Get 0% Intro APR for 21 Months and No Late Fees Ever With This Citi Card

High-interest credit card debt is exhausting. You send in a payment, feel a small win, then watch interest undo part of your progress.

This is where a balance transfer card with 0% intro APR can help out big time. It basically "pauses" the interest on your debt, so all your payments go toward paying down your balance.

My team tracks credit cards and offers daily, and our winner for Best Balance Transfer Card in 2026 went to the Citi Simplicity® Card, from our partner. Here's why it's such a good fit for anyone serious about paying off debt in 2026.

A long 0% intro APR window that actually gives you room to win

The Citi Simplicity® Card offers 0% intro APR for 21 months on Balance Transfers. That's nearly two full years where interest steps out of the way and lets your payments do their job.

There's also a 0% intro APR for 12 months on Purchases, which adds some breathing room if you need to put new spending on the card while you stabilize.

After the intro period, a 17.49% - 28.24% (Variable) APR applies, based on creditworthiness. To qualify for the 0% balance transfer rate, transfers need to be completed within the first four months of opening the account.

That long intro period is what turns a stressful balance into a manageable plan. You can set a monthly payment, stick with it, and watch the balance move in the right direction.

No late fees, no penalty APR, no annual fee -- ever

This is where the Citi Simplicity® Card really separates itself from other 0% intro APR offers today.

Most cards advertise a 0% intro APR, then quietly make money on mistakes. A late payment triggers a fee. Miss one by enough days and your interest rate can jump.

The Citi Simplicity® Card takes a different approach, with:

• No late fees. Ever.
• No penalty APR if you slip up.
• No annual fee, now or down the road.

Life isn't perfectly scheduled. Paydays move. Kids get sick. Travel happens. When you're already focused on paying off debt, the last thing you need is a card that punishes you for a timing hiccup.

You still want to pay on time and make sure you're doing your best not to slip up. But it's just nice to know that one mistake doesn't derail your entire plan. You can also choose your own payment due date, which makes it easier to align payments with your income.

What the interest savings can look like

Here's an example of how much a balance transfer can save you on interest.

Say you're carrying a $6,000 balance on a card charging 25% APR, and you're paying $300 per month. If you keep that balance where it is, a large chunk of each payment goes to interest.

But moving that balance to the Citi Simplicity® Card and sticking to the same $300 per month payment plan, you can fully pay it off within the 0% intro period.

Here's what that looks like:

• Interest avoided over 21 months: about $1,840
• Balance transfer fee (3%): $180
• Net savings: roughly $1,660

That's money you keep simply by changing where the balance lives.

There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5). It's important to factor that in, but for most high-interest balances, the math still works strongly in your favor.

The trade-offs to be aware of

The Citi Simplicity® Card is focused on debt relief, not rewards.

There's no cash back or points program. And there are foreign transaction fees, which makes this a card best suited for use in the U.S.

These aren't dealbreakers though. If your goal is to pay off high-interest debt, the Citi Simplicity® Card is still our top recommendation for balance transfer credit cards.

Start tackling your debt today

Paying off credit card debt can feel like an uphill battle. But removing the interest component for almost two years can remove one of the biggest obstacles.

The Citi Simplicity® Card delivers exactly that. A long 0% intro APR, with no late fees or annual fee.

If your goal for 2026 is fewer interest charges and more progress you can actually feel, this card gives you a clean path forward.

See our full Citi Simplicity® Card review to check current terms and see how it fits your payoff plan.