Dedicated comparison page

The Platinum Card from American Express vs Citi Custom Cash Card

The Platinum Card from American Express vs Citi Custom Cash Card on Luminxo. Compare annual fees, rewards, welcome offers, credit requirements, and who each card is best for.

Lowest annual feeCiti Custom Cash CardNo annual fee
Highest reward rateThe Platinum Card from American Express1.0%
Lowest starting credit rangeCiti Custom Cash Card670+

Quick Take

The Platinum Card from American Express

by American Express

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The Platinum Card from American Express is a travel card from American Express with a $695 annual fee, 80,000 points after $8,000 in 6 months, and good to excellent credit.

Best for: People focused on travel rewards who can justify a $695 annual fee and who typically have good to excellent credit.

  • 5% on Travel
  • 80,000 points after $8,000 in 6 months
  • No foreign transaction fee
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Citi Custom Cash Card

by Citi

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Citi Custom Cash Card is a cashback card from Citi with no annual fee, $200 cashback after $1,500 in 6 months, and fair to good credit.

Best for: People focused on cashback rewards who want to avoid an annual fee and who typically have fair to good credit.

  • 5% on Dining
  • $200 cashback after $1,500 in 6 months
  • Foreign transaction fee: 3%
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Side-by-Side Facts

MetricThe Platinum Card from American ExpressCiti Custom Cash Card
Annual Fee$695None
Reward Rate1.0%1.0%
Signup Bonus80,000 points after $8,000 in 6 months$200 cashback after $1,500 in 6 months
Foreign Transaction FeeNone3.0%
Recommended CreditGood to excellent creditFair to good credit
Rewards SummaryEarn elevated rewards with 5% on Travel and 1% on Dining, plus 1% on other purchases.Earn elevated rewards with 5% on Dining, 5% on Gas and 5% on Groceries, plus 1% on other purchases.

Who Should Pick Which Card?

The Platinum Card from American Express

Its strongest earning category is Travel at 5%, backed by 1% on general spending. It also avoids foreign transaction fees.

Best for: People focused on travel rewards who can justify a $695 annual fee and who typically have good to excellent credit.

Pros

  • 80,000 points after $8,000 in 6 months
  • Potentially worthwhile if you use the card enough to cover the $695 annual fee
  • Earns 5% on Travel
  • Earns 1% on Dining

Tradeoffs

  • Annual fee of $695 means you need ongoing value from the card
  • Typically requires good to excellent credit
  • Signup bonus requires $8000 in spending within 6 months
  • Base rewards on non-bonus spending are relatively modest

Citi Custom Cash Card

Its strongest earning category is Dining at 5%, backed by 1% on general spending.

Best for: People focused on cashback rewards who want to avoid an annual fee and who typically have fair to good credit.

Pros

  • $200 cashback after $1,500 in 6 months
  • No annual fee to offset rewards
  • Earns 5% on Dining
  • Earns 5% on Groceries

Tradeoffs

  • Foreign transaction fee of 3% can hurt value abroad
  • Base rewards on non-bonus spending are relatively modest

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between The Platinum Card from American Express and Citi Custom Cash Card?

The biggest tradeoffs are annual fee, reward concentration, and the level of credit usually needed to qualify. This page compares those inputs directly so you can choose the card that fits your spending and tolerance for annual fees.

Which card is easier to qualify for?

Citi Custom Cash Card has the lowest published starting credit range in this comparison at 670.

Which card has the lowest annual fee?

Citi Custom Cash Card has the lowest annual fee in this comparison at no annual fee.