Citi Rewards+ Card Review

Designed with the spending patterns of the average consumer in mind, the Citi Rewards+ Card lets cardholders earn good rewards on the purchases they already make. With a bonus category for gas station and supermarket purchases and a unique feature that rounds points earned on every purchase up to the nearest 10, users can rack up rewards on everyday errands.

Why you might want the Citi Rewards+ Card

If you mostly spend on everyday purchases, rather than travel or big-ticket items, and don’t want to keep track of rotating categories, the Citi Rewards+ Card is a solid contender. If you also make lots of small purchases, you can also take advantage of the round up feature. The card may also benefit you if you want to make a balance transfer don’t want to sacrifice rewards.

Unique round up feature

One of the most valuable features of the Citi Rewards+ Card is the round up feature, which rounds ThankYou points earned on every purchase up to the nearest 10. So instead of a $12 movie ticket earning you 12 points, it will earn you 20.

This drastically increases the rewards value of the card and makes it a great choice for everyday spending. Even small purchases like your morning cup of coffee have the potential to earn you significant rewards.

Bonus for redeeming ThankYou points

In addition to the round up feature, the Citi Rewards+ Card awards users 10% back on the ThankYou points they redeem, up to 100,000 points per year. If you spend $1,325 per month on your card and redeem all the points you earn each year, that comes out to an additional 2,200 points every year.

Why you might want a different card

Though the Citi Rewards+ card does reward 2X ThankYou points for supermarkets and gas stations, that reward rate is capped at $6,000 per year, which is easily reached if you have a big family or multiple vehicles. And though the card currently features a boosted rewards rate on air travel and hotels (5 points per dollar on up to $6,000 in spending in your first 12 months in theses categories and 1 point per dollar thereafter), your points cannot be transferred to Citi’s travel partners as they could be with an alternative like Citi’s premium card, the Citi Premier® Card, Through some redemption methods, ThankYou points are worth up to 1 cent, not as high as other points programs, and some redemption options go as low as 0.5 cents per point.

Cannot transfer ThankYou points to Citi travel partners

The Citi Rewards+ card does earn you ThankYou points, but you cannot transfer any of those ThankYou points to Citi’s 16 airline partners, except for JetBlue at only 0.8 cents per point. On the other hand, the Citi Premier Card allows you to transfer your ThankYou points to its transfer partners, at a higher rate of 1 cent per point, such as Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Flying Blue.

Relatively low rewards rate on groceries

Though the Citi Rewards+ is meant to earn you rewards on your everyday purchases, mainly at supermarkets and gas stations, the rewards rate of 2 ThankYou points per dollar in this category, up to $6,000 per year, is rather low compared to other cards offering the same bonus category on the market.

Take for example, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express that earns 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1% after you’ve reached the cap. In fact, the Blue Cash Preferred also offers 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, and with the value of Citi ThankYou points at 1.19 cents, the rewards rate of the Blue Cash Preferred is actually higher than the Citi Rewards+.

How does the Citi Rewards+ compare to other rewards cards?

Though the Citi Rewards+ card is great for cardholders looking for a straightforward rewards program on their everyday purchases, there are other great rewards cards to consider as well. Here are some alternatives that offer competitive rewards, sign-up bonuses and 0% introductory APR.

Citi Rewards+ vs. Citi Double Cash

For cardholders who prefer a flat rate cash back card, rather than keeping track of any bonus categories the Citi Double Cash might be a perfect fit for you. It earns 1% cash back on all purchases, then another 1% when you pay off those purchases. With a total of 2% on all purchases, the Citi Double Cash provides solid rewards and has no spending cap in any categories. The Citi Double Cash’s rewards can also be converted into Citi ThankYou points, like the Citi Rewards+.

It’s important to note: you only earn 1% from payments if you pay at least the minimum balance every month, so if you’re the type to pay off your balance regularly you should definitely look into this card. The advantages for the Citi Rewards+ are of course its round up feature and 10% back on redeeming ThankYou points; both features easily rack up rewards and may earn you more.

Citi Rewards+ vs. Bank of America Customized Cash

First off, the Bank of America Customized Cash card offers $200 online cash rewards if you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days. It’s not the highest sign-up bonus out there, but it is one advantage over the Citi Rewards+.

If you prefer just cash back over points and miles, the Bank of America Customized Cash might be for you. The rewards rate is also better than the Citi Rewards+ at 3% cash back in a category of your choice (gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, or home improvements and furnishings) and 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs. However, there is a $2,500 cap per quarter on the 2% and 3% categories, then you earn an unlimited 1%. That totals to a $10,000 spending cap per year, still higher than the Citi Rewards+ card’s $6,000 cap on supermarkets and gas, and 1X ThankYou point thereafter.

Rather than spending on everyday purchases, if you know you spend more on dining or online shopping, the Bank of America Customized Cash is great because of its 3% cash back on your choice category. If you find yourself spending more in a particular category, you can always change your choice category, once per calendar month.

Citi Rewards+ vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited

To the frequent travelers and cash back enthusiasts, consider the Chase Freedom Unlimited. With some of the highest cash back rewards of the Citi Rewards+ alternatives, the Chase Freedom Unlimited delivers with 5% cash back on Lyft purchases (through March 2025). It also has 3% cash back on dining and drugstore purchases.

Unlike the Citi Rewards+, there is no limit on the cash back, so you can spend freely in the bonus categories without worry. Plus, the card covers you across the board, earning you cash back on both travel and everyday purchases, at least for the first year.

How to use the Citi Rewards+ Card

• Use the card for all your day-to-day transactions (especially small purchases like your morning coffee or lunch) to boost your rewards rate with the round up feature.
• Redeem your ThankYou points often to receive 10% back on up to 100,000 points a year.
• Use the card on gas and supermarket purchases to take advantage of the bonus category.
• Pay off large balances during the first 15 months (from the date of first transfer) to avoid interest charges. Keep in mind that a 14.99% to 24.99% variable APR applies after the promotional period ends.

Is the Citi Rewards+ right for you?

For the cardholder who wants no frills and no fuss on their main card spent on regular purchases, the Citi Rewards+ is a reliable choice. You won’t need to keep track of any rotating bonus categories or go out of your way to spend in categories you wouldn’t normally spend in. It’s also the best card for those who tend to spend on small items, like coffee or a post-workout snack, because of its handy round up feature. And it’s excellent for anyone who’s paying off balances from other credit cards with its intro 0% APR on balance transfers for 15 months but doesn’t want to sacrifice on rewards.

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