Apple Card vs Citi Strata Credit Card
Both cards cost $0/yr. The Apple Card leads on everyday spending; the Citi Strata Credit Card on hotels.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Apple CardGoldman Sachs · No annual fee
Citi Strata Credit CardCiti · No annual fee
Overview
- Annual fee
- Apple Card$0Citi Strata Credit Card$0
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Apple Card—Citi Strata Credit Card20,000 points
- Rewards
- Apple CardCash backCiti Strata Credit CardCiti ThankYou Rewards
- Foreign transaction fee
- Apple CardNoneLowestCiti Strata Credit Card3%
- Network
- Apple CardMastercardCiti Strata Credit CardMastercard
Earn ratesPer $1 spent · points and cash back aren’t ranked against each other
- Beauty
- Apple Card1%Citi Strata Credit Card3x
- Fitness
- Apple Card1%Citi Strata Credit Card3x
- Gas Stations
- Apple Card1%Citi Strata Credit Card3x
- Grocery Stores
- Apple Card1%Citi Strata Credit Card3x
- Live Entertainment
- Apple Card1%Citi Strata Credit Card3x
- Pet
- Apple Card1%Citi Strata Credit Card3x
- Streaming
- Apple Card1%Citi Strata Credit Card3x
- Top Spend Category
- Apple Card1%Citi Strata Credit Card3x
- Transit
- Apple Card1%Citi Strata Credit Card3x
- Dining
- Apple Card1%Citi Strata Credit Card2x
- Everything else
- Apple Card1%Citi Strata Credit Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Apple Card
- Extra 2% Booking.com Travel Credits · $2 per transaction
Citi Strata Credit Card— - Rideshare & transit
- Apple Card
- $60 Uber One trial · $60 one-time
Citi Strata Credit Card—
Perks & access— means none on record
- Car rental
- Apple Card
- 5%+ off Hertz rentals + perks
Citi Strata Credit Card— - Other perks
- Apple Card
- Share card with family and teens
- Interest-free payments on Apple gear
- Color-coded spending insights
Citi Strata Credit Card- Citi Entertainment
- Points transfer
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Purchase & returns
- Apple Card
- Zero Liability on unauthorized transactions
- No fees on international purchases
- Biometric security on every purchase
Citi Strata Credit Card- Mastercard® ID Theft Protection
- Zero Liability on unauthorized transactions
- Purchase Protection up to $1,000 per claim
- Other protections
- Apple Card
- No late fees or penalty APR
- 24/7 lost/stolen card assistance worldwide
Citi Strata Credit Card- Citi Travel®
- FICO score monitoring
- 24/7 lost/stolen card assistance worldwide
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Apple Card
- No annual fee, no late fees, and no penalty APR
- Daily Cash deposited immediately rather than monthly
- 3% back at Apple and select merchants (Uber, Walgreens, Nike, etc.)
- 2% back on all Apple Pay purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
Citi Strata Credit Card- No annual fee
- 20,000 point welcome bonus
- 5X points on travel booked via Citi Travel
- 3X points on groceries, transit, gas, and Self-Select category
- Self-Select category flexibility (change quarterly)
- Cons
- Apple Card
- Only 1% back when using physical card (non-Apple Pay)
- Requires iPhone to apply and manage the card
- No sign-up bonus
- No travel-related benefits or protections
- Limited 3% merchant list compared to category cards
Citi Strata Credit Card- 3% foreign transaction fee
- 5X rate requires booking through Citi Travel portal
- Self-Select category can only change quarterly
- Lower transfer value compared to premium ThankYou cards
Category-by-Category Winner
The Citi Strata Credit Card wins in 4 of 4 categories. The Apple Card leads in 0. 9 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.
Hotels
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 5X when conditions are met; Apple Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Car Rentals
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 5X when conditions are met; Apple Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Attractions
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 5X when conditions are met; Apple Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Grocery Stores
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 1X
Gas Stations
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 1X
Transit
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; Apple Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Dining
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 2X vs 1X
Beauty
Depends: 3X applies only if cosmetic stores/barber shops/hair salons is chosen as the one Self-Select Category (fitness clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, cosmetic stores/barber shops/hair salons, or pet supply stores), changeable once each calendar quarter; the default is Select Streaming Services.
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Apple Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Fitness
Depends: 3X applies only if fitness clubs is chosen as the one Self-Select Category (fitness clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, cosmetic stores/barber shops/hair salons, or pet supply stores), changeable once each calendar quarter; the default is Select Streaming Services.
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Apple Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Live Entertainment
Depends: 3X applies only if live entertainment is chosen as the one Self-Select Category (fitness clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, cosmetic stores/barber shops/hair salons, or pet supply stores), changeable once each calendar quarter; the default is Select Streaming Services.
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Apple Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Pet
Depends: 3X applies only if pet supply stores is chosen as the one Self-Select Category (fitness clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, cosmetic stores/barber shops/hair salons, or pet supply stores), changeable once each calendar quarter; the default is Select Streaming Services.
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Apple Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Streaming
Depends: 3X applies while Select Streaming Services is the one Self-Select Category (fitness clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, cosmetic stores/barber shops/hair salons, or pet supply stores), changeable once each calendar quarter; it is the default at account opening.
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Apple Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Year One vs Ongoing Value
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.
Both scenarios favor the Citi Strata Credit Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | Apple Card | Citi Strata Credit Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $120 Credits (our usable estimate): $35 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $155 Year one: $185 | Rewards: $317 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $317 Year one: $637 | Citi Strata Credit Card | Citi Strata Credit Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $480 Credits (our usable estimate): $35 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $515 Year one: $545 | Rewards: $1,267 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $1,267 Year one: $1,587 | Citi Strata Credit Card | Citi Strata Credit Card |
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Citi Strata Credit Card if you:
- +Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the Citi Strata Credit Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which card earns more rewards, the Apple Card or Citi Strata Credit Card?
- Both cards earn 1X on everyday purchases. The difference is in bonus categories — check the earn rate comparison above for a full breakdown.
- What benefits does the Apple Card have that the Citi Strata Credit Card doesn't?
- The Apple Card offers travel credits. The Citi Strata Credit Card focuses more on earn rates than premium perks.
- Should I get the Apple Card or the Citi Strata Credit Card?
- Both cards have the same $0/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published October 12, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.