--- title: "Best 2% Cash Back Card: Citi vs Chase vs Wells Fargo" description: "We put Citi Double Cash, Chase Freedom Unlimited, and Wells Fargo Active Cash head-to-head for 2026. Here's which one actually wins." author: "Troy Johnston" published: "2026-04-18" category: "Cash Back Comparison" canonical: "https://www.stackeasy.ai/blog/citi-double-cash-card-comparison" source: "StackEasy.ai" --- # Best 2% Cash Back Card: Citi vs Chase vs Wells Fargo 1. [StackEasy](https://www.stackeasy.ai/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=citi-double-cash-card-comparison&utm_content=breadcrumb) 2. / 3. [Blog](https://www.stackeasy.ai/blog?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=citi-double-cash-card-comparison&utm_content=breadcrumb) 4. / 5. Citi Double Cash Comparison 2026: When... **Advertiser Disclosure:** StackEasy partners with credit card issuers and may earn a commission when you apply through links on this site. Our editorial opinions are our own and have never been influenced by advertisers. [Learn more](https://www.stackeasy.ai/advertiser-disclosure) # Citi Double Cash Comparison 2026: When Flat 2% Wins and When It Loses TJ Troy Johnston Founder, StackEasy.ai · 17 min read Last updated July 2026 Quick Answer The Citi Double Cash earns a flat 2% on every purchase (1% when you buy, 1% as you pay) with a $0 annual fee and, as of July 2026, a $200 welcome offer after $1,500 in spending over 6 months. It beats every rival on spending outside bonus categories. A rival only wins when you concentrate spending in its bonus category. For example, $198 or more per month at supermarkets makes the $95 Blue Cash Preferred the better earner. Note - The Citi Double Cash now carries a $200 welcome offer (paid as 20,000 ThankYou Points) after $1,500 in 6 months, which closes its old gap against the Wells Fargo Active Cash. - Capped bonus cards have a hard ceiling over the Double Cash: the Freedom Flex and Blue Cash Everyday max out at $180 of extra earnings per year, no matter how much you spend. - The Double Cash charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, so pair it with a no-fee card like the Capital One Savor or Discover it before you travel abroad. ### Citi Double Cash vs. Every Major Rival: The Break-Even Table Card Rewards Annual Fee Beats the Double Cash When Citi Double Cash 2% flat (1% buy + 1% pay) $0 The baseline every card below has to clear Wells Fargo Active Cash 2% flat $0 Never on earn rate; wins on easier bonus and purchase intro APR Chase Freedom Unlimited 1.5% base, 3% dining and drugstores, 5% Chase Travel $0 3% categories exceed one third of your total spending Chase Freedom Flex 5% rotating (capped $1,500/qtr), 3% dining and drugstores, 1% base $0 Only inside the capped 5% window; max $180 extra per year Capital One Savor 3% dining, entertainment, streaming, groceries; 1% base $0 Its 3% categories exceed half of your total spending Amex Blue Cash Everyday 3% U.S. supermarkets, gas, online retail (each capped $6,000/yr); 1% base $0 Its 3% categories exceed half your spending; max $180 extra per year as a pair card Amex Blue Cash Preferred 6% U.S. supermarkets (capped $6,000/yr) and streaming, 3% gas and transit, 1% base $95 ($0 first year) Supermarket spending tops $198/month ($2,375/yr) Discover it Cash Back 5% rotating (capped $1,500/qtr), 1% base, first-year Cashback Match $0 Year one with Match; up to $480 extra on rotating categories Capital One Quicksilver 1.5% flat, 5% Capital One Travel hotels and rental cars $0 Never on earn rate; wins abroad with no foreign transaction fee In This Article - [Who the Citi Double Cash Is Actually For](#who-the-citi-double-cash-is-actually-for) - [Citi Double Cash vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash](#citi-double-cash-vs-wells-fargo-active-cash) - [Citi Double Cash vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited](#citi-double-cash-vs-chase-freedom-unlimited) - [Citi Double Cash vs. Chase Freedom Flex](#citi-double-cash-vs-chase-freedom-flex) - [Citi Double Cash vs. Capital One Savor](#citi-double-cash-vs-capital-one-savor) - [Citi Double Cash vs. Amex Blue Cash Everyday](#citi-double-cash-vs-amex-blue-cash-everyday) - [Citi Double Cash vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred](#citi-double-cash-vs-amex-blue-cash-preferred) - [Citi Double Cash vs. Discover it Cash Back](#citi-double-cash-vs-discover-it-cash-back) - [How the Citi Double Cash Fits in a Card Stack](#how-the-citi-double-cash-fits-in-a-card-stack) - [The Verdict: When Each Card Wins](#the-verdict-when-each-card-wins) ## Cards Covered Cards Covered in This Guide Citi Double Cash $0/yr Chase Freedom Unlimited $0/yr Blue Cash Preferred from American Express $95/yr Capital One Savor Cash Rewards $0/yr Here is the number set nobody leads with. Verified against issuer pages in July 2026: the Blue Cash Preferred needs $198 a month in supermarket spending to out-earn the Double Cash after its $95 fee, the capped rivals (5% Chase Freedom Flex, 3% Blue Cash Everyday) each top out at $180 of extra earnings a year, and a first-year Discover it with Cashback Match can beat it by up to $480. Every fee and rate below comes from our verified card-facts registry, the same data that powers StackEasy. This guide runs the break-even math for all eight rivals so you can see exactly where flat 2% wins and where it loses. ## Who the Citi Double Cash Is Actually For The Double Cash is the default card, the one you swipe when nothing else in your wallet earns more. Its 2% comes in two halves: 1% when you buy, and 1% as you pay. Here is the precise mechanic most reviews get wrong: the second 1% accrues on payments whenever you make them, not only if you pay in full. Pay $300 against your balance this month and you earn 1% on that $300, period. That said, carrying a balance at a 20%+ APR costs roughly ten times what the rewards return, so treat this as a pay-in-full card anyway. WARNING The Citi Double Cash charges a 3% foreign transaction fee on every international purchase. Your 2% reward becomes a 1% net loss abroad. The Wells Fargo Active Cash and Chase Freedom cards charge the same 3%. If you travel internationally, carry a no-fee card like the Capital One Savor, Capital One Quicksilver, or Discover it for those purchases. You're the right fit if: - Your spending spreads across many categories and you do not want to play the quarterly activation game - You want a reliable default card for every purchase that misses a bonus category on another card - You're building a multi-card stack and need a catch-all that fills the gaps - You want a strong balance transfer window: 0% intro APR for 18 months on transfers (3% intro fee, $5 minimum, within the first 4 months) You're the wrong fit if one category dominates your budget. Ask yourself: what share of your monthly spending is groceries, or dining? If a single category is more than a third to a half of the total, a category card beats flat 2%. The break-even sections below give you the exact threshold for each rival. One more thing worth knowing: the Double Cash earns ThankYou Points, not raw cash. Points redeem for cash at a fixed 1 cent each (10,000 points = $100 statement credit or direct deposit), so the 2% holds. Standalone, airline transfers happen at reduced ratios, for example 1,000 points become 700 American Airlines miles. Pool your points with a Citi Strata Premier and you get full 1:1 transfers to partners like Turkish Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. The old pairing trick with the Citi Custom Cash is gone: that card closed to new applications on May 28, 2026, though existing cardholders keep it. Stop Memorizing Reward Charts Whichever card you pick, the free StackEasy Chrome extension shows which of your cards earns the most on every site you shop, right at checkout. No spreadsheets, no guessing. [Add StackEasy to Chrome (Free)](https://www.stackeasy.ai/extension/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=cta&utm_campaign=extension-distribution&utm_content=citi-double-cash-card-comparison) ## Citi Double Cash vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash ### The Closest Competition Both cards earn 2% on everything with no annual fee, so the earn rate is a tie forever. The decision comes down to four smaller differences. - **Welcome offer:** Active Cash pays $200 after $500 in 3 months. The Double Cash now pays $200 too (as 20,000 ThankYou Points), but requires $1,500 over 6 