Chase Freedom Flex vs Citi Custom Cash
On an illustrative household's spending, Citi Custom Cash comes out about $158 a year ahead once both annual fees are paid.
The short version
- Over a year: Freedom Flex nets $346 and Custom Cash nets $505, after fees of none and none.
- Where it flips: Below about $6,485 a month of spending, Custom Cash comes out ahead; above it, Freedom Flex does.
- Category by category: Freedom Flex earns more on 3, Custom Cash on 0 — the table below. Pick by where most of your money goes.
- What they pay in: Freedom Flex earns Chase Ultimate Rewards (2.00¢ each) and Custom Cash earns Citi ThankYou Points (1.60¢ each) — which is why everything here is in dollars.
Priced on a household spending $2,205 a month on a card — the assumption, in full. Credits, perks and welcome offers are not priced; each card's page lists them.
Where each one earns more
| Spending on | Freedom Flex per $100 |
Custom Cash per $100 | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurants & Bars | $3.00 3x |
$1.00 base rate |
Freedom Flex |
| Food Delivery | $3.00 3x |
$1.00 base rate |
Freedom Flex |
| Drugstores | $3.00 3x |
$1.00 base rate |
Freedom Flex |
Only categories where the two differ and at least one pays a bonus, plus everything else. No rotating or chosen categories are switched on, and a rate that needs the issuer's travel portal is not counted.
Side by side
| Freedom Flex | Custom Cash | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Chase | Citi |
| Annual fee | none | none |
| Foreign transaction fee | none | 3% |
| Earns | Chase Ultimate Rewards | Citi ThankYou Points |
| A year, before the fee | $346 | $505 |
| A year, after the fee | $346 | $505 |
| Rates checked | 2026-08 | 2026-08 |
Each card on its own
- Chase Freedom Flex — every rate, where it ranks, what the issuer lists besides rewards
- Citi Custom Cash — every rate, where it ranks, what the issuer lists besides rewards
- Every travel card, ranked
- Which card adds the most to your own wallet