Citi Custom Cash Card review 2024: The no annual fee card that adapts to your spending

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If you don’t want to spend time and effort tracking your spending to earn rewards, you may want a credit card that does the heavy lifting for you. The Citi Custom Cash® Card is a card that does just that.

This card offers a unique rewards structure that sets it apart from other cash back credit cards. You'll automatically earn 5% cash back on your highest spend category each billing cycle (up to the first $500 spent). This means you don't have to actively select or activate bonus categories — the card does the work for you.

For a limited time, you can earn 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal (through June 2025). All other purchases earn an unlimited 1% cash back.

We took an in-depth look at the key features, benefits, and drawbacks of the Citi Custom Cash Card to help you determine if it's the right fit for you. 

Key features

• Cash back rewards: 5% cash back on top eligible spend category each billing cycle up to $500 (then 1%), 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal (through June 2025), and 1% cash back on everything else
• Introductory APR: Introductory 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months
• Regular APR: 19.24% to 29.24%
• Annual fee: $0
• Foreign transaction fees: 3%
• Balance transfer fee: $5 or 5% of the amount transferred, whichever is higher
• Cash advance fee: $10 or 5% of the amount advanced, whichever is higher
• Credit score requirements: Good to excellent
• Welcome bonus: 20,000 ThankYou points (worth $200 in cash back) after spending $1,500 in the first six months

Benefits and rewards

The key benefit of the Citi Custom Cash Card is its unique approach to cash back rewards. Unlike other cash back cards, the Custom Cash Card automatically adapts to your spending habits.

You don't need to activate a monthly rotating category or track your spending to align with bonus categories.

Ability to maximize cash back rewards 

Each billing cycle, you'll earn 5% cash back on your top eligible spending category up to the first $500 spent. That means you can earn up to $25 in bonus cash back per category per billing cycle.

The eligible 5% categories cover a wide range of everyday expenses. Potential categories include:

• Restaurants 
• Gas stations
• Grocery stores 
• Select travel
• Select transit
• Select streaming services
• Drugstores
• Home improvement stores
• Fitness clubs
• Live entertainment

For a limited time, you can earn 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal (through 6/30/2025).

You’ll also earn an unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. 

Other benefits

This card comes with a bonus of 20,000 ThankYou Points — worth $200 — for spending $1,500 in the first six months.

Cash back can be redeemed as a statement credit, direct deposit, check, gift card, or via Amazon.com and PayPal. You can pool rewards with points earned with Citi travel cards — like the Citi Premier® Card — to book travel.

The Citi Custom Cash Card offers a 0% introductory APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. This offer can be helpful if you need to make a large purchase or consolidate high-interest debt.

Considerations and downsides 

Even for a no-annual-fee card that offers 5% cash back and a 0% introductory APR, there are some downsides to consider.

First, the 5% cash back is capped at $500 spent per billing cycle. If you regularly spend more than $500 per month in one of the eligible categories, you may earn more rewards with a card that offers a higher or unlimited spending cap.

Additionally, the card's 5% categories, while broad, may not align with everyone's spending habits. If your biggest expenses fall outside the eligible categories, you may be better off with a card offering higher flat-rate cash back on all purchases.

While the introductory 0% APR offer is generous, paying off your balance before the promotional period ends is essential. After the high variable APR kicks in, carrying a balance on this card can negate the value of your cash back rewards.

Plus — to take advantage of the 0% APR balance transfer offer, you’ll need to initiate the transfer in the first four months or miss out. 

Who the Citi Custom Cash card is best for

The Citi Custom Cash Card is an excellent choice for those who want a simple, flexible cash back card that adapts to their spending habits.

The Citi Custom cash is good for: 

• People with varied spending patterns: If your top spending category tends to change monthly, the Custom Cash Card ensures you're always earning 5% cash back on your biggest expenses.
• Everyday spenders: With bonus categories covering groceries, gas, dining, drugstores, and more, this card is best for those who spend most of their budget on daily essentials.
• Fee-averse cardholders: The lack of an annual fee makes this card a cost-effective choice for those who want to earn cash back. 
• Balance transfer candidates: The 15-month 0% intro APR offer on balance transfers can be valuable for those looking to pay off existing credit card debt while avoiding interest.

