Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, Citi Custom Cash or Discover it Cash Back?

The two cards offer comparable sign-up bonuses around $200. Pick based on which earning categories you actually use.

Is the Citi Custom Cash's $0 annual fee worth it compared to the Discover it Cash Back?

The Citi Custom Cash has no annual fee, so the question is whether the Discover it Cash Back's $0 fee is justified by its perks. If you'll use enough of the Discover it Cash Back's benefits to clear $0 in value annually, it's worth it; otherwise stick with the Citi Custom Cash.

Can I have both the Citi Custom Cash and Discover it Cash Back?

Yes, since they're from different issuers (Citi and Discover) 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 Citi Custom Cash or the Discover it Cash Back first?

Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Citi Custom Cash: $1,500 spend in 6 months. Discover it Cash Back: $0 in 12 months. Pick the easier minimum spend if you're new to points; pick the larger bonus if you have planned big purchases coming up.

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Side-by-side

Citi Custom Cash vs Discover it Cash Back

Both are cashback travel cards. The Citi Custom Cash comes from Citi at $0/yr; the Discover it Cash Back from Discover at $0/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.

Bottom line

These cards are close on the fundamentals (similar bonus value, similar fee). The right pick depends on which category you spend the most in and which transfer partners best fit your travel goals.

Feature	Citi Custom Cash	Discover it Cash Back
Annual fee	$0	$0
Sign-up bonus	$200 cash back	Cashback Match (first year, unlimited)
Bonus value (est.)	$200	$200
Min spend to unlock bonus	$1,500 in 6 mo	$0 in 12 mo
Issuer	Citi	Discover
Card category	cashback	cashback
Best earning category (Top_category)	5x	1x
Transfer partners	citi-ty	None
Headline benefits	5% on top category Auto-selected monthly No annual fee Convert to TY Points	5% rotating categories First-year match No annual fee No foreign tx fees

Read the full review

Citi Custom Cash

$0/yr · $200 cash back

Read the full review

Discover it Cash Back

$0/yr · Cashback Match (first year, unlimited)

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.

Editorial take: Discover it Cash Back

The first-year Cashback Match effectively doubles your earnings, someone who earns $300 in cash back gets $600 total. It's the best no-fee first card for building credit with real rewards.

The real-world take

TL;DR. Two $0 cash-back cards with different rotating-category logic. Discover it earns 5% on rotating quarterly categories (capped $1,500/quarter, $75/quarter max) plus Cashback Match (doubles all first-year earnings). Custom Cash earns 5% on your top monthly category (capped $500/month, $25/month max). Discover wins in year one because of the Match. Custom Cash wins long-term because of more flexible category selection.

The three dimensions that actually decide it. First, first-year bonus. Discover's Cashback Match effectively doubles year-one earnings (no upfront welcome bonus needed). Custom Cash has a flat $200 welcome bonus. For a high spender, Discover's Match can exceed $400. Second, category mechanics. Discover's quarterly categories are pre-announced and rotate (gas, groceries, restaurants, Amazon, etc.). Custom Cash auto-detects your top monthly category from a broad list. Third, cap. Discover's $1,500/quarter is higher per quarter than Custom Cash's $500/month.

Real customer scenario for each. If you have $5,000 in projected first-year card spend, Discover's Cashback Match doubles year-one earnings, often netting $300-600 in year-one cash back. If instead you want a long-term card with consistent 5% on your dominant category, Custom Cash auto-adapts.

The trap to avoid. Holding Discover beyond year one expecting the match to continue. The Cashback Match is first year only. Year two onward, Discover is a 5% rotating-category card with the same caps; not bad, but not differentiated.

Common questions

Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, Citi Custom Cash or Discover it Cash Back?: The two cards offer comparable sign-up bonuses around $200. Pick based on which earning categories you actually use.
Is the Citi Custom Cash's $0 annual fee worth it compared to the Discover it Cash Back?: The Citi Custom Cash has no annual fee, so the question is whether the Discover it Cash Back's $0 fee is justified by its perks. If you'll use enough of the Discover it Cash Back's benefits to clear $0 in value annually, it's worth it; otherwise stick with the Citi Custom Cash.
Can I have both the Citi Custom Cash and Discover it Cash Back?: Yes, since they're from different issuers (Citi and Discover) 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 Citi Custom Cash or the Discover it Cash Back first?: Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Citi Custom Cash: $1,500 spend in 6 months. Discover it Cash Back: $0 in 12 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.