Which card earns more rewards, the The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® or Citi Custom Cash Card?

The Citi Custom Cash Card has a higher base earn rate (1X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.

Should I get the The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® or the Citi Custom Cash Card?

Both cards have the same $0/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.

Which card earns more rewards, the The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® or Citi Custom Cash Card?

The Citi Custom Cash Card has a higher base earn rate (1X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.

Should I get the The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® or the Citi Custom Cash Card?

Both cards have the same $0/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.

Which card earns more rewards, the The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® or Citi Custom Cash Card?

The Citi Custom Cash Card has a higher base earn rate (1X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.

Should I get the The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® or the Citi Custom Cash Card?

Both cards have the same $0/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.

The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® vs Citi Custom Cash Card

Both cards cost $0/yr. The The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® is better for drugstores, while the Citi Custom Cash Card wins on dining. Here's how they compare.

The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard®

Barclays

Citi Custom Cash Card

Citi

Fees & Welcome Offer

Annual Fee

Welcome Bonus

—

200 Cash

Earn Rates

Category	The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard®	Citi Custom Cash Card
Dining	1X	5X
Drugstores	3X	5X
Fitness & Gyms	1X	5X
Gas Stations	3X	5X
Grocery Stores	1X	5X
Home Improvement	1X

Benefits & Features

Network

MASTERCARD

Key Benefits

None

Pros & Cons

Pros

—

+Automatic 5% cash back on top spending category with no activation required
+No annual fee makes it easy to keep long-term for credit history
+10 eligible bonus categories including dining, gas, groceries, streaming, and transit
+0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months
+Pairs with Strata Premier to unlock ThankYou Points transfer partners

Cons

—

−$500 monthly cap limits value for high spenders (max $25/month in bonus rewards)
−3% foreign transaction fee makes it poor for international travel
−Cannot manually select bonus category - algorithm chooses based on spend
−Only one Custom Cash card allowed per person
−48-month restriction on welcome bonus if you've had one before

Category-by-Category Winner

The Citi Custom Cash Card wins in 10 of 11 categories. The The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® leads in 1.

Drugstores

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 3X

Gas Stations

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 3X

Healthcare

The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® earns 2X vs 1X

Dining

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

Fitness & Gyms

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

Grocery Stores

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

Home Improvement

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

Live Entertainment

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

Streaming

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

Frequently Asked Questions

Which card earns more rewards, the The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® or Citi Custom Cash Card?: The Citi Custom Cash Card has a higher base earn rate (1X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
Should I get the The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® or the Citi Custom Cash Card?: Both cards have the same $0/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.

Explore More

The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® — Full Review All Barclays Cards

Citi Custom Cash Card — Full Review All Citi Cards

Browse all comparisons →Browse all card categories →

Official issuer pages: Barclays cards · Citi cards

Editorial disclosure: The analysis on this page is based on publicly available card data and is updated regularly. CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or editorial content. Last updated: June 2026.

The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® vs Citi Custom Cash Card

Both cards cost $0/yr. The The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® is better for drugstores, while the Citi Custom Cash Card wins on dining. Here's how they compare.

The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard®

Barclays

Citi Custom Cash Card

Citi

Fees & Welcome Offer

Annual Fee

Welcome Bonus

—

200 Cash

Earn Rates

Category	The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard®	Citi Custom Cash Card
Dining	1X	5X
Drugstores	3X	5X
Fitness & Gyms	1X	5X
Gas Stations	3X	5X
Grocery Stores	1X	5X
Home Improvement	1X

Benefits & Features

Network

MASTERCARD

Key Benefits

None

Pros & Cons

Pros

—

+Automatic 5% cash back on top spending category with no activation required
+No annual fee makes it easy to keep long-term for credit history
+10 eligible bonus categories including dining, gas, groceries, streaming, and transit
+0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months
+Pairs with Strata Premier to unlock ThankYou Points transfer partners

Cons

—

−$500 monthly cap limits value for high spenders (max $25/month in bonus rewards)
−3% foreign transaction fee makes it poor for international travel
−Cannot manually select bonus category - algorithm chooses based on spend
−Only one Custom Cash card allowed per person
−48-month restriction on welcome bonus if you've had one before

Category-by-Category Winner

The Citi Custom Cash Card wins in 10 of 11 categories. The The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® leads in 1.

