TD Double Up Card vs. Citi Double Cash Card: Which is the best card for earning 2% cash back?

The offer mentioned below for the Citi® Double Cash Card is no longer available.

The TD Double Up℠ Credit Card and Citi® Double Cash Card offer very similar reward structures. Both cards have no annual fee and can earn you up to 2% cash back on all eligible purchases. Plus, there are intro 0% APR periods that can help you get out of debt.

If you're looking for a flat-rate cash-back card, you may find it difficult to choose between the TD Double Up and Citi Double Cash, since they offer many of the same perks. To make your decision easier, here's a breakdown of the rewards, additional benefits and fees of each card.

Both cards offer cash-back programs that allow you to earn up to 2% back. However, the qualifying activities vary by card:

• TD Double Up: 1% cash back on purchases and an additional 1% cash back when rewards are redeemed into an eligible TD deposit account, like a checking, savings or money market account.
• Citi Double Cash: 1% on all eligible purchases and an additional 1% after you pay your credit card bill.

With both cards, you simply need to make an eligible purchase to earn the first 1% cash back. Then you can earn an additional 1% back by redeeming rewards to an eligible deposit account (TD) or paying your bill (Citi).

Cardholders of either card can redeem rewards for cash back as a statement credit, direct deposit and gift cards. There is a $25 minimum threshold for redemptions on both cards.

Both cards are also currently offering welcome bonuses for new cardholders. For a limited time, the Citi Double Cash card is offering $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. Meanwhile, the TD Double Up card is offering $100 cash back in the form of a statement credit when you spend $1,000 within the first 90 days after account opening.

The TD Double Up card and Citi Double Cash card are both basic cash-back cards. You’ll receive standard perks, like digital wallet and contactless capability and $0 liability on unauthorized charges.

Neither card charges an annual fee. The foreign transaction fees are also the same at 3%.

While neither card offers an intro 0% APR on new purchases, they both have balance transfer offers:

• TD Double Up: Intro 0% APR for the first 15 billing cycles on balance transfers. After, 14.99% to 24.99% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers. There's a balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount of each transfer ($5 minimum).
• Citi Double Cash: Intro 0% APR for the first 18 months on balance transfers. After, 18.49% - 28.49% variable APR on balance transfers. There's an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first four months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).

The TD Double Up credit card and the Citi Double Cash card can both help you maximize cash back on all eligible purchases with minimal work. The up-to-2% cash-back programs only vary slightly and can easily earn you rewards.

If you’re an existing TD Bank deposit account holder or simply don’t mind opening an eligible account to earn the full 2% cash back, you may want to consider the TD Double Up card.

But if you already have a bank account elsewhere and rather earn the full 2% cash back by paying your bill, the Citi Double Cash is the card for you.