Citi Custom Cash Card review: Earn a $200 bonus and get 5% back in your top monthly spending category

<bi-shortcode id="disclaimer" class="mceNonEditable" data-type="pfi">&nbsp;</bi-shortcode><bi-shortcode id="commerce-link" class="mceNonEditable" data-cardtype="credit-card" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185" data-type="undefined">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-shortcode><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><h2>Review: Is the Citi Custom Cash card the best credit card for you'</h2><p>There are lots of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/best-cash-back-credit-cards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">excellent cash-back credit cards</a> on the market, and they all earn rewards in slightly different ways. Some cards earn a flat rate of cash back on all purchases or extra rewards in fixed categories, and others have rotating bonus categories that change every quarter.</p><p>The new <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode> takes a different approach. Cardholders earn 5% cash back on up to $500 in purchases in the eligible category they spend the most in each billing cycle (then 1%), and 1% on all other purchases.</p><p>The categories that qualify include common expenses that should appeal to just about everyone: restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment.</p><p><em><strong>Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/citi-custom-cash-card-bonus-cash-back-top-category-2021-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The new Citi Custom Cash credit card just launched with a $200 bonus and 5% back in your top spending category</a></strong></em></p><p>For a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/best-no-fee-credit-card" target="_blank" rel="noopener">card with no annual fee</a>, the <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode> offers a generous welcome bonus: <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="intro_bonus_display" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="false" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode>. Because the card earns cash back in the form of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/guide-earning-using-citi-thankyou-points" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Citi ThankYou points</a>, you've got flexibility in how you redeem your rewards. Not only can you redeem Citi ThankYou points for cash back, but also for travel booked through Citi, gift cards, merchandise, andif you also have the <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="5e8216c32d654f76756d3cd2">Citi Premier Card</bi-inline-shortcode> or <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="5e7a271c671de023ef1cf886">Citi Prestige Card</bi-inline-shortcode><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/citi-thankyou-rewards-points-transfer-partners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">transfers to Citi's airline partners</a>.</p><p>The <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode> is a good choice if you don't want to keep track of rotating bonus categories, especially if your highest spending category changes from month to month. It's also worth considering if you already have a lot of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/best-rewards-credit-cards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rewards credit cards</a>, but are looking for another card to use on purchaseslike home improvement stores or fitness clubsthat don't typically earn a bonus with other cards.</p><p>If you're in the market for a 5% cash back card, the closest competitors to the <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode> are the <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="5f5922dd1ad83a1b384746e3">Chase Freedom Flex</bi-inline-shortcode> and <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="5e724641c48540307d36e702">Discover it Cash Back</bi-inline-shortcode>, and they're worth a look as well. These cards earn 5% cash back in categories that rotate every quarter, on up to $1,500 in spending (then 1%) <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="intro_bonus_display" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="false" data-pid="6086e42f8d4c0a00118044b2">Discover It Cashback rotation</bi-inline-shortcode>.</p><p>However, with the <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="5f5922dd1ad83a1b384746e3">Chase Freedom Flex</bi-inline-shortcode> and <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="5e724641c48540307d36e702">Discover it Cash Back</bi-inline-shortcode>, you'll need to keep track of these categories, and also register for the bonus before you earn bonus cash back. If that sounds like too much of a hassle, the <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode> is a better choice for you.</p><aside class="quick-tip headline-regular"><p><strong>Bottom line:&nbsp;</strong>The new <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode> offers a solid welcome bonus and 5% cash back on up to $500 in purchases in your top spending category every billing cycle. There's no annual fee and you won't need to keep track of rotating bonus categories, but keep in mind it only earns 1% back outside of your highest spend category each month.</p></aside><aside class="quick-tip headline-regular"><bi-shortcode id="disclaimer" class="mceNonEditable" data-type="pfifinancialresponsibility">&nbsp;</bi-shortcode></aside><h2>Comparison: Citi Custom Cash vs other Citi cards</h2><table style="height: 272px; width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" cellpadding="10px"><tbody><tr style="height: 30px;"><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 30px; text-align: left;">&nbsp;</td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 30px; text-align: left;"><p><bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 30px; text-align: left;"><p><bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="5e67d8a184159f65c42a8e05">Citi&nbsp;Double Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 30px; text-align: left;"><p><bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="5e8216c32d654f76756d3cd2">Citi Premier Card</bi-inline-shortcode></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><strong>Annual fee</strong></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="annual_fee_display" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="false" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="annual_fee_display" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="false" data-pid="5e67d8a184159f65c42a8e05">Citi&nbsp;Double Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="annual_fee_display" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="false" data-pid="5e8216c32d654f76756d3cd2">Citi Premier Card</bi-inline-shortcode></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><strong>Rewards rate</strong></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p>5% cash back on up to $500 spent in your top eligible spending category* each billing cycle (then 1%)</p><p>1% cash back on all other