Both are no-annual-fee Citi cash-back cards, but they pay out on opposite models. The Costco Anywhere Visa tiers its rate by category — 5% at Costco gas, 4% on other gas/EV charging (up to $7,000/yr combined, then 1%), 3% on restaurants and eligible travel, 2% at Costco — but requires a paid Costco membership and pays once a year as a warehouse-redeemable certificate. The Double Cash is a flat 2% (1% when you buy, 1% when you pay) with no membership requirement and ongoing, flexible ThankYou Points redemption. The real question isn't which rate is higher — it's whether your spend concentrates in Costco's bonus categories or spreads out evenly.
Scored against our published methodology · Updated July 22, 2026
Take the 60-second quizCostco members who drive a lot — 4% cash back on gas and EV charging at any station (up to $7,000/yr), plus 3% on restaurants and eligible travel and 2% at Costco. There's no card-level annual fee if you're already a member.
Find your match
Citi
Readers who want one flat-rate no-fee cashback card and aren't interested in tracking categories. The 2% (1% at purchase + 1% at payment) is the cleanest math in the cashback space.
Find your matchBest for — by the numbers
Per-spec leads are computed from each issuer's published facts and our scored methodology — there is no single overall winner. Reviewed July 22, 2026. ClearValue Cards earns compensation solely through our CardRatings partnership, paid when a reader clicks out to CardRatings from our match tool. This compensation does not influence editorial scoring or ordering.
| Spec | Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi | Citi Double Cash |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 |
| 0% intro APR period | None | 18 months |
| Ongoing APR (from) | 18.74% | 17.49% |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | 3% |
| Rewards score | 17/20 | 17/20 |
| Fee-structure score | 16/20 | 20/20 |
| ClearValue score | 81/100 | 89/100 |
| Balance transfer fee | $5 or 5% of each transfer, whichever is greater | Intro $5 or 3% (first 4 months), then $5 or 5% |
A check marks the card that leads that spec on published figures. Rows with no marker are either tied or judgment calls (fee wording, late-fee terms) where a single "winner" wouldn't be honest to the data.
Tap the spec you care about — we'll show which card leads on it.
For 0% intro APR period, the Citi Double Cash leads (18 months).
Costco members whose spend concentrates in gas, dining, travel, or the warehouse itself
5% at Costco gas and 4% on other gas/EV charging beats the Double Cash's flat 2% by a wide margin for anyone who drives a lot, and the 3% dining/travel rate does too. It only pencils out if you're already paying for a Costco membership — this isn't a card to get for the rewards alone.
See your matchesAnyone who wants ongoing flexible cash back with no membership and no annual redemption wait
A flat 2% on every purchase beats the Costco card's 1% catch-all rate and its 2% Costco-only rate, with no membership fee, no annual spend cap on the bonus tier, and points you can redeem as cash whenever you want instead of waiting for a once-a-year certificate.
See your matchesAnyone who carries a balance. The Costco card's tiered bonus rates and the Double Cash's back-half 1% both assume you pay in full — carry a balance and the 17.49%–27.49% (Double Cash) or 18.74%–26.74% (Costco) ongoing APR erases the cash back many times over.
Weighing the numbers yourself? Run our free rewards vs. interest calculator.
Answer a few questions about how you spend and we'll point you to the cards that actually fit — no guesswork.
Take the 60-second quizAnnual fee
Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi: $0 (requires paid Costco membership, sold separately)
Citi Double Cash: $0
Top earn structure
Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi: 5% Costco gas; 4% other gas/EV charging (up to $7,000/yr combined, then 1%); 3% restaurants + eligible travel; 2% Costco/Costco.com; 1% everything else
Citi Double Cash: 2% on everything — 1% when you buy, 1% when you pay the statement
Redemption
Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi: Annual certificate after the February billing cycle, redeemable at Costco warehouses ($300+ can go via ACH deposit instead)
Citi Double Cash: ThankYou Points redeemable anytime for cash, no waiting period
Foreign transaction fee
Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi: None
Citi Double Cash: 3%
Honest knock
Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi: The bonus rates only fire on Costco-adjacent spend, and you're locked out of your own rewards until one certificate drops each February
Citi Double Cash: The back-half 1% only credits when you actually pay the statement — skip a payment and you lose it, not just defer it
Neither is universally better — it depends on how you spend. On our published 100-point methodology the Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi scores 81/100 (Solid pick) and the Citi Double Cash scores 89/100 (Solid pick). Costco members whose spend concentrates in gas, dining, travel, or the warehouse itself should lean Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi; anyone who wants ongoing flexible cash back with no membership and no annual redemption wait should lean Citi Double Cash. Take the 60-second quiz to see which fits your profile.
The Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi carries $0 (no annual fee), sourced from the issuer's published Schumer Box as of July 20, 2026. The Citi Double Cash carries $0 (no annual fee), as of July 15, 2026. Fees change — confirm the current number at the issuer before you decide.
For purchases outside the U.S., the Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi is the cleaner pick — it charges no foreign transaction fee, versus 3% on the Citi Double Cash.
We score every card across five dimensions — effective rewards, fee structure, audience fit, transparency, and the weakness named — 0–20 each for a 100-point total. The Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi earned 81/100 and the Citi Double Cash earned 89/100. Scoring follows our published methodology and is never influenced by compensation.
Independent editorial comparison. ClearValue Cards is not a card issuer, a bank, or a lender. ClearValue Cards earns compensation solely through our CardRatings partnership, paid when a reader clicks out to CardRatings from our match tool. This compensation does not influence editorial scoring or ordering. Card facts are sourced from each issuer's published Schumer Box and terms — confirm current numbers at the issuer. See disclosure.
