Citi Simplicity Card Review: 21-Month APR on Balance Transfers With No Late Fees

Citi offers the Citi Simplicity® Card -- one of the few cards we've come across with no late payment fees, no penalty APR, and no annual fee. Even with those impressive perks, the main benefit of this card is its lengthy 0% intro APR. Here, you can read our full Citi Simplicity® Card review and decide if it's right for you.

This credit card is a good fit for: Those looking to avoid fees while using a lengthy 0% intro APR to pay off purchases, credit card debt, or both.

Top perks

Long 0% intro APR offer

Citi Simplicity® Card offers one of the longest intro periods among balance transfer cards, at 0%, 21 months. It also offers a 0%, 12 months introductory purchase APR.

No late fees

One of the most unique perks is that there are no late fees, ever. In fact, the Citi Simplicity® Card is the only Citi card with no late fees, penalty APR, or annual fees.

While you should always pay your bill on time, because late payments can still affect your credit, it's nice to know that you won't be charged if you do slip up and miss a payment.

No penalty APR

If you miss some payments, most credit card issuers will increase your interest rate to their penalty APR. Citi Simplicity® Card never charges a penalty rate, so your APR isn't at risk of increasing due to late payments.

No annual fee

When you're paying off debt, a credit card with no annual fee is a must.

Choose your payment due date

The Citi Simplicity® Card allows you to select a payment due date that works best for you. For example, you could set up your payments for right after you receive your paycheck, so you don't have to worry about running out of money before your payment is due.

What could be improved

Balance transfer fee

The balance transfer fee is 3% ($5 min) for first 4 months, then 5% ($5 min.). This means that if you transfer a $5,000 balance, you'll pay $150 in the first four months, or $250 afterward. This is a typical balance transfer fee, but it is a fee nonetheless.

No rewards

The card doesn't have a rewards program, which does reduce the card's luster after the 0% intro APR promo expires.

Foreign transaction fee

You will be charged a 3% foreign transaction fee on transactions made while outside the U.S.

Learn more: Best Credit Cards

Shorter 0% APR on new purchases

The Citi Simplicity® Card offers a 0% intro APR on new purchases. However, some credit cards offer a 0% intro offer on purchases for up to 21 months.

You should have good to excellent credit before applying, which means a FICO^® Score of at least 670. That said, there are reports of people with scores in the mid-600s being approved for this card, likely because other income and current debt factors inform a credit decision as well.

You should also be aware of the Citi application rules before applying for this card.

The Citi Simplicity® Card is one of the best credit cards for those seeking to get out of credit card debt. You'll avoid interest temporarily for both balance transfers and new purchases. It doesn't offer a lot of additional perks and rewards, but it is designed to be more lenient than your typical credit card for folks who have trouble paying their bills on time.

Read more: Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Our credit card methodology

At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.