Which card has a lower annual fee, Citi Double Cash Card or Citi Strata Elite Card?

The Citi Double Cash Card has no annual fee, compared to $595 for the Citi Strata Elite Card.

Which card earns more cash back, Citi Double Cash Card or Citi Strata Elite Card?

The Citi Double Cash Card earns 2.0% base cash back, while the Citi Strata Elite Card earns 1.5%. The best choice depends on your spending habits. Use the calculator to see which card earns you more.

Is the Citi Double Cash Card better than the Citi Strata Elite Card?

It depends on your spending. If you spend more on categories where the Citi Double Cash Card offers higher rewards, it may be better. Use our calculator to compare based on your actual monthly spending.

Citi Double Cash® Card vs Citi Strata Elite℠ Card: Which Card Wins for Your Spending?

Which earns more for you?

Travel ($)

Dining ($)

Groceries ($)

Gas ($)

Special ($)

Other ($)

Monthly spending. We rank on rewards minus the full annual fee, so statement credits and perks are listed separately and never counted for you.

Choosing between the Citi Double Cash® Card (no annual fee) and the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card ($595/yr) 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.

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Meet the Contenders

Citi Double Cash Card

Unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases. Earns a solid 2.0% on everything else.

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

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

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Citi Strata Elite Card

Strongest in dining at 3%. 12x on hotels/car rentals via Citi Travel, 6x on flights via Citi Travel, 3x on dining. Earns a solid 1.5% on everything else.

Annual fee: $595 Sign-up bonus: 75,000 points after $6,000 spend in 3 months Foreign fees: 0%

Perfect if: You spend enough in bonus categories to easily offset the annual fee.

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Head-to-Head Comparison

Feature	Citi Double Cash Card	Citi Strata Elite Card
Annual Fee	$0	$595
Sign-Up Bonus	$200 after $1,500 spend in 6 months	75,000 points after $6,000 spend in 3 months
Foreign Transaction Fee	3%	0%
Base Reward Rate	2%	1.5%
Dining Rewards	2%	3%
Rates with conditions not counted in the rows above	5% through Citi Travel Earns 5% only on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through Citi Travel, Citi's own booking site. Travel booked anywhere else earns the flat 2%.	12% through Citi Travel Earns 12% only on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through Citi Travel, Citi's own booking site. Travel booked anywhere else earns the flat 1.5%. 6% on flights through Citi Travel Earns 6% only on flights booked through Citi Travel. Flights booked direct with an airline earn the flat 1.5%.
Key Benefits	Unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases.	12x on hotels/car rentals via Citi Travel, 6x on flights via Citi Travel, 3x on dining.

The Verdict

Citi Double Cash Card pulls ahead for travel, groceries, gas spending.

Citi Strata Elite Card wins on dining.

The $595/year fee difference means Citi Strata Elite Card needs to earn about that much more in rewards to justify its cost.

Citi Strata Elite Card carries $300/year in credits (mostly tied to specific merchants or bookings). Those only count if you’d actually use them. Worth checking against your own habits before treating them as a discount on the fee.

Not sure which fits your life? Enter your spending below and we’ll do the math. The calculator ranks purely on rewards minus the full annual fee, so credits and perks are yours to judge.