Citi Simplicity® Card review: A no-fuss balance transfer card
If you want a card that will give you time and flexibility to help you pay off your debt, the Citi Simplicity card may be an excellent fit.
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Snapshot
4.5
Bottom line
This card is an excellent choice if you need time and flexibility to pay off your debt.
Balance transfer intro APR
0% for 21 months on Balance Transfers
Regular APR
19.24% - 29.99% (Variable)
Rewards rate
N/A
Annual fee
$0
Bankrate Score
Introductory offer
APR
Fees
Features
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Citi Simplicity® Card Overview
If you need to pay off credit card debt, the Citi Simplicity Card could be a big help. It’s one of the most forgiving balance transfer credit cards out there, sporting one of the longest intro APR periods currently available for balance transfers with no annual fee, late fees or penalty APR. New cardholders can take advantage of a 0 percent intro APR for 12 months on purchases and 21 months on balance transfers made within the first four months of account opening (19.24 percent to 29.99 percent variable APR thereafter).
However, the card doesn’t include a rewards program or welcome offer, so it doesn’t carry the long-term value you’ll find with rewards cards.
If a lengthy intro APR period is your key priority, this card is a great option. However, other cards may be a better fit if you want a better combination of initial and long-term value.
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Rewards
- This card doesn’t offer rewards
Expert Appraisal: Unimpressive
See our expert analysis -
0% APR offer
- 0 percent intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months on transfers made within the first four months of account opening
- 0 percent intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening
- 3 percent ($5 minimum) intro balance transfer fee for balance transfers completed within the first four months of account opening. After that, a 5 percent fee for each transfer (minimum $5) applies.
- 19.24 percent to 29.99 percent variable APR
Expert Appraisal: Good
See our expert analysis -
Rates and fees
- No annual fee
- No late payment fees
- No penalty APR
- Foreign transaction fee: 3 percent
- Cash advance fee: either $10 or 5 percent of each cash advance, whichever is greater
Expert Appraisal: Good
See our expert analysis -
Other cardholder perks
- $0 liability on unauthorized charges
- Automatic account alerts
- Identity theft protection
- Payment due date flexibility
- Digital wallet
- Contactless pay
Expert Appraisal: Unimpressive
See our expert analysis
Citi Simplicity pros and cons
Pros
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It offers one of the longest intro APR periods available on a balance transfer card.
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You won’t pay late fees or a penalty APR if you make a late payment.
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The intro balance transfer fee is fairly low, saving you money on the cost of moving debt to a new card.
Cons
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The card lacks long-term value since it doesn’t earn rewards or have a welcome offer.
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The intro APR for purchases doesn’t last as long as it does for balance transfers.
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If you are trying to reduce credit card debt, the 3 percent foreign transaction fee could be costly.
Why you might want the Citi Simplicity
The Citi Simplicity is one of the most competitive balance transfer cards available with one of the longest intro APR periods available. It’s also one of the most affordable.
Intro APR offer: More than a year to pay down transferred balances
This card’s main selling point is its intro APR offer: 0 percent for 21 months (19.24 percent to 29.99 percent variable APR after) on balance transfers made within the first four months of account opening.
Not only is this card’s intro APR period one of the longest on the market, but the card also gives you more time to transfer your balance than many other cards, which typically only give you 60 to 90 days to transfer your balance. On top of that, though shorter, you can benefit from this card's intro APR on new purchases to help manage additional expenses.
Rates and fees: Very forgiving on card penalties
The Citi Simplicity’s other strength is affordability. While you can find other cards with comparable intro APR offers, they’ll likely have more fees than the Citi Simplicity card. In addition to charging no annual fee, the card doesn’t charge late fees or have a penalty APR (though missed and late payments can still damage your credit score).
This makes the Citi Simplicity an especially forgiving card for credit beginners and those managing debt. Saving money wherever you can is key to getting out of debt, and the Citi Simplicity is a valuable tool to achieve that goal.
Why you might want a different balance transfer card
Typical for most balance transfer cards, the Citi Simplicity carries few benefits beyond its intro APR offers. Once its intro offers end, the card won’t provide much ongoing value.
Rewards: Limited long-term value
Like most balance transfer cards with longer terms, the Citi Simplicity does not have a rewards program. This shouldn’t be a priority when you’re focused on paying off debt, but it’s a nice bonus since it can help you save on everyday spending and give your card long-term value.
If you don’t need 21 months to pay off your balance and want a card for the long haul, consider a cash back card or a rewards card with a shorter intro APR on balance transfers and new purchases. As long as you are careful not to overspend, earning rewards while paying down debt can help you pay it off faster if you manage your card responsibly.
Cardholder perks: Shrug-worthy
Balance transfer cards often come with a thin portfolio of cardholder perks, and the Simplicity card is no exception. The Citi Simplicity’s benefits don’t offer anything unique, making the card an unremarkable option if you’re looking for more than standard card perks like fraud protection and account alerts.
If you’re after more valuable coveted no-annual-fee card perks like cellphone protection or travel insurance, popular rewards cards will be a better option.
How the Citi Simplicity card compares to other balance transfer cards
The Simplicity card is one of your best options if you have high-interest credit card debt and need a long period of time to pay it off. But another card may be better if you need to both pay off debt and finance new purchases.
![Image of Citi Simplicity® Card](http://cdn.prodstatic.com/shared/images/cards/120x76/df4e8fb0-ff38-11e9-897f-e571555e984f.jpg?auto=webp&fit=bounds&width=120&height=76)
Citi Simplicity® Card
Annual fee
Intro offer
Rewards rate
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
![Image of BankAmericard® credit card](http://cdn.prodstatic.com/shared/images/cards/120x76/ed2f53b0-8021-11eb-be9c-9790947db9db.jpg?auto=webp&fit=bounds&width=120&height=76)
BankAmericard® credit card
Annual fee
Intro offer
Rewards rate
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
![Image of Wells Fargo Reflect® Card](http://cdn.prodstatic.com/shared/images/cards/120x76/bd73df70-996f-11ec-81f6-95945bae99c9.png?auto=webp&fit=bounds&width=120&height=76)
Annual fee
Intro offer
Rewards rate
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Who is the Citi Simplicity right for?
The Citi Simplicity is a great card for anyone with credit card debt that may take several months to pay off. Here are the types of spenders the Citi Simplicity is best for:
Bankrate’s Take — Is the Citi Simplicity card worth it?
The Citi Simplicity card is great for consolidating existing card debt and providing a long introductory period for balance transfers. Though the lack of rewards may not make this card one to keep in your wallet forever, it can help build your credit history, decrease debt and save on interest.
How we rated this card
Our proprietary card rating system takes into account a mix of factors when scoring balance transfer and low-interest cards, including each card’s introductory APR, intro APR period length, ongoing APR, balance transfer fee, perks and more.
While balance transfer and low-interest cards share a similar ratings rubric, we weigh features differently based on how a card is categorized. We categorize cards that carry an especially long intro APR offer on balance transfers as dedicated balance transfer cards, while cards that offer an especially low ongoing APR are considered general low-interest cards.
Based on its features, we assigned this card a primary category of balance transfer and tailored our ratings accordingly.
We analyzed over 100 of the most popular balance transfer and low-interest cards and scored each based on how its key features stacked up against those of other cards in the category.
Here’s a breakdown of what gave this card its score:
*The information about the BankAmericard® credit card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
Frequently asked questions
* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.