Citi Simplicity Card Review - Transfer Your Balance Easily With Low Fees
Editor’s Note: Thank you for your interest, this offer expired and is no longer available. Find more of the other best balance transfer credit cards offers.
The most popular feedback I receive when reviewing cards pertains to fees. Most users seem to be allergic to annual fees, balance transfer fees, and others, regardless of the quality of the rewards program or bonus offer. Even when the rewards overshadow the fees, consumers shy away. I do believe you shouldn’t pay any fee you shouldn’t have to pay, though, and when there is a rewards program available without fees, the cards with fees are less attractive. Citi has caught onto the aversion to fees, and has launched a new card that has fewer types of fees than most.
The Citi Simplicity® Card is perfect for the conscientious credit cardholder, with a 0% introductory APR on both purchases and balance transfers for 18 months. Balance transfers do trigger balance transfer fee of 3% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum, but that can still make balance transfers from high-APR cards worthwhile. After the introductory period, purchases and balance transfers will be a variable APR currently between 12.99% – 22.99%, based on your creditworthiness.
The Citi Simplicity Card has a cash advance fee of either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater and the APR on cash advances is the same low 12.99% – 22.99% variable APR that’s charged for purchases.
The Citi Simplicity Card does not carry an annual fee, late payment fee or penalty rate – ever. For example, if a cardholder is on vacation overseas and forgets to schedule an automatic payment, Citi will not charge the $25 to $39 late fee common on almost any other card. In addition, the card does not carry an over limit fee. If you are using the credit card in an emergency (after your emergency fund is exhausted, naturally) and need to exceed your credit limit, Citi will not charge a fee. Although Citi is not charging its customers of this card for these actions, there still may be a penalty eventually. For those who pay late (or not at all) or exceed their limit often, Citi may choose to close the account.
The Citi Simplicity Card was designed to take the stress out of owning a credit card, just as the name of the card implies. You won’t find a rewards program with this card, but for cardholders who are interested in paying as little in interest and fees as possible, this is one of the best cards out there. Any consumer who uses credit to make ends meet may want to consider applying for the Citi Simplicity Card.
Article comments
At the time I couldn’t figure out what went wrong, but about three months later I found the envelope with the payment in it and a stamp on it. I was traveling and put it in my suitcase an forgot it. Hey, stuff happens. That was about three years ago. I gave them the $9,000 I owed them, put the card in a drawer and never used it again.
BEWARE! Just learned the hard way they send you an invitation for a 12.99 APR after 18 months, then they send you the credit card with an APR of 21.99!!!! Thought it was a mistake and could be easily corrected.
I called and fought with them for an hour. I went up the chain 3 managers and no one could or would fix it! I have an excellent credit rating so all I got out of this was losing 8 points on my credit report because they made a hard inquiry. Needless to say, they are frauds and use deceptive practices. Guess we’re paying for the countless layers of management with no authority. I’m just outraged with this company. Of course I cancelled my card.
Two drawbacks to this card for me:
1. Very low intro credit line so it does not lent itself well to balance transfers or travel. I am established with high limits on my other two cards which normally carry no balances. I have very high credit score. Citi will not increase me.
2. While traveling, store had trouble with card and had me call cust svc. I had to listen to them upsell their other services before they would help with problems! The store clerk and the customers behind me could hear this while all were kept waiting. Very upsetting. I had to call again to inform of my travel and again had to listen to the cheesey upsell pitches. As soon as they finish one pitch they start the next and the next. Disgusting.
Hi Maggie. I commented on about five or six different pages about this card. Not everybody reads every credit card review page on the Internet. Therefore each page reaches a different audience. What I have to say is honest and it’s relevant.
Michael,
I agree with Maggie, get a life troll….
Peyton Manning
okay Michael why have you commented on every single credit card page for this card? jesus christ.
I’ve had the Citi Simplicity card for since 1999. I started out with about 10% to 11% APR. About a year ago they raised it to 23%. No reason. My credit score at the time was 830. In July I missed a $20 payment because I forgot. I did it again. This time I actually found the statement with the payment part torn off, so I had put it in an envelope an then misplaced it somehow. Now, rate is 30% and limit dropped from $27,600 to current balance ( $9,000 ). I’m using auto pay and alerts now. Yep, my fault but I was an exemplary customer for 12 years. Now I’m trash because I misplaced an envelope. 23% is ridiculous to start with but I used it as a last resort when expenses came up. “the best card out there” huh? Man I’m just shaking my head on that one…
Citi does charge a cash advance fee for the Simplicity Card. It’s 5% with a $10 minimum. Still, there’s a lot of other things to like about this card.
If you’re into Discover cards (or are just into avoiding fees) you should actually hold out for the discover no balance transfer fee card. It’s a promotional offer from Discover that usually comes around once a year. Like all discover cards, the card also comes with no annual fee…so for BT’s its perfect because you’ll incur zero $ in fees. Plus, you’ll get a promotional 0% APR period of around 12-18 months. You gotta keep your eyes peeled for it though, because they’ll only issue it for a few weeks to a month out of the year…
I normally get the zero fee balance transfer offer on my discover card once a year. It actually showed up last week. I just don’t have cards with balances to transfer over. I don’t mind the hoops of buying coins from the mint to pay some bills with leave some in checking to pay another card (just once again no need). This method works with any card anyway.
Discover charges fees on some cash advances, but not all. If you use your Discover card at a point of sale and get cash back at the register (no matter how much) it is treated as part of the purchase. If you use the check or atm for cash advance then they charge a 3-5% or $10 minimum fee. Buy a pack of gum and get $100 cash back, no fee -$100.50 charged to card at normal APR. Get $100 at the ATM in the store pay the $10 minimum charge – $110 charged to card at cash advance APR.