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Editorial Disclosure We have not reviewed all available products or offers. Compensation may impact the order of which offers appear on page, but our editorial opinions and ratings are not influenced by compensation.
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Citi Simplicity Card Review: A Top Balance Transfer Credit Card With No Late Fees

Review Updated Feb. 14, 2023
Elizabeth Aldrich
By: Elizabeth Aldrich

Our Credit Cards Expert

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 our experts’ opinions aren’t influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.  Citi is an advertising partner of The Ascent.

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

Ratings Methodology
Citi Simplicity® Card
Apply Now for Citi Simplicity® Card

On Citi's Secure Website.

Citi Simplicity® Card

Apply Now for Citi Simplicity® Card

On Citi's Secure Website.

Citi Simplicity® Card
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50 stars
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

Credit Score:
Good/Excellent (670-850) 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.

Apply Now for Citi Simplicity® Card

On Citi's Secure Website.

Intro APR

Purchases: 0%, 12 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 21 months

Regular APR

18.49% - 29.24% (Variable)

Rewards

N/A

Annual Fee

$0

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening.

Lower intro balance transfer fee

  • With a long 0% intro APR offer, no late fees, no annual fee, and no penalty rate, this card is an unmatched pick.

    • Great intro APR
    • No annual fee
    • No late fees
    • No penalty APR
    • No rewards
    • Foreign transaction fee
    • No Late Fees, No Penalty Rate, and No Annual Fee... Ever
    • 0% Intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers from date of first transfer and 0% Intro APR for 12 months on purchases from date of account opening. After that the variable APR will be 18.49% - 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening.
    • There is an introductory balance transfer fee of $5 or 3% of the amount of the transfer, whichever is greater, for balance transfers completed within 4 months of account opening.
    • Stay protected with Citi® Quick Lock.

Full Citi Simplicity Card review

This credit card is a good fit for: Cardholders 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 21 months. It also offers 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases.

No late fees

One of the most unique perks is that there are no late fees, ever. 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 cards 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

In order to offer you maximum payment flexibility, Citi Simplicity® Card allows you to select a payment due date from a range of options that works best for you. This allows you to make payments right after you receive your paycheck so you don't have to worry about running out of money before your payment is due.

Compared to other top credit cards

  • This card: Citi Simplicity Card
  • For cash back: Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer
  • For a longer 0% intro APR on purchases: U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card

Read more: Best Citi Credit Cards

As of Mar. 27, 2023
Image for
Image for
Image for
Citi Simplicity® Card Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50 stars
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
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00 stars
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
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50 stars
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.

Apply Now for Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer

On Citi's Secure Website.

Apply Now for U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card

On U.S. Bank's Secure Website.

Read Full Review
Read Full Review
Rates & Fees

Credit Rating Requirement:

Good/Excellent (670-850) 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.

Credit Rating Requirement:

Good/Excellent (670-850) 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.

Credit Rating Requirement:

Good/Excellent (670-850) 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.

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening.

Lower intro balance transfer fee

Welcome Offer:

N/A

Welcome Offer:

N/A

Rewards Program:

N/A

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. 2% cash back: 1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay

Up to 2% cash back

Rewards Program:

N/A

Intro APR:

Purchases: 0%, 12 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 21 months

Intro APR: Circle with letter I in it. N/A

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: 0%, 18 months

Intro APR: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 billing cycles. After that, a variable APR currently 18.99% - 28.99% (Variable).

Purchases: 0%, 18 billing cycles on purchases

Balance Transfers: 0%, 18 billing cycles

Regular APR:

18.49% - 29.24% (Variable)

Regular APR:

18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)

Regular APR:

19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)

Annual Fee:

$0

Annual Fee:

$0

Annual Fee:

$0

Highlights:

  • No Late Fees, No Penalty Rate, and No Annual Fee... Ever
  • 0% Intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers from date of first transfer and 0% Intro APR for 12 months on purchases from date of account opening. After that the variable APR will be 18.49% - 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening.
  • There is an introductory balance transfer fee of $5 or 3% of the amount of the transfer, whichever is greater, for balance transfers completed within 4 months of account opening.
  • Stay protected with Citi® Quick Lock.

Highlights:

  • Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
  • To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
  • Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 18.49% - 28.49%, based on your creditworthiness.
  • Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
  • If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
  • 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).

Highlights:

  • 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 billing cycles. After that, a variable APR currently 19.24% - 29.24%.
  • Get up to $600 protection on your cell phone (subject to $25 deductible) against covered damage or theft when you pay your monthly cellular telephone bill with your U.S.Bank Visa® Platinum Credit Card. Certain terms, conditions, and exclusions apply.
  • Choose a payment due date that fits your schedule
  • No Annual Fee
  • Terms and conditions apply.
Apply Now for Citi Simplicity® Card

On Citi's Secure Website.

Apply Now for Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer

On Citi's Secure Website.

Apply Now for U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card

On U.S. Bank's Secure Website.

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

What could be improved

Balance transfer fee

For the first four months, the balance transfer fee is 3% or $5. After that, the balance transfer fee is 5% or $5, whichever is higher. This means that if you transfer a $5,000 balance, you'll pay an extra $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 cards lustre 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

Find the best credit card for your needs

Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.

Compare cards

Suggested credit score

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.

This credit card is right for you if:

The Citi Simplicity® Card is one of the best credit cards to 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

FAQs

Our Credit Cards Expert

Elizabeth Aldrich

Elizabeth is a personal finance writer specializing in credit cards, debt repayment, and small business. Her work has appeared on The Motley Fool, MSN Money, Yahoo! Finance, and Business Insider. She’s an avid credit card points collector and perpetual traveler currently living in Costa Rica.