months. Same money, three times the spend requirement. - **Intro APR:** Active Cash gives 0% for 12 months on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. The Double Cash gives 0% for 18 months on balance transfers only, nothing on purchases. - **Rewards currency:** Active Cash earns plain cash rewards. The Double Cash earns ThankYou Points with a transfer upside if you later add a Citi Strata Premier. - **Foreign transaction fee:** Both charge 3%. Neither belongs in your wallet abroad. For years the Active Cash won this matchup on the bonus alone, because the Double Cash had none. That gap is closed. Now the honest tiebreakers are debt and points. Carrying a balance you need to move? The Double Cash's 18-month transfer window beats every other card compared here; our [best balance transfer cards guide](/blog/best-balance-transfer-credit-cards) covers the full field. Financing a big purchase? Active Cash's 12 months of 0% on purchases wins. **Bottom line:** Pick the Active Cash for the easier $200 and purchase financing. Pick the Double Cash for the 18-month balance transfer window or a future ThankYou Points play. On pure earning they are identical. Citi Double Cash vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash: annual fee, rewards rate, welcome bonus, and foreign transaction fee compared. ## Citi Double Cash vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited ### Flat Rate vs. Tiered Rewards The Freedom Unlimited earns 1.5% base, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 5% on travel booked through Chase Travel. Against a flat 2%, the math has a clean break-even: the Freedom Unlimited wins standalone only when its 3% categories make up more than one third of your total spending. Run it on $2,500 a month of total spending: - **Double Cash:** $50 per month, no matter how the $2,500 splits. - **Freedom Unlimited:** at $500/month dining, $45 ($15 from dining at 3%, $30 from $2,000 at 1.5%). At $833/month in 3% categories the two cards tie at $50. Above that, the Freedom Unlimited pulls ahead. The bigger variable is the ecosystem. Add a Chase Sapphire Preferred later and Freedom Unlimited points become Ultimate Rewards points you can transfer to airline and hotel partners, often at well above 1 cent each. The Double Cash has a similar play through Citi, but Chase's partner list is stronger for most U.S. travelers. **Bottom line:** Standalone, the Double Cash wins unless dining and drugstores exceed a third of your spending. If you plan to build a Chase trifecta, take the Freedom Unlimited and let the ecosystem outvote the base rate. ## Citi Double Cash vs. Chase Freedom Flex ### Consistency vs. Category Hunting The Freedom Flex earns 5% on rotating quarterly categories, capped at $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter, plus 3% on dining and drugstores and 1% on everything else. Categories require activation every quarter. Here is the ceiling nobody quotes: 5% versus 2% is a 3-point spread, and the cap limits it to $1,500 a quarter. That is at most $45 extra per quarter, or $180 of extra cash back a year, and only if you max every category, every quarter. Miss an activation or spend past the cap and you drop to 1%, half the Double Cash rate. **Bottom line:** The Freedom Flex is a companion card, not a replacement. Run it for the 5% quarters and 3% dining, and let the Double Cash carry everything else. Together they earn at least 2% on every dollar with zero annual fees. ## Citi Double Cash vs. Capital One Savor ### The Dining and Entertainment Question Quick naming note so the math lands on the right card: Capital One renamed the SavorOne to simply Savor in 2024, and the old $95 Savor is no longer offered. Today's Savor has no annual fee and earns 3% on dining, entertainment, popular streaming, and grocery stores (superstores like Walmart and Target excluded), with 1% on everything else and a $200 bonus after $500 in 3 months. This is the simplest break-even of any matchup here. The Savor gains 1 point in its bonus categories (3% vs 2%) and loses 1 point everywhere else (1% vs 2%). So as your only card, it beats the Double Cash exactly when dining, entertainment, streaming, and groceries add up to more than half of your