purchases</p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p>1% cash back when you buy, plus 1% cash back when you pay your bill</p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p>3x points on air travel, gas stations, restaurants, supermarkets, and hotels<br><br></p><p>1 point per dollar on everything else</p></td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><strong>Welcome bonus</strong></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="intro_bonus_display" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="false" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p>N/A</p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="intro_bonus_display" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="false" data-pid="5e8216c32d654f76756d3cd2">Citi Premier Card</bi-inline-shortcode></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><strong>Card benefits</strong></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p>Access to Citi Entertainment&nbsp;</p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p>Access to Citi Entertainment&nbsp;</p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p>$100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) booked through thankyou.com once per calendar year</p><p>Purchase protection</p><p>Extended warranty</p><p>Access to Citi Entertainment</p></td></tr><tr style="height: 72px;"><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left; height: 72px;"><p><strong>Introductory 0% APR offer</strong></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left; height: 72px;"><p>0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months (then a <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="regular_apr_display" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="false" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode> APR)</p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left; height: 72px;"><p>0% intro APR on balance transfers for the first 18 months, then <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="regular_apr_display" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="false" data-pid="5e67d8a184159f65c42a8e05">Citi&nbsp;Double Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left; height: 72px;"><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><strong>Foreign transaction fee</strong></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p>Yes</p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p>Yes</p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p>No</p></td></tr><tr style="height: 65px;"><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left; height: 65px;"><p><strong>Review</strong></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left; height: 65px;">&nbsp;</td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left; height: 65px;"><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/citi-double-cash-card-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Citi Double Cash credit card review</a></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left; height: 65px;"><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/citi-premier-card-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Citi Premier card review</a></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>*eligible 5% cash back categories on the <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode> are restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment</p><h2>Comparison: Citi Custom Cash vs other cash-back credit cards</h2><table style="height: 200px; width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" cellpadding="10px"><tbody><tr style="height: 30px;"><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 30px; text-align: left;">&nbsp;</td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 30px; text-align: left;"><p><bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 30px; text-align: left;"><p><bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="5f5922dd1ad83a1b384746e3">Chase Freedom Flex</bi-inline-shortcode></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 30px; text-align: left;"><p><bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="5e724641c48540307d36e702">Discover it Cash Back</bi-inline-shortcode></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><strong>Annual fee</strong></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="annual_fee_display" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="false" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="annual_fee_display" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="false" data-pid="5f5922dd1ad83a1b384746e3">Chase Freedom Flex</bi-inline-shortcode></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="annual_fee_display" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="false" data-pid="5e724641c48540307d36e702">Discover it Cash Back</bi-inline-shortcode></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><strong>Rewards rate</strong></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p>5% cash back on up to $500 spent in your top eligible spending category* each billing cycle (then 1%)</p><p>1% cash back on all other purchases</p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p class="headline-regular">5% cash back (5x points) on travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards</p><p class="headline-regular">5% cash back (5x points) on up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter in rotating bonus categories when you activate</p><p class="headline-regular">3% cash back (3x points) on dining and drugstore purchases</p><p class="headline-regular">1% cash back (1x points) on everything else</p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p class="headline-regular">5% cash back in categories that rotate each quarter on up to $1,500 in combined spending when you activate (then 1%)</p><p class="headline-regular"><bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="intro_bonus_display" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="false" data-pid="6086e42f8d4c0a00118044b2">Discover It Cashback rotation</bi-inline-shortcode></p><p class="headline-regular">1% cash back on all other eligible purchases</p></td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><strong>Welcome bonus</strong></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="intro_bonus_display" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="false" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="intro_bonus_display" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="false" data-pid="5f5922dd1ad83a1b384746e3">Chase Freedom Flex</bi-inline-shortcode></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p>None, but Discover will dollar for dollar match all the cash back you earned after the first 12 months</p></td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><strong>Card benefits</strong></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p>Access to Citi Entertainment</p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/credit-cards-with-cell-phone-protection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cell phone protection</a></p><p>Car rental insurance (secondary in the US, primary otherwise)</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/best-credit-cards-travel-insurance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trip cancellation/interruption insurance</a></p><p>Purchase protection</p><p>Extended warranty</p><p>Travel and emergency assistance services</p><p>Free credit score</p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p>Free FICO score</p><p>No <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/credit-cards-with-no-late-fees" target="_blank" rel="noopener">late payment fee</a> on your first late payment (then up to $40)</p></td></tr><tr><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"><p><strong>Introductory 0% APR offer</strong></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"><p>0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months (then a <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="regular_apr_display" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="false" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode> APR)</p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"><p>0% APR on purchases for the first 15 months, then a <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="regular_apr_display" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="false" data-pid="5f5922dd1ad83a1b384746e3">Chase Freedom Flex</bi-inline-shortcode> variable APR</p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"><p>0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 14 months, then a <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="regular_apr_display" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="false" data-pid="5e724641c48540307d36e702">Discover it Cash Back</bi-inline-shortcode> APR</p></td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p><strong>Foreign transaction fee</strong></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p>Yes</p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p>Yes</p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; height: 21px; text-align: left;"><p>No</p></td></tr><tr style="height: 65px;"><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left; height: 65px;"><p><strong>Review</strong></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left; height: 65px;">&nbsp;</td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left; height: 65px;"><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/chase-freedom-flex-credit-card-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chase Freedom Flex credit card review</a></p></td><td style="width: 25%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left; height: 65px;"><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/discover-it-cash-back-card-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Discover it Cash Back card review</a></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>*eligible 5% cash back categories on the <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode> are restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment</p><h2>How to use rewards from the Citi Custom Cash card</h2><p>The <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode> doesn't earn pure cash back in the traditional sense; instead, cardholders earn rewards in the form of Citi ThankYou points. This is the same rewards currency earned by other <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/best-citi-credit-cards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Citi credit cards</a>, including the <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="5e8216c32d654f76756d3cd2">Citi Premier Card</bi-inline-shortcode>, <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="5e7a271c671de023ef1cf886">Citi Prestige Card</bi-inline-shortcode>, and <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="5ea32b720fc6397bc45a1964">Citi Rewards+ Card</bi-inline-shortcode>.</p><p>You can also earn Citi ThankYou points indirectly with the <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="5e67d8a184159f65c42a8e05">Citi&nbsp;Double Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode>, which allows you to convert cash-back rewards into Citi ThankYou points at a rate of 1 cent to 1 point.</p><p><em><strong>Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/guide-earning-using-citi-thankyou-points" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to earn, redeem, and maximize Citi ThankYou points</a></strong></em></p><p>Citi ThankYou points are incredibly versatile. With any Citi ThankYou card, you can redeem your points at a rate of 1 cent apiece in a number of ways:</p><ul><li>Statement credits</li><li>Cash back in the form of a direct deposit</li><li>Airfare, hotels, car rentals, and more through the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/citi-thankyou-travel-portal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Citi ThankYou travel portal</a></li><li>Gift cards</li><li>Mortgage or student loan payments</li><li>Charity donations</li></ul><p>You can also cash in points for merchandise by using them to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/use-credit-card-points-amazon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pay at checkout with Amazon</a> or PayPal, but you'll get a relatively poor rate of just 0.8 cents per point when you redeem this way. A better bet would be to use your <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode> (or other Citi card) to make these purchases directly, then redeem points at 1 cent apiece for a statement credit to offset the charge.</p><p>Things get more lucrative if you also have the <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="5e8216c32d654f76756d3cd2">Citi Premier Card</bi-inline-shortcode> or <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="5e7a271c671de023ef1cf886">Citi Prestige Card</bi-inline-shortcode>, because when you have one of these cards, you can access the full range of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/citi-thankyou-rewards-points-transfer-partners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Citi transfer partners</a>:</p><aside class="breakout-box headline-regular"><h3><strong>Citi airline transfer partners</strong></h3><ul><li>Aeromexico Club Premier</li><li>Air France-KLM Flying Blue</li><li>Avianca LifeMiles</li><li>Cathay Pacific Asia Miles</li><li>Emirates Skywards</li><li>Etihad Guest</li><li>Eva Air Infinity MileageLands</li><li>InterMiles (formerly Jet Airways JetPrivilege)</li><li>JetBlue TrueBlue</li><li>Malaysia Airlines Enrich</li><li>Qantas Frequent Flyer</li><li>Qatar Airways Privilege Club</li><li>Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer</li><li>Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus</li><li>Turkish Airlines Miles &amp; Smiles</li><li>Virgin Atlantic Flying Club</li></ul></aside><p>Transferring points to partners to book award flights can get you a much higher value from your Citi ThankYou points, depending on the transfer partner and flight or route you book.