The Citi Simplicity® Card is more of an interest-fighting weapon than a credit card. It’s not for everyone. But if you are battling high-interest debt, you can get plenty of value from this card.
If you carry a large balance on high APR credit cards, the Citi Simplicity Card could save you thousands of dollars in the long run. Our review will help you decide if it’s a good fit for your wallet.
Citi Simplicity Card
Balance transfer intro apr
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Regular APR
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Welcome offer
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TIME’s Take
The card_name has annual_fees annual fee, comes with a nearly unprecedented 0% intro APR offer for balance transfers, and waives things like late and returned payment penalties.
Unfortunately, that’s where the benefits end. The card doesn’t offer rewards and has no other ongoing perks worth mentioning. For that reason, you should only consider the card_name if you need to consolidate high-interest debt from another card.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Excellent intro APR offer for balance transfers
- No late payment penalties
Cons:
- No standard welcome bonus
- No rewards program
- Minimal ongoing benefits
Who is the card for?
The card_name is for anyone who is struggling under the weight of high credit card interest charges each month. The card offers 0% intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers and 12 months on new purchases. When the intro APR period ends, the rate moves to 19.24% to 29.99% Variable. Transferring debt from other high APR credit cards enables you to get a break from the interest charges you’ve incurred by carrying a balance month-to-month.
The credit limit you’re approved for will depend on your creditworthiness, so it’s important to have a “good” FICO credit score of at least 670. And you can’t transfer a balance higher than your credit limit. In other words, if your credit score only qualifies you for a $2,000 credit limit, it won’t help much if you are paying interest on a $10,000 balance.
Features
Intro APR offer
The card_name’s biggest upside is its intro APR offer. You’ll receive 0% APR (then 19.24% to 29.99%) on:
- Balance transfers for 21 months.
- Purchases for 12 months.
It’s the best balance transfer offer in the business, hands down.
No late fees
The card_name does not charge a fee if you make a payment after your due date. Many cards charge penalties of up to $41 for this.
No penalty APR
Most cards will charge a higher interest rate if you make a late payment or your payment is returned due to insufficient funds. The card_name doesn’t do this. If your payment is late, your APR remains unchanged.
The fine print
Annual fee
The card_name is a no-annual fee credit card, so you won’t pay to keep this card in your wallet whether or not you’re using it. You can use the card as a tool to build your length of credit history and maintain a lower credit utilization even after you’ve moved on to better cards.
APR
The card_name charges a regular purchase APR of reg_apr,reg_apr_type, based on your creditworthiness. If you never carry a balance on your credit card, this won’t affect you.
There is a cash advance APR of cash_advance_apr, which will begin accruing as soon as you take out the cash advance.
Balance transfer fees
When you transfer a balance to the card_name during the first four months from account opening, you’ll pay either $5 or 3% of the amount you transfer, whichever is greater. After that, you’ll pay between $5 or 5% of your transferred amount, whichever is greater.
Other fees
Other standard credit card fees still apply to the card_name, including:
- A foreign transaction fee of foreign_transaction_fee.
- A cash advance fee of cash_advance_fee.
- A returned payment fee of $41.
What could be improved
The card_name is not a rewards credit card. You can’t earn cash back or points when you spend, and there is no welcome bonus. In other words, the card loses most of its value after you’ve used up the 0% intro APR offer. If Citi were to add even a modest rewards program, the card wouldn’t become obsolete after a couple of years.
The card_name could also increase its intro APR for purchases from a modest 12 months. Plenty of credit cards offer a similar or better interest-free period for purchases.
Card alternatives
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Chase Freedom Unlimited® Review
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express Review
Bottom line
If you have a good credit score, a lot of high-APR debt, and want to avoid as many ancillary fees as possible, the card_name could save you hundreds (even thousands) of dollars in interest payments.
Citi Simplicity Card
Balance transfer intro apr
balance_transfer_intro_apr,balance_transfer_intro_duration
Regular APR
reg_apr,reg_apr_type
Welcome offer
bonus_miles_full
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Is the card_name hard to get?
The card_name isn’t hard to get. You should have at least a good credit score (670 or above) for the best chance at approval.
What kind of card is card_name?
The card_name is a 0% intro APR credit card, with an appealing balance transfer offer.
How often does card_name increase its credit limit?
You can request a credit limit increase once every six months. Citi will base its decision on your creditworthiness—approval is not guaranteed.
The information presented here is created independently from the TIME editorial staff. To learn more, see our About page.
