However, keep in mind that points sent to other members will expire 90 days after they are received.

You can also transfer Citi ThankYou points to chosen loyalty partners. If you do not hold the Citi Strata Premier or Citi Prestige card, your transfer options will be limited to four loyalty partners:

• Choice Privileges: 1,000 ThankYou points convert to 1,500 Choice points
• JetBlue TrueBlue: 1,000 ThankYou points convert to 800 JetBlue points
• Shop Your Way: 1 ThankYou point converts to 10 Shop Your Way points
• Wyndham Rewards: 1,000 ThankYou points convert to 800 Wyndham points

If you also have the Citi Strata Premier or Citi Prestige, you can merge the ThankYou points from your Citi Double Cash Card with those from either of these cards. This allows you to utilize your ThankYou points as if they were earned through your Citi Strata Premier or Citi Prestige, including transferring to all standard Citi ThankYou Rewards partners.

What cards are alternatives to the Citi Double Cash?

The Citi Double Cash Card is an excellent choice for earning 2% cash back (1% when making a purchase and another 1% when paying it off). However, there are three main scenarios where another cash-back rewards card may be more beneficial for you:

• If you’re seeking a welcome bonus: The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (check rates and fees) provides 2% cash rewards on purchases along with a $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 within the first three months. For further details, see our Wells Fargo Active Cash review.
• If you currently have (or intend to obtain) a Chase Ultimate Rewards card: Consider the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Chase Freedom Flex® if you have or plan to get a card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Both cards yield cash-back rewards and allow you to convert your cash-back into transferable points if you possess a Chase Ultimate Rewards card. For additional information, check out our reviews of the Chase Freedom Unlimited and Chase Freedom Flex.
• If you prefer a card with bonus categories: For a cash-back card that provides extra rewards across various categories, explore our article on the best cash-back rewards cards. Review all available options to discover the card that offers the optimal blend of bonus categories for your needs.

Is the Citi Double Cash a good choice?

The Citi Double Cash Card is an excellent option if you want straightforward cash-back rewards without the hassle of managing spending categories. Additionally, it can fit well into a broader Citi credit card strategy. You can maximize the value of Double Cash rewards when you have a premium Citi ThankYou card and can access the full range of Citi ThankYou transfer partners.

One reader from TPG shared numerous positives regarding their experience with the Citi Double Cash, highlighting its benefits:

"Citi Double Cash. It’s straightforward, has no annual fee, and offers excellent customer service." — Burt Eichler via a TPG newsletter survey

Disclaimer: Responses submitted by readers have not been edited, reviewed, or endorsed by the issuers and do not represent TPG's views on these cards.

If you're interested in earning cash-back in a simple manner without an annual fee, the Citi Double Cash Card could be a valuable addition to your wallet.

Conclusion

If you seek a cash-back credit card that eliminates the hassle of bonus categories, the Citi Double Cash Card might be an excellent fit for you.

However, even if you enjoy optimizing bonus categories with other cards, it can also function as a reliable everyday spending card for your purchases outside those categories. If you possess a premium Citi credit card, such as the Citi Strata Premier, you can access additional transfer partners for the rewards accumulated with your Citi Double Cash Card.