Citi Rewards+® Card review: The rewards card for people on the go?

Other than the low rewards spending cap, this card’s biggest drawback is the flat 1 cent per point redemption value for basic points.

Redeeming reward earnings for gift cards and travel are your most valuable options, but points are only worth 1 cent apiece. Previously, cardholders were able to redeem basic points through the Citi Travel Center at a better rate of 1.25 cents per dollar with a premium Citi travel card, but unfortunately this boost was discontinued. On the bright side, pooling your points with a Citi travel card lets you take advantage of transfer partners, which could boost your points to their full estimated 1.9 cent value.

Cash rewards and statement credits halve your points’ value to 0.5 cents, and options like Pay with Points, minimum payment contributions and shopping with points at online retailers reduce the value to 0.8 cents each. This factor means that if you’re planning to redeem for anything other than travel, you might want to pursue one of the best cash back cards, like the Citi Double Cash® Card instead.

The Citi Rewards+ card is a bit light on perks outside the point roundup and year-end 10 percent points back benefits. However, like most Citi cardmembers, you’ll get access to Citi Entertainment experiences and can enjoy Mastercard benefits since the Citi Rewards+ operates on the network.

Roundup feature

For every purchase, the Citi Rewards+ card rounds the number of points earned up to the nearest 10 points. For example, a $1.07 dollar store purchase would earn 10 points instead of 1.

It’s worth noting that your 2X category purchases also round up, but only after the double points are applied. Therefore, $64 of groceries would earn you 130 points instead of 140 points.

10% points back on the first 100,000 points redeemed annually

Every year, you’ll receive 10 percent back on the first 100,000 points you redeem (except sharing points). Maxing out this benefit would earn you 10,000 points back — worth $100 in gift cards.

Mastercard benefits

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.

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 18.74 percent to 28.74 percent variable APR applies. 

If you plan to travel, keep in mind the card has a 3 percent foreign transaction fee. And if you miss a payment due date, be aware of the up to $41 late payment and returned payment fees.

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

While the Citi Rewards+ Card can be great for people who like to eat out or cook at home, it can be 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. Those looking for a more well-rounded rewards card may be interested in these options:

Citi Rewards+ Card vs. Citi Premier Card

If you don’t mind paying an annual fee, the Citi Premier card could offer more rewards value than the Rewards+ thanks to its wider variety of bonus categories and outsized rewards for foodies and frequent travelers. Since Citi restructured the Citi Premier card to include an elevated rewards rate on supermarket and other everyday purchases, the Premier has become a much better option than the Rewards+, especially if you plan to redeem for travel.

For example, if you spent $300 per month at supermarkets, $150 per month at restaurants, $100 per month at gas stations and $700 per month on other purchases, as well as $1,000 per year on air travel and hotels, you’d earn a total of around 20,800 points with the Citi Premier will likely be the more valuable card in the long run, the Citi Rewards+ card’s round-up feature could make up some ground. For example, making 20 purchases of $5 each ($100 total) at a 1X rate would net 100 points with the Citi Premier but 200 points with the Citi Rewards+.

Citi Rewards+ vs. Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express  might be a great no-annual-fee alternative if you prefer to get cash back on your eligible U.S. supermarket, U.S. gas station and online retail purchases. This card is often touted as one of the best credit cards for groceries. The Blue Cash Everyday card’s rewards rate is slightly higher than the Citi Rewards+ card for spending at U.S. supermarkets. Plus, it also has an advantage when comparing spending categories, as it provides a high cash back rate at U.S. gas stations and online retail purchases — two categories that the Citi Rewards+ does not offer, though you would still have to worry about an annual spending cap, which could potentially limit your earning in the long haul. 

The Blue Cash Everyday's intro APR offer on new purchases, however, is the same length as the Citi Rewards+. For the welcome offer, you would have a lower spending threshold with Citi Rewards+, but you would also have a shorter time window to spend the required amount. Overall, the Blue Cash Everyday Card is the best option if you want to earn more rewards on supermarket, gas station and online retail purchases, while the Citi Rewards+ is the better option if you want a better welcome bonus and the possibility to earn more back on your rewards.

Best cards to pair with this card

Pairing the Citi Rewards+ with the Citi Premier is a must if you’re a traveler and want to maximize this card’s full potential. The Citi Double Cash® Card could also be a valuable addition to the team since its unlimited cash back can be converted for more basic ThankYou points to pool with the Premier. This strategy provides great rewards coverage for purchases outside the Rewards+ card’s categories or yearly spending cap.

But ultimately, the Rewards+ card carves out its own unique value for “small-fry” purchases as a partner to any card, on account of its round-up feature and annual 10 percent points back (on the first 100,000 points redeemed).

Since there are other no-annual-fee cards that can provide unlimited and more valuable rewards along with a broader range of categories, the Citi Rewards+ Card is a tough sell if you aren’t planning to pair it with another card – especially from Citi – like the Citi 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. 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.