Identical on the rate table, different in the payout
Fidelity Rewards Visa and Citi Double Cash both charge a $0 annual fee and pay a flat 2% on every purchase, with no bonus categories to track. On the rate table, they're the same card. The difference shows up in what that 2% becomes when you redeem it.
What each card pays
| Fidelity Rewards Visa ($0) | Citi Double Cash ($0) | |
|---|---|---|
| Everything | 2% | 2% |
| Citi Travel portal (hotels, rental cars, attractions) | — | 5x |
Both are uncapped and unconditional at the base rate — no minimum spend, no rotating category, no purchase type that earns less. Double Cash adds one narrow exception most cardholders will rarely use: a 5x bonus booking hotels, rental cars, or attractions through Citi's own travel portal.
Where the 2% actually lands
Fidelity's 2 points per dollar are modeled at 1 cent each, but only when redeemed into an eligible Fidelity account — a brokerage account, cash management account, or 529 college savings plan. There's no statement-credit or direct cash-deposit option in that model; the reward is effectively investable cash, not spendable cash, unless one of those Fidelity accounts is already your primary cash destination.
Citi Double Cash earns ThankYou points, redeemable as cash back at 1 cent each with no account restriction — a check, a statement credit, or a bank deposit all work. Double Cash alone doesn't unlock a Citi transfer partner, but its points can later be combined with a premium Citi card that does, keeping a door open that Fidelity's program doesn't have.
Who should pick which
- Already investing through Fidelity, or want rewards to land somewhere long-term rather than as spendable cash: Fidelity Rewards Visa turns everyday spend into an automatic contribution to a brokerage, cash management, or 529 account.
- Want the reward as flexible cash, or might want a Citi transfer partner someday: Citi Double Cash's ThankYou points redeem more simply now and leave that upgrade path open later.
- Book much travel through a card's own portal: Double Cash's 5x Citi Travel bonus is a small edge Fidelity doesn't have anywhere.
Run the optimizer with your real spend to see how these compare against your actual wallet, not just the rate table.
Data verified as of August 27, 2026.
Want the live numbers side by side? See the Fidelity Rewards Visa vs. Citi Double Cash comparison page — it renders current rates and fees straight from our verified card data.