When you're approved for the Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer, Citi sets a credit limit based on your income and credit history. Many consumers have reported receiving starting credit limits between $1,000 and $10,000 with the Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer card. Although credit limits in that range are most common, it's possible to get more or less than that. For example, some people have gotten $25,000 to start, and others have gotten $500.
A high credit score increases your chances of a high credit limit.
Here are the average credit limits for Americans by their credit score range:
- 781-850: $9,543
- 661-780: $5,209
- 601-660: $2,277
- 500-600: $966
- 300-499: $509
Most successful applicants for the Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer card have a credit score of at least 700. So, to get this card, you'll likely need to be in one of those top two ranges, which could help you qualify for a credit limit from $5,000 to $10,000.
That's not guaranteed, though. You can't be 100% sure what your starting credit limit will be until you're approved for the Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer card. Fortunately, you may be able to increase it quickly if you're not satisfied. Some cardholders have successfully requested credit line increases immediately after getting the card. You can ask for a credit line increase with Citi either by calling the number on the back of your card or online by following these steps:
- Log in to your Citi account.
- Under the "Services" tab, click "Credit Card Services."
- Click "Request a Credit Line Increase."
- Enter your annual income and your monthly mortgage or rent payment.
- Submit the form.
You'll receive a response right away letting you know if you got the increase.
Your starting credit limit is especially important if you're planning to get the Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer to refinance debt. Since it has a 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers, it's one of the best balance transfer credit cards and can save you quite a bit of money. The amount of debt you can transfer will depend on your credit limit. Your balance transfers, plus the 3% balance transfer fee (with a $5 minimum), can't be more than your card's credit limit.
That could be an issue if your starting credit limit is lower than you'd like. If you have $5,000 in credit card debt and Citi gives you a $2,000 credit limit, then you can't take full advantage of the balance transfer offer.
To be fair, this is a possibility with any balance transfer card. Every card issuer sets your credit limit when it approves you for a credit card. There's no way to know in advance if your balance transfer card will have a large enough credit line for all the balances you want to transfer.
The good news is that Citi makes it easy to request a higher credit limit. Even if you're not approved for the amount you want at first, you may be able to get an immediate increase.
The Ascent's detailed credit card reviewCiti® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer,
Read full review
With the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card, the category where you spend the most is also where you earn the most. Every billing cycle, it earns 5% cash back on up to $500 spent in one eligible category from a list of 10, which include grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations. In addition to one of the highest cash back rates you'll find, it also offers a valuable sign-up bonus. Read our detailed Citi Custom Cash℠ Card review to find out if you should apply.
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
Credit Score:
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Info IconCircle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
Regular APR
17.74% - 27.74% (Variable)
Rewards Info IconCircle with letter I in it. 5% cash back in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle (up to the first $500 spent), 1% cash back on other purchases
1% - 5% cash back
Welcome Offer Info IconCircle with letter I in it. Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
20,000 ThankYou® Points
A leading cash-back card that includes a big sign-up bonus, great rewards program, and long 0% intro APR offers, all with no annual fee.
- Cash back rewards
- Sign-up bonus
- No annual fee
- 0% intro APR offer
- Bonus cash back limits
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 17.74% - 27.74%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
- No Annual Fee
- Citi will only issue one Citi Custom Cash℠ Card account per person.
This credit card is a good fit for: Consumers who want to maximize cash back in one spending category. This card also works well in combination with a flat-rate rewards card.
Top perks
A few key benefits make the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card a great value.
Cash back rewards
The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card earns 5% cash back in your top eligible spending category every billing cycle, up to a spending cap of $500. Other purchases earn 1% cash back, including bonus category purchases beyond that $500 spending cap. Here are the categories that are eligible to earn 5% back:
- Restaurants
- Gas stations
- Grocery stores
- Select travel
- Select transit
- Select streaming services
- Drugstores
- Home improvement stores
- Fitness clubs
- Live entertainment
That high cash back rate is the card's most valuable perk. Not many cash back credit cards offer 5% back, and to make it even better, you get it in whichever category you spend the most. If you max it out by always spending $500 in your top bonus category, that's $25 cash back per billing cycle, which can add up to $300 per year.