total spending. Track your last three statements and check. Most people are nowhere near half. The Savor holds two structural edges: no foreign transaction fee, so it covers your international spending, and uncapped 3% categories, unlike the Amex caps below. **Bottom line:** Run the Savor for dining, entertainment, streaming, and travel abroad. Run the Double Cash for everything else. As a pair they cover more ground than either card alone. ## Citi Double Cash vs. Amex Blue Cash Everyday ### The Grocery Store Battle, No-Fee Edition The Blue Cash Everyday earns 3% at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and on U.S. online retail purchases, each capped at $6,000 per year (then 1%), with 1% everywhere else and no annual fee. Same +1/-1 structure as the Savor, so the same rule applies: standalone, it only beats the Double Cash if those three categories exceed half of your total spending. As a pair card, the caps set a hard ceiling. Each maxed category earns $60 more per year than the Double Cash would ($6,000 at 3% vs 2%), so the absolute maximum upside is $180 of extra cash back a year with all three capped out. Two fine-print points. Amex's supermarket category excludes superstores and warehouse clubs, so Walmart, Target, and Costco runs earn 1%. And the 3% online retail category is genuinely useful, since it catches Amazon and most e-commerce that none of the other cards compared here bonus. **Bottom line:** The Blue Cash Everyday is a solid pair card worth up to $180 of extra cash back a year on top of a Double Cash. It is a weak solo card unless groceries, gas, and online shopping dominate your budget. ## Citi Double Cash vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred ### When the Annual Fee Makes Sense The Blue Cash Preferred earns 6% at U.S. supermarkets (capped at $6,000 per year, then 1%), 6% on select U.S. streaming, and 3% on U.S. gas and transit. It carries a $95 annual fee, waived the first year with a $0 intro fee. Run it against the Double Cash as a grocery specialist. The spread is 4 points (6% vs 2%), so the fee break-even is $95 divided by 4%, which is $2,375 a year at supermarkets. That is $198 a month. Every dollar of 6% streaming pulls that bar lower. At the $6,000 cap, the Preferred earns $360 on groceries versus the Double Cash's $120. That is $240 extra, minus the $95 fee, for $145 of real gain per year, before streaming and gas. Below $198 a month at supermarkets, you are paying $95 to earn less than a free card would pay you. **Bottom line:** A household spending $200+ a month at supermarkets should pair a Blue Cash Preferred with a Double Cash and pocket the difference. Under that line, take the free Blue Cash Everyday or keep it simple with the Double Cash alone. ## Citi Double Cash vs. Discover it Cash Back ### The First-Year Wildcard The Discover it Cash Back earns 5% on rotating quarterly categories (activation required, capped at $1,500 per quarter) and 1% on everything else, with no annual fee. Its weapon is Cashback Match: Discover doubles every dollar of cash back you earn in your first year, with no cap. Year one, the Match makes the base rate an effective 2%, tying the Double Cash on everyday spend, while the rotating categories become an effective 10%. Max all four quarters and that is an 8-point spread over the Double Cash on $6,000 of spending, up to $480 extra. Fair counterweight: the Double Cash's $200 welcome offer arrives within months, while the Match pays out in one lump at the end of year one. After year one, the Discover it becomes a capped 5% companion worth at most an extra $180 of cash back a year over the Double Cash, and its 1% base earns half the Double Cash rate. One more real difference: Discover charges no foreign transaction fee, though its acceptance outside the U.S. is thinner than Visa's, so test it before relying on it abroad. **Bottom line:** The Discover it is the best first-year card of the bunch. From year two on, it demotes to a rotating-category specialist while the Double Cash keeps doing the everyday work. ## How the Citi Double Cash Fits in a Card Stack The real power of the Double Cash is not using it alone. It is the floor of a structured stack: the card that guarantees 2% on every