Amex EveryDay vs. Citi Strata: Valuable points for no annual fee
Editor's Note
Quick summary
- A comparison is provided between two no-annual-fee credit cards, one of which is no longer available to new applicants.
- Both cards earn transferable points and offer bonus categories, but differ in their earning structures and redemption options.
- One card offers a 20% bonus for frequent transactions and travel protections, while the other features broader bonus categories and a welcome offer for new applicants.
- The article concludes that the card with broader earning categories and a current welcome offer is generally more appealing for most users.
What to consider
- The card that is no longer available cannot be applied for by new users, limiting its relevance to existing cardholders.
- Bonus categories and point transfer ratios vary, with one card requiring an additional product to access the best transfer rates.
- Point values differ depending on redemption method and transfer partner, with valuations updated as of August 2025 per TPG's data.
What you'll miss from the article
- A detailed side-by-side breakdown of earning, redemption, and transfer strategies to maximize value from each card.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express (no longer available) is a no-annual-fee alternative to some of Amex's other powerhouse products. Like Amex's more premium cards, it earns transferable American Express Membership Rewards points and offers category and transaction bonuses.
The information for the Amex EveryDay card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The no-annual-fee Citi Strata℠ Card (see rates and fees) also packs a punch, earning bonus Citi ThankYou points at supermarkets, gas stations and a self-select category. Plus, points earned are transferable to Citi's travel partners, albeit at a reduced ratio.
If you have another Citi card like the Citi Strata Premier® Card (see rates and fees), you can combine your points and have access to the standard transfer ratio.
Here's what you need to know about how these two cards match up.
Amex EveryDay vs. Citi Strata comparison
| Amex EveryDay | Citi Strata | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 |
| Welcome bonus | N/A | Earn 30,000 points after spending $1,000 in purchases within the first three months. |
| Earning |
|
|
| Additional benefits |
|
|
*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
**Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.
Amex EveryDay vs. Citi Strata welcome offer
The Amex EveryDay is no longer available to new applicants, so there's no welcome offer.
New Citi Strata cardholders earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in purchases within the first three months. This offer is worth $570 based on TPG's August 2025 valuations.
Winner: Citi Strata, since the Amex EveryDay doesn't have a welcome offer.
Related: The best credit card welcome bonuses of the month
Amex EveryDay vs. Citi Strata benefits
The Amex EveryDay offers relatively standard benefits like car rental loss and damage insurance and access to the Global Assist Hotline, plus access to Amex's Membership Rewards program. You'll also have the option to use the Pay with Points program to book your next flight or hotel stay.
Enrollment is required for select benefits; terms apply.
The Citi Strata is rather light on benefits. You won't find any statement credits or travel protections like those found on its big siblings, the Citi Strata Premier or Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (see rates and fees)
You will receive access to Citi Entertainment, which can be useful in helping you snag concert tickets early, Mastercard® ID Theft Protection and $0 liability protection.
Winner: Amex EveryDay. It offers more benefits, including some travel protections.
Related: Your complete guide to travel protections on American Express cards
Earning points with the Amex EveryDay vs. Citi Strata
The two cards offer comparable and easy-to-comprehend earning rates.
The Amex EveryDay offers:
- Earn 2 points per dollar on purchases at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 in spending each year; then 1 point per dollar) (4% return based on TPG's August 2025 valuations)
- Earn 1 point per dollar on all other purchases (2%)
The Amex Everyday also offers 20% bonus points when you use your card 20 or more times on purchases. If you swipe your card a lot each month, this can be a nice way to rack up some extra points.
The Citi Strata earns:
- 5 points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through the Citi Travel portal (9.5% return based on TPG's August 2025 valuations)
- 3 points per dollar spent at supermarkets and on select transit, EV charging and gas purchases (5.7%)
- 3 points per dollar spent on an eligible self-select category (which you can change each quarter) (5.7%), these include:
- Barber shops, cosmetic stores and hair salons
- Fitness clubs
- Live entertainment
- Pet supply stores
- Select streaming services
- 2 points per dollar spent at restaurants (3.8%)
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases (1.9%)
The Amex EveryDay shines by offering simplicity, but you can do better with other no-annual fee cards, as the grocery category is capped at just $6,000 in spending annually, and there are no other bonus categories. The 20% bonus points if you make 20 transactions is nice, but not all may benefit from it.
Meanwhile, the Citi Strata offers multiple everyday spending bonus categories with unlimited earnings. The Citi Strata will cover your bases in more categories, making it the better option for most.
Winner: Citi Strata. With the upper hand at gas stations and supermarkets, plus a self-select category, the Citi Strata takes the cake here.
Related: Best credit cards for everyday spending
Redeeming points with the Amex EveryDay vs. Citi Strata
Rewards earned with the Amex EveryDay can be redeemed for travel booked through Amex Travel, gift cards or for Amazon purchases at up to 1 cent each and can cover your charges at 0.6 cents each.
However, you'll typically get maximum value when you redeem your points for travel through Amex's airline and hotel partners.
Citi Strata points can be redeemed for travel in the Citi Travel portal at 1 cent each, for gift cards typically at 1 cent each, for purchases at Amazon and Best Buy at 0.8 cents per point or redeemed for cash back at a lowly 0.5 cents per point.
Redeeming for gift cards or travel through the Citi Travel Portal at 1 cent apiece is a better option, although transferring to partners is also a superior option.
Winner: Amex EveryDay. Its redemption options offer higher value.
Related: Best ways to redeem Citi ThankYou Rewards points
Transferring points with the Amex EveryDay vs. Citi Strata
Both cards allow you to transfer points to partners. Each issuer has 20 airline and hotel partners.
Amex allows transfers to popular U.S.-based programs like Delta SkyMiles and JetBlue TrueBlue, but you'll often get even more value by leveraging international airline programs.
TPG's valuations peg Amex points at 2 cents apiece, an extremely high rate, primarily because of the value of its points once transferred to its ample travel partners.
You can transfer points earned on your Citi Strata card to any of Citi's travel partners. However, most partners transfer at a ratio of 1:0.7. Some popular partners include American Airlines AAdvantage and Qatar Airways Privilege Club.
If you have the Citi Prestige® Card (no longer available) or Citi Strata Premier along with your Strata, you can move your points to your Prestige or Strata Premier account and transfer them to most partners at a 1:1 ratio. Transferring Citi points brings their value up to 1.9 cents each per our valuations. The information for the Citi Prestige card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
TPG lead writer Katie Genter enjoys transferring her Citi ThankYou points and leveraging transfer partners like Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Avianca LifeMiles for flights and Choice Privileges for hotels.
While both Amex points and Citi points are valuable, Amex gets the slight edge here. You also don't need another Amex card to transfer your points at the full ratio.
Winner: Amex EveryDay. You can transfer points to all partners at the same ratio as Amex's more premium cards.
Should I get the Amex EveryDay or Citi Strata?
If you're considering switching to the Citi Strata, think about what categories you spend the most in. The Strata provides a solid value and interesting category bonuses at both supermarkets, gas stations and a self-select category each quarter and offers flexibility with redeeming your rewards. Unless you intend to swipe your EveryDay at least 20 times each billing period, you'll likely be better off with the Strata.
Bottom line
Both cards have their strengths; however, the Amex EveryDay is no longer available to new applicants, making the case even more compelling for the Citi Strata. This could be a solid way to get started with Citi Thank You points while paying no annual fee.
To learn more, read our full reviews of the Amex EveryDay and Citi Strata cards.
Apply here: Citi Strata