Editorial take: American Express Green Card
Hard to justify vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred at $95 with stronger earning. The CLEAR credit is nice but only useful if your airport has CLEAR lines. Most people are better off with Sapphire or Amex Gold.
All credit cards
Side-by-side
American Express Green Card vs Citi Custom Cash
Both are well-respected travel cards. The American Express Green Card comes from American Express at $150/yr; the Citi Custom Cash from Citi at $0/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.
Bottom line
For most people the American Express Green Card is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($520 more in estimated value) than the Citi Custom Cash's. Get the American Express Green Card first; revisit the Citi Custom Cash after you've earned that bonus.
| Feature | American Express Green Card | Citi Custom Cash |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $150 | $0 |
| Sign-up bonus | 40,000 Membership Rewards points | $200 cash back |
| Bonus value (est.) | $720 | $200 |
| Min spend to unlock bonus | $3,000 in 3 mo | $1,500 in 6 mo |
| Issuer | American Express | Citi |
| Card category | travel | cashback |
| Best earning category (Travel) | 3x | 1x |
| Transfer partners | amex-mr | citi-ty |
| Headline benefits |
|
|
Read the full review
American Express Green Card
$150/yr · 40,000 Membership Rewards points
Read the full review
Citi Custom Cash
$0/yr · $200 cash back
Editorial take: Citi Custom Cash
Genuinely clever. 5% on whichever category you spent most on each month, capped at $500/month. Earns $25/month = $300/year effortlessly. Pairs with Premier to convert to transferable ThankYou Points.
Common questions
- Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, American Express Green Card or Citi Custom Cash?
- The American Express Green Card has the bigger bonus, 40,000 Membership Rewards points, worth roughly $720, versus $200 cash back (~$200) on the Citi Custom Cash.
- Is the American Express Green Card's $150 annual fee worth it compared to the Citi Custom Cash?
- At $150/yr, the American Express Green Card is in the mid-fee tier. Compare its specific perks (lounge access, travel credits, primary rental insurance) to the Citi Custom Cash's, pick the one whose perks you'll actually use.
- Can I have both the American Express Green Card and Citi Custom Cash?
- Yes, since they're from different issuers (American Express and Citi) the application rules don't conflict. Many points enthusiasts hold both, they pair well when one earns flexible bank points and the other earns a different currency.
- Should I get the American Express Green Card or the Citi Custom Cash first?
- Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. American Express Green Card: $3,000 spend in 3 months. Citi Custom Cash: $1,500 in 6 months. Pick the easier minimum spend if you're new to points; pick the larger bonus if you have planned big purchases coming up.
Card details on this page reflect the most recent data we've verified against the issuer's own site. Sign-up bonuses and fees can change at any time, confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before applying.