Which Citi card is better for balance transfers?

Both offer a 0% intro APR for 21 months on Balance Transfers, but Citi Simplicity® Card has a lower transfer fee and no late penalties, making it the better pick for most.

Do either of these cards earn rewards?

Nope. These are all about saving on interest, not racking up points.

Is there a credit score requirement?

You'll generally need good to excellent credit (around 670+) to qualify for either card.

Citi Simplicity Card vs. Citi Diamond Preferred: Which Card Is Right for You?

I'll cut right to the chase… The Citi Simplicity® Card is the better pick for most people looking to do a balance transfer. Why? It charges a lower balance transfer fee and it's way more forgiving if you happen to miss a payment.

That said, the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card isn't far off. In fact, both of these Citi cards have more in common than not. Same 0% intro APR length, same $0 annual fee, and the same end goal: to save you money on interest!

I'll break down all the key differences (and similarities) below so you can confidently choose the right card for your situation.

Key differences between Citi Simplicity Card and Citi Diamond Preferred

Here's a quick side-by-side comparison of these two awesome balance transfer cards:

As of Apr. 30, 2025


Citi Simplicity® Card	Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
4.90/5 Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. 4.90/5 Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor.	4.70/5 Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. 4.70/5 Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor.
Apply Now for Citi Simplicity® Card On Citi's Secure Website. Rates & Fees	Apply Now for Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card On Citi's Secure Website. Rates & Fees
Read Full Review	Read Full Review
Credit Rating Requirement: Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850) Good/Excellent (670-850)	Credit Rating Requirement: Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850) Good/Excellent (670-850)

Welcome Offer: N/A	Welcome Offer: N/A

Rewards Program: N/A	Rewards Program: N/A

Intro APR: Purchases: 0%, 12 months on Purchases Balance Transfers: 0%, 21 months on Balance Transfers	Intro APR: Purchases: 0%, 12 months on Purchases Balance Transfers: 0%, 21 months on Balance Transfers

Regular APR: 18.24% - 28.99% (Variable)	Regular APR: 17.24% - 27.99% (Variable)

Annual Fee: $0	Annual Fee: $0

Highlights: No Late Fees, No Penalty Rate, and No Annual Fee... Ever 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months and on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening. After that the variable APR will be 18.24% - 28.99%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening. 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). Stay protected with Citi® Quick Lock	Highlights: 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months and on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening. After that the variable APR will be 17.24% - 27.99%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening. There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater Get free access to your FICO® Score online. With Citi Entertainment®, get special access to purchase tickets to thousands of events, including concerts, sporting events, dining experiences and more. No Annual Fee - our low intro rates and all the benefits don’t come with a yearly charge.
Apply Now for Citi Simplicity® Card On Citi's Secure Website. Rates & Fees	Apply Now for Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card On Citi's Secure Website. Rates & Fees
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How we rate credit cards

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

Our highest-rated credit cards have:

High value through rewards or 0% intro APR offers
Attainable welcome bonuses that make up for any annual fees
Low annual fees or a balance transfer fee of 3%
Top perks such as purchase and travel protections, no foreign transaction fees, travel credits, and status upgrades

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best credit card recommendations. Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring credit cards from reputable brands. 'Best for' category selections on this page are determined by our editors, and a single card may be recognized in multiple categories.

Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.

How we rate credit cards

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

Our highest-rated credit cards have:

High value through rewards or 0% intro APR offers
Attainable welcome bonuses that make up for any annual fees
Low annual fees or a balance transfer fee of 3%
Top perks such as purchase and travel protections, no foreign transaction fees, travel credits, and status upgrades

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best credit card recommendations. Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring credit cards from reputable brands. 'Best for' category selections on this page are determined by our editors, and a single card may be recognized in multiple categories.

Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.

