Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card review
Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. The offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Bankrate.com receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and the likelihood of applicants' credit approval also impact how and where products appear on this site. Bankrate.com does not include the entire universe of available financial or credit offers.
Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover.
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.
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 balance transfer card
- Annual Fee:
- $0
- Purchase Intro APR:
- 0% for 12 months on Purchases
- Balance Transfer Intro APR:
- 0% for 21 months on Balance Transfers
- Regular APR:
- 13.74% - 23.74% (Variable)
Bankrate Rating
Citi is an advertising partner
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card: Details and benefits
The Citi Diamond Preferred Card offers 21 months of zero percent APR on balance transfer offers and 12 months on purchases. After the intro period ends, the standard 13.74 percent – 23.74 percent variable APR will apply.
While 21 months is a longer-than-average intro period, it also comes with a high 5 percent balance transfer fee (minimum $5) that must be completed within the first 4 months if you’re consolidating debt.
Advantages
- Zero percent APR for 12 months on new purchases and 21 months on balance transfers (13.74 percent – 23.74 percent variable APR thereafter)
- Access to Citi Entertainment
Disadvantages
- You’ll pay either $5 or 5 percent of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- No rewards program
Is the Citi Diamond Preferred worth it for you?
In the saturated credit card market, the Citi Diamond Preferred Card is pretty lackluster. You’ll earn no rewards, and the perks available are minimal. While it can add value to those looking for a short-term credit card to help you finance a large purchase or consolidate debt, the vast majority of people will be better served by another card.
The card does come with access to Citi Entertainment and free access to your FICO Score. However, those features are standard across all of Citi’s card offers — many of which would make a better choice for most consumers.
The Citi Rewards+℠ Card offers a solid intro APR offer, and you’ll have the opportunity to earn some stellar rewards on every purchase.
Get the most value from the Citi Diamond Preferred
Depending on your situation, you can certainly save a lot of money by taking advantage of this card’s intro offer. Let’s compare the Citi Diamond Preferred, the Citi Simplicity® Card and the Citi Rewards+℠ Card.
| Intro offer savings | Balance transfer savings | |
|---|---|---|
| Citi Diamond Preferred | $634 | $484 |
| Citi Simplicity | $443 | $623 |
| Citi Rewards+ | $434 | $334 |
**Calculations based on $3,000 in new purchases or balance transfers. Balance transfer savings account for the balance transfer fee. Savings determined by calculating how much interest you would pay based on the highest variable APR of each card over the course of the intro offer period.
If you’re looking for a balance transfer card, the Citi Simplicity offers a similar competitive intro offer. If you’re interested in earning rewards, the Rewards+ offers significant savings and better perks. However, for a straightforward intro APR card for new purchases, the Citi Diamond Preferred might just be the card for you.
Take advantage of the zero percent APR offer upfront. You’ll have 21 months to pay off consolidated debt or 12 months on new purchases (13.74 percent – 23.74 percent variable APR thereafter).
While using the card, be sure to leverage the Citi Entertainment access. The card doesn’t offer a way to earn rewards, but you can get access to presale tickets, discounts and more through this perk.