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.

Overview

Annual fee
Citi Double Cash Card
$0
Imagine 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 back
Imagine Visa Credit Card
—
Rewards
Citi Double Cash Card
Cash back
Imagine Visa Credit Card
—
Foreign transaction fee
Citi Double Cash Card
3%
Imagine Visa Credit Card
3%
Network
Citi Double Cash Card
Mastercard
Imagine Visa Credit Card
Visa

Earn ratesPer $1 spent · points and cash back aren’t ranked against each other

Gas Stations
Citi Double Cash Card
2%
Imagine Visa Credit Card
3x
Grocery Stores
Citi Double Cash Card
2%
Imagine Visa Credit Card
3x
Utilities
Citi Double Cash Card
2%
Imagine Visa Credit Card
3x
Everything else
Citi Double Cash Card
2%
Imagine Visa Credit Card
1x

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
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  • 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)
Add a 3rd or 4th card to this comparison →

Category-by-Category Winner

The Citi Double Cash Card wins in 4 of 7 categories. The Imagine Visa Credit Card leads in 3.

W

Hotels

Citi Double Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

5X via issuer travel portal

W

Car Rentals

Citi Double Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

5X via issuer travel portal

W

Attractions

Citi Double Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

5X via issuer travel portal

W

Gas Stations

Imagine Visa Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

W

Grocery Stores

Imagine Visa Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

W

Utilities

Imagine Visa Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

W

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.

ScenarioCiti Double Cash CardImagine Visa Credit CardOngoing winnerYear-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.

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.