Drugstores

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 3X

Gas Stations

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 3X

Healthcare

The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® earns 2X vs 1X

Dining

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

Fitness & Gyms

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

Grocery Stores

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

Home Improvement

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

Live Entertainment

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

Streaming

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

Frequently Asked Questions

Which card earns more rewards, the The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® or Citi Custom Cash Card?: The Citi Custom Cash Card has a higher base earn rate (1X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
Should I get the The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® or the Citi Custom Cash Card?: Both cards have the same $0/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.

Explore More

The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® — Full Review All Barclays Cards

Citi Custom Cash Card — Full Review All Citi Cards

Browse all comparisons →Browse all card categories →

Official issuer pages: Barclays cards · Citi cards

The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® vs Citi Custom Cash Card

Both cards cost $0/yr. The The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® is better for drugstores, while the Citi Custom Cash Card wins on dining. Here's how they compare.

The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard®

Barclays

Citi Custom Cash Card

Citi

Fees & Welcome Offer

Annual Fee

Welcome Bonus

—

200 Cash

Earn Rates

Category	The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard®	Citi Custom Cash Card
Dining	1X	5X
Drugstores	3X	5X
Fitness & Gyms	1X	5X
Gas Stations	3X	5X
Grocery Stores	1X	5X
Home Improvement	1X

Benefits & Features

Network

MASTERCARD

Key Benefits

None

Pros & Cons

Pros

—

+Automatic 5% cash back on top spending category with no activation required
+No annual fee makes it easy to keep long-term for credit history
+10 eligible bonus categories including dining, gas, groceries, streaming, and transit
+0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months
+Pairs with Strata Premier to unlock ThankYou Points transfer partners

Cons

—

−$500 monthly cap limits value for high spenders (max $25/month in bonus rewards)
−3% foreign transaction fee makes it poor for international travel
−Cannot manually select bonus category - algorithm chooses based on spend
−Only one Custom Cash card allowed per person
−48-month restriction on welcome bonus if you've had one before

Category-by-Category Winner

The Citi Custom Cash Card wins in 10 of 11 categories. The The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® leads in 1.

Drugstores

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 3X

Gas Stations

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 3X

Healthcare

The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® earns 2X vs 1X

Dining

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

Fitness & Gyms

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

Grocery Stores

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

Home Improvement

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

Live Entertainment

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

Streaming

Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X vs 1X

Frequently Asked Questions

Which card earns more rewards, the The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® or Citi Custom Cash Card?: The Citi Custom Cash Card has a higher base earn rate (1X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
Should I get the The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® or the Citi Custom Cash Card?: Both cards have the same $0/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.

Explore More

The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® — Full Review All Barclays Cards

Citi Custom Cash Card — Full Review All Citi Cards

Browse all comparisons →Browse all card categories →

Official issuer pages: Barclays cards · Citi cards

The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® vs Citi Custom Cash Card

The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard®

Citi Custom Cash Card

Fees & Welcome Offer

Earn Rates

Benefits & Features

Pros & Cons

Category-by-Category Winner

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore More

The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® vs Citi Custom Cash Card

The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard®

Citi Custom Cash Card

Fees & Welcome Offer

Earn Rates

Benefits & Features

Pros & Cons

Category-by-Category Winner

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore More

The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® vs Citi Custom Cash Card

The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard®

Citi Custom Cash Card

Fees & Welcome Offer

Earn Rates

Benefits & Features

Pros & Cons

Category-by-Category Winner

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore More

Which Card Is Right for You?

Which Card Is Right for You?

Which Card Is Right for You?