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The Citi Rewards+® Card is an excellent option for people who make many smaller purchases and want to leverage their spending for travel or other rewards. It does not have an annual fee and provides 2X earnings per dollar spent at gas stations and grocery stores, up to $6,000 per year, and 1X for every dollar spent after that. Furthermore, you will receive 10% Points back when you redeem up to the first 100,000 points yearly. In addition, the card includes a valuable unique feature that rounds all earnings up to the next 10 points.
In this article, we will thoroughly examine the Citi Rewards+® Card and provide an in-depth review to help determine if it is worth it for you. We will explore its features, benefits, and drawbacks to understand the card comprehensively and whether it is the right card for you.
Citi Rewards+® Card Overview
- Earn 20,000 bonus points welcome bonus after making $1,500 worth of purchases within the first three months of opening the account. These points can be redeemed for up to $200 in gift cards.
- Earn 2X points for every $1 spent at supermarkets and gas stations for up to $6,000 in annual spending. For all other purchases, earn 1X Point for every $1 spent.
- The Citi Rewards+® Card has this unique offer that automatically rounds up the rewards earned from each purchase to the nearest 10 points without any limit.
- Receive a 10% rebate when you redeem points up to the first 100,000 points in a given year.
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers & purchases for 15 months. After that, a variable APR of 17.99%-27.99% is based on creditworthiness. 3% intro transfer fee (min $5) in first 4 months, then 5% fee (min $5) for each transfer.
- No Annual Fee.
- 3% foreign transaction fee.
Pros And Cons
Pros
- Beneficial rewards including unique offer of rounding up to nearest 10
- No annual fee
- 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on first transfers and purchases
Cons
- Annual limit of $6,000 on the 2x points category for earning rewards
- Foreign transaction fee
- Redeeming rewards can be complex.
Welcome Bonus
With the Citi Rewards+ Card, you can earn 20,000 bonus points by spending $1,500 within the first 3 months, redeemable for $200 in gift cards. The Citi ThankYou® Points can be redeemed for gift cards, shopping at Amazon.com or BestBuy.com, flights, hotels, cruises, and more. There is no limit on earning points, and they never expire.
The 20,000 bonus points can be redeemed for $200 in gift cards. If you also hold a Citi Premier account, you can transfer the points from your Rewards+ account to either of those accounts. This opens up the option to transfer points to airline partners, providing greater flexibility and value for your rewards. (Pricing information).
Citi Credit Card Rewards
The Citi Rewards+® Card has no annual fee and is a great entry into Citi’s appealing rewards program. Cardholders will earn rewards in the form of Citi ThankYou Points for their purchases made with the card.
- Earn 2X points for every $1 spent at supermarkets and gas stations, up to a maximum of $6,000 per year. Earn 1X Point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- The Citi Rewards+® Card rounds up rewards to the nearest 10 points with no limit. For example, paying $18 at a gas station will earn 40 points(2X and rounded up).
- Receive a 10% points rebate on the first 100,000 points redeemed annually. For instance, If you redeem 10000 points, you will receive 1,000 back.
Citi ThankYou Points Reward Redemption
The Citi Rewards+® Card allows cardholders to earn ThankYou Points for every purchase they make with the card. These points can be redeemed for between 0.5 to 1 cent per point for various rewards, including gift cards from popular retailers, restaurants, and other merchants.
ThankYou Points can also be redeemed for online shopping at retailers such as Amazon.com or BestBuy.com or used to get travel rewards such as flights, hotels, and cruises. In addition, ThankYou Points can also be redeemed as a statement credit, where each point is equivalent to 0.5 cents. Additionally, you can redeem your points as a check with a value of 0.5 cents per point. However, there is a minimum redemption requirement of $5.
0% Intro APR Offer
For the first 15 months, the Citi Rewards+® Card offers a 0% introductory APR on the First transfer and purchases. After that, the variable APR will be based on your creditworthiness and range from 17.99% to 27.99%. There is also an introductory fee of 3% for transfers made within the first four months of opening the account (with a minimum fee of $5). Afterward, a 5% fee (minimum $5) will be added for each subsequent transfer.
Other Perks And Benefits
Digital Wallet and Contactless Payment
Digital wallets provide a secure and convenient shopping experience, allowing you to make purchases online, in apps, and stores. They make checkout fast and effortless while allowing you to take advantage of your card’s benefits. With Citi Rewards+® Card, you can shop safely with a contactless-chip-enabled card.
Citi Entertainment
Citi Entertainment offers you special access to events, including presale tickets and unique experiences for some of the year’s most highly anticipated concerts, sporting events, and culinary experiences. At the time of writing, Citi Entertainment provides presale tickets for Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour and preferred tickets for artists such as Billy Joel, among others.
