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.
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Side-by-side
Citi Custom Cash vs Citi Strata Premier Card
Both are well-respected travel cards. The Citi Custom Cash comes from Citi 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 ($820 more in estimated value) than the Citi Custom Cash's. Get the Citi Strata Premier Card first; revisit the Citi Custom Cash after you've earned that bonus.
| Feature | Citi Custom Cash | Citi Strata Premier Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $95 |
| Sign-up bonus | $200 cash back | 60,000 bonus points |
| Bonus value (est.) | $200 | $1,020 |
| Min spend to unlock bonus | $1,500 in 6 mo | $4,000 in 3 mo |
| Issuer | Citi | Citi |
| Card category | cashback | travel |
| Best earning category (Top_category) | 5x | 1x |
| Transfer partners | citi-ty | citi-ty |
| Headline benefits |
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Read the full review
Citi Custom Cash
$0/yr · $200 cash back
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, Citi Custom Cash or Citi Strata Premier Card?
- The Citi Strata Premier Card has the bigger bonus, 60,000 bonus points, worth roughly $1,020, versus $200 cash back (~$200) on the Citi Custom Cash.
- Is the Citi Custom Cash's $0 annual fee worth it compared to the Citi Strata Premier Card?
- The Citi Custom Cash 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 Citi Custom Cash.
- Can I have both the Citi Custom Cash and Citi Strata Premier Card?
- Yes, though both are issued by Citi so the same issuer-specific application rules apply (Chase 5/24 if applicable, Amex once-per-lifetime bonus, etc.). 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 Citi Custom Cash or the Citi Strata Premier Card first?
- Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Citi Custom Cash: $1,500 spend in 6 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.