Citi just killed the Custom Cash for new applicants. Here's the card that beats it for your spending.

Want the answer for your spending? See it in 30 seconds — free, no account.

The closest mechanical match — and arguably better.

Earns 5% back on TWO categories you choose (on up to $2,000 in combined purchases per quarter), plus 2% on one everyday category and 1% on everything else. Where the Custom Cash auto-picked one 5% category, the Cash+ lets you lock in two — you just have to re-select them each quarter.

Stay inside the Citi ecosystem.

Earns 3% on your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, plus standing 3% on groceries, gas, and transit. It's a ThankYou points card rather than straight cash back, but for an existing Citi customer it's the most natural in-house swap.

Pick-your-own-category, no enrollment churn.

Earns 3% on one category you choose, plus 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (combined 3%/2% rates apply to the first $2,500 in purchases each quarter). Lower headline rate than 5%, but you set the category once instead of re-enrolling quarterly — and Preferred Rewards members can boost the rate.

You spend most on dining & entertainment

→ Capital One Savor

3% on dining, entertainment, streaming, and groceries — with no annual fee. Note the naming trap: the Savor is the $0-fee card, while the similarly named SavorOne charges $39 for the same three-percent rates.

You spend most on groceries

→ Amex Blue Cash Preferred

6% at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000/yr) and on select streaming, 3% on transit and gas. $95 annual fee — worth it for heavy grocery spend. The no-fee Blue Cash Everyday earns 3%.

You like maximizing rotating categories

→ Chase Freedom Flex / Discover it

5% on quarterly rotating categories you activate, plus fixed bonus categories. Best if you don't mind a little hands-on management.

You just want set-and-forget

→ Citi Double Cash

2% on everything (1% when you buy, 1% when you pay), no categories to track. This is the card Citi itself steers new applicants toward.

Is the Citi Custom Cash discontinued?

Not exactly. Citi closed the Custom Cash to new applications on May 28, 2026. It is not being cancelled for people who already have it — existing cardholders keep the card and continue earning its rewards.

Will I lose my Custom Cash card?

No. If you already hold the Custom Cash, nothing changes right now. You keep the 5% top-category benefit and can continue using the card as normal.

Can I still get the Custom Cash somehow?

Not by applying — that door closed on May 28, 2026. In the months right after the closure, some cardholders reported being able to product-change into a Custom Cash from another Citi card (such as the Double Cash) held for at least a year. We have not been able to confirm that this still works, and issuers routinely shut off product-change paths some time after closing a card to new applications. Treat it as a long shot worth one phone call to Citi, not as a reliable way to get the card.

Are other 5% category cards disappearing too?

Yes — the Custom Cash was the start of a pattern, not a one-off. Wells Fargo closed the Attune (4% back on wellness, EV charging, transit, pet supplies and more) to new applicants on June 15, 2026, and U.S. Bank closed the Shopper Cash Rewards (6% at two retailers you pick) on June 22, 2026. All three were no-fee-or-low-fee cards paying unusually high rates on self-selected categories. The alternatives on this page are all still open to new applicants, but the field is thinner than it was, which is a reason to act rather than wait.

What's the best card to replace the Custom Cash?

There isn't a single answer. The Custom Cash paid 5% on your top spending category, and the best replacement depends on what that category actually is for you. The U.S. Bank Cash+ is the closest mechanical match, but a dining-heavy spender and a grocery-heavy spender should choose different cards. The fastest way to know is to compare cards against your real spending.