Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card vs Citi Strata Credit Card
Both cards cost $0/yr. The Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card leads on top spend category; the Citi Strata Credit Card on hotels.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card
Stride Bank · No annual fee
- Citi Strata Credit Card
Citi · No annual fee
Overview
- Annual fee
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card$0Citi Strata Credit Card$0
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card—Citi Strata Credit Card20,000 points
- Rewards
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card—Citi Strata Credit CardCiti ThankYou Rewards
- Foreign transaction fee
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit CardNoneLowestCiti Strata Credit Card3%
- Network
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit CardVisaCiti Strata Credit CardMastercard
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Top Spend Category
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card5xHighestCiti Strata Credit Card3x
- Beauty
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card—Rate not publishedCiti Strata Credit Card3x
- Fitness
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card—Rate not publishedCiti Strata Credit Card3x
- Gas Stations
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card—Rate not publishedCiti Strata Credit Card3x
- Grocery Stores
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card—Rate not publishedCiti Strata Credit Card3x
- Live Entertainment
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card—Rate not publishedCiti Strata Credit Card3x
- Pet
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card—Rate not publishedCiti Strata Credit Card3x
- Streaming
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card—Rate not publishedCiti Strata Credit Card3x
- Transit
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card—Rate not publishedCiti Strata Credit Card3x
- Dining
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card—Rate not publishedCiti Strata Credit Card2x
- Everything else
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card—Rate not publishedCiti Strata Credit Card1x
Perks & access— means none on record
- Other perks
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card
- Credit building with reporting
- No annual fees or interest charges
- Autopay ensures 100% on-time payments
- Cash access at 47,000+ fee-free ATMs
- Apply with no credit check required
- Utilization not reported to credit bureaus
Citi Strata Credit Card- Citi Entertainment
- Points transfer
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Purchase & returns
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card
- Zero Liability on unauthorized charges
Citi Strata Credit Card- Mastercard® ID Theft Protection
- Zero Liability on unauthorized transactions
- Purchase Protection up to $1,000 per claim
- Other protections
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card
- SpotMe covers up to $200 fee-free
- 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
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card
- No annual fee, no interest, no late fees, no foreign transaction fees
- 5% cash back on a category of your choice with qualifying direct deposit
- No credit check required for approval
- Reports to all three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion)
- Does not report utilization — spending up to limit won't hurt credit score
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
- Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card
- Requires Chime Checking Account with qualifying direct deposit
- Credit limit limited to the amount you transfer (max $10,000)
- Cannot transition to unsecured card — no upgrade path
- No traditional revolving credit — must pay balance in full
- Cashback only on one category of choice, not all purchases
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 5 categories. The Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card leads in 1. 8 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.
Top Spend Category
Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card earns 5X vs 3X
Hotels
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 5X when conditions are met; Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Car Rentals
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 5X when conditions are met; Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Attractions
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 5X when conditions are met; Chime Card™ Visa Credit 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
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; Chime Card™ Visa Credit 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; Chime Card™ Visa Credit 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; Chime Card™ Visa Credit 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; Chime Card™ Visa Credit 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; Chime Card™ Visa Credit 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 | Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card | Citi Strata Credit Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $120 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $120 Year one: $120 | 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): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $480 Year one: $480 | 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 Chime Card™ Visa Credit Card or Citi Strata Credit Card?
- The Citi Strata Credit Card has a higher base earn rate (1X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
- Should I get the Chime Card™ Visa Credit 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.

