Citi Custom Cash® Review: Easy 5% Cash Back Where You Spend the Most

If you're a savvy spender looking to maximize your rewards, the Citi Custom Cash® is a no-annual-fee card offering 5% cash back on your top spending category. There's a $500 spending limit each billing cycle for your top category, and all other purchases earn 1% cash back. This means you get the bonus rate automatically, unlike other cards that require activations. The Custom Cash® is excellent if your spending is mostly focused on one category, but you can also pair it with different cards to earn maximum rewards.

The Citi Custom Cash® card offers a flexible 5% cash back on your top spending category. It's a great match for those who focus their spending on one area and prefer straightforward rewards without tracking rotating categories. Moreover, it's an excellent card if you spend heavily on niche categories that aren't typically included in a card's bonus categories, like fitness clubs, live entertainment and home improvement.

Its 15-month 0% intro APR period on purchases and balance transfers makes it an excellent choice for handling large expenses or managing existing debt without the burden of accruing interest. The lack of an annual fee and the $200 welcome bonus makes it more attractive to budget-savvy consumers.

However, the card's benefits are slightly dimmed by its $500 spending cap on the 5% category. If you spend over $500 monthly for groceries or gas or want high cash back across multiple categories, you might consider looking at other options.

>> MORE: MoneyGeek's Best Cash Back Credit Cards

The Citi Custom Cash® card has a unique and dynamic cash back program. It offers 5% cash back on your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent. All other purchases get 1% cash back.

Here are the spending categories that allow you to earn the 5% cash back rate:

• Restaurants
• Gas Stations
• Grocery Stores
• Drugstores
• Home Improvement Stores
• Fitness Clubs
• Live Entertainment
• Select Travel: Includes purchases from airlines, hotels, cruise lines and travel agencies. This category does not include timeshares, boat leases and rentals, campgrounds, trailer parks or real estate agency transactions.
• Select Transit: Covers car rentals, ferries, commuter railways, subways, taxis, limousines, car services, passenger railways, tolls, parking facilities, bus lines, motor home and recreational vehicle rentals and merchants selling electricity for electric vehicle charging.
• Select Streaming Services: Includes Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Disney+, DirecTV Stream, ESPN+, fuboTV, Max, NBA League Pass, Netflix, Pandora, Paramount+, Showtime, Sling TV, Spotify, Starz, SiriusXM, Vudu, YouTube Red, YouTube TV and Tidal.

The card is particularly beneficial if your spending is concentrated in one area. It automatically adjusts to reward your highest spending category without the need for activation or tracking. Just keep in mind that each spending category has limitations. For example, purchases at wholesale clubs and discount superstores aren’t included in the “grocery store” category.

The card also offers 4% cash back on hotels, rental cars and attractions booked through Citi’s travel portal. This offer is valid until June 30, 2025.

The cash back you earn with Citi Custom Cash® is in the form of ThankYou Points, which you can redeem for any amount in statement credit, gift cards, travel or direct deposits. You can also redeem a check for at least $5.

Whether you’re looking for cash back or financial flexibility, the Citi Custom Cash® card is a solid choice.

5% Cash Back: The card’s 5% cash back rate is exceptional. Typically, no-annual-fee cards offer 3% to 4% cash back on bonus categories.

Adaptable Rewards: The Custom Cash® automatically adjusts its 5% cash back rate to your top spending category. This ensures you get the best rewards where you spend the most. This feature is good on its own, but it provides additional strategic value when you pair the Custom Cash® with other cards.

Introductory APR: Benefit from 0% APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, which can be especially helpful for managing large expenses or existing debt.

No Annual Fee: Enjoy all the benefits of the Citi Custom Cash® card without worrying about an annual fee cutting into your rewards.

Before you decide on the Citi Custom Cash® Card, consider its limitations.

Spending Cap: Earning 5% cash back applies to the first $500 spent in each cycle's top spending category. Afterwards, the cash back rate becomes 1%. For instance, if you spend $700 on groceries, you'll get $25 from the 5% cash back rate for the first $500 and $2 from the regular rate for the remaining $200.

The card's spending cap is lower than other cash back cards. For example, the Blue Cash Everyday® card provides 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, gas stations and online retail for up to $6,000 per year for each category.

Limited Rewards: Even though you spend heavily on multiple categories, only one category gets the 5% cash back rate, and all other categories get the base 1% rate. If you're looking for more diverse rewards, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards card offers unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment and groceries. You may also want to consider flat-rate cards like the Citi® Double Cash, which provides unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases.

Penalty APR: If you miss a payment, you could be looking at a penalty APR of up to 29.99%. This rate can significantly increase the cost of carrying a balance, potentially negating the benefits of cash back earned. It's wise to maintain timely payments to avoid this steep rate.

Can’t decide if the Citi Custom Cash® is right for you? We compare it with similar cards to help you make an informed decision.

Citi Custom Cash® vs. Blue Cash Everyday® Card From American Express

The Blue Cash Everyday® card gives 3% cash back on purchases from U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations and online retail for up to $6,000 per year for each category. Blue Cash allows you to get high rewards in more categories, and its spending limit is effectively thrice that of Custom Cash®. If you spend heavily in these specific categories, the Blue Cash Everyday® is a strong alternative.

Citi Custom Cash® vs. Citi® Double Cash

Also issued by Citi, the Double Cash stands out with its unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases. While this rate may seem lower compared to the Custom Cash's 5%, it's an excellent option if your spending is spread across multiple categories. With the Double Cash, your non-bonus purchases earn double what you would with the Custom Cash's base rate of 1%. You can also get this card with just a fair credit score.

Thanks to its adaptive 5% cash back feature, you can strategically pair the Citi Custom Cash® with other cards.

For example, you can use the Custom Cash® in a category where you spend heavily to take advantage of the 5% cash back. For other purchases (or once you hit the spending limit), you can use a flat-rate card like the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card, which offers 2% cash back on all purchases.

Your options are not limited to flat-rate cards. The Custom Cash® also works well with a card like the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards card, which provides unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment and at grocery stores. You can use the SavorOne for its bonus categories and the Custom Cash for a high-spend category not covered by the SavorOne, like gas.

The Custom Cash® is a solid card that offers everything you need in a cash back card, and then some. It charges no annual fee, offers a welcome bonus and provides a 0% intro APR period.

What makes it stand out is its unique 5% cash back feature, which automatically adjusts to your highest spending category. It allows you to get high cash back on purchases that aren’t normally included in a card’s bonus categories.

It’s a smart pick for spenders who consistently hit the same budget category and can take full advantage of the 5% cash back. It also complements various cards and lets you maximize the cash back you earn from your purchases.

Our evaluation of the Citi Custom Cash® Card involved a comprehensive review of its features against a set of weighted criteria. With a focus on cash back performance, we considered the following factors, listed by their impact on the card's overall score:

• Reward Rate: 50% of the score, reflecting the cash back potential based on spending patterns.
• Annual Fee: 10%, with a higher score for no annual fee.
• Offer ROI: 10%, measuring the return on any welcome offers or bonuses.
• Issuer Satisfaction: 5%, based on customer feedback and service quality.
• Penalties: 5%, evaluating the fees and rates applied for late payments or other infractions.
• Intro Purchase APR: 5%, considering the cost-saving potential of introductory APR offers.
• Regular APR: 5%, reflecting the long-term cost of carrying a balance.
• Foreign Transaction: 5%, assessing fees for international transactions.
• Recommended Credit: 5%, indicating the card's accessibility to various credit profiles.

In total, 60 cards were reviewed, including the Citi Custom Cash® Card, to ensure a thorough comparison within the cash back category.