Citi Rewards+® Card review: A rewards card for people on the go
The Citi Rewards+ card is a good option if you’re always on the move – but it's not the best.
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Snapshot
3.9
Bottom line
If you rarely make large purchases or want to maximize the value of the ThankYou points you’d earn with the Rewards+ Card by combining it with other Citi cards, it may be worth it in the long run. But there are more valuable no-annual-fee cards with uncapped bonus categories and rewards on everyday spending.
Intro offer
20,000 points
Rewards rate
1X - 5X
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
17.99% - 27.99% (Variable)
3.9
Bankrate score
Rewards value
APR
Rewards flexibility
Features
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Citi Rewards+® Card Overview
The Citi Rewards+ Card is one of the best rewards credit cards available if you value flexibility in your rewards card. Its rewards rate on supermarket and gas station purchases doesn’t sound like the most lucrative reward scheme at first, but the card’s point roundup feature (up to the nearest 10 points) on every purchase and 10 percent points back (for the first $100,000 points redeemed each year) stack up to make this card one of the best available if you’re always making small purchases. As a bonus, its travel rewards can also rack up points quickly.
However, the card’s low spending limit on its highest reward categories, lack of benefits and inability to redeem points for a higher value via travel (on its own) means the Citi Rewards+ is best used as a companion card with other Citi cards.
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Rewards
- 5X points on rental car, hotel and attraction purchases booked through cititravel.com (ends 12/31/2025)
- 2X points at supermarkets and gas stations (on up to $6,000 in purchases per year, then 1X points)
- 1X points on all other purchases
- 10 percent bonus points (on the first 100,000 points redeemed each year)
Expert Appraisal: Good
See our expert analysis -
Welcome offer
- Earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,500 within the first 3 months of account opening (redeemable for $200 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com).
Expert Appraisal: Good
See our expert analysis -
0% intro APR offer
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfer
- Ongoing APR: 17.99% - 27.99% (Variable) APR
- 3 percent balance transfer fee ($5 minimum)
Expert Appraisal: Good
See our expert analysis -
Rates and fees
- $0 annual fee
- 3 percent foreign transaction fee
- Late payment fee (see terms)
- Return payment fees (see terms)
Expert Appraisal: Good
See our expert analysis -
Other cardholder perks
- Point roundup feature
- Mastercard benefits
- Citi Entertainment
- Digital wallet
Expert Appraisal: Typical
See our expert analysis
What are the pros and cons?
Pros
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There is no annual fee, so you won’t have to cover this extra cost with your reward earnings.
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The points that you would earn on each purchase are rounded up to the nearest 10 points.
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You can earn 10 percent back of the first 100,000 points redeemed each year.
Cons
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There is a $6,000 cap for 2X supermarket and gas station purchases, which could limit your earning potential in your most lucrative categories.
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The card only earns basic ThankYou points that can’t be transferred to travel partners.
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Outside of the ThankYou Point features, the benefits are limited in comparison to other rewards cards.
Why you’ll like the Citi Rewards+ Card
For a rewards card, the Citi rewards+ covers the basic necessities: it comes with a standard welcome offer as well as rewards on travel, gas and supermarkets while keeping costs low with no annual fee.
Welcome offer: On par with most no-annual-fee cards
The most recent Citi Rewards+ bonus gives you a chance to earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in your first three months. If you redeem rewards for gift cards, 20,000 points will be worth $200. This bonus value is comparable to many of the best no-annual-fee rewards cards, which also tend to offer bonuses of around $200 in value.
Rewards: Point boosts make up for redemption value dip
Supermarket and gas station purchases earn 2 ThankYou points per dollar, but this bonus rate is capped at the first $6,000 spent within those two categories per year before reverting to the standard 1 point per dollar you get on all other purchases. There's also a limited-time offer to earn 5 points per $1 spent on a rental car, hotel and attraction purchases booked through cititravel.com until December 31, 2025.
While there is a spending cap, it's high enough to reasonably use this card as your main grocery or gas card. If you’re worried about maxing out your bonus category limit, you can still earn extra points with the Citi Rewards+ card through its roundup features. This cements its value by rounding your rewards to the nearest 10 points per dollar. This perk is most valuable with total purchases under $10 since even a $3 coffee will earn 10 points.
