CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® vs PayPal Cashback Mastercard
Side-by-side comparison
| CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® | PayPal Cashback Mastercard | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $99 | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | 80,000 miles | No current offer |
| Advertising | 1% | 1.5% |
| Shipping | 1% | 1.5% |
| Office supplies | 1% | 1.5% |
| Phone & internet | 2% | 1.5% |
| Travel | 2% | 1.5% |
| Everything else | 1% | 1.5% |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $558 | $675 |
| Points type | Locked to American Airlines AAdvantage | Cash back only |
| Network | Mastercard | Mastercard |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
The verdict
On a typical year of business spending, the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® earns about $558 a year in rewards and the PayPal Cashback Mastercard about $675, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® charges $99, which you clear through its rewards and perks. The PayPal Cashback Mastercard has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the PayPal Cashback Mastercard delivers more total value, about $216 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and advertising. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use. On the sign-up bonus, the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® if your spending leans toward phone & internet, travel. Pick the PayPal Cashback Mastercard if your spending leans toward advertising, shipping, office supplies.