Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi: Should You Get It?

The Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi is a highly valuable cash back credit card, that is an excellent option for most businesses. Users can use it to get 4% back on gas purchases, 3% back on restaurant and travel purchases and 2% back at Costco and Costco.com. These rewards are well above average within their respective categories, besting even many of the top business credit cards on the market.

Review: Should You Use The Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi For Your Business?

The Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi is a fantastic cash back credit card for businesses, whether they shop at Costco or not. The card’s fantastic rewards rate on gas, travel and dining purchases is higher than what you'd normally get through other business credit cards. If you do already have Costco membership, this card is a no-brainer. However, even if you aren’t already a member, it may be worthwhile to sign up anyway just to get the card. The $65 Costco membership fee, if thought of as this card’s annual fee, isn’t all that high for the rewards you can get on it. We recommend using our comparison tool to see how it stacks up against other offers. If you aren’t already a Costco member, simply subtract $130 from the net rewards value, and compare it against the rest. This should give you an idea of whether it’s worth signing up for Costco membership just to get this card.

One other important feature of the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi that may be of use to some businesses is the low introductory interest rate. Cardholders get a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 7 months their account is open. This can be a huge money saver for firms that want a little bit of financing over a short term, without taking out a business loan. Not many business credit cards offer zero percent APR, making this a special feature.

One last thing worth mentioning is that cardholders can only redeem their rewards once per year, during their February billing statement. Business owners will receive a reward certificate that will be redeemable at any Costco location for merchandise or pure cash back. Some may find this type of redemption extremely limiting and off-putting. If access to your rewards at any time throughout the year is important to you, we consider looking at other options.

Bottom Line: We think the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi will be good for most businesses. If you already shop and buy most of your supplies from Costco, this card is a must-have. Even if you don’t, however, the extra savings this card gets you on travel, gas and dining can be enough to justify signing up.

Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi Benefits & Features

The Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi offers the same rewards as the consumer-version of this card. Users get 4% cash back on eligible gas worldwide, including gas purchased at Costco. This applies to the first $7,000 in purchases per year, and provides just 1% after that. Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi also gives 3% cash back on restaurant and eligible travel purchases, and 2% back on all purchases from Costco and Costco.com. All other purchases earn just 1% back.

Annual Fee	$0
Purchase APR	15.99%* (Variable)
Card Details	Exclusively for Costco Members: Go Big with Cash Back Rewards. Receive a reward coupon annually which is redeemable for cash or merchandise at US Costco warehouses 4% cash back on eligible gas for the first $7,000 per year and then 1% thereafter 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com 1% cash back on all other purchases

Businesses that need a bit of financing for purchases can get it through the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi. The card provides 0% APR on purchases for 7 months. After that, it comes with a variable APR of 15.99%. This is right around average for business cards.

This card has no annual fee. It comes free with a paid Costco membership. Note, you cannot apply for this card unless you are a Costco member.

How Is The Cash Back Awarded?

Like the consumer version of this card, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi gives cardholders all cash back only once per year. You will receive an annual reward certificate with every February billing statement. You can then redeem this for cash or merchandise at any US Costco Warehouse.

Once you receive your reward certificate, you will have until December 31 of the year it’s issued to use it. If you close your account before the February billing statement, any rewards you earned up to that point will be forfeit. Be mindful of this if you decide to get another card or close down your company.

How Does The Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi Compare To Other Credit Cards?

As many successful business owners know, it’s always best to consider multiple options and shop around before settling on anything. Credit cards are no different. We compared the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi to other leading options to help companies find the right credit card for their firm.

Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi vs Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business

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The Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business will be better for businesses that have more varied spending, that isn't necessarily confined to a few categories. While the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi is great at rewarding gas, restaurant, travel and Costco purchases, it is sub-par everywhere else. The Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business maintains a steady 2% rewards rate on all purchases charged to it. Figuring out which is best for the way your business spends can get tricky. There’s no easy rule of thumb you can rely on. We recommend using our tool for guidance.

The Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business also comes with a sign-up bonus that makes it more appealing in the short term. Cardholders receive $500 once they spend at least $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months. The lack of any welcome bonus is a serious flaw in the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi, which is otherwise a great card.

Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi vs Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card

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The Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card is another excellent cash back credit card for businesses. It has the potential to provide better rewards than the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi, if it aligns well with your company’s biggest expenses. The Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card gives 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year at office supply stores and cellular phone, landline, internet and cable TV services. Users also get 2% back on the first $25k spent each year at gas stations and restaurants. In those two categories in particular, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi will always be better. However, the Costco card can’t match the 5% rewards.

One other point worth mentioning is that the Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card offers a longer 0% introductory APR period than the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi. Cardholders get 12 months of 0% intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers. After that, the APR will switch to 13.99% - 19.99% (variable).

Compare The Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi Based On How You Spend

Finding the best credit cards for your business’ needs is highly dependent on where most of your money goes. We built a tool to help you estimate how the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi performs on that metric. Click the gear icon and enter your firm’s estimated monthly expenses, and the tool will do the rest.

RewardsNet Rewards RateAPRAnnual FeeBonus ValueRewards By MonthRewards Rate By Month

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Savings Through (Through 24 Months)	Rewards	Dollars

Edit Monthly Spend: $1,430

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Card	Annual Fee	2-yr Net Rewards Rate The Net Rewards Rate is equal to the Rewards Value over two years divided by the total spending. The total spending is equal to the values entered into the tool and multiplied by 24 months. See the Rewards Value note to see details on how it is calculated. The estimates here are ValuePenguin's alone. They are not those of the card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer.	Bonus Value The bonus field shows our estimate for the value of the card’s sign-up bonus. If the bonus is point or mile based, we multiply the total bonus points/miles by our estimate for their value to arrive at a dollar equivalent. We display $0 if there is no bonus or if the user doesn’t qualify for the bonus based on the current spending entered into the tool. The estimates here are ValuePenguin's alone. They are not those of the card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer.	2-yr Rewards Value The Rewards Value is calculated by adding together the rewards earned from charging purchases to the card over two years and any sign-up bonuses (if applicable). They are then multiplied by our estimated point/mile value, with any annual fees (if applicable) subtracted. All values are based on our own estimates for the dollar value of any points, miles or bonuses earned using a card. The estimates here are ValuePenguin's alone. They are not those of the card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer.
Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business
	$0 intro for first year; $59 after that	3.13%	$500 Earn a $500 bonus once you spend $4,500 on purchases in the first 3 months	$1,127
Apply Now	Graph Card	Read Review	More Details
Annual Fee $0 intro for first year; $59 after that APR 17.74% (Variable) Card Details Earning unlimited 2% cash back could mean thousands of dollars each year going back into your business Plus, a one-time $500 cash bonus once you spend $4,500 on purchases within 3 months of approval Use Spark Cash across all your business spend, with no categories to limit your purchasing $0 intro annual fee for the first year; $59 after that Rewards don't expire, and you can redeem your cash back for any amount, anytime Get employee cards at no additional cost, and earn rewards from their business spend Note: The information in this box was provided by Capital One® and is not part of our independent analysis. Estimated Rewards Through 24 Months Card Rewards Estimated Rewards Value Dollars* Spending Rewards 686 x $1 = $686 Bonuses 0 x $1 = $500 Less Annual Fees -$59 Total Net Estimated Rewards Through 24 Months 1,127
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard®
	$95, waived for first 12 months*	2.15%	$405 Earn 30,000 bonus ThankYou points after you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months	$773
	Graph Card	Read Review	More Details
Annual Fee $95, waived for first 12 months* APR 16.49% (Variable) Card Details Designed for businesses Earn 30,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening* First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four companions traveling with you on the same reservation* Enjoy preferred boarding on American Airlines domestic flights* Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines® purchases* Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on purchases at telecommunications, car rental merchants and at gas stations* Earn 1 AAdvantage® mile per $1 spent on other purchases.* Estimated Rewards Through 24 Months Card Rewards Estimated Rewards Value Dollars* Spending Rewards 34,320 x $0.014 = $463 Bonuses 30,000 x $0.014 = $405 Less Annual Fees -$95 Total Net Estimated Rewards Through 24 Months 773
Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express
