Citi

Citi Strata

Citi and related product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Madeen is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of Citi. Madeen is an independent credit-card comparison and education service. Issuer websites control current terms, fees, and eligibility.

Citi Strata2.4%
Grocery at 2.4%No annual feeWelcome bonus
Top 96% for Grocery
Highest earn rate in Grocery at 2.4% effective value

The Citi Strata from Citi earns up to 2.4% effective value on grocery in Madeen's catalog snapshot. It has no annual fee. New applicants may see: Earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months.

Top category
Grocery
Effective value
2.4%
Annual fee
$0
Citi Strata card art

Best for grocery-heavy spend when you want to avoid an annual fee; confirm issuer terms before applying. Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in grocery and can earn 3x points. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.

Madeen analysis

What does the Citi Strata earn in each category?

Grocery is the strongest category at 2.4% effective value (3x points at about 0.8 cents each). That grocery rate ranks higher than about 96% of the 2,855 cards we track in that category. The five-category effective-rate table on this page shows how Citi Strata compares across dining, grocery, gas, travel, and other spend. Catalog spend signals highlight music and audio.

Grocery is the strongest category at 2.4% effective value (3x points at about 0.8 cents each). That grocery rate ranks higher than about 96% of the 2,855 cards we track in that category. The five-category effective-rate table on this page shows how Citi Strata compares across dining, grocery, gas, travel, and other spend.

Category Earn rate Effective value
Dining
Restaurants, cafes, takeout
2x points 1.6%
Grocery
Supermarkets and grocery stores
3x points 2.4% Top category
Gas
Gas stations and fuel
3x points 2.4%
Travel
Flights, hotels, transit
3x points 2.4%
Other
General everyday spend
3x points 2.4%

Madeen values Citi ThankYou Rewards at about 0.8 cents each. Madeen compares every card using this cash-equivalent estimate while still showing the raw earn rate for context.

Reward rules

What are the Citi Strata reward caps and conditions?

The Citi Strata has 5 notable cap or condition rule(s) in Madeen's catalog, including activation windows, spend limits, and category exclusions. Review each bullet below before assuming unlimited earn rates.

  • Earn 3x points on an eligible Self-Select Category of your choice: Fitness Clubs, Select Streaming Services, Live Entertainment, Cosmetic Stores/Barber Shops/Hair Salons and Pet Supply Stores
  • 2 points per dollar spent at Restaurants
  • 3 points per dollar spent at Gas & EV Charging Stations
  • 3 points per dollar spent at Supermarkets
  • 3 points per dollar spent on Select Transit
Madeen take

Who should get the Citi Strata?

The Citi Strata fits spenders who put meaningful volume in grocery and can earn 3x points. Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in grocery and can earn 3x points. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.

Citi Strata is useful when you want a no-annual-fee self-select category without quarterly activation hoops. Madeen compares its effective rate against Cash+ and flat-rate cards for the categories you actually spend on.

Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in grocery and can earn 3x points. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.

Foreign transaction fees make it weaker for international spend.

Good no-fee flex card when one category dominates your budget; pair with a flat-rate fallback for everything else.

Pros

  • Self-select bonus category including fitness clubs and live entertainment options
  • No annual fee and everyday earn on supermarkets, gas, and transit under current Citi terms

Cons

  • ThankYou point value depends on redemption
  • Only one elevated category at a time, so mixed spend may need a second card
Welcome bonus

What is the Citi Strata welcome bonus?

In Madeen's catalog snapshot, the Citi Strata welcome offer is Earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months. Minimum spend, eligibility, and offer windows are set by the issuer and can change — confirm on the issuer application page before applying.

Offer
30k Citi ThankYou Rewards (~$240 estimated)
Terms (catalog snapshot)
Earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months
Minimum spend
$1,000
Window
3Months
Fees

Does the Citi Strata have an annual fee?

The Citi Strata has an annual fee of $0 and a foreign transaction fee of $3. Confirm current fees on the issuer page before applying.

Annual fee
$0
Foreign transaction fee
$3
Benefits

What benefits come with the Citi Strata?

The Citi Strata includes Access FICO® Score, Citi Entertainment®, Citi Travel® in our snapshot. Perks and benefits can change; verify coverage on the issuer site before you rely on them.

Madeen estimated annual value~$425
9 of 12 benefits valued
  • Mastercard Transit Benefit

    $200/yr

    Save when you tap and go with your eligible Mastercard and receive a $2.50 statement credit when you spend $10 or more each month at participating transit systems.

    Standard Mastercard
    How we value this

    Statement credit face value from issuer terms — $200 face value (annualized from issuer terms). Card-specific overrides recommended where amounts differ.

  • Instacart

    $140/yr

    Groceries and more delivered in as fast as one hour. Get $10 off your second order each month, and new Instacart+ members can also get three free months of Instacart+.

    Standard Mastercard
    How we value this

    Statement credit face value from issuer terms — $140/yr annual face value.

  • Citi Entertainment®

    $25/yr

    is an entertainment access program available to eligible Citi® credit card and Citibank® Debit Card customers. Citi cardmembers get special access to purchase tickets to thousands of events, including presale tickets and exclusive experiences to the year's most anticipated concerts, sporting events, arts and culture experiences. To learn more, visit citientertainment.com

    How we value this

    Conservative expected value for insurance/protection benefits based on typical claim likelihood.

