Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
Annual fees: American Express Green Card $150/yr, Citi Strata Credit Card $0/yr. Strongest bonus categories: American Express Green Card on travel, Citi Strata Credit Card on travel.
Card data as of September 27, 2026.
Annual Fee
Welcome Bonus
| Category | American Express Green Card | Citi Strata Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Beauty | 1X | 3X |
| Dining | 3X |
The Citi Strata Credit Card wins in 7 of 9 categories. The American Express Green Card leads in 2. 2 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.
Travel
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 5X when conditions are met; American Express Green Card earns 3X (3X without restrictions)
Dining
American Express Green Card earns 3X vs 2X
Ridesharing
American Express Green Card earns 3X vs 1X
Grocery Stores
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 1X
Gas Stations
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 1X
Top Spend Category
Depends: Must select category at citi.com/selfselect
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X when conditions are met; American Express Green Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Beauty
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 1X
Fitness
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 1X
Modeled value is close across spend levels — especially once statement credits are counted.
Published annual fees: American Express Green Card $150/yr, Citi Strata Credit Card $0/yr — a $150 difference before welcome offers and credits.
| 2X |
| Fitness | 1X | 3X |
| Gas Stations | 1X | 3X |
| Grocery Stores | 1X | 3X |
| Live Entertainment | 1X | 3X |
| Pet | 1X | 3X |
| Ridesharing | 3X | 1X |
| Streaming | 1X | 3X |
| Top Spend Category | 1X | 3X |
| Transit | 3X | 3X |
| Travel | 3X | 1X |
| Everything Else | 1X | 1X |
Network
Key Benefits
Pros
Cons
Live Entertainment
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 1X
Pet
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 1X
Streaming
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 1X
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Modeled value is close across spend levels — especially once statement credits are counted.
| Scenario | American Express Green Card | Citi Strata Credit Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $270 Credits (our usable estimate): $155 − Annual fee ($150) Ongoing: $275 Year one: $885 | Rewards: $317 Credits (our usable estimate): $50 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $367 Year one: $687 | Citi Strata Credit Card | American Express Green Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $1,080 Credits (our usable estimate): $155 − Annual fee ($150) Ongoing: $1,085 Year one: $1,695 | Rewards: $1,267 Credits (our usable estimate): $50 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $1,317 Year one: $1,637 | Citi Strata Credit Card | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use |
The American Express Green Card costs $150/yr — that's $150 more than the Citi Strata Credit Card (no annual fee). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $150 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The American Express Green Card includes travel credits, lounge access. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $150 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $150 fee gap means the American Express Green Card needs roughly $150 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on travel and transit and everyday spend.
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Citi Strata Credit Card means losing:
Get the American Express Green Card if you:
Get the Citi Strata Credit Card if you:
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