dollar that misses a bonus category elsewhere. If you are new to building a deliberate card lineup, start with our [credit stacking 101 guide](/blog/credit-stacking-101) for the apply-order logic. A no-annual-fee stack built around it looks like this: - **Groceries:** Amex Blue Cash Everyday (3%) or Blue Cash Preferred (6%, $95 fee) once supermarket spend passes $198 a month - **Dining, streaming, entertainment:** Capital One Savor (3%, no foreign transaction fee) - **Rotating 5% categories:** Chase Freedom Flex or Discover it, each worth up to $180 of extra cash back a year - **Everything else:** Citi Double Cash (2%) Sequence matters too. Because the Double Cash has no rush (its $200 offer is modest and recurring offers on flat-rate cards are common), we slot it after the harder approvals in a stacking sequence. Chase's 5/24 rule counts every card you open, so take Chase cards first, then Citi. For the category-by-category winners across the whole market, see our [best credit card by category guide](/blog/best-credit-card-by-category-2026). The failure mode with a 3-4 card stack is not picking wrong cards. It is swiping the wrong card at the register. That is the exact problem StackEasy exists to solve: it tracks which card earns the most for each purchase, so the math you just read actually shows up in your rewards balance. ## The Verdict: When Each Card Wins - **Citi Double Cash:** the default. Best no-fee card for every dollar outside a bonus category, plus the longest balance transfer window here (18 months) - **Wells Fargo Active Cash:** same 2%, easier $200 bonus ($500 vs $1,500 spend), and 0% on purchases for 12 months - **Chase Freedom Unlimited:** wins standalone only if dining and drugstores exceed a third of your spending; wins outright if you are building toward a Sapphire - **Chase Freedom Flex:** companion card, capped at $180 of upside a year over the Double Cash - **Capital One Savor:** the dining and streaming specialist, and the no-foreign-fee card of the pair - **Amex Blue Cash Everyday:** up to $180 of extra cash back a year on groceries, gas, and online retail as a pair card - **Amex Blue Cash Preferred:** the grocery winner once supermarket spending tops $198 a month - **Discover it Cash Back:** the best first-year card thanks to Cashback Match (up to $480 extra), a niche 5% card after that - **Capital One Quicksilver:** loses to 2% flat everywhere at 1.5%; only take it for the no-foreign-fee simplicity or its 15-month 0% purchase window Want the broader field beyond these matchups? Our [best cash back credit cards roundup](/blog/best-cash-back-credit-cards) ranks every card type by real earning power. ## Keep Reading [Guide ### Best Cash Back Credit Cards for 2026: The 2% Flat vs 5% Category Math Read more](/blog/best-cash-back-credit-cards)[Guide ### Best Credit Card for Gas in 2026 (and EV Charging) Read more](/blog/best-credit-card-for-gas)[Guide ### Creditpreneur Review: Is the Skool Community Worth Joining? Read more](/blog/creditpreneur-review) Written by Troy Johnston Compare cards and track your approvals in one place. [Start Free →](https://app.stackeasy.ai/user/auth/signup?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=citi-double-cash-card-comparison&utm_content=top-cta) Credit stacking gave Troy an edge, but managing it was chaos. With 28 cards and no real system beyond spreadsheets, small mistakes became expensive. StackEasy didn’t exist, so he built it. Now thousands use it to keep their card stack organized and working in their favor. [Connect on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/troyjohnston) · [stackeasy.ai](https://www.stackeasy.ai) StackEasy Bottom Line StackEasy recommends the Citi Double Cash as the default card in any cash back stack: flat 2% on every purchase, $0 annual fee, and a $200 welcome offer after $1,500 in 6 months. Add a category specialist only when the math clears, for example the Blue Cash Preferred once supermarket spending passes $198 a month. Pay in full monthly, and keep the Double Cash home when you travel abroad because of its 3% foreign transaction fee. FREE RESOURCE Credit Stacking Starter Kit A step-by-step system for managing 5+ credit cards without dropping the ball. Includes payment tracking templates, utilization targets, and the weekly check-in routine. Free PDF. [Download the Starter Kit](https://t.stackeasy.ai/download/credit-stacking-starter-kit.pdf?