Citi Double Cash Review

Citi Double CashThe Citi Double Cash card is a cash back credit card that rewards card members with cash back twice on purchases.  You not only earn cash back when you make a purchase on the card but also when you pay down your balance.  You can earn cash back faster plus there are no rotating categories, no category restrictions, and no spending limits.  The Citi Double Cash card has no annual fee.

There is no cash back reward bonus offer available to new account holders.  However, new members get a 0% introductory annual percentage rate on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months of membership.

Earning cash back rewards with the Citi Double Cash card is easy.  Cardholders earn 1% unlimited cash back on every purchase made with the card.  You also earn an additional 1% cash back while you pay for those purchases either in full each month or over time.  You don’t have to wait until purchases are paid off to earn the 1% cash back.  You only have to make the minimum payment due every month to qualify.

Card members are charged foreign transaction fees on purchases made with the Citi Double Cash card while traveling outside of the U.S.  This fee is 3% of the total price of every purchase you make on the card.  If you often travel internationally, these fees can quickly add up especially if you plan to use the card as payment for hotels, rental cars, or shopping.

This card comes with EMV chip technology for enhanced security.  Cards with this feature are used and accepted almost everywhere in the world.

Cardholders get many other benefits with the Citi Double Cash card such as:

  • 24 Hour fraud protection
  • Citi Private Pass
  • Citi Price Rewind
  • 0% Liability for unauthorized charges
  • Extended Warranty

The Facts

Below we’ve broken down the specifics of the Citi Double Cash card to help when deciding if it’s the right card for you.

The Good:

No annual fee:

This card comes with no annual fee whatsoever.  The Citi Double Cash card delivers good value to its card members by not charging a fee in order to receive cash back rewards.

Easy to earn cash back:

Cardholders earn 1% cash back on all purchases made this card.  There are no rotating categories or spending caps on the amount of cash back you can earn.  Every purchase qualifies for the 1% cash back reward.  Your billing statement will show your new purchases each month and you will receive 1% cash back on those.  The total amount will be added to your Purchase Tracker which keeps track of the balance you still have to pay off and which you can still earn additional rewards on.

You also earn 1% cash back when you pay off your balance in full or choose to pay it off over time.  You only need to make the minimum payment due to be eligible for the 1% cash back.  This cash back program is structured to benefit people who pay off their entire balance each month.  This allows you to earn the most cash back possible since interest charges on any unpaid balance can eat away at the cash back earned.

Easy to redeem cash back rewards:

Card members have several redemption options.  Cash back can be redeemed for checks, statement credits or gift cards.  You must have a minimum of $25 in cash back rewards in order to redeem them in full.

Introductory annual percentage rate:

New account holders get a 0% introductory annual percentage rate on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months you have the card.  Balance transfers must be completed within the first four months of opening your account.  After this time period expires, the APR will be 12.99%, 15.99%, 18.99%, 20.99%, or 22.99% based on your creditworthiness (which is determined at the time of approval).

Citibank benefits:

Citi Double Cash card members get a number of additional benefits through Citibank.  These include:

  • 24 Hour Fraud Protection- Receive alerts when any unusual activity is seen on your account.
  • Citi Private Pass- Get access to purchase tickets to entertainment events such as live concerts and shows as well as culinary events and sports clinics with celebrity athletes.
  • Citi Price Rewind- Shop now and Citibank will search for a lower price once you purchase an item. If a lower price is found within 60 days of the purchase date, you can be refunded up to $300 per item ($1,200 a year maximum).
  • 0% Liability For Unauthorized Charges- Card members are never liable for fraudulent charges on their card.
  • Extended Warranty- Add up to one year on your warranty of five years or less at no charge. Maximum coverage is $10,000 per year.

The Bad:

No bonus categories:

The Citi Double Cash card does offer a high rewards rate but there are no bonus categories where you can earn extra rewards.  If much of your everyday spending is for groceries, dining out, or gas you might want to consider a rewards card that offers tiered spending bonuses on specific categories.

Foreign Transaction Fees:

This card charges its members a 3% foreign transaction fee on every purchase made with the card outside of the U.S.  If you often travel abroad, these fees can quickly chip away at any cash back rewards you earn.

Cash back rewards redemption minimum:

Cardholders must have a minimum of $25 in cash back rewards before they can be redeemed for a statement credit, check or gift card.

The Ugly:

Cash back rewards structure:

In order to receive the additional 1% cash back rewards on new purchases, you must pay (on time) at least the minimum due each month.

To redeem cash back rewards, you must have a minimum of $25 in cash back rewards.  This means you must spend at least $1,250 before you can redeem any rewards.

The Citi Double Cash card rewards people who pay off their balance in full each month.  For those cardholders who carry a balance forward, the interest charges you accumulate can quickly wipe out the benefit of the cash back you earn.