</p><aside class="quick-tip headline-regular"><p>Because of the ability to transfer points to partners when you have certain cards, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/what-are-points-miles-worth-value#citi-thankyou-rewards-points-value" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Insider values Citi ThankYou points</a> at 1.6 cents each based on our most recent points and miles valuations.</p></aside><h2>Citi Custom Cash card benefits and features</h2><p>As you might expect from a no-annual-fee card, the <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode> isn't packed with benefits, but its rewards system makes up for the lack of flashy perks.</p><h3>5% cash back in your highest spending category</h3><p>The <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode>'s most compelling feature is the 5% cash back (5x Citi ThankYou points) it earns on up to $500 in purchases each billing cycle, in the eligible category where you spend the most (then 1%).</p><p>That's a good deal if you tend to change your spending habits from month to month. For example, one month you might do a lot of driving and have high fuel expenses, but the next you may stay closer to home and spend more on groceries.&nbsp;</p><aside class="breakout-box headline-regular"><h3><strong>Citi Custom Cash Card 5x bonus categories</strong></h3><ul><li><p>Restaurants</p></li><li><p>Gas stations</p></li><li><p>Grocery stores</p></li><li><p>Select travel</p></li><li><p>Select transit</p></li><li><p>Select streaming services</p></li><li><p>Drugstores</p></li><li><p>Home improvement stores</p></li><li><p>Fitness clubs</p></li><li><p>Live entertainment</p></li></ul></aside><p>In travel, transit, and streaming services categories, only certain types of purchases or merchants are eligible, but most typical spending is included:</p><ul><li><strong>Select travel</strong> includes airline, hotel, cruise line, and travel agency purchaseshowever, timeshares, boat leases and rentals, campgrounds and trailer parks, and real estate agencies are excluded</li><li><strong>Select transit</strong> includes categories you might normally lump in with travelcar rentals, ferries, commuter railways, subways, taxis/limousines/car services, passenger railways, bridge and road tolls, parking lots/garages, bus lines, and motor home and recreational vehicle rentals are all eligible (bike/scooter rentals, auto clubs and insurance companies are not)</li><li><strong>Select streaming services</strong> span all of the major players, including Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Music, Apple Music, CBS All Access, Disney+, AT&amp;T TV NOW, ESPN+, fuboTV, HBO Max, NBA League Pass, Netflix, Pandora, Showtime, Sling TV, Spotify, Starz, SiriusXM, Vudu, YouTube Red, YouTube TV, and Tidal</li></ul><p>If you don't have any other cards that earn a bonus in any of these categories, using the <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode> for your regular spending and earning 5x rewards in your top monthly category is the easiest approach. But if you have other cards in your wallet, you can use the <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode> in categories where you might not otherwise earn a bonus.</p><p><em><strong>Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/best-travel-rewards-credit-cards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The best travel rewards credit cards</a></strong></em></p><h3>Introductory 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers</h3><p>If you have some big purchases coming up that you need to pay for over time, or already have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/how-to-consolidate-credit-card-debt" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-analytics-module="body_link" data-analytics-post-depth="60" data-uri="7fd0099a3ea002765500bdce6cbb00a0">credit card debt you want to consolidate</a>, the <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode> could give you some breathing room. New cardholders receive a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/best-low-interest-credit-cards" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-analytics-module="body_link" data-analytics-post-depth="60" data-uri="e7d27cd90e91e3bc6306c56386ad8bbd">0% APR on purchases and balance transfers</a> for the first 15 months (then a <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="regular_apr_display" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="false" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode> APR).</p><p><em><strong>Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/should-you-use-0-apr-credit-card" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Using a 0% APR credit card can save you money on interest, but be sure to avoid these pitfalls that could hurt you in the long run</a></strong></em></p><p>As long as you're able to pay off your balance before the introductory APR expires, using a 0% APR credit card can help you save money on interest or <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/conversation-with-grandmother-get-out-of-debt-2021-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get out of debt faster</a>.</p><bi-shortcode id="commerce-link" class="mceNonEditable" data-cardtype="credit-card" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185" data-type="undefined">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-shortcode><h2>Citi Custom Cash card fees and costs</h2><p>The <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode> doesn't charge an annual fee, but there are other fees to be aware of. It's not a good card for international purchases, because it charges foreign transaction fees (3%).</p><p><strong><em>Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/best-credit-cards-no-foreign-transaction-fees" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The best credit cards with no foreign transaction fees</a></em></strong></p><p>Like other cards, the <bi-inline-shortcode id="commerce-link" contenteditable="false" data-fields="name" data-customtext="" data-shouldlink="true" data-pid="60c12aa6a617ed0018630185">Citi Custom Cash Card</bi-inline-shortcode> also charges fees for balance transfers, cash advances, and late payments.&nbsp;</p><p><em>Jasmin Baron is an associate editor at Personal Finance Insider, where she helps readers maximize rewards and find the best credit cards to fit their lifestyles. She has covered credit cards, points and miles, and loyalty programs for over seven years, and she's a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF).</em></p><bi-shortcode id="related-product-module" class="mceNonEditable" data-type="related-products-credit-cards" data-sheetname="Related Product Credit Cards">Related Product Module: Related Product Credit Cards</bi-shortcode><bi-shortcode id="related-content-module" class="mceNonEditable" data-type="more-credit-card-coverage" data-sheetname="More Credit Card Coverage">Related Content Module: More Credit Card Coverage</bi-shortcode><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/citi-custom-cash-card-review#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/where-run-hide-earthquake-occurs-2017-6">Where you should go to stay safe during an earthquake</a></p>
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