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January 7, 2012, Updated March 7, 2013 1:23 PM PT
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Citi Simplicity Review: 0% Intro APR for 18 Months

Read more about Citi Simplicity® Card

By not charging for late payments or over-limit spending, the Citi Simplicity Card gives cardholders some breathing room when it comes to managing their credit. Plus, with an 18-month 0% introductory APR and a straightforward single rate for purchases, balance transfers, and cash advances, this card is a smart pick for people who carry a balance. In exchange for this flexibility, the Citi Simplicity Card does not have a rewards program.

Citi Simplicity Card
Apply for Citi Simplicity Card
  • 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers and Purchases for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 12.99% - 21.99% based on your creditworthiness.
  • There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
  • No late fees - EVER
  • No penalty rate - EVER
  • No annual fee - EVER
  • Save time when you call with fast, personal help, 24 hours a day.
  • Go to issuer's official application, terms, and details
Car Rental InsuranceExtended WarrantyPurchase ProtectionBaggage InsuranceTravel Accident Insurance$0 Fraud LiabilityIdentity Theft Assistance
Intro APR for PurchasesIntro APR for Balance TransferRegular APRAnnual Fee
0% for 18 months
0% for 18 months
12.99% - 21.99% (Variable)
$0

Overall Score

4.5

Fees

5.0

Benefits

4.0
5-point scale (the higher, the better)

Pros and Cons

  • 0% intro APR for 18 months
  • No late fees
  • No penalty interest rate
  • No annual fee
  • No rewards

Bottom Line

Excellent card for people who carry a balance

No Annual Fee, Late Fee or Penalty Rate

This card charges no annual fee and avoids many of the other fees associated with credit cards, such as a penalty rate for late payments. Other credit cards may raise your monthly interest rate to an APR penalty rate of 29.99% if you are late with a payment. Cards can also charge you a fee and the penalty interest rate if you spend over the credit limit on your card.

The Citi Simplicity does not charge any of these fees. You can use this card without worrying about excess fees on your account.

0% Introductory APR

The Citi Simplicity Credit Card also offers a generous introductory APR. For the first 18 months of this card, you do not owe any interest on your account balance. This applies to both purchases and to balance transfers from other cards.

The card does charge a one-time 3% fee on balance transfers, with a minimum charge of $5. If you transfer over $1,000, you will owe an additional $30 because of the fee. While transfers are not free, the fee is significantly lower than paying interest on a balance for almost two years.

After the first 18 months, this card charges a variable APR of 12.99% to 21.99% based on your creditworthiness. This APR is the same for purchases, balance transfers and cash advances. Typically, cards charge a much higher cash advance APR.

No Rewards

The downside of the Citi Simplicity Credit Card is that it does not offer any sort of rewards program. Your purchases on this card do not generate any points for cash back, hotel visits or travel tickets. The lack of a rewards program means that Citi can keep the fees on this card low. If you pay off your balance in full every month, you are probably better off using a rewards card.

Pros

  • No penalty charge on late payments or purchases over the credit line
  • No penalty APR for late payments or purchases over the credit line
  • 0% introductory APR for the first 18 months
  • Low 3% fee on balance transfers
  • No annual fee

Cons

  • No rewards program
  • Only balance transfers made in the first 4 months of the account qualify for the 0% introductory APR

Bottom Line

The lack of most common fees (annual fees, late fees, and penalty rates) and a long introductory APR make this a fantastic card for consumers who carry a balance and are occasionally late with a payment. Cardholders who pay off their balance every billing cycle are better off with a rewards card.

Next Step: View the issuer's official application, terms, and details

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Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by the company whose products are featured on this site. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or evaluations provided here are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the Advertiser. This site may be compensated through the Advertiser's affiliate programs.

Disclaimer: This content was first published on January 7, 2012. This content may have been updated on March 7, 2013. Information including APR, terms and benefits may vary, be out of date, or not applicable to you. Information is provided without warranty. Please check Citi website for updated information.

