Best Citi Credit Cards

Choosing the right credit card is an important part of establishing or maintaining your credit. Citi credit cards are backed by CitiBank, which is one of the oldest banks in the nation. That’s why you should look at Citi’s offering when looking for the right credit card for you.

Benzinga researched Citi credit cards and provides a list below of some of the best Citi credit cards offered by the bank.

1. Best for Intro Rates: Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

If you’re looking for a credit card where you can transfer existing balances or make purchases on the card for a long introductory period without paying interest, the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card is a great choice. With it, you can transfer balances that have APRs or make large purchases with it and not have to worry about paying interest for an extended time. To qualify for this card, you should have a good to excellent credit score.

2. Best for Reward Flexibility: Citi Premier® Card

People who love credit card rewards, whether they can be used for travel, gift cards or shopping, are a great fit for the Citi Premier® Card. This credit card offers reward points for everything spent on the card and allows cardholders to use reward points in a variety of ways. For instance, you can transfer your points to participating airline programs or shop at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. That’s what makes this one of the best credit cards for rewards and points – you won’t be stuck with having to spend your points on only one type of reward.

3. Best for Custom Cash Back: Citi Custom Cash℠ Card

All cash-back credit cards work differently, but the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is a great choice for those who want to earn cash back in the area that they spend the most. If you like to use your credit for groceries, you can choose that category with this card and earn the most cash back when you grocery shop. The same is true for whatever area you spend the most in: gas, travel, restaurants, home improvement, transit, fitness clubs, live entertainment, drugstores and streaming services. The best thing is that you will still earn cash back for other areas, just at a reduced rate. The points never expire, and you can redeem them via a statement credit, direct deposit or check.

4. Best for No Boundaries Cash Back: Citi® Double Cash Card

If you love cash-back credit cards but don’t want to be confined to categories or other rules, the Citi® Double Cash Card may be a great choice for you. This credit card rewards program works in two phases. You get half of your cash back rate when you make a purchase and the other half when you pay the bill. The cash-back rate is the same for everything you buy, so you’ll never have to try and remember what types of purchases you earn the most cash-back points for. The points never expire, and you can redeem them with a check, direct deposit or a statement credit.

5. Best for Costco Business Shoppers: Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi

For business owners who shop at Costco for their business needs, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi is hard to beat. This card allows you to earn points for anything you purchase. Those points will add up over the year as you spend money on your business, and then at the end of the statement close in February, you will receive an annual Credit Card Reward Certificate that is redeemable at Costco for cash or merchandise.  

6. Best for Costco Shoppers: Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi

If you are an individual that loves shopping at Costco, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi could be the ideal card to carry in your wallet. You must be a Costco member to be approved for and use this card. As you shop throughout the year, your Costco rewards will add up, and then after your February statement closes, you will be issued an Annual Credit Card Reward Certificate. You can use those points at any Costco to pay for merchandise or to redeem cash.

7. Best for Secured Card: Citi® Secured Mastercard®

To get an unsecured credit card, you have to have a decent credit score. But some people are just starting on their credit journey while others have not used their credit cards responsibly or they hit a bump in the road that reduced their score so much that they can’t qualify for a credit card. That’s where the Citi® Secured Mastercard® comes in. Unlike some other secured credit cards, this card issuer doesn’t tack on a lot of unreasonable fees or charge an annual fee to use the card. And if you are trying to improve your credit score, the card issuer reports to all three credit agencies. If you pay your bill on time every month for 18 months, you may qualify for an unsecured Citi card. If you’re building your credit and need a secured credit card to jumpstart it, this could be the card for you.

How Hard is it to Get a Citi Credit Card?

Depending on the credit card you apply for, it can be fairly difficult to get a Citi credit card. Most of Citi’s credit cards require a good to excellent credit score, but there are exceptions. For instance, if your credit score isn’t at least in the “good” range, you can apply for the bank’s secured credit card.

In addition to having a good credit score, you will need to meet these requirements when applying for a Citi credit card:

• 18 years old or older
• Have a job with income that is enough to make your payments
• Valid U.S. address
• SSN, ITIN or passport

Remember that when applying for a Citi credit card, your credit score will take a slight hit because Citi runs a hard credit pull on all applications. That’s why it’s important to understand the credit requirements before you apply for a card.

 Pros and Cons of Citi Credit Cards

When deciding whether or not to apply for a Citi credit card, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of the cards. Here’s what you need to know.

Pros:

• Great reward cards with cash back, points and miles for merchandise that you would purchase anyway
• Credit cards for many types of credit
• Backed by CitiBank, a leading global bank in business since 1812 
• Over 700 CitiBank branches in U.S. and 2,649 branches globally
• Build credit with specific Citi credit cards
• No annual fees

You will have purchase protection with Citi credit cards. That means if you buy something that is defective or not as advertised, you can dispute the charge with Citi. You won’t get the same protection if you pay with cash.

Cons:

• High credit scores requirement
• Potentially high APR for people with lower credit scores

How Long Does it Take to Get a Citi Credit Card?

The amount of time it takes to get a Citi credit card depends on where you live. Some people say they get their Citi credit card in five to seven days, while others say it takes up to two weeks. The official timeline given by Citi is a maximum of 14 days. Citi does not expedite credit cards unless they are replacing a lost or stolen card.

Citi vs. Competing Cards

Citi’s credit card offers stand up well beside competitors. Comparable cards include Bank Americard®, Capital One VentureX Rewards, Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, Capital One SavorOne Cash Cash Rewards Credit Card, Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card, Chase Freedom Unlimited and Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card. These cards offer varied benefits including cash back, low introductory APRs and customizable cash back categories.

Frequently Asked Questions