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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.

 /  10 min
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Snapshot

4.5

Bankrate rating
Info
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.

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2024 Bankrate Awards Winner
Best for balance transfers
Image of Citi Simplicity® Card

Citi Simplicity® Card

  • Introductory offer
    Rating: 5 stars out of 5
    5 / 5
    APR
    Rating: 1 stars out of 5
    1 / 5
    Fees
    Rating: 5 stars out of 5
    5 / 5
    Features
    Rating: 1 stars out of 5
    1 / 5
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit

Balance transfer intro APR

Regular APR

N/A

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

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 as it not only possesses one of the longest intro APR periods currently available for balance transfers, but also carries 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, this card is something of a one-trick pony. 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.

  • Credit Card Cash Back

    Rewards

    • This card doesn’t offer rewards

    Expert Appraisal: Typical
    See our expert analysis

  • Credit Card Apr
    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 balances transfers completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, a 5% fee of each transfer (minimum $5) applies.
    • 19.24 percent to 29.99 percent variable APR 

    Expert Appraisal: Good
    See our expert analysis

  • Credit Card Search

    Rates and fees

    • No annual fee
    • No late payment fees 
    • No penalty APR 
    • 3 percent foreign transaction fee

    Expert Appraisal: Good
    See our expert analysis

  • Congrats

    Other cardholder perks

    • $0 liability on unauthorized charges 
    • Automatic account alerts 
    • Identity theft protection
    • Payment due date flexibility
    • Digital wallets
    • Contactless pay

    Expert Appraisal: Unimpressive 
    See our expert analysis

Citi Simplicity pros and cons

The Citi Simplicity can help you do one thing, and do it really well. But there are some drawbacks to the Citi Simplicity’s specialization. 

Pros

  • Checkmark

    It offers one of the longest intro APR periods available on balance transfers

  • Checkmark

    You won’t pay any late fees or be subject to a penalty APR if you make a late payment.

  • Checkmark

    Its balance transfer fee is on the low end of 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 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 APR if you pay late or miss a payment (though missed and late payments can still damage your credit score).

This makes the Citi Simplicity stand out as 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 since it lacks a rewards program and noteworthy perks.

Rewards: Limited long-term value

Like most balance transfer cards, the Citi Simplicity does not have a rewards program. A rewards program shouldn’t necessarily 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 gives your card better long-term value. 

If you don’t need 21 months to pay off your balance, feel confident you’ll keep your spending and payments organized, 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 only 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 food delivery 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.

Image of Citi Simplicity® Card

Citi Simplicity® Card

Annual fee

$0

Intro offer

N/A

Rewards rate

N/A

Recommended Credit Score

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Image of BankAmericard® credit card

BankAmericard® credit card

Annual fee

$0

Intro offer

N/A

Rewards rate

N/A

Recommended Credit Score

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Image of Wells Fargo Reflect® Card
Bankrate Score
See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply
Apply now Lock
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)
Info

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:

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.  

Bankrate’s Take — Is the Citi Simplicity card worth it?

The Citi Simplicity card is great for people with debt who 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 and decrease debt.

Plus, if you occasionally miss credit card payments, the Citi Simplicity card may be a fitting option since it lets you choose your payment due date and carries no late fees or penalty APR.

How we rated this card

Document
100+
cards rated
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400+
APRs tracked
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3000
data points analyzed
Credit Card Reviews
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 card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.

Frequently asked questions

Written by
Ashley Parks
Editor, 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 Senior Editor, Credit Cards
Reviewed by Former Editor, credit cards

* 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.