0% intro APR: Both cards offer the same

If you're looking to avoid interest, both cards have equally good 0% intro APR promos. Here are the current offers:

Citi Simplicity® Card:

Balance transfers: 0% intro APR for 21 months on Balance Transfers
New purchases: 0% intro APR for 12 months on Purchases

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card:

Balance transfers: 0% intro APR for 21 months on Balance Transfers
New purchases: 0% intro APR for 12 months on Purchases

As you can see, the offers for both cards are exactly the same. And 21 months is one of the longest balance transfer windows you'll find anywhere for balance transfer cards. Having a year of interest-free purchases on top is a nice bonus.

Just make sure to complete your balance transfer within the first 4 months of opening the account to lock in the full offer. After that, your regular APR will kick in -- 18.24% - 28.99% (Variable) for Citi Simplicity® Card and 17.24% - 27.99% (Variable) for Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card. Your rate will depend on your creditworthiness.

Bottom line: no matter whether you go with Citi Simplicity® Card or Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card, you're getting a ton of breathing room to pay down debt or finance big purchases without interest.

Balance transfer fees: Citi Simplicity Card is cheaper

While both cards offer the same 0% intro APR period, the fees to transfer your balance are different. And that difference can make a big impact depending on how much you're moving.

Citi Simplicity® Card: 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)
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card: Balance transfer fee applies with this offer; 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.

That 2% difference might not sound like much. But it really can add up for large balances.

For example, if you're transferring $8,000:

With the Citi Simplicity® Card, you'll pay $240 in fees
With the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card, you'll pay $400

All in all, the Citi Simplicity® Card is the better choice here for balance transfers. You can save hundreds -- as long as you complete transfers within the first 4 months.

Annual fees and penalties: Citi Simplicity Card wins

Both the Citi Simplicity® Card and Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card come with a $0 annual fee. This is refreshing because it's important to cut down costs to focus on paying down debt.

But when it comes to penalties, the Citi Simplicity® Card is the clear winner.

The Citi Simplicity® Card has no late fees and no penalty rate... ever. So your rate won't jump if you miss a payment.

If you've ever slipped up on a due date (hey, life happens), the Citi Simplicity® Card offers way more peace of mind. But for folks that make payments always on time, this factor is a non-issue.

Side note: Both cards charge a 3% foreign transaction fee. So if you're traveling internationally, you'll want to choose a travel card that can save you fees abroad.

Rewards: Neither card offers rewards

Neither the Citi Simplicity® Card nor Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card earns cash back, points, or miles. But honestly, that's by design.

If your goal is to pay off debt, rewards shouldn't be the priority. The biggest money-saver here is avoiding interest, not racking up points.

That being said, you can always pair these cards with a rewards card on the side. Just make sure you don't slip into any new debt and only buy what you can afford.

Final verdict: Citi Simplicity Card vs. Citi Diamond Preferred?

Both of these cards are strong options for a balance transfer. Neither has an annual fee, and their intro APR periods are identical.

But the Citi Simplicity® Card has both late payment forgiveness and a low balance transfer fee. So most folks will benefit more with the Citi Simplicity® Card.

Choose Citi Simplicity® Card if you:

Want maximum forgiveness for late payments
Need a lower transfer fee (if you move fast within 4 months of opening)
Prefer simple, no-frills savings

Apply for the Citi Simplicity® Card today and start your debt-free journey (see rates and fees).

Choose Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card if you:

Never miss payments and want to keep that streak
Are using the intro APR for new purchases and the balance transfer fee isn't applicable

Apply for the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card today and get a 0% intro APR for 21 months on Balance Transfers (see rates and fees).

Sources
- https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/citi-simplicity-credit-card
- https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/citi-diamond-preferred-credit-card

FAQs

Both offer a 0% intro APR for 21 months on Balance Transfers, but Citi Simplicity® Card has a lower transfer fee and no late penalties, making it the better pick for most.
Nope. These are all about saving on interest, not racking up points.
You'll generally need good to excellent credit (around 670+) to qualify for either card.

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