Citi Concierge
Citi Concierge provides access to a team of experts refers to reaching out to and utilizing the services of a group of knowledgeable and experienced professionals in a specific field.
How Much Are Rewards Worth?
The Citi Rewards+® card has a major drawback: the basic points have a fixed redemption value of 0.5-1 cents per point. This means that regardless of the type of redemption option you choose, the value of your points will remain the same, at 0.5–1 cent each. This can be considered limiting compared to other reward cards that offer higher redemption values for certain types of redemption, such as travel or dining.
The most valuable options for redeeming your reward earnings are gift cards and travel, but the value of each point is only 1 cent. The Citi Rewards+® Card provides various options for redeeming rewards, but the value and options available are not equal. It’s difficult to find a credit card with no annual fee that can transfer points to travel partners. The Citi Rewards+® Card falls short in terms of the available selection and value of its rewards.
The value of your points is reduced to 0.5 cents per point when redeeming for cash rewards or statement credits. It becomes even lower at 0.8 cents per point when using options such as Pay with Points, making minimum payment contributions, or shopping with points at online retailers.
Who The Citi Rewards+® Card Is For?
The Citi Rewards+ Card is a great option for individuals who make many small purchases. With no annual fee and a generous welcome bonus, this card offers a cost-effective way to earn rewards on everyday spending. However, the most significant benefit of this card is its unique “Round Up” feature, which rounds up the points earned on each purchase to the nearest 10. This effectively gives cardholders extra points for their small purchases, making it an ideal choice for those who frequently make small purchases but have low overall spending.
Citi ThankYou Points earned can be redeemed for gift cards, travel rewards, etc., but if you can combine your Citi Reward+® Card with cards like Citi Premier or Citi Prestige, you can take advantage of more travel rewards options.
Other Credit Cards To Consider
It’s important to note that the best competitor for the Citi Rewards+ Card will depend on your specific spending habits and goals. Before choosing a card, it’s important to compare the rewards and benefits of each option to determine which one will provide the most value for you.
Citi Reward+® Card vs. Amex Blue Cash Everyday® Card
The Amex Blue Cash Everyday® Card is a no-annual-fee card offering a slightly higher than Citi Reward+® Card; it is one of the best cards for everyday purchases like groceries. It comes with 3% cash back on the first $6000 spent on US supermarkets, then 1% and 3% on the first $6000 spent on US online retail purchases.
The Amex Blue Cash Everyday® Card comes with a $200 statement credit once you spend $2,000 on your new Card during the first 6 months, as well as a 0% initial APR for 15 months from the account starting date (12.99% to 23.99% variable APR after the intro period finishes).
Cashback and offers from Amex Blue Cash Everyday® Card beat Citi Rewards’ offers like 2X points on supermarkets and gas stations.
Citi Rewards+® Card vs. Chase Freedom Flex℠
Chase Freedom Flex℠ is a credit card that does not charge an annual fee and offers many rewards. After activating the card, you can receive 5% cash back on combined purchases made each quarter up to $1500. Additionally, travel purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards earn 5% cashback, while purchases made at drugstores and dining restaurants earn 3% cashback. All other purchases earn 1% cashback.
Also, you will earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 in the first three months. The 0% intro APR offer for 15 months is the same for both cards; however, rates may change afterward depending on your creditworthiness. with the broad range of cashback rewards, Chase Freedom Flex℠ is more valuable than Citi Rewards+® Card.
Citi Rewards+® Card vs Discover it® Cash Back
The Discover it® Cash Back card offers the opportunity to earn 5% cashback on your biggest spending category each billing cycle, up to a maximum of $500 in purchases. After reaching this cap, you will still receive 1% cashback. The categories eligible for the 5% cashback bonus include grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations.
Also, in the welcome offer, At the end of your first year with Discover, they will match all the cashback you have earned. There are no restrictions on spending or rewards, potentially turning $150 in cashback into $300. As for the intro APR offer, the Discover it® Cash Back card typically provides a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 14 months. After the introductory period, a variable APR applies.
Final Thoughts
The Citi Rewards+® Card offers various rewards programs & no annual fee and can be a valuable card for low-spenders. Earn 2x points at supermarkets & gas stations, 1x on all other purchases. Rounding up feature. 0% intro APR on purchases & balance transfers for the first 15 months. Citi Rewards+® Card is good, but other no-annual-fee cards offer better earnings in rewards for everyday spending.
Keep track of your spending categories and select a credit card that rewards you for your most frequent purchases. Sign up for our travel concierge service, and we will help you uncover the finest credit cards of 2023, as well as incredible travel deals and how to leverage your points for maximum value.
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