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=citi-double-cash-card-comparison&utm_content=lead-magnet) ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How does the Citi Double Cash's 1% plus 1% actually work? You earn 1% when you make a purchase and another 1% as you pay for it. The second 1% accrues on payments whenever you make them, not only when you pay in full. If you pay $300 toward your balance this month, you earn 1% on that $300. You still want to pay in full, because interest at a 20%+ APR costs far more than the rewards earn. ### Does the Citi Double Cash have a welcome bonus? Yes. As of July 2026, new cardholders can earn $200 in cash back, fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou Points, after spending $1,500 in the first 6 months. This is a change worth knowing: the Double Cash carried no welcome offer for years, and many older comparisons still say it has none. Offers change, so confirm the current terms on Citi's application page before you apply. ### Citi Double Cash or Wells Fargo Active Cash: which is better? They earn identically: 2% flat with no annual fee. The Active Cash wins on the easier $200 bonus ($500 spend vs $1,500) and 12 months of 0% intro APR on purchases. The Double Cash wins on its 18-month 0% balance transfer window and its ThankYou Points upside if you later add a Citi Strata Premier for 1:1 airline transfers. ### Is the Citi Double Cash a good choice for grocery shopping? Not as a specialist. The Blue Cash Preferred from American Express earns 6% at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year, and it out-earns the Double Cash's 2% once your supermarket spending passes $198 a month, even after its $95 annual fee. Below that line, the Double Cash's flat 2% or the no-fee Blue Cash Everyday's 3% is the better deal. ### Does the Citi Double Cash charge foreign transaction fees? Yes, 3% on every purchase made outside the U.S., which turns your 2% reward into a net 1% loss abroad. The Wells Fargo Active Cash and Chase Freedom cards charge the same 3%. For international spending, use a no-fee card such as the Capital One Savor, Capital One Quicksilver, or Discover it Cash Back. ### Can you transfer Citi Double Cash points to airlines? Partially. The Double Cash earns ThankYou Points that redeem for cash at 1 cent each, and standalone it can transfer to some airline partners only at reduced ratios, for example 1,000 points to 700 American Airlines miles. To get full 1:1 transfers to partners like Turkish Airlines and Virgin Atlantic, pool your points with a Citi Strata Premier or Strata Elite. ### What happened to the Citi Custom Cash card? The Citi Custom Cash closed to new applications on May 28, 2026. Existing cardholders keep the card and its 5% top-category earning. If you were planning a Double Cash plus Custom Cash pairing, that door is closed for new applicants; a Freedom Flex or Discover it now fills the 5% slot instead. ### Related Guides - [how it stacks up against BofA Customized Cash](/blog/citi-double-cash-vs-bank-of-america-customized-cash) - [the best credit card for every spending category](/blog/best-credit-card-by-category-2026) - [our full best cash back credit cards roundup](/blog/best-cash-back-credit-cards) - [the best balance transfer credit cards compared](/blog/best-balance-transfer-credit-cards) ### Sources & Further Reading - [Citi](https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/citi-double-cash-credit-card), official Citi Double Cash terms, earning structure, and current offers - [Chase](https://www.chase.com/personal/credit-cards), official Chase Freedom Unlimited and Freedom Flex terms and rewards rates - [American Express](https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/), official Blue Cash Preferred and Blue Cash Everyday rates, caps, and fees - [Discover](https://www.discover.com/credit-cards/cash-back/), official Discover it Cash Back rotating categories and Cashback Match terms - [Capital One](https://www.capitalone.com/credit-cards/), official Savor and Quicksilver rewards rates and fee terms - [Consumer Financial Protection Bureau](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/credit-cards/), federal consumer guidance on credit card APR, fees, billing, and cardholder rights ## Ready to Take Control of Your Credit? StackEasy tracks all your cards, monitors utilization, and tells you exactly when to apply next. [Start Free →](https://app.stackeasy.ai/user/auth/signup?