Rates & fees: Keeps things simple
The Citi Rewards+ card is a low-cost card in most cases. There’s no annual fee, and you may be eligible for a 0 percent introductory APR offer for 15 months on purchases from the account opening date. Plus, there's a 0 percent introductory APR offer for 15 months from the date of your first transfer on balance transfers made in your first four months, with a 3 percent fee or $5, whichever is greater (after that, 5 percent or $5 minimum balance transfer fee, whichever is greater). When the intro APR period ends, an 17.99% - 27.99% (Variable) APR applies.
This makes it great for planning a large purchase, paying down credit card debt or giving yourself time to figure out the best way to use your card. Plus, the lack of an annual fee ensures that you start benefiting from your rewards right away. If you plan to travel, remember that the card has a 3 percent foreign transaction fee. And if you miss a payment due date, mind the late payment and returned payment fees (see terms).
Why you might want a different rewards card
The Citi Rewards+ card is a bit light on benefits outside the intro APR offer, point roundup and year-end 10 percent points back benefits. Like most Citi cardmembers, you’ll get access to entertainment experiences and can enjoy Mastercard benefits, but you’ll likely find more value elsewhere.
Benefits: Slimmer than standard cash back
Beyond the point bonuses and access to Citi Entertainment, you’ll find few perks and benefits on this card. Depending on your credit limit, you’ll qualify for a variety of benefits through Mastercard. Standard Mastercard credit cards carry basic perks like $0 liability on unauthorized purchases and identity theft protection services, but World Mastercard and World Elite Mastercard credit cards offer premium benefits like cellphone protection (if you pay your cellphone bill with your card), complimentary subscription service deals and exclusive travel privileges.
However, these are standard perks you can find on almost all Mastercard credit cards. They’re useful to have, but not the value-add that can elevate a rewards card to a “must-have” level.
Redemption: Caveats limit value
The Citi Rewards+ card earns basic ThankYou points worth 1 cent per point earned. You can redeem your card’s ThankYou points for gift cards, travel (excluding transfer partners) or charitable donations at a 1:1 value, but you may get less bang for your buck when it comes to other options, like cash rewards (redeemable in $50 and $100 increments). You can also redeem your points for:
- Online purchases at Amazon.com or Best Buy
- Statement credits
- Recent purchases using Pay with Points
- Other online Citi bill payments like select loans.
Disappointingly, Pay with Points only covers select category purchases, but it includes the Citi Rewards+ grocery and gas bonus categories.
We tried it: Here’s what our experts say
Katie Genter, a travel rewards specialist at The Points Guy, believes the Citi Rewards+ Card is a good option for both beginners looking for simplicity and advanced users with many Citi ThankYou cards.
I don’t use the Citi Rewards+ Card all that much, but I keep it in my wallet for small purchases that I want to round up to 10 points. Plus, since I earn and subsequently redeem a lot of Citi ThankYou points with other cards, I appreciate getting 10 percent of the points I redeem back (up to the first 100,000 points redeemed per year).
— Katie Genter, Senior Writer, The Points Guy
How the Citi Rewards+ Card compares to other rewards cards
While the Citi Rewards+ Card can be great if you like to eat out or cook at home, it’s limited beyond its food-centered bonus categories. Meanwhile, there are other no-annual-fee cards that reward everyday purchases, like gas, online shopping and travel.
Annual fee
Intro offer
Earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com.
Rewards rate
Special offer: earn 5 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com through December 31, 2025. Earn 2X ThankYou® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter. Earn 1X ThankYou® Points on All Other Purchases.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Annual fee
Intro offer
Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
Rewards rate
Earn 10 points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com. Earn 3 points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations. Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Annual fee
Intro offer
Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
Rewards rate
3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%. 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%. 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%. 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Best cards to pair with this card
The Citi Rewards+ may not be the strongest rewards card on its own, but pairing it with another Citi card increases the card’s flexibility.
Who is this card right for?
The Citi Rewards+ card is an excellent card if any of these profiles sounds like you:
Bankrate’s Take — Is the Citi Rewards+ Card worth it?
Since there are other no-annual-fee cards that can provide unlimited and more valuable rewards in a broader range of categories, the Citi Rewards+ Card is a tough sell if you aren’t planning to pair it with another card like the Citi Strata Premier.
However, the ability to round up your rewards to the nearest 10 points and earn back 10 percent of the first 100,000 points you redeem each year gives the Rewards+ card unique value on frequent smaller purchases. Together, these two perks make this card worth considering, even if you already have one of the best gas credit cards or a dedicated grocery card.
Frequently asked questions
* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.