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

Updated
Joel O'Leary
Author: Joel O'Leary
Joel O'Leary
Joel O'Leary
Full-Time Personal Finance Writer

Joel O’Leary is a full-time Personal Finance Writer at Motley Fool Money, covering credit cards, bank accounts, investing, mortgages, and other personal finance topics. Joel has been writing about personal finance since 2018, previously leading editorial content for the How To Money podcast and serving as a resident writer at Budgets Are Sexy. He bought his first rental property at age 18, funding the down payment with savings from his high school job at McDonald’s -- a testament to his lifelong passion for smart money decisions. His work aims to make personal finance accessible and actionable for everyday readers. When he’s not writing, Joel enjoys surfing and spending time with his family.

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Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. Citi is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money.

Crushing credit card debt can feel impossible, but there is a way out. For many people, it starts with a smart balance transfer. The Citi Simplicity® Card and the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card both offer one of the longest grace periods I've seen: nearly two years of breathing room to pay down debt without watching interest pile up.

Both cards are designed for one goal: helping you stop the cycle of interest and finally make real progress. In fact, both of these Citi cards have more in common than not.

Don't wait. The sooner you act, the sooner you could put a stop to interest payments. Here's how to choose the card that fits you best.

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:

Image for
Image for
Citi Simplicity® Card Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
4.90/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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4.90/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
4.70/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
4.70/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Apply Now for Citi Simplicity® Card

On Citi's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Apply Now for Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

On Citi's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

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:

17.74% - 28.49% (Variable)

Regular APR:

16.74% - 27.49% (Variable)

Annual Fee: Circle with letter I in it. N/A

$0

Annual Fee: Circle with letter I in it. N/A

$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 17.74% - 28.49%, 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 16.74% - 27.49%, 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 External Link Icon

Apply Now for Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

On Citi's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Show More Arrow graphic to expand and collapse content Show Less Arrow graphic to expand and collapse content

At Motley Fool Money, every credit card we review is rated on a 5-star scale, scored to a tenth of a point. Our ratings weigh the features that matter most: rewards rates, 0% intro APR offers, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and purchase protections.

We score cards within four primary categories:

  • 0% intro APR cards for paying down balances or financing purchases
  • Travel cards for maximizing points, miles, and perks on the road
  • Cash back and rewards cards for everyday spending value
  • Business cards designed to fit company expenses and growth

Top-rated cards typically combine strong long-term value, attainable bonuses, low fees, and standout protections or perks.

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.

At Motley Fool Money, every credit card we review is rated on a 5-star scale, scored to a tenth of a point. Our ratings weigh the features that matter most: rewards rates, 0% intro APR offers, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and purchase protections.

We score cards within four primary categories:

  • 0% intro APR cards for paying down balances or financing purchases
  • Travel cards for maximizing points, miles, and perks on the road
  • Cash back and rewards cards for everyday spending value
  • Business cards designed to fit company expenses and growth

Top-rated cards typically combine strong long-term value, attainable bonuses, low fees, and standout protections or perks.

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 -- 17.74% - 28.49% (Variable) for Citi Simplicity® Card and 16.74% - 27.49% (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 cards are built for one mission: to help you stop paying interest and finally breathe again. Each has an intro APR offer spanning almost two years, no annual fee, and a real shot at turning financial stress into momentum.

That said, the Citi Simplicity® Card edges ahead for most people. It's the ultimate "debt hack" if you need extra forgiveness -- no late fees, no penalty APR, and a lower balance transfer fee when you move fast (within the first 4 months). It's built for real life -- when things get messy but progress still matters.

Choose Citi Simplicity® Card if you:

  • Want maximum forgiveness for late payments
  • Need a lower balance transfer fee (if you transfer early)
  • Prefer a simple, no-drama way to pay down debt

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
  • Plan to use the intro APR for new purchases and the balance transfer fee won't apply

Apply for the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card today and get one of the market's best intro APR offers for balance transfers (see rates and fees).

We aren't given many grace periods in life. This is a rare chance to make real progress. Don't wait -- the sooner you act, the sooner you can stop paying interest and start getting ahead.

FAQs

  • Both offer the same intro APR periods on balance transfers and purchases, 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.