The Rakuten American Express® Card edges out the Citi Double Cash for most cardholders — it wins on 1 of 4 comparison categories and offers 20,000 pts signup bonus earns more (up to 10x vs 5x). The Citi Double Cash is the better choice if you prioritize a different rewards ecosystem.
Citi Double Cash vs Rakuten American Express® Card
Get the clearer winner first, see the specific exception case, and only personalize further if the decision is genuinely close.
Rakuten American Express® Card is the better choice for most people.
Rakuten American Express® Card wins the measurable comparison on this page. Choose Citi Double Cash only if best if transfer partners and redemption flexibility matter more than simplicity..
Best if you want a stronger international-travel setup with no foreign transaction fee.
Review Rakuten American Express® CardBest if transfer partners and redemption flexibility matter more than simplicity.
Review Citi Double CashWhy we picked this winner
- Rakuten American Express® Card wins 1 of 4 comparison categories in CardCurator's quick verdict model.
- Top earn rate: Rakuten American Express® Card reaches 10x; Citi Double Cash reaches 5x.
- Annual fee: Rakuten American Express® Card is no annual fee; Citi Double Cash is no annual fee.
- Current public bonus values are approximately $2 and $2.
Moderate-confidence recommendation
The winner is directionally stronger, but the gap is narrow enough that annual-fee tolerance and category mix can still flip the decision.
Which Card Comes Out Ahead?
Rakuten American Express® Card is the stronger all-around option for most people in this matchup because it wins more measurable categories in our scoring model. Citi Double Cash still makes sense if your spending pattern lines up better with its fee profile, issuer rules, or rewards ecosystem.
Best if transfer partners and redemption flexibility matter more than simplicity.
Best if you want a stronger international-travel setup with no foreign transaction fee.
Why you can trust this answer
CardCurator compares measurable card economics first, then uses deeper rewards intelligence from program data, transfer partners, award charts, and live bonuses when a decision depends on the ecosystem behind the card rather than the card headline alone.
Personalize this answer without sharing sensitive data
Start with a few signals that usually decide close matchups: rough monthly spend, your top category, annual-fee tolerance, and whether you already hold either card.
This step is meant to break close ties without asking for uploads, account creation, or exact spending data.
Rakuten American Express® Card
Assumptions: default assumptions
Rakuten American Express® Card still comes out ahead after a light personalization pass, which suggests the recommendation is fairly robust.
- Citi Travel 5x
- All Other Purchases 2x
- Rakuten Dining 10x
- Rakuten purchases 5x
- Groceries and restaurants 2x
- AAdvantage
- AAdvantage
- Flying Blue
- Flying Blue
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
- +33 more
- American Express Membership Rewards
- Bilt Rewards
Quick summary
A short version of the comparison with the main differences at a glance.
The Rakuten American Express® Card edges out the Citi Double Cash for most cardholders — it wins on 1 of 4 comparison categories and offers 20,000 pts signup bonus earns more (up to 10x vs 5x). The Citi Double Cash is the better choice if you prioritize a different rewards ecosystem. On raw upside, Rakuten American Express® Card tops out at 10x versus 5x for Citi Double Cash. Current signup bonus values are roughly $2 for Citi Double Cash and $2 for Rakuten American Express® Card. Summary generated August 7, 2026. Source: https://cardcurator.ai/compare/citi-double-cash-vs-rakuten-american-express-card
- Rakuten American Express® Card wins 1 of 4 comparison categories in CardCurator's quick verdict model.
- Top earn rate: Rakuten American Express® Card reaches 10x; Citi Double Cash reaches 5x.
- Annual fee: Rakuten American Express® Card is no annual fee; Citi Double Cash is no annual fee.
- Current public bonus values are approximately $2 and $2.
Common Questions: Citi Double Cash vs Rakuten American Express® Card
Is the Citi Double Cash or Rakuten American Express® Card better for dining?
Citi Double Cash has no dining bonus; Rakuten American Express® Card earns 10x on dining.
Which has the higher signup bonus in 2026?
Citi Double Cash currently offers $2 signup bonus (spend $1,500 in 6 months). Rakuten American Express® Card offers 20,000 pts signup bonus (spend $2,000 in 3 months). Both bonuses are roughly equal in value.
Which card is better for international travel?
Rakuten American Express® Card charges no foreign transaction fees — the better pick for international use. Citi Double Cash charges 3% on foreign purchases.
Can I hold both the Citi Double Cash and the Rakuten American Express® Card?
In most cases yes — holding both is allowed and can be a smart strategy for maximizing rewards across different spending categories. Citi Double Cash is from Citi and Rakuten American Express® Card is from Imprint, so they're governed by separate bank policies.
Keep Researching
If this matchup is close, the stronger next step is usually to read the full card reviews or use a broader ranking page instead of comparing random pairs one by one.