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=citi-double-cash-card-comparison&utm_content=bottom-cta) Free to use. No credit card required. Ready to start stacking smarter? [Get Started Free](https://app.stackeasy.ai/user/auth/signup?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=citi-double-cash-card-comparison&utm_content=floating-cta) ## Frequently Asked Questions **Q: How does the Citi Double Cash's 1% plus 1% actually work?** A: You earn 1% when you make a purchase and another 1% as you pay for it. The second 1% accrues on payments whenever you make them, not only when you pay in full. If you pay $300 toward your balance this month, you earn 1% on that $300. You still want to pay in full, because interest at a 20%+ APR costs far more than the rewards earn. **Q: Does the Citi Double Cash have a welcome bonus?** A: Yes. As of July 2026, new cardholders can earn $200 in cash back, fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou Points, after spending $1,500 in the first 6 months. This is a change worth knowing: the Double Cash carried no welcome offer for years, and many older comparisons still say it has none. Offers change, so confirm the current terms on Citi's application page before you apply. **Q: Citi Double Cash or Wells Fargo Active Cash: which is better?** A: They earn identically: 2% flat with no annual fee. The Active Cash wins on the easier $200 bonus ($500 spend vs $1,500) and 12 months of 0% intro APR on purchases. The Double Cash wins on its 18-month 0% balance transfer window and its ThankYou Points upside if you later add a Citi Strata Premier for 1:1 airline transfers. **Q: Is the Citi Double Cash a good choice for grocery shopping?** A: Not as a specialist. The Blue Cash Preferred from American Express earns 6% at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year, and it out-earns the Double Cash's 2% once your supermarket spending passes $198 a month, even after its $95 annual fee. Below that line, the Double Cash's flat 2% or the no-fee Blue Cash Everyday's 3% is the better deal. **Q: Does the Citi Double Cash charge foreign transaction fees?** A: Yes, 3% on every purchase made outside the U.S., which turns your 2% reward into a net 1% loss abroad. The Wells Fargo Active Cash and Chase Freedom cards charge the same 3%. For international spending, use a no-fee card such as the Capital One Savor, Capital One Quicksilver, or Discover it Cash Back. **Q: Can you transfer Citi Double Cash points to airlines?** A: Partially. The Double Cash earns ThankYou Points that redeem for cash at 1 cent each, and standalone it can transfer to some airline partners only at reduced ratios, for example 1,000 points to 700 American Airlines miles. To get full 1:1 transfers to partners like Turkish Airlines and Virgin Atlantic, pool your points with a Citi Strata Premier or Strata Elite. **Q: What happened to the Citi Custom Cash card?** A: The Citi Custom Cash closed to new applications on May 28, 2026. Existing cardholders keep the card and its 5% top-category earning. If you were planning a Double Cash plus Custom Cash pairing, that door is closed for new applicants; a Freedom Flex or Discover it now fills the 5% slot instead. **Q: Ready to Take Control of Your Credit?** A: StackEasy tracks all your cards, monitors utilization, and tells you exactly when to apply next. --- ## About StackEasy StackEasy helps Americans build financial leverage through credit stacking strategies. Track utilization, APR deadlines, and rewards across your entire card portfolio. Free credit card tracker at [stackeasy.ai](https://www.stackeasy.ai/start). *Published by Troy Johnston on StackEasy.ai. For the latest version of this article, visit [Best 2% Cash Back Card: Citi vs Chase vs Wells Fargo](https://www.stackeasy.ai/blog/citi-double-cash-card-comparison).*