More Articles in Review

Citi Simplicity Card
Apply for Citi Simplicity Card
  • 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers and Purchases for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 12.99% - 21.99% based on your creditworthiness.
  • There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
  • No late fees - EVER
  • No penalty rate - EVER
  • No annual fee - EVER
  • Save time when you call with fast, personal help, 24 hours a day.
  • Go to issuer's official application, terms, and details
Car Rental InsuranceExtended WarrantyPurchase ProtectionBaggage InsuranceTravel Accident Insurance$0 Fraud LiabilityIdentity Theft Assistance
Intro APR for PurchasesIntro APR for Balance TransferRegular APRAnnual Fee
0% for 18 months
0% for 18 months
12.99% - 21.99% (Variable)
$0

Compare Citi Simplicity to:

Citi ThankYou Preferred Rewards Card

Citi ThankYou® Preferred Rewards Card

Intro APR (Purchases)Intro APR (Balance Transfer)Regular APR
0% for 12 months
0% for 12 months
12.99% - 22.99% (Variable)
Introductory Bonus Reward PointsPoint RewardsBonus Reward PointsNo Expiration on Rewards
  • Earn 15,000 bonus ThankYou Points after $1000 in card purchases within 3 months of account opening – enough for $150 in gift cards or other great rewards!
  • 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers and Purchases for 12 months. After that, the variable APR will be 12.99%-22.99% based upon your creditworthiness*
  • Earn 1 ThankYou Point for every $1 you spend on all purchases
  • No expiration and no limit on the points you can earn
  • Redeem ThankYou Points for merchandise, travel rewards, gift cards, cash and more
  • Earn extra points when you shop through the ThankYou® Bonus Center, a network of 600+ retailers you know and love
  • Travel with ease and enjoy global acceptance with Chip Technology
  • No annual fee*
Apply for Citi ThankYou Preferred Rewards Card
Citi Diamond Preferred Card

Citi Diamond Preferred® Card

Intro APR (Purchases)Intro APR (Balance Transfer)Regular APR
0% for 18 months
0% for 18 months
11.99% - 21.99% (Variable)
ConciergeEventsCar Rental InsuranceExtended Warranty
  • Get 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers and Purchases for 18 months. After that, the APR will be 11.99%-21.99% based upon your creditworthiness.*
  • There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer.
  • Citi® Price Rewind searches for a lower price. Learn how you can get lower price after you purchase an item.
  • Let our 24/7 concierge service help book your hotel rooms, flights and more.
  • Enjoy special access to presale tickets, preferred seating, VIP packages, and unique entertainment experiences through Citi Private Pass®.
  • $0 liability on unauthorized purchases and Citi® Identity Theft Solutions
  • No annual fee*
Apply for Citi Diamond Preferred Card
Discover it

Discover it®

Intro APR (Purchases)Intro APR (Balance Transfer)Regular APR
0% for 6 months
0% for 18 months
10.99% - 22.99% (Variable)
Cash Back RewardsBonus Cash BackNo Limits on RewardsExtended Warranty
  • The new Discover it card is out to change the way people think about credit cards.
  • Fair...No annual fee. No overlimit fee. No foreign transaction fee & no pay-by-phone fee. No late fee on your first late payment. And we won't increase your APR for paying late.*
  • Generous...5% Cashback Bonus on up to $1,500 in purchases at Home Improvement Stores now through June with free and easy sign-up. And 1% cash back on all other purchases.*
  • Plus a Cashback Concierge(SM) who guides a free, personalized online tour to help you get the most rewards for how you use your card.
  • Flexible...Choose your own due date and pay up to midnight ET online or by phone.
  • Human...talk to a real person any time with 100% U.S.-based service.
  • 0% Intro APR* on balance transfers for 18 months. Then the variable purchase APR applies, currently 10.99% - 22.99%.
  • 0% Intro APR* on purchases for 6 months. Then the variable purchase APR applies, currently 10.99% - 22.99%. *Click apply for Terms & Conditions.
Apply for Discover it

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Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuer. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through the credit card issuer Affiliate Program.