Citi Rewards+ card review: A great card for small purchases
| 5X | Special offer: earn 5 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com through December 31, 2025. |
| 2X | Earn 2X ThankYou® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter. |
| 1X | Earn 1X ThankYou® Points on All Other Purchases. |
Editor's Note
Citi is a TPG advertising partner.
Citi Rewards+® Card overview
The Citi Rewards+® Card (see rates and fees) is a no-annual-fee card that offers 2 points per dollar at gas stations and grocery stores on up to $6,000 per year (and 1 point per dollar thereafter). It also has two relatively unique features: it rounds the earnings on all purchases up to the nearest 10 points and gives you 10% back on the first 100,000 points you redeem yearly. We recommend a credit score of 670 or higher*. Card rating**: ⭐⭐⭐½
** Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
The Citi Rewards+ Card is great if you make many small purchases because each purchase is rounded to the nearest 10 points. Even a one-dollar pack of gum will earn 10 points, an impressive return for a card with no annual fee.
Most cardholders will get the highest value from their points by redeeming them for gift cards or travel at a rate of 1 cent per point. But your rewards can become even more valuable if you also have the Citi Prestige® Card (not available to new applicants) or Citi Strata Premier℠ Card*** (see rates and fees). If so, you can transfer them to the ThankYou Rewards program's airline and hotel partners.
This card has no annual fee. Let's examine it more closely so you can decide whether it could be a valuable addition to your wallet.
***The public offer for the Strata Premier differs from our affiliate offer. We recommend using a public offer for a higher welcome bonus.
The information for the Citi Prestige has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: The ultimate guide to the best credit card combinations
Citi Rewards+ pros and cons
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Related: How to choose the best credit card for you
Citi Rewards+ welcome offer
The Citi Rewards+ Card is offering 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within three months of account opening. Plus, cardholders can earn 5 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through December 31, 2025. We have previously seen a welcome offer for 25,000 points after $1,500 in spending within three months from account opening.
The welcome bonus is unavailable if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi Rewards+ account in the past 48 months.
But if you also have the Citi Prestige or the Citi Strata Premier, you can move points from your Rewards+ account to your Prestige or Strata Premier account. Doing so allows you to transfer your points to airline partners, in which case the bonus is worth $360, based on TPG's valuations.
Related: The best welcome offers available
Citi Rewards+ benefits
The Citi Rewards+ Card doesn't offer many perks as a no-annual-fee card. Its main appeal is how it accrues points.
However, the card is set up for contactless payment so that you can tap and go. You'll also get access to Citi Concierge and Citi Entertainment, which can provide useful assistance.
You won't want to use the Citi Rewards+ Card when traveling abroad, as it charges a 3% foreign transaction fee.
Related: Credit card perks and benefits you should be using this month
Earning points with the Citi Rewards+
The Citi Rewards+ Card generally earns 2 ThankYou points per dollar spent at supermarkets and gas stations on the first $6,000 per year and 1 point per dollar thereafter. You'll also earn 1 ThankYou point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Also, cardholders can earn up to 5 points per dollar on bookings through the Citi Travel portal through December 31, 2025.
Merchants must classify themselves as a supermarket or gas station for you to earn 2 points per dollar. The card's terms and conditions also explicitly exclude "fuel purchased for commercial purposes or used for non-automobile purposes" from earning bonus points and certain types of merchants.
Beyond these standard accrual rates, one of the Citi Rewards+ Card's selling points is that all earning is rounded to the nearest 10 points. For instance, you could purchase a $3 coffee at a restaurant and earn 10 points. If you use your card at a supermarket and make $42 in purchases, your earnings would be 84 points (since it's a 2-point-per-dollar category), then rounded up to the nearest 10, which is 90 points total.
That said, the Citi Rewards+ Card is perfectly designed for small expenses. Indeed, all supermarket and gas station purchases of $5 and under and all other purchases of $10 and under will earn 10 points. To maximize your earnings while spending normally, consider your threshold for using the Citi Rewards+ Card in each spending category. This will be based on the other credit cards you have.