How to maximize your rewards with the Citi Custom Cash card

To make the most of your Citi Custom Cash Card, tracking your spending across the eligible 5% cash back categories is essential. By understanding your spending patterns, you can use your card for purchases in the category where you're likely to spend the most.

You may also consider pairing your Citi Custom Cash Card with other rewards credit cards to optimize your earnings. For example, you could use the Custom Cash Card for your highest eligible spend category alongside a flat-rate cash back card like the Citi Double Cash® Card for all other purchases. 

Alternatives to the Citi Custom Cash Card

If you're considering the Citi Custom Cash Card, it's smart to compare it with other cash back and balance transfer cards to ensure you find the best fit. Here are a few alternatives to consider:

Tiered cash back cards

Here are some other cash back cards that can earn upwards of 5% cash back in specific categories.

• Chase Freedom Flex®: This card offers 5% cash back on up to $1,500 combined purchases in activated bonus categories each quarter. You’ll also get 5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1% on all other purchases. It has no annual fee and a solid 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers.
• Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: This card offers unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), plus 1% on all other purchases. It has no annual fee and a solid intro APR on purchases and balance transfers.

Flat-rate cash back cards

If you’re looking for a simpler way to earn cash back, you may want to consider a card that offers a flat rate on all purchases.

• Citi Double Cash® Card: This card offers a simple cash back structure: Earn 2% cash back on all purchases (1% when you buy, plus 1% when you pay off your purchase). It has no annual fee and a solid intro APR offer on balance transfers.
• Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases, plus 5% on travel through Chase Travel, 3% on dining, and 3% on drugstore purchases. The card has no annual fee and offers a solid APR offer.  

0% APR introductory cards

Cards with 0% introductory APR offers can help avoid interest charges on purchases and balance transfers. Here are some other options: 

• Citi Simplicity® Card: While this card doesn't offer cash back rewards, it's a solid choice for those seeking a long introductory APR period. The Simplicity Card offers a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 21 months (then 19.24%-29.99% variable APR). This card also has no annual fee, late fees, or penalty rates.
• Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card: This travel rewards card offers 1.25X miles per dollar on every purchase, with no annual fee. Miles can be redeemed for travel purchases or transferred to partner airline and hotel loyalty programs. The card offers a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (then 19.74%-29.74% variable APR). 

How we rated this card 

Every credit card review we publish has undergone a rigorous editorial process to ensure accuracy and objectivity.

We rate all credit cards on a 10-point system, with 10 being the highest possible score and 1 being the lowest possible score. We assess each card across several key factors, weighted based on what our research shows matters most to readers like you. 

Here are some of the factors that influenced this card’s overall score: 

• Rewards: The Citi Custom Cash Card excels in its unique rewards structure, offering 5% cash back on the cardholder's top eligible spending category each billing cycle. This adaptability makes it an attractive option for those with varied spending habits or who don't want to track rotating bonus categories. 
• Bonus rewards: However, the card's $500 per cycle spending cap on the 5% category limits the total cash back that can be earned, which may be a drawback for high spenders. The unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases is a standard earning rate among cash back cards.
• Redemption flexibility: The redemption options are fairly flexible, with the ability to redeem cash back as a statement credit, direct deposit, check, or gift card. The option to pool rewards with points earned from Citi travel cards adds value for those who also hold a Citi Premier or Prestige card.
• 0% APR offer: While the card offers an introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers, it lacks notable travel or shopping protection benefits that some other cards provide.
• Annual fee: The absence of an annual fee is a significant advantage, making the card accessible to a wide range of users.
• Welcome bonus: The welcome bonus of 20,000 ThankYou points (worth $200) after spending $1,500 in the first six months is solid for a no-annual-fee card.
   

The bottom line

The Citi Custom Cash Card offers a flexible approach to earning cash back rewards. By offering 5% cash back on your top eligible spending category, this card maximizes your rewards without the hassle of tracking rotating categories or activating bonuses.

As with any credit card, it's important to consider your spending habits before applying. The Custom Cash’s 5% categories may not align with everyone's spending patterns. Plus, the $500 per cycle spending cap could limit the total cash back earned for some cardholders.

The Citi Custom Cash Card is worth considering if you're looking for a no-annual-fee cash back card that adapts to your spending. 

Editorial disclosure: Opinions expressed are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.