Citi Custom Cash welcome bonus
Spend $1,500 in first 6 months. Same $200 cashback but on $1.
The numbers
$200
$1,500
in 6 months
$0
13.3%
The real math
How to qualify
Apply for Citi Custom Cash. Spend $1,500 within 6 months. Welcome bonus is paid AFTER 1 year — different from most card welcome bonuses which pay within 1-2 statements. Note this delay before applying.
Application restrictions
Citi 8/65 applies
All credit card applications trigger a hard credit pull (5-10 point temporary score dip). If you're denied, call the issuer's reconsideration line within a few business days — agents have authority to override automated denials.
Key card features
- 5% cashback on top monthly spend category (up to $500/mo)
- Q2 2026 5% categories: restaurants, home improvement
- 1% on other purchases
Ongoing return: 5% on top spend category (capped at $500/mo)
When this card makes sense
Cashback cards work for predictable everyday spending. The welcome bonus stacks on top of ongoing rewards, so even casual users who hit the bonus once and rarely use the card again come out ahead. No-annual-fee cashback cards in particular are sticky — no carrying cost means no reason to close the card after the bonus posts.
When to skip it
Skip if you carry a balance month-to-month — credit card APR (typically 20-30%) erases a $200 bonus in 1-2 months of interest. Skip if you cannot reliably meet minimum spend organically. Skip if you are subject to Chase 5/24 and applying would block higher-value travel cards you actually want.
Welcome bonus paid after 1 year is unusual — most cards pay after meeting spend in 1-2 statements. Read terms carefully if you intend to product-change or close the account before the year is up.
How to maximize this card
Pair with a complementary category card (Amex Blue Cash Preferred for groceries, Chase Freedom Flex for rotating quarterly 5x, Wells Fargo Active Cash for everything else). Run welcome bonus chains across issuers — Chase first (5/24 sensitive), then Capital One, Citi, and Amex.
Compared to other cards
Frequently asked about Citi Custom Cash
What is the Citi Custom Cash welcome bonus worth?
Citi Custom Cash pays $200 cash back after meeting the minimum spend requirement.
What is the application restriction for Citi Custom Cash?
Citi 8/65 applies
Is the welcome bonus on Citi Custom Cash taxable?
Welcome bonuses earned by spending on a credit card are generally NOT taxable — the IRS treats them as rebates on purchases, not income. The exception is account-opening bonuses paid without any spending requirement, which can be considered miscellaneous income (though banks rarely issue 1099s for amounts under $600). Cashback rewards from ongoing card use are likewise treated as rebates and not taxed.
What happens to Citi Custom Cash's annual fee in subsequent years?
Citi Custom Cash has no annual fee, so you can hold it indefinitely with no carrying cost.
Ready to apply?
Citi's full terms apply at application. Read the disclosure before you submit.