  • Mastercard® ID Theft Protection

    $10/yr

    The ID Theft Protection program offered by Mastercard® helps eliminate the worry of identity theft by monitoring the information you choose to protect and alerting you if suspicious activity is found. It takes just a few minutes to enroll for free, and as soon as you do, your monitoring begins.

    How we value this

    Minimal expected value for standard network-tier boilerplate; excluded from card totals when flagged as network benefit.

  • Global emergency services

    $10/yr

    Call 1-800-MASTERCARD (1-800-627-8372) for 24/7 assistance to report a lost or stolen card.

    Standard Mastercard
    How we value this

    Minimal expected value for standard network-tier boilerplate; excluded from card totals when flagged as network benefit.

  • HealthLock

    $10/yr

    Enjoy a HealthLock for Mastercard Medical Claim Monitor complimentary membership plus a 90-day upgrade to all HealthLock services at no monthly cost.

    Standard Mastercard
    How we value this

    Minimal expected value for standard network-tier boilerplate; excluded from card totals when flagged as network benefit.

  • Mastercard ID Theft Protection

    $10/yr

    Monitor your credit file for fraud, get alerts for suspicious activity and access a resolution specialist.

    Standard Mastercard
    How we value this

    Minimal expected value for standard network-tier boilerplate; excluded from card totals when flagged as network benefit.

  • Mastercard Music and Entertainment Access benefit

    $10/yr

    Mastercard gives you exclusive access to ticket presales at top venues and festivals across the U.S. Eligibility restrictions, exclusions and terms apply. Offer expires 3/31/2027.

    Standard Mastercard
    How we value this

    Minimal expected value for standard network-tier boilerplate; excluded from card totals when flagged as network benefit.

  • Protection wherever you shop

    $10/yr

    With Mastercard Zero Liability protection you’re protected against unauthorized transactions in stores, online and in app.

    Standard Mastercard
    How we value this

    Minimal expected value for standard network-tier boilerplate; excluded from card totals when flagged as network benefit.

  • Access FICO® Score

    Get free access to your FICO® Score online to review your credit history.

    How we value this

    No verifiable annual monetary value for "Access FICO® Score" at shared title level.

  • Citi Travel®

    With Citi Travel®, you can book flights, hotels, car rentals and attractions using your eligible Citi card, points or a combination of both. Citi Travel offers access to over 1.4 million hotels and resorts available worldwide.

    How we value this

    No verifiable annual monetary value for "Citi Travel®" at shared title level.

  • Points transfer

    to JetBlue, Choice Hotels and Wyndham Rewards. The minimum transfer is only 1,000 points.

    How we value this

    No verifiable annual monetary value for "Points transfer" at shared title level.

Common questions about the Citi Strata

Where do cardholders spend most with the Citi Strata?

Madeen's RewardsCC catalog snapshot shows the strongest bonus categories on music and audio (3x), tv and movies (3x), groceries (3x) for the Citi Strata. These are anonymized issuer category signals, not individual cardholder transactions. Route everyday spend through categories that match your habits, then compare effective rates with Madeen at checkout.

Does the Citi Strata have an annual fee?

The Citi Strata carries an annual fee of $0 in Madeen's catalog snapshot. Issuer terms can change, so confirm the current fee on the issuer's site before you apply. Madeen does not predict approval or prequalification.

What category earns the most with the Citi Strata?

Grocery is the strongest Madeen category for the Citi Strata at about 2.4% effective value, based on our catalog snapshot and standard point valuations. Other categories are listed in the effective-rate table on this page.

Does the Citi Strata charge foreign transaction fees?

The Citi Strata charges a foreign transaction fee of $3 in our catalog snapshot. Check issuer terms before international spend because rates and fee waivers can change.

What is the Citi Strata welcome bonus?

The Citi Strata welcome offer in our snapshot: Earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months. Minimum spend, eligibility, and offer windows are set by the issuer and can change.

What credit score do you need for the Citi Strata?

Madeen's catalog lists a typical credit range of Good for the Citi Strata. Issuers decide approval using their own criteria; Madeen does not predict approval odds or prequalification.

Compare

How does the Citi Strata compare to similar cards?

Compare the Citi Strata against Citi Dividend (5% on Grocery, $0 fee); AllModern Mastercard (3% on Grocery, $0 fee); American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Mastercard (3% on Grocery, $0 fee). Madeen ranks effective value by category and annual fee using the same catalog snapshot dated 2026-05-01.

CardTop categoryEffective valueAnnual fee
Citi Strata
This card
Grocery2.4%$0
Grocery5%$0
Grocery3%$0
Grocery3%$0
Grocery3%$0
Compare
Merchants

Store-specific guides

Madeen publishes merchant guides that rank cards for specific stores and services. Browse guides for grocery spend to see which cards win at checkout.

Guides
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See how this card ranks in your wallet

Madeen compares the cards you already carry for dining, groceries, gas, travel, and everyday purchases — free, no bank login required.

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Reviewed by Madeen editorial review
Catalog snapshot 2026-05-01
Updated 2026-06-25
Data source Madeen catalog analysis

Citi and related product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Madeen is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of Citi. Madeen is an independent credit-card comparison and education service. Issuer websites control current terms, fees, and eligibility.

Madeen compares cards you add to your wallet using published catalog rules — no bank login required. Issuer pages control current fees, caps, exclusions, and eligibility; Madeen does not issue cards, make approval decisions, or provide financial advice. Apply links are temporarily hidden on madeen.app. Affiliate disclosure

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