Citi Strata℠ Card vs. Citi Double Cash Card
Key takeaways
- The Citi Strata℠ Card offers high rewards on gas, grocery spending and a category of your choice.
- The Citi Double Cash® Card offers an unlimited flat rate cash back.
- Both cards have their own unique benefits and redemption options, so it’s important to consider your spending habits before choosing one.
Citi offers a couple of options that could work well for you if you’re on the hunt for the best rewards credit card to suit your lifestyle and spending habits. The new Citi Strata℠ Card — the replacement for the Citi Rewards+® Card* — offers high rewards on your gas and grocery spending, while the Citi Double Cash® Card offers unlimited flat rate cash back when you spend on the card and then pay off your purchases.
Essentially, the Citi Strata Card is an everyday spending card for people who want points back on gas and grocery spending with the option to rack up a few extra points when they book hotels through Cititravel.com. The Citi Double Cash is good for those who want a simple set-it-and-forget-it way to earn unlimited cash back on all their spending.
However, it helps to know a little more about some of the cards’ features and benefits so that you can choose the one that works best for you. Here’s how these top Citi cards compare to each other.
Main details
| Citi Strata℠ Card | Citi Double Cash® Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus |
|
|
| Rewards rate |
|
|
| Intro APR | 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers and purchases, followed by an APR of 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) | 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers, followed by an APR of 18.24% - 28.24% (Variable) |
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 |
Citi Strata Card vs. Citi Double Cash Card highlights
Citi Strata℠ Card
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The Citi Strata Card is currently offering 30,000 ThankYou® bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first three months of account opening. This welcome bonus is worth $300, according to Bankrate’s valuations.
On the other hand, the Double Cash offers $200 (fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou points), which can be earned by spending $1,500 in the first six months of account opening.
The Strata wins with its current limited-time offer, but keep in mind you’ll have to spend a bit less per month to earn the Double Cash’s bonus (only $250 a month), which make all the difference to you in the end.
Citi Strata℠ Card
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Strictly speaking, the Citi Strata has this category pretty much in the bag. Cardholders will earn 5X points on hotels and rental cars through Cititravel.com, making this a solid travel card to start with. But its everyday spending categories are where it really shines: 3X points at supermarkets, on gas and EV charging stations and on a spending category of your choice. Plus, you’ll earn 2X at restaurants and 1X points on everything else.
Earning 3X points on a category of your choice is one of the best perks of this card, and definitely not something to look over. Category options include:
- Fitness clubs
- Select streaming services
- Live entertainment
- Cosmetic stores, barber shops and hair salons
- Pet supply stores
That said, the Citi Double Cash may be more useful to your spending strategy given its simplicity and unlimited earning potential. Cardholders effectively earn 2 percent cash back on every purchase in the form of 1 percent when you buy and another 1 percent when you pay for your purchases.
Citi Double Cash® Card
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If you have existing high-interest debt to pay down, the Citi Double Cash Card offers a lengthy, 18-month 0 percent intro APR on balance transfers made in the first four months, followed by an APR of 18.24% – 28.24% (Variable) — though it doesn’t feature a matching offer on new purchases.
The Citi Strata, however, offers a 15-month 0 percent intro APR on balance transfers made in the first four months as well as on purchases, making this card the better option if you have a large purchase on the horizon. After the intro periods, your balance will be subject to an APR of 19.24% – 29.24% (Variable).
Which card earns the most?
Citi Strata Card vs. Citi Double Cash Card spending example
Let’s say you spend $30,000 a year with your credit card. If we break that down into discretionary categories like groceries, gas and entertainment, we can compare both these Citi cards to see what you stand to earn in terms of rewards.
| Annual spending ($30,000 in total) | Category spend amount | Citi Strata Card | Citi Double Cash Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries and gas | $10,000 | 30,000 points | 20,000 points |
| Restaurants | $5,000 | 10,000 points | 10,000 points |
| Hotels and rental cars (booked through Cititravel.com) | $3,000 | 15,000 points | 6,000 points |
| Fitness clubs | $5,000 | 15,000 points | 10,000 points |
| Additional spending | $7,000 | 7,000 points | 14,000 points |
| Total points earnings | 77,000 ThankYou points | 60,000 ThankYou points (redeemed as cash back) |
In terms of value, you stand to realize a good bit more with the Citi Strata Card if you’re interested in maximizing all its everyday spending categories, plus the one of your own choice. Citi ThankYou points are worth 1.0 cents each when redeemed for cash back, so it’s best to redeem ThankYou points in other ways — or, better yet, combine those points with a premium card like the Citi Strata Premier® Card for your best value options.
Why should you get the Citi Strata Card?
The Citi Strata Card is worth it for you if you’re looking to earn in several everyday categories, including gas, groceries, hotels and restaurants. And if you feel this card is missing one of your top spending categories, don’t fret. It’s likely in the list of options for your choice category — which, again, you’ll earn a whopping 3X points on.
Further, the Strata is best for people interested in redeeming rewards for something other than cash, such as for gift cards or charitable donations. The best case is combining these points with ThankYou points earned with a premium Citi travel card.
Why should you get the Citi Double Cash Card?
The Citi Double Cash Card is worth it for those who want a simple process for earning a flat rate of cash back on all of their spending. There are no gimmicks, caveats or special categories to track.
Essentially, it’s designed to reward people who spend on the card and then pay down their purchases, which lets you easily earn 2 percent cash back and without any limits. For some, the simplicity is just too good to pass up.
The bottom line
The Citi Strata Card has an impressive rewards rate for a no annual fee card, plus a solid limited-time welcome offer that could help cardholders rack up more rewards in the form of ThankYou points. But if you want less hassle, the Double Cash Card’s unlimited cash back rate may be a deal-breaker for some.
As always, consider other options from our list of today’s best rewards credit cards in case another card piques your interest.
*Information about the Citi Rewards+ Card has been collected independently by Bankrate. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
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