Citi Double Cash Card

Effectively a 2% flat card (1% when you buy, 1% when you pay it off) with no annual fee, so it ties the best flat-rate cards, but you only get the second 1% after you actually pay. Carry a balance and you forfeit half the reward, which defeats the purpose. On $20,000 of spend that's $400 back if you pay in full. It also runs a long balance-transfer window, handy for debt payoff. Active Cash gives the full 2% up front, so pick that if your payment timing is erratic. Confirm transfer fees on citi.com.

Citi Double Cash Card at a glance

Rewards & perks

• Works out to a 2% flat rate
• Lengthy balance-transfer window
• Points you can switch over to ThankYou travel

Pros

• No annual fee
• Flat 2% rewards
• Good for balance transfers

Cons

• 3% foreign purchase fee
• You only get the second 1% once you pay the bill

Who should apply

• A good credit score

Before you apply: card terms change often. Confirm the current annual fee, APR, welcome offer and rewards on the official Citi site. CreditCardCompare is an independent comparison resource, not the card issuer, and this is not financial advice.