For example, let's see how your earnings would stack up for some sample purchases if you have the Citi Strata Premier and the Citi Rewards+ (note that this is based on standard earning rates and doesn't factor in limited-time bonuses).
| Purchase | Using the Citi Strata Premier | Using the Citi Rewards+ |
|---|---|---|
| $2 coffee at a gas station | 6 points (3 points per dollar) | 10 points (2 points per dollar, rounded up) |
| $16 of gas at a gas station | 48 points (3 points per dollar) | 40 points (2 points per dollar, rounded up) |
| $2 coffee at a cafe | 6 points (3 points per dollar) | 10 points (1 point per dollar, rounded up) |
| $6 burrito at a cafe | 18 points (3 points per dollar) | 10 points (1 point per dollar, rounded up) |
| 50-cent pack of gum at a grocery store | 1.5 points (3 points per dollar) | 10 points (2 points per dollar, rounded up) |
| $16 grocery store purchase | 48 points (3 points per dollar) | 40 points (2 points per dollar, rounded up) |
| 50-cent public transit ticket | 1.5 points (3 points per dollar) | 10 points (1 point per dollar, rounded up) |
| $4 public transit ticket | 4 points (1 point per dollar) | 10 points (1 point per dollar, rounded up) |
So, if you only have the Citi Strata Premier and the Citi Rewards+, you'll want to use the Strata Premier for most grocery and restaurant purchases. For small purchases, you'll usually want to use the Rewards+. This strategy requires more effort than other credit card pairings, but a little extra effort is worth the additional points.
Related: The best cash-back credit cards for each bonus category
Redeeming points with the Citi Rewards+
The points earned by the Citi Rewards+ Card are considered "basic" Citi ThankYou points that you can redeem for online purchases at Amazon and Best Buy, gift cards and travel. You can also opt to redeem your points for a statement credit. Generally, these methods will give you a value between 0.5 and 1 cent per point.
In addition, when you redeem your points, you'll receive 10% points back for the first 100,000 points redeemed per calendar year. If you redeem 10,000 points in a year, you'll receive 1,000 of those points back.
Related: How to redeem Citi ThankYou Points for maximum value
Transferring points on the Citi Rewards+
With the Rewards+ alone, you won't be able to transfer your ThankYou points, but you'll unlock transfer options if you also have the Citi Prestige or the Citi Strata Premier. If you have one of these cards, you can move points from your Citi Rewards+ account to your Prestige or Strata Premier account and transfer them to partners such as Avianca LifeMiles and Etihad Guest. This increases the value of the points you earn with the Citi Rewards+ from 1 cent each to approximately 1.8 cents each.
TPG senior points and miles writer Katie Genter gets good value from Citi ThankYou points by utilizing transfer partners like Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Avianca LifeMiles for flights, and Choice Privileges for hotels.
Related: Your guide to credit card transfer partners
Which cards compete with the Citi Rewards+?
No other card rounds up your earnings to the nearest 10 points or gives you a blanket rebate on the points you redeem, so there's no direct competitor. But, the Citi Rewards+ Card should be compared against other no-annual-fee credit cards:
- If you want an Amex card: The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express is perhaps the most similar to the Citi Rewards+ Card because it accrues 2 points per dollar on the first $6,000 you spend at U.S. supermarkets each year (then 1 point). Plus, the card rewards making at least 20 transactions in a month with a 20% points bonus, so you'll probably be making lots of small purchases with either card. For more information, read our full review of the Amex EveryDay.
- If you have a Chase Sapphire card: The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a solid card that earns 5% back on Chase Travel℠, 3% back on dining and at drugstores, and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases. If you have a full-fledged Chase Ultimate Rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you can combine your rewards with those from your other card. For more information, read our full review of the Freedom Unlimited.
- If you want simplicity: The Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees) provides 2% cash back on all purchases — 1% when you buy and 1% as you pay off your statement. Cardholders can also convert cash back to ThankYou points via a linked ThankYou account. Pair this card with the Rewards+ to maximize your bonus category spending and earn extra points on small purchases. For more information, read our full review of the Citi Double Cash.
For additional options, check out our full list of no-annual-fee cards.
The information for the Amex EveryDay card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: Citi Double Cash vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited
Is the Citi Rewards+ worth it?
The Citi Rewards+ Card can be a good choice if you make small purchases frequently or want to benefit from a 10% return on redeemed points, especially if you have a Citi Prestige or Citi Strata Premier to boost the value of your rewards. However, a different card will likely serve you better if you make many large purchases or want perks like travel insurance.
Related: Why the Citi Rewards+ is great for college students
Bottom line
Citi Rewards+ offers the opportunity to earn more points on small purchases. It's a good choice if you make small purchases and already have another ThankYou points-earning credit card that allows you to transfer your points to travel partners. However, some other cards with no annual fee provide better earnings on everyday spending, so one of those may be a better option.
Apply here: Citi Rewards+ Card
Related: The best time to apply for these popular Citi credit cards
*The Points Guy credit ranges are derived from FICO® Score 8, which is one of many different types of credit scores. If you apply for a credit card, the lender may use a different credit score when considering your application for credit.