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Citi Rewards+® Card Review

Citi Rewards+® Card
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Citi Rewards+® Card
Citi Rewards+® Card
Sean Lapointe
Mar. 19, 2024
3 min read
LaPointe
Citi Rewards+® Card Summary
The Citi Rewards+® Card is a distinctive offering from Citibank, an institution with a rich history dating back to 1812. The card offers 2x points for spending at supermarkets and gas stations for the first $6,000 of the year and 1x points thereafter. Its standout feature is that it rounds up points from each purchase to the nearest ten, increasing your earning potential. Moreover, it offers a 0% intro APR and no annual fee.

Pros

  • Rounds up earned points from each purchase to the nearest 10
  • 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months

Cons

  • Limited bonus rewards categories
  • Charges balance transfer and foreign transaction fees

Citi Rewards+® Card at a glance

9.8
Editorial score

Fees

No annual fee, 5% cash advance fee ($10 minimum), 3% foreign transaction fee, 5% balance transfer fee (or a minimum of $5)
10.0

APR

18.74%-28.74% (variable)
10.0

Security

FDIC insured, SSL encryption and two-factor authentication
10.0

Customer service

24/7 customer service on the phone and live chat
10.0

Online experience

User-friendly online platform and app, comprehensive Help Center and FAQ Section on website
9.0

Citi Rewards+® Card Citi Rewards+® Card Visit Site

Overview

Citibank (or Citi in short) is one of the biggest banks in the US, with roughly US$1.7 trillion in assets under management. It offers various financial products, including checking and savings accounts, credit cards, and loans.

The no-annual-fee Citi Rewards+® Card earns you rewards through ThankYou® points when you spend at supermarkets, gas stations, and other establishments. You can redeem points for various perks, including travel rewards (like flights, hotels, and cruises), gift cards, and statement credit, or use them to shop online at Amazon and Best Buy.  

Suitable For?

The Citi Rewards+® Card is ideal for customers who make frequent, small purchases—including grocery store runs, coffee shop visits, and gas station fill-ups—thanks to its unique feature of rounding up rewards points to the nearest 10 on every purchase. This ensures that even the most minor of spending contributes meaningfully towards rewards.

Interest Rates and Fees

The Citi Rewards+® Card offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers. You must transfer balances within the first four months of opening your account to benefit from the 0% interest offer.  Once the intro period ends, the rate reverts to a regular variable APR of 18.74%-28.74%.

The card has no annual fee. However, several other fees apply, including:

  • A cash advance fee of $10 or 5%, whichever is greater.

  • A 3% foreign transaction fee.

  • A 3% (or a minimum of $5) balance transfer fee when you transfer within the first four months of account opening; 5% or a minimum of $5 afterward.



Annual fee

$0

Purchase and balance transfer APR

0% for the first 15 months of account opening, 18.74%-28.74% after that

Cash advance fee 

$10 or 5% of the transaction amount, whichever is greater

Foreign transaction fee

3% of each transaction

Balance transfer fee

3% (minimum $5) for transfers in the first four months, 5% ($5 minimum) after that

Rewards and Cashback

The Citi Rewards+® Card comes with a handsome sign-up bonus of 20,000 points after you spend $1,500 in the first three months of account opening; redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com.

Every $1 spent at gas stations and supermarkets (for the first $6,000 per calendar year) earns you two ThankYou® points. All other purchases made after that and/or outside these two categories earn you 1x point.

The bank rounds your reward points to the nearest 10 on every purchase. For example, if you spend $26 at a gas station, you’ll earn 60 points instead of 52.

There’s no limit to the number of points you can earn, and they don’t expire. Furthermore, you’ll receive 10% back on the first 100,000 points you redeem annually.

The Application Process

You can apply for the Rewards+  card online, on the phone, or in person at a Citi branch near you.

The easiest and most convenient way is online on Citi’s website. You’ll have to provide some personal and financial information when applying, including your name, home address, social security number, birth date, phone number, email, and employment status.

Citi mentions that processing your application could take up to four weeks, but many people receive a response sooner (sometimes instantly). You can check the status of your application on Citi’s online portal or by calling 1-866-606-2787.

Citi Rewards+® Card Citi Rewards+® Card Visit Site

Help and Support

Citibank offers 24/7 phone support for the Rewards+ card at 1-800-950-5114.

You can also contact the bank’s customer through live chat on your online account, by emailing customer.help@citi.com, or by booking an in-person or video appointment with a banker through Citi’s website.

There’s also an FAQ section on the bank’s website where you’ll find answers to some often-asked questions about the Rewards+ card, plus a Help Center with useful guides on Citi’s products.

Online reviews paint a mixed picture of the overall quality of Citi’s customer service. 

Some customers report getting through to support relatively quickly, while others report experiencing long wait times on the phone. There are also complaints about language barriers, possibly because Citi sometimes outsources its customer services to non-US locations. 

Security

Citi uses Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption technology to safeguard online transactions and communications. The bank monitors your credit card account for fraudulent activity and notifies you immediately via phone, email, or text if it witnesses anything suspicious.

Citi supports two-factor and biometric authentication for secure and convenient access to your account. Additionally, the bank provides zero liability protection for unauthorized charges made with your card as long as you report them immediately.

FAQs

What credit score do I need for the Citi Rewards+® Card?

Citi doesn’t state the minimum credit score required to qualify for the Rewards+ card. However, like other cards in this particular category, you’re likely to need a credit score in the good to excellent range, that is, a FICO score of 670 and above.

How do I redeem my ThankYou® Points?

You can redeem your ThankYou® points by contacting the ThankYou® Service Center at 1-800-842-6596, or online at www.thankyou.com.

Conclusion

The Citi Rewards+® Card is a solid option for people who engage in frequent small transactions and want to get meaningfully rewarded. Every $1 you spend at supermarkets and gas stations earns you two points, with everything else garnering you one point. These rewards are rounded to the nearest 10, increasing the total value of your earnings.

The card has several other perks, like no annual fee,  a lengthy 0% introductory APR, and a sign-up bonus of up to 20,000 points.

Methodology

This information was prepared using information from the company’s website and reviews on comparison sites.

See Rates and Fees

LaPointe
Written by
Sean Lapointe
Sean LaPointe is a freelance personal finance writer with a passion for helping readers make informed financial decisions. With over 8 years of personal finance writing experience, Sean has written for a wide variety of top publications, including The Motley Fool, Angi, Top10.com, and BestMoney. Sean’s commitment to providing readers with the most up-to-date information means he’s always researching the latest financial products.
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