Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card vs Citi Custom Cash Card: Which Card Wins for Your Spending?

Choosing between the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card ($95/yr) and the Citi Custom Cash Card (no annual fee) comes down to where you spend most. Both cards can deliver real value — let’s break it down, then run your numbers to find the winner.

Meet the Contenders

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Strongest in travel at 5% via portal. 2x miles on every purchase, 5x on hotels and rentals through Capital One Travel. Earns a solid 2.0% on everything else.

Annual fee: $95 Sign-up bonus: 75,000 miles after $4,000 spend in 3 months Foreign fees: 0%

Perfect if: You're comfortable booking through the issuer's portal for the best rate.

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Citi Custom Cash Card

5% on your top spending category each billing cycle (up to $500/cycle).

Annual fee: None Sign-up bonus: $200 after $1,500 spend in 6 months Foreign fees: 3%

Perfect if: You want solid rewards without paying an annual fee.

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Head-to-Head Comparison

Feature Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Citi Custom Cash Card
Annual Fee $95 $0
Sign-Up Bonus 75,000 miles after $4,000 spend in 3 months $200 after $1,500 spend in 6 months
Foreign Transaction Fee 0% 3%
Base Reward Rate <strong>2.0%</strong> 1.0%
Travel Rewards <strong>5%</strong> 1%
Key Benefits 2x miles on every purchase, 5x on hotels and rentals through Capital One Travel. 5% on your top spending category each billing cycle (up to $500/cycle).

The Verdict

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card pulls ahead for travel, dining, groceries, gas spending.

The $95/year fee difference means Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card needs to earn at least that much more in rewards to justify its cost.

Not sure which fits your life? Enter your spending below and we’ll do the math.

See Which Card Wins for YOU

Enter your typical monthly spending and we’ll show you exactly which card earns more — including fees and bonuses.