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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.
Ashley Parks
Written by
Courtney Mihocik
Edited by
Grace Pilling
Reviewed by
/ 10 min
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At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. While we adhere to strict,this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation for andhow we rate our cards.The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.
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Snapshot
4.5
Bankrate rating
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Bottom line
If you need time and flexibility to pay off your debt, this card may be an excellent fit.
Best for balance transfers
Citi Simplicity® Card
-
Introductory offer
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5 / 5
Fees
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5 / 5
Features
Rating: 1 stars out of 5
1 / 5
Good to Excellent(670–850)
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.
Recommended Credit
0% for 21 months on Balance Transfers
Balance transfer intro APR
19.24% - 29.99% (Variable)
Regular APR
N/A
Rewards rate
Rewards rate is not available for this credit card.
$0
Annual fee
On This Page
On This Page
- Current offer details
- Citi Simplicity pros and cons
- Reasons to get this card
- Reasons to skip this card
- Citi Simplicity card vs. other balance transfer cards
- Is this card worth getting?
- Rating methodology
- Frequently asked questions
Citi is an advertising partner.
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 and no annual fee, late fees or penalty APR. New cardholders can take advantage of a 0 percent intro APR for 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, that is the card’s main standout feature. Despite having a strong intro APR on balance transfers, its intro APR on new purchases is relatively short. The card also doesn’t include a rewards program or welcome offer, so it doesn’t carry the long-term value you’ll find rewards cards that feature balance transfer offers.
If getting as much time as possible to pay off debt is your key priority, this card is a great option, but if you want the best combination of short- and long-term value, another card may be a better fit.
Rewards
- This card doesn’t offer rewards
Expert Appraisal: Typical
See our expert analysis0% 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 4 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 analysisRates and fees
- No annual fee
- No late payment fees
- No penalty APR
- 3 percent foreign transaction fee
Expert Appraisal: Good
See our expert analysisOther 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
It offers one of the longest intro APR periods available on balance transfers cards.
You won’t pay late fees or a penalty APR if you make a late payment.
Its balance transfer fee is on the low end of the average, saving you money on the cost of moving debt to a new card.
Cons
The card lacks long-term value since it doesn’t include a rewards program or welcome offer.
The intro APR for purchases doesn’t last as long as it does for balance transfers.
There’s a 3 percent foreign transaction fee on purchases made outside of the U.S.
Why you might want the Citi Simplicity
The Citi Simplicity is one of the most competitive balance transfer cards available as it boasts one of the longest intro APR periods available for balance transfers. And with so few fees, it’s also one of the most affordable.
Intro APR offer: More than a year to pay down transferred balances
This card’s main strength and 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 and qualify for the intro APR than many other balance transfer cards (some cards only give you 60 to 90 days to transfer your balance). And while you can find other cards with comparable intro APR offers, they’ll likely have more fees than the Citi Simplicity card.
Rates and fees: Very forgiving on card penalties
The Citi Simplicity’s other strength is its affordability. In addition to charging no annual fee, the card charges no fee or penalty APRif you pay late or miss a payment (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 helps in multiple ways.
Why you might want a different balance transfer card
Like other dedicated balance transfer cards, the Citi Simplicity carries few benefits beyond its intro APR offers.Once its intro offers end, the card won’t carry much ongoing value.
Rewards: Limited long-term value
Like most dedicated balance transfer cards, the Citi Simplicity does not have a rewards program. A rewards program 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 better 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 — but still generous — intro APR on balance transfers and new purchases.
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 aren’t particularly 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 coveted no-annual-fee card perks like statement credits for 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 a better choice if you need to both pay off debt and finance new purchases.
Citi Simplicity® Card
Bankrate Score
Annual fee
$0
Intro offer
N/A
Rewards rate
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
Good to Excellent(670–850)
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.
BankAmericard® credit card
Bankrate Score
Annual fee
$0
Intro offer
N/A
Rewards rate
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
Good to Excellent(670–850)
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.
Bankrate Score
See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply
on Wells Fargo's secure site
Annual fee
$0
Intro offer
N/A
Rewards rate
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
Good to Excellent(670–850)
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.
Best cards to pair with the Citi Simplicity
Since the Citi Simplicity doesn’t earn rewards, pairing it with a rewards credit card can give you one of the other major benefits of credit cards. But don’t let the pressure to earn rewards undermine the steps you’re taking to reduce your debt with the Citi Simplicity card.
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 if you have existing card debt and need 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.
Dig deeper:Is the Citi Simplicity worth it?
How we rated this card
100+
cards rated
400+
APRs tracked
3000
data points analyzed
40+
perks evaluated
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 cardhas been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
Frequently asked questions
Compare the best balance transfer credit cards
As a Bankrate credit cards editor, Ashley Parks is fascinated by the ways people can make credit cards work for them when armed with the right knowledge.
Edited by Courtney Mihocik
Reviewed by Grace Pilling
* 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.
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