Citi Double Cash® Card
The Citi Double Cash® Card features the best perks of a cash back card and a balance transfer card, all in one small, powerful package. Its top-notch perks include:
- 0% intro APR for balance transfers that lasts a whopping 18 months. That's long enough to save $1,863 in interest charges paying off $10,000 of debt (learn more below).
- A combined 2% cash back on purchases (1% when you buy, 1% when you pay), which is the highest unlimited cash back rate we've come across.
- $0 annual fee
APPLY NOW or keep reading below for our full review to learn more about the Citi Double Cash® Card.
Citi Double Cash® Card
4.50 out of 5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor4.50 out of 5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = PoorIntro APR N/A
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: 0%, 18 months
Regular APR
19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
Rewards 2% cash back: 1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay
Up to 2% cash back
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
20,000 ThankYou® Points
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus 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.
Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24. - 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).
Top 6 reasons to apply today
$200 welcome offer -- Earn 20,000 ThankYou® Points -- which can be redeemed for $200 in cash -- when you spend $1,500 in the first 6 months.
Unlimited 2% cash back -- The Citi Double Cash® Card has the highest potential flat rate for cash back. "Potential" is the operative word here, because you receive 1% cash back when you make a purchase, then receive the other 1% when you pay off the purchase. If you pay late, you lose the second half of your cash back. It's an interesting quirk that motivates you to pay your bill on time.
0% intro APR on balance transfers -- The card has a 0%, 18 months intro APR offer on balance transfers. The go-to 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) APR applies after the intro period. There's a balance transfer fee of 3% ($5 min.) on transfers in the first four months, 5% ($5 min.) thereafter. Those fee amounts are in line with what other card issuers charge.
Even compared to other top balance transfer cards, 18 months is a long time. If you need to pay off debt, this card can help you do it more efficiently, saving you money on interest and potentially getting you out of debt sooner.
$0 annual fee -- The Citi Double Cash® Card has a $0 annual fee. Many cash back cards have no annual fee, so this isn't a major advantage. But it's still nice for your budget when you don't have to pay anything for your credit card.
Flexible redemption options -- If you also have an eligible Citi travel card, such as the Citi Premier® Card or the Citi Prestige® Card, you can convert all the cash back you earn to Citi ThankYou points. You can then use those points for travel redemptions, including transfers to Citi's many travel partners.
This option makes the credit card a fantastic complement to a Citi travel rewards card. You can use the travel card for any purchases where it will earn you bonus points. For all your non-bonus spending, you can take advantage of the Citi Double Cash® Card and essentially earn 2 ThankYou points per $1 spent. It's a simple, effective way to maximize your credit card rewards.
This card also offers the flexibility of redeeming cash back rewards for statement credits, direct deposit, and even receiving a check in the mail.
Free FICO® Score -- Citi credit cards include free access to your FICO® Score, which is a standout feature. While most credit cards offer credit score monitoring of some sort, Citi goes the extra mile to provide access to an official FICO® Score, which is what most credit lenders use to make a credit decision.
How to erase $1,863 of interest charges
A long balance transfer offer can help you chip away at debt balances as you pocket some savings while avoiding interest charges. Here's a comparison of how you could save $1,863 of interest charges by putting your finances first and paying off transferred debt or purchase balances during the 0% intro APR period, versus paying off balances at a 19% APR*:
| Debt Balance Scenario | Monthly Payment | APR offer | Interest Charges | Months to Pay Off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000, intro APR | $556 | 0%, 18 months | $0 | 18 |
| $10,000, intro APR | $556 | 19% on all balances | $1,863 | 22 |
*Your approved card APR may vary from 19%.
Keep in mind that this card does charge an introductory balance transfer fee of 3% ($5 min.) on transfers in the first four months, 5% ($5 min.) thereafter. Which means, in the debt balance scenario above, you would have an extra $300 or $500 to pay off on your balance -- depending on when you made the transfer. So, while you would save $1,863 in interest charges, your total savings with a balance transfer would be $1,563 or $1,363 depending on the timing of the transfer.
To get the most value out of this card, it is best to make any balance transfers during the intro fee period so that you have a lower balance transfer fee to pay.
Suggested credit score
Applicants for the Citi Double Cash® Card should aim for a FICO® Score of at least 580. Citi might approve you with a lower score, as that's not the only criteria the issuer uses when assessing your application. But a score over 580 will be a big help.
It’s time to ditch debit
If you can pay off your credit card each month, it’s practically a no-brainer to use credit cards instead of debit cards or cash. That’s for three main reasons:
- Credit cards offer much better fraud protections than debit cards.
- They are a primary way you can raise your credit score with good credit behaviors -- and a main reason I was able to raise my credit score above 800.
- You can easily earn hundreds of dollars in cash back each year with a top credit card.
This credit card could be right for you if:
The Citi Double Cash® Card is one of the best credit cards when you want your finances to be as uncomplicated as possible. It doesn't have much in the way of benefits, but the benefits it does have are very good and make it a standout among Citi credit cards. You should consider it if you're looking for any of the following in a cash back card:
- The simplicity of a one-card wallet
- An unlimited flat rate of up to 2% cash back
- No annual fee
- A generous 0% intro APR period of 18 months for balance transfers
The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.
Our Credit Cards Experts
The Ascent brings financial expertise, trusted advice, and unbiased analysis to the world of daily personal finance decisions. Our mission is to help you live more richly.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent, a Motley Fool service, does not cover all offers on the market. The Ascent has a dedicated team of editors and analysts focused on personal finance, and they follow the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.
Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Target. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.