Citi Simplicity® Card review
This card offers one of the longest zero-percent introductory APRs in our database of 500+ cards. No late fees, no penalty rate, no annual fee ever. One of the most consumer friendly, transparent cards on the market we have found.
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card_name
- Balance Transfer Intro
- APR: balance_transfer_intro_apr
Period: balance_transfer_duration_months - Balance Transfer Fee
- balance_transfer_fees
- Regular APR
- reg_apr,reg_apr_type
Key Features
descriptionEditor Analysis:
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months after account opening and 21 months on balance transfers from date of first transfer (all transfers must be completed in first four months.) After that, RegAPR.
- A great card if you're looking to consolidate and get rid of existing debt without incurring high interest, or planning to make a big purchase you can take your time paying off.
- This card is exclusively for those at the higher end of the credit score spectrum.
card_name benefits
There is a great deal to like about the CardName. It offers a straightforward, easy-to-understand package of benefits, well-suited for consumers not caught up in the bells and whistles of cash back and rewards cards. It’s a consumer-friendly card aimed at keeping out-of-pocket expenses at a minimum. There is no annual fee, ever, and there are no fees or punitive rate hikes for late payments, ever. Citi is a CardRatings advertiser.
One of the best benefits of this card is that it offers intro 0% APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, and there’s intro 0% APR on balance transfers as well, for 21 months from the date of first transfer (transfers must be completed within four months of account opening). After these intro periods expire, a rate of RegAPR will apply.
Note: BalanceTransferFees. Balance transfer fees are normal though, and this is among the longest of such offers on the market that covers both purchases and balance transfers.
Beyond the financial benefits, the card_name offers convenience, starting with fast, personal 24-hour customer service; just say "representative" to get help promptly. You also have the option of setting up your own bill payment schedule on any available due date throughout the month. That can be huge when setting up your monthly household budget.
card_name credit score
Citi® doesn’t explicitly share what credit score is needed to receive the CardName; however, this card is reserved for those with CreditScoreNeeded scores. A good FICO® Score is typically anything above 670, according to the credit scoring agency Experian, but having a score above 740 or even 800 may further increase your chances of approval. Please note though that these numbers can vary between different bureaus.
card_name foreign transaction fee and other potential downsides
If you travel abroad often, you might want to leave the CardName at home as it carries a foreign_fee fee on all foreign transactions. This might not seem like much, but say you spend $2,000 on an international trip; you’d be looking at $60 in fees. This isn’t a huge deal if you only travel out of the country every now and then, but there are definitely better options out there if you’re looking for a good international companion.
Another thing to note is that although the Citi Simplicity® Card’s 12-month introductory 0% offer on purchases and 21 months on balance transfers is highly appealing, as with all introductory offers, it is temporary. And while there are no penalties associated with late payments, those late payments can (and eventually will) affect your credit score, which can, in turn impact your APR on this card or make it more difficult for you to secure another loan or credit card.
Also, the card_name is not a rewards card; rather, your reward should be viewed as the money you can save through those intro periods.
If you aren’t someone who gets excited about credit cards but likes to keep one in rotation for the sake of diversifying your credit profile, these things likely won’t matter to you much, and this might still be a good option for you given the lack of annual fee and penalty fees.
How do cardholders rate the card_name?
CardRatings conducts a survey annually to learn what actual cardholders think of their cards. Here are the results for the card_name:
| Current Scores | Past Scores | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.6 | 77.1 |
| Features Satisfaction | 6.9 | 7.4 |
| Customer Service | 6.8 | 7.9 |
| Website/App Usability | 7.5 | 8.4 |
| Likelihood of Continuing to Use | 7.5 | 8.4 |
| Recommend to a Friend/Colleague | 6.8 | 7.4 |
How the card_name compares to other cards
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Period: balance_transfer_intro_duration
Period: balance_transfer_intro_duration
card_name vs. card_name
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If you are looking for a card that earns flat rate cash back rewards on all purchases, the CardName is a great alternative to the card_name. Like the card_name, the card_name has no annual fee so you do not need to worry about justifying an annual expense of just having the card. Both cards have generous introductory 0% APR balance transfer offers, though it’s shorter at 18 months for Double Cash® (after the into periods, RegAPR APR for the Double Cash® and RegAPR APR for the Simplicity® will apply).
Where the card_name sets itself apart is that it’s a cash back rewards earning credit card. On an ongoing basis, cash back is earned at a rate of 2% on every purchase in the form of an unlimited 1% cash back earned when you make a purchase, plus an additional 1% cash back earned as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Cash back can then be redeemed at any time with no minimums. The card_name is not a rewards credit card, so purchases do not earn rewards.
card_name vs. card_name
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The card_name is very similar to the card_name. It offers 0% intro APR for 12 months on new purchases and on balance transfers for 21 months (from the date of first transfer – must be completed within four months). The ongoing APR once the intro period expires is reg_apr,reg_apr_type. balance_transfer_fees This is perhaps the biggest difference between the two cards.
Another difference is that the card_name offers late-payment forgiveness; a perk not offered with the card_name.
Is Citi Simplicity® a good credit card?
If you like to keep your credit cards simple and don’t need fancy rewards programs, the CardName is right up your alley.
If you are carrying large balances on multiple credit cards and are drowning in interest payments, this card is an excellent way to consolidate debt and give yourself an 21-month respite from high interest charges on balance transfers. Just be sure to make a plan to pay off that balance before the intro periods end to really make this card work to your benefit.
Frequently asked questions
Does the card_name have foreign transaction fees?
What are the benefits of the card_name?
How much is the card_name annual fee?
Our Methodology
Survey methodology: CardRatings commissioned Op4G in September 2023 to conduct surveys among 1,869 cardholders nationwide. CardRatings website analytics from Jan. 1, 2023-Aug. 31, 2023 were used to determine a selection of the most popular cards and additional cards were included to add survey breadth. Responses to each of nine questions were given on a scale of 1-10 and respondents’ scores were then averaged under broad topics. To determine the overall score, responses from questions 1-8 were summed and the answer to "How likely are you to recommend this card to a friend, coworker or family member?" was double weighted. Current Scores reflect scores from the most recent survey (2023); “Past Scores” reflect scores from the 2022 survey.
Disclaimer:The information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the date it was written. Please keep in mind that credit card offers change frequently. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this article. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. See the online credit card application for full terms and conditions on offers and rewards. Please verify all terms and conditions of any credit card prior to applying.
This content is not provided by any company mentioned in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed here are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any such company. CardRatings.com does not review every company or every offer available on the market.
