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Key takeaways
- Both the Citi Custom Cash® Card and Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card offer plenty of cash back with no annual fee and a 0 percent intro APR on balance transfers and purchases.
- The Citi Custom Cash Card earns a generous 5 percent cash back on your top spending category each billing cycle.
- The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card earns 3 percent cash back in a category of your choosing while earning 2 percent cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (on up to $2,500 in combined 3 percent and 2 percent category spending each quarter).
- Finding the best fit comes down to how much money you spend in a month and where you spend it.
Both the Citi Custom Cash® Card and Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card can earn you plenty of cash back, especially in select spending categories. Even better, neither card charges an annual fee.
The best fit for you, however, comes down to how you spend. If you spend a lot of money in one particular category, such as dining out or at supermarkets, the Citi Custom Cash might be the smart choice. But if you spend widely on a variety of different purchase types, the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card might make more financial sense.
Here’s a detailed look at how these two cards compare.
Main details
| Features | Citi Custom Cash® Card | Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 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. | $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening. |
| Rewards rate |
|
|
| Intro APR | 0% for 15 months on purchases | 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases |
| Regular APR | 19.24% – 29.24% (Variable) | 19.24% – 29.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers |
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 |
| Foreign transaction fee | 3% | 3% |
Citi Custom Cash vs. Bank of America Customized Cash highlights
Welcome bonus winner
Rewards rate winner
Foreign transaction fee winner
Which card earns the most?
How much can you earn with each of these cards? That depends on how you spend during the month. If you tend to spend heavily in just one category every month, you might earn more with the Citi Custom Cash Card. If your spending is spread out over several types of purchases, the Customized Cash Rewards card might be the better choice.
Citi Custom Cash vs. Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards spending example
Let’s say that your top spending category with the Citi Custom Cash is grocery stores, and you spend $500 during your billing cycle. You’ll automatically be awarded 5 percent cash back on that spending, which is equal to $25 in cash back rewards.
Say you also charge $800 during the rest of the month on other purchases in various categories. At 1 percent cash back, you’ll get $8 in rewards. That’s a total of $33 in cash back earnings for the month.
Depending on how you spend, you could earn more with the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card by spending the same amount during your billing cycle. For example, let’s say you choose travel as your 3 percent spending category with this card and spend $1,000 on airfare and hotels in a month. Doing so will earn you $30 cash back.
If you then spend $300 at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, which qualify for 2 percent cash back, you’ll earn an additional $6 in rewards. That gives you a total of $36 in cash back while spending the same $1,300 for the billing cycle — or $3 more than you’d get with the Citi Custom Cash. Keep in mind, however, that you will have also spent $1,300 of the $2,500 quarterly cap for boosted rewards in the 3 percent and 2 percent categories. That only leaves room to earn boosted rewards on a total of $1,200 in combined spending for the other 2 months of the quarter.
Choosing the card that earns the most cash back each month depends on your spending habits. If you don’t spend enough in your 3 percent category with the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card, you might not earn as much cash back as you would with the Citi Custom Cash. At the same time, if you don’t spend enough in a single category with the Citi Custom Cash (around $500 in a month), it might be more valuable to carry the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card.
Why should you get the Citi Custom Cash Card?
The Citi Custom Cash comes down to its 5 percent category, which can fluctuate every billing cycle and gives you automatic bonus cash back on your top spending category. Though you might need to do a little more planning to receive bonus cash back on the category of your choice, you’ll find that the Citi Custom Cash is worth adding to your wallet due to its long-term value.
Why should you get the Bank of America Customized Cash card?
One of the most valuable benefits of the Customized Cash Rewards card is the ability to customize your cash back bonus categories each month. So, if you’re about to embark on an expensive vacation, you may wish to make travel your choice category for that month. If you need to purchase an expensive home appliance, like a washing machine or refrigerator, you might make home renovations your choice category for the month instead.
The bottom line
Which of these two cards is better? Again, it depends on your monthly spending habits. If you’re a relatively low spender who typically buys a lot in one specific category, the Citi Custom Cash Card might make sense. But if you spend across several categories and are part of Bank of America’s Preferred Rewards program, the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card could provide you with a higher amount of cash back each month.
Information about the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card was last updated on September 12, 2024.
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