American Express vs Citi bonuses

As of Jul 21, 2026, American Express has 8 live sign-up bonuses, up to $300. Citi has 3, up to $1,500. Here is how they compare, verified against each institution's own terms.

The quick take. Citi has the bigger headline bonus right now ($1,500). American Express gives you more offers to choose from. The best pick is the one whose requirement you can actually meet, so weigh the figures below against your own cash and direct deposit.

At a glance

	American Express	Citi
Live sign-up bonuses	8	3
Biggest cash bonus	$300	$1,500
Bonus types	bank, card	bank, card
ChexSystems	Not applicable. No consumer checking bonuses currently listed	Soft pull reported for checking
Credit pull	Hard inquiry; often waived for existing cardholders	Hard inquiry for cards
Eligibility	Once per lifetime per card product (see rule)	Checking once per period; card once per 24 to 48 months (verify)
House rules	Amex once-per-lifetime & the pop-up	—

Current offers

American Express

American Express Rewards Checking$300

$7,500 in direct deposits in 90 days · sign-up bonus

American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card$250

$3,000 in purchases in 6 months · sign-up bonus

American Express Platinum Cardup to 175,000 points

$12,000 in purchases, 6 months · points bonus

American Express High Yield Savings3.00% APY

No minimum balance, no fees

Amex Business Gold Cardup to 200,000 points

$15,000 in purchases, 3 months · points bonus

American Express Gold Cardup to 100,000 points

$8,000 in purchases, 6 months · points bonus

Amex Business Platinum Cardup to 300,000 points

$20,000 in purchases, 3 months · points bonus

American Express Green Card40,000 points

$3,000 in purchases in first 6 months · points bonus

Citi

Citigold Checking$1,500

Deposit $200,000+ within 20 days, maintain 60 days · sign-up bonus

Citi Double Cash$200

$1,500 in purchases in first 6 months · sign-up bonus

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select80,000 miles

$3,500 in purchases in first 4 months · miles bonus

What to know about each

American Express

The biggest bonuses, and the least clear rules. Public offers are often lower than what you can actually get through referral or targeted links. Eligibility comes down to the once-per-lifetime rule and its pop-up warning, not published criteria. The Platinum fee moved to $895 in the 2026 refresh.

Citi

One of the largest US banks and card issuers, running checking bonuses and a broad co-brand and cash-back card lineup. Card figures are often personalized.

Common questions

Which has the bigger sign-up bonus, American Express or Citi?

Citi has the bigger cash bonus right now, at $1,500. Figures change; both are checked against the source and shown above with the date.

Is American Express or Citi better for a sign-up bonus?

The better pick is the offer whose requirement you can actually meet. American Express currently gives you more offers to choose from. Weigh each bonus against the deposit or spend it needs, not just the headline number.

New to this? Start with how bank sign-up bonuses work, weigh both by value with the easiest to earn list, and see more head-to-heads on the compare page. Reference information, not financial advice.