	$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95 *Rates and Fees	2.02%	$0 For the first time, earn 2 free nights at participating SPG(R) Category 1-5 hotels & resorts worldwide after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months.	$729
Apply Now	Graph Card	Read Review	More Details Terms and Limitations Apply
Annual Fee $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95 APR 15.99% - 19.99% Variable *Rates and Fees Card Details Earn 25,000 bonus Starpoints® after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Earn 2 Starpoints® for each dollar of eligible purchases at participating SPG® Marriott Rewards® hotels. Earn 1 Starpoint® for all other purchases. Redeem Starpoints® for free nights at over 1,300 hotels & resorts in over 100 countries and for free flights on over 150 airlines with SPG Flights. Some hotels and resorts have mandatory service charges. Free, unlimited Boingo Wi-Fi at more than 1,000,000 Boingo hotspots worldwide. Enrollment required. No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases and $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95. Terms Apply Estimated Rewards Through 24 Months Card Rewards Estimated Rewards Value Dollars* Spending Rewards 34,320 x $0.024 = $824 Less Annual Fees -$95 Total Net Estimated Rewards Through 24 Months 729
Capital One® Spark® Cash Select for Business
	$0	1.99%	$200 One time bonus of $200 one you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months	$715
Apply Now	Graph Card		More Details
Annual Fee $0 APR 13.74% - 21.74% (Variable) Card Details Earning unlimited 1.5% cash back could mean thousands of dollars each year going back into your business Plus, a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $3,000 on purchases within 3 months of approval Save on interest with 0% intro APR on purchases for 9 months; 13.74%-21.74% variable APR after that No annual fee Use Spark Cash Select across all your business spend, with no categories to limit your purchasing Rewards don't expire, and you can redeem your cash back for any amount, anytime Get employee cards at no additional cost, and earn rewards from their business spend Note: The information in this box was provided by Capital One® and is not part of our independent analysis. Estimated Rewards Through 24 Months Card Rewards Estimated Rewards Value Dollars* Spending Rewards 515 x $1 = $515 Bonuses 0 x $1 = $200 Total Net Estimated Rewards Through 24 Months 715
Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card
	$0	1.79%	$300 Earn $300 bonus cash back when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.	$643
Apply Now	Graph Card	Read Review	More Details
Annual Fee $0 APR 13.99% - 19.99% Variable Card Details Earn $300 bonus cash back when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening Named "A Great Card for Small Businesses" - Kiplinger's Personal Finance, September 2016. Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on cellular phone, landline, internet and cable TV services each account anniversary year Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers Employee cards at no additional cost No Annual Fee Estimated Rewards Through 24 Months Card Rewards Estimated Rewards Value Dollars* Spending Rewards 343 x $1 = $343 Bonuses 0 x $1 = $300 Total Net Estimated Rewards Through 24 Months 643
Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi
	$0	1.66%	$0	$598
	Graph Card		More Details
Annual Fee $0 APR 15.99%* (Variable) Card Details Exclusively for Costco Members: Go Big with Cash Back Rewards. Receive a reward coupon annually which is redeemable for cash or merchandise at US Costco warehouses 4% cash back on eligible gas for the first $7,000 per year and then 1% thereafter 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com 1% cash back on all other purchases Estimated Rewards Through 24 Months Card Rewards Estimated Rewards Value Dollars* Spending Rewards 598 x $1 = $598 Total Net Estimated Rewards Through 24 Months 598
SimplyCash® Plus Business Credit Card from American Express
	$0 *Rates and Fees	1.51%	$200 Earn a one-time $200 statement credit after you spend $5,000 or more in qualifying purchases on your Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn an additional $200 statement credit after you spend an additional $10,000 or more in qualifying purchases on your Card within the first year of Card Membership.	$543
Apply Now	Graph Card	Read Review	More Details Terms and Limitations Apply
Annual Fee $0 APR 12.99% - 19.99% Variable *Rates and Fees Card Details Special Offer: Earn up to $400 cash back Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $5,000 in qualifying purchases on your Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn an additional $200 statement credit after you spend an additional $10,000 or more in qualifying purchases on your Card within the first year of Card Membership. No Annual Fee. Plus, more buying power and more cash back. 5% cash back on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and U.S. office supply stores. 3% on the category of your choice from a list of eight and 1% cash back on other purchases. 5% and 3% apply to the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1% thereafter. Cash back received is automatically credited to your statement. Terms and limitations apply Estimated Rewards Through 24 Months Card Rewards Estimated Rewards Value Dollars* Spending Rewards 343 x $1 = $343 Bonuses 0 x $1 = $200 Total Net Estimated Rewards Through 24 Months 543

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• Review
• Benefits & Features
• How Does The Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi Compare To Other Cards?
• vs Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business
• vs Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card