See more: Best Gas and Groceries Credit Cards
Sign-up bonus
You'll earn $200 in bonus cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of opening the account. This is one of the better credit card sign-up bonuses. It offers a large bonus amount, and you don't need to spend too much to get it. If you put at least $250 in purchases per month on the card, you'll spend enough to get the bonus.
No annual fee
If you're looking to avoid extra credit card fees, the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card will work for you. It's a no annual fee card, so you can carry it free of charge.
Read more: Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards
0% intro APR offer
The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card packs in a long 0% intro APR offer for 15 months on both purchases and balance transfers. The 0% intro APR offer can help you finance the cost of a large purchase or help you get out of debt faster. Importantly, few credit cards offer such a rich rewards program, big bonus, and long 0% intro APR offer for both purchases and balance transfers.
More options: Best 0% APR Credit Cards
Alternatives to consider
- If you want to earn a high cash back rate on purchases: The Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer can get you 2% cash back on purchases. It earns 1% cash back when you make the purchase, and the other 1% when you pay your credit card bill on time. If your spending is usually spread fairly evenly across several categories, this card's flat-rate cash back could save you the most money.
- If you want more bonus categories: The Chase Freedom Flex℠ earns 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, and boosts rotating categories for cash back. It also earns 3% back at drugstores and restaurants, making it one of the most rewarding cards on the market.
Learn more: Best Rewards Credit Cards
As of Nov. 08, 2022
Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer | Chase Freedom Flex℠ |
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars. 5.00 stars
Info IconCircle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for
you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars. 5.00 stars
Info IconCircle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for
you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. |
Apply Now for Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer On Citi's Secure Website. | Apply Now for Chase Freedom Flex℠ On Chase's Secure Website. |
Read Full Review | Read Full Review |
Credit Rating Requirement: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Info IconCircle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending
decisions. | Credit Rating Requirement: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Info IconCircle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending
decisions. |
Welcome Offer: Info IconCircle with letter I in it. Earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. $200 cash back | Welcome Offer: Info IconCircle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening! $200 bonus |
Rewards Program: Info IconCircle with letter I in it. 2% cash back: 1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay Up to 2% cash back | Rewards Program: Info IconCircle with letter I in it. 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Plus, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases. 1% - 5% cash back |
Intro APR: Info IconCircle with letter I in it. N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: 0%, 18 months | Intro APR: Info IconCircle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months |
Regular APR: 17.74% - 27.74% (Variable) | Regular APR: 17.99% - 26.74% Variable |
Annual Fee: $0 | Annual Fee: Info IconCircle with letter I in it. N/A $0 |
Highlights:
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Apply Now for Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer On Citi's Secure Website. | Apply Now for Chase Freedom Flex℠ On Chase's Secure Website. |
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What could be improved
There is an area where this Citi credit card could be better.
Bonus cash back limits
You earn a high cash back rate with the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card -- but only in one category, and only on up to $500 in spending per billing cycle. Some of the other top credit cards offer multiple bonus categories or have bonus categories without spending caps. Make sure you compare credit cards to see how much you could earn with different card products.
It'd be great to see Citi offer more bonus cash back, such as 3% back on your second-highest spending category each billing cycle. Another option would be bumping up the spending cap to $1,000 per billing cycle. Either of those would help consumers maximize credit card rewards even more.
Find the best credit card for your needs
Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.
Suggested credit score
It helps to have a FICO® Score of 670 or higher when applying for the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card. As one of Citi's most valuable cards, it's intended for consumers who have good to excellent credit. Your credit score isn't the only factor Citi looks at, so that alone doesn't guarantee an approval or a denial. But it is one of the most important factors.
The Citi Custom Cash Card is right for you if:
You want to earn cash back and you have high spending in one of its bonus categories. The best thing about the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is that just about anyone can get good value from it. If you spend anywhere from about $200 to $500 per billing cycle in one of its 5% eligible categories, you'll collect plenty of cash back with this Citi card.
FAQs
For some people, the credit limit may be $500, but it varies by customer. Your credit limit depends on criteria like income, credit score, payment history, and other factors determined by the card issuer.
The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is a Mastercard.
The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is one of Citi's most valuable cards and is intended for consumers with good to excellent credit. A FICO® Score of 670 or higher can make it easier to qualify.