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Side-by-side
BECU Secured Low Rate Credit Card vs Citi Strata Premier Card
Both are well-respected travel cards. The BECU Secured Low Rate Credit Card comes from BECU at $0/yr; the Citi Strata Premier Card from Citi at $95/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.
Bottom line
For most people the Citi Strata Premier Card is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($1,020 more in estimated value) than the BECU Secured Low Rate Credit Card's. Get the Citi Strata Premier Card first; revisit the BECU Secured Low Rate Credit Card after you've earned that bonus.
| Feature | BECU Secured Low Rate Credit Card | Citi Strata Premier Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $95 |
| Sign-up bonus | No welcome bonus | 60,000 bonus points |
| Bonus value (est.) | $0 | $1,020 |
| Min spend to unlock bonus | $0 in 0 mo | $4,000 in 3 mo |
| Issuer | BECU | Citi |
| Card category | low-interest | travel |
| Best earning category (All_purchases) | 0x | 1x |
| Transfer partners | None | citi-ty |
| Headline benefits |
|
Read the full review
BECU Secured Low Rate Credit Card
$0/yr · No welcome bonus
Read the full review
Citi Strata Premier Card
$95/yr · 60,000 bonus points
Editorial take: Citi Strata Premier Card
A strong mid-tier card with the late-2024 refresh adding 10x on CitiTravel.com and EV charging to the 3x grid. The $100 hotel benefit and 16 transfer partners (Avianca, Flying Blue, Turkish, Virgin Atlantic, Wyndham) make it competitive with Sapphire Preferred at the same $95 fee.
Common questions
- Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, BECU Secured Low Rate Credit Card or Citi Strata Premier Card?
- The Citi Strata Premier Card has the bigger bonus, 60,000 bonus points, worth roughly $1,020, versus No welcome bonus (~$0) on the BECU Secured Low Rate Credit Card.
- Is the BECU Secured Low Rate Credit Card's $0 annual fee worth it compared to the Citi Strata Premier Card?
- The BECU Secured Low Rate Credit Card has no annual fee, so the question is whether the Citi Strata Premier Card's $95 fee is justified by its perks. If you'll use enough of the Citi Strata Premier Card's benefits to clear $95 in value annually, it's worth it; otherwise stick with the BECU Secured Low Rate Credit Card.
- Can I have both the BECU Secured Low Rate Credit Card and Citi Strata Premier Card?
- Yes, since they're from different issuers (BECU 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 BECU Secured Low Rate Credit Card or the Citi Strata Premier Card first?
- Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. BECU Secured Low Rate Credit Card: $0 spend in 0 months. Citi Strata Premier Card: $4,000 in 3 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.