Citi DC vs PayPal Mastercard

[pinkandgrey]

I’m just curious as to which one you have/which one you prefer. I have the DC, and I’m wondering what the reasoning is for having either one over the other. 

[Anonymous]

You can get 3% from PP MC if its connected to a PP business debit acc.

[longtimelurker]

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@Anonymous wrote:

You can get 3% from PP MC if its connected to a PP business debit acc.

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Apart from the 3%, the other advantages of the PPMC include:

a) 2% straight away, none of the 1+1 delay

b) No min redemptions

c) No FTF

With the 3%, IMO this is a clear winner which is why I just got it  (I have the DC and Fidelity Visa as well)

On the plus side for Citi:

a) Probably lower APR (but also probably lower starting CL)

b) Price Rewind (or whatever they call it now) which could save a lot of money

c) Issuer has better reputation

[pinkandgrey]

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@longtimelurker wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

You can get 3% from PP MC if its connected to a PP business debit acc.

---

Apart from the 3%, the other advantages of the PPMC include:

a) 2% straight away, none of the 1+1 delay

b) No min redemptions

c) No FTF

With the 3%, IMO this is a clear winner which is why I just got it  (I have the DC and Fidelity Visa as well)

On the plus side for Citi:

a) Probably lower APR (but also probably lower starting CL)

b) Price Rewind (or whatever they call it now) which could save a lot of money

c) Issuer has better reputation

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Yeah, these are the reasons I’ve heard other people talk about—namely the “immediate” 2% vs 1 and 1. But I do know that Synchrony tends to be much less liked than Citi...

[UpperNwGuy]

In my opinion, PenFed's Power Cash Rewards is the best 2% card available.  It does everything the PayPal card does, except for that 3% loophole, without having to deal with Synchrony.  Lots of people on this forum like to trash PenFed, but I would rather deal with them than Citi, Synchrony, or Elan (who issues the Fidelity card).

[Brian_Earl_Spilner]

PayPal also immediately credits your account while it takes a day or 2 to update the balance. My understanding is it will grow faster also once you get past the first CLI. As for liking Sync, I've had no problems. I detest Citi though.

[Anonymous]

I have the PP and have not had any issues with Synch.  The CL has increased 9X in the year I have had it.  No Foreign Transaction fees are key for me.  The interest rate is prohibitive to holding a balance.

[Sharingan]

I agree that the Penfed Power Cash card is very competitive against both the Citi DC and PayPal MC, but staying within the original query: The PayPal MC was never/would never be a consideration for me as a 2% option. Synchrony Bank isn’t an institution I would normally hand my business to if given a choice, and Citi has been a much better experience for credit cards. Also, my DC’s CL is significantly higher than any limits I’ve received from Synchrony for their cards.

Issuer aside, the Citi DC offers a much more complete benefits package suitable for the transactions I normally charge to the card; which is why I prefer to use it over my Fidelity Visa card (and why I haven’t yet applied for the Penfed Power Cash).

[Anonymous]

The PayPal’s flat 2% cash back with no minimum redemption or half now, half later gimmicks is a huge advantage over the Citi DC with its minimum $25 redemption. 

Since its a Synchrony card, CLIs should be easy to get as long as your TU score is high enough. 

Interest is astronomical so it’s definitely not a card you want to carry a balance on but UW is a whole lot more lax for this card than the DC so a lot more people will get approved for it than the DC. 

Both Sync and Citi have ticked people off for various reasons (namely AA) so it’s a toss up there. 

Personally, I would rather have the Sync card in my wallet. I use PayPal at least monthly so the redemption through PayPal isn’t an issue, I don’t have high Sync exposure to be worried about with AA, they’re a TU puller which will be my cleanest profile when I am ready for this card in July, Citi is very stingy with CLIs for people with blemishes on their credit and a chapter 7 like I have, no point in even bothering to apply. 

The PayPal card is very similar to my NFCU cashRewards but straight 2% cashback and much higher interest (I believe PP is up to 21.99-28.99% now, my CR is 11.65%) so if I need to actually carry a balance, my CR will be the choice. 

PenFed would require me to park $500 in their checking to get 2% back and not be subject to their $10 account inactivity fee and that’s also after the stars align perfectly for the people who do the UW to decide to approve the card in the first place. Again, Sync won’t be as much of a hassle. 

In an ideal world, NFCU would bump up to 2% but barring that, Sync isn’t a bad second choice unless you carry a balance or have a lot of exposure with them already. 

[KDKobes]

The Alliant Card is an option as well. I had the PayPal Extras Card for about a month & would never have a PayPal Card ever again. Customer support is impossible, balances & payments take at minimum 2-3 “business days” to adjust correctly, I could go on and on... lots of people love the PayPal 3% trick but for me that month of having my PayPal Card was the worst card experience I’ve ever had with a company hands down. I’m no PayPal fan-boy....I wanted to be, but I guess it’s 50/50 shot if it’s for you or not. Not to be the dolly-downer after all the positivity on the PayPal Card but that’s my experience.