Citi Double Cash Card vs Imagine Visa Credit Card
The Citi Double Cash Card leads on hotels; the Imagine Visa Credit Card leads on gas stations. See category winners and spend scenarios below.
Card data as of November 13, 2026.
- Citi Double Cash Card
Citi · No annual fee
- Imagine Visa Credit Card
WebBank · $99 or $125 or $175/yr by version (set at approval)
Overview
- Annual fee
- Citi Double Cash Card$0Imagine Visa Credit Card$99 or $125 or $175$99 ($400 initial limit (first year)) or $125 ($500 initial limit (first year)) or $175 ($700 or $1,000 initial limit (first year)), set at approval
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Citi Double Cash Card$200 cash backImagine Visa Credit Card—
- Rewards
- Citi Double Cash CardCash backImagine Visa Credit Card—
- Foreign transaction fee
- Citi Double Cash Card3%Imagine Visa Credit Card3%
- Network
- Citi Double Cash CardMastercardImagine Visa Credit CardVisa
Earn ratesPer $1 spent · points and cash back aren’t ranked against each other
- Gas Stations
- Citi Double Cash Card2%Imagine Visa Credit Card3x
- Grocery Stores
- Citi Double Cash Card2%Imagine Visa Credit Card3x
- Utilities
- Citi Double Cash Card2%Imagine Visa Credit Card3x
- Everything else
- Citi Double Cash Card2%Imagine Visa Credit Card1x
Perks & access— means none on record
- Other perks
- Citi Double Cash Card
- Early access to concerts, sports, and theater tickets
- Tap to pay with contactless and digital wallets
- Pay no interest on balance transfers for 18 months
- No annual fee ever on this card
Imagine Visa Credit Card- Easy account management online and mobile
- Unsecured card—no deposit needed
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Purchase & returns
- Citi Double Cash Card
- Zero Liability on unauthorized transactions
Imagine Visa Credit Card— - Extended warranty
- Citi Double Cash Card
- Extended warranty (secondary coverage)
Imagine Visa Credit Card— - Other protections
- Citi Double Cash Card
- Check your FICO score free every month
- 24/7 fraud monitoring with zero liability protection
- Free help resolving identity theft issues
- Quick card replacement if your wallet is lost or stolen
- Free identity monitoring service from Mastercard network
- Create virtual card numbers for safer online shopping
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- 24/7 lost/stolen card assistance worldwide
Imagine Visa Credit Card- 3-bureau credit reporting
- $0 fraud liability—you're protected
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Citi Double Cash Card
- 2% flat rate on all purchases with no caps
- No annual fee
- 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers
- Simple earning structure - no tracking categories
- Points can combine with other Citi ThankYou cards
Imagine Visa Credit Card- No security deposit required (unsecured card)
- Reports to all three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion)
- Available to consumers with poor or limited credit
- Earns 3% cash back on gas, grocery, and utility purchases, 1% elsewhere
- Cons
- Citi Double Cash Card
- 3% foreign transaction fee
- Must pay bill to earn second 1% cash back
- No travel insurance or trip protection
- Relatively modest $200 welcome bonus
- No bonus categories for high spenders
Imagine Visa Credit Card- High annual fee ($99 to $175 in the first year depending on initial credit limit, then $49 a year)
- Additional monthly maintenance fee ($15/month after the first 12 months) and a $2 monthly paper statement fee
- Very high APR (36%)
- Cash back redeems only as an automatic annual statement credit
- Low initial credit limit (typically $300)
Category-by-Category Winner
The Citi Double Cash Card wins in 4 of 7 categories. The Imagine Visa Credit Card leads in 3.
Hotels
Citi Double Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X
5X via issuer travel portal
Car Rentals
Citi Double Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X
5X via issuer travel portal
Attractions
Citi Double Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X
5X via issuer travel portal
Gas Stations
Imagine Visa Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X
Grocery Stores
Imagine Visa Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X
Utilities
Imagine Visa Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X
Everyday purchases
Citi Double Cash Card earns 2X on all other spending vs 1X
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.
| Scenario | Citi Double Cash Card | Imagine Visa Credit Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $408 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $408 Year one: $608 | Rewards: $180 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 Annual fee $99 ($400 initial limit (first year)) or $125 ($500 initial limit (first year)) or $175 ($700 or $1,000 initial limit (first year)), set at approval; net est. $81 ($400 initial limit (first year)) or $55 ($500 initial limit (first year)) or $5 ($700 or $1,000 initial limit (first year)) Ongoing: — Year one: — | — | — |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $1,632 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $1,632 Year one: $1,832 | Rewards: $720 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 Annual fee $99 ($400 initial limit (first year)) or $125 ($500 initial limit (first year)) or $175 ($700 or $1,000 initial limit (first year)), set at approval; net est. $621 ($400 initial limit (first year)) or $595 ($500 initial limit (first year)) or $545 ($700 or $1,000 initial limit (first year)) Ongoing: — Year one: — | — | — |
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Citi Double Cash Card if you:
- +Prefer a high flat rate across all spending
Get the Imagine Visa Credit Card if you:
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
The Bottom Line
Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 2X on the Citi Double Cash Card vs 1X on the other card.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which card earns more rewards, the Citi Double Cash Card or Imagine Visa Credit Card?
- The Citi Double Cash Card has a higher base earn rate (2X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
- Should I get the Citi Double Cash Card or the Imagine Visa Credit Card?
- Choose based on which bonus categories and benefits 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 November 13, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
