Credit Cards Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Citi Simplicity^® Card vs. Citi^® Diamond Preferred^® Card: No Late Fees vs. Access to Entertainment?

The Citi Simplicity and Citi Diamond Preferred both offer lengthy 0% intro APR promotional periods. (Citi is a FinanceBuzz partner.)

By Yahia Barakah, CEPF
and Samantha Hawrylack

Edited by Allison Weston

Updated Sept. 13, 2024

We receive compensation from the products and services mentioned in this story, but the opinions are the author's own. Compensation may impact where offers appear. We have not included all available products or offers. Learn more about how we make money and our editorial policies.

4.5

4.4

Our view

If you have a balance to transfer, choosing the card with the longest 0% intro APR period is best.

Both the Citi Simplicity^® Card and Citi^® Diamond Preferred^® Card offer a 0% intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers and 12 months on purchases (the ongoing APR would be 19.24% - 29.99% (Variable) for Citi Simplicity^® Card and 18.24% - 28.99% (Variable) for Citi^® Diamond Preferred^® Card). While there’s no clear winner between the two, in my book, it comes down to whether you make credit card payments late or worry about your ability to make them on time in the future.

The Citi Simplicity card charges no late payment fees, which for some people can be an exceptional value. Otherwise, take advantage of Citi Diamond Preferred for its entertainment benefits.

If you have a balance to transfer, choosing the card with the longest 0% intro APR period is best.

The Citi Simplicity card charges no late payment fees, which for some people can be an exceptional value. Otherwise, take advantage of Citi Diamond Preferred for its entertainment benefits.

How we evaluate products

Citi Simplicity^® Card vs. Citi^® Diamond Preferred^® Card comparison

	Citi Simplicity^® Card 4.5 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Citi^® Diamond Preferred^® Card 4.4 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Card type	Balance transfer/0% APR	Balance transfer/0% APR
Annual fee	$0	$0
FinanceBuzz star ratings	4.5 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	4.4 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
FinanceBuzz value calculation¹	Year one earnings: $0 Year two earnings: $0	Year one earnings: $0 Year two earnings: $0
Intro APR	0% introductory APR on purchases for 12 months, then 19.24% - 29.99% (Variable) 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for 21 months, then 19.24% - 29.99% (Variable)	0% introductory APR on purchases for 12 months, then 18.24% - 28.99% (Variable) 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for 21 months, then 18.24% - 28.99% (Variable)
Balance transfer fee	3% of each balance transfer ($5 minimum) within 4 months of account opening; then 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) after the 4 month intro period ends	5% of each balance transfer ($5 minimum)
Other benefits	Citi Identity Theft Solutions Digital wallet technology $0 liability on unauthorized charges Choose your payment due date No late fees	Citi Identity Theft Solutions Digital wallet technology $0 liability on unauthorized charges Choose your payment due date Citi Entertainment
Foreign transaction fee	3%	3%
Credit needed	Excellent, Good	Excellent, Good
	Learn more	Learn more

When to go with Citi Simplicity

The Citi Simplicity and Citi Diamond Preferred are very similar cards, but the Simplicity card may be better if:

You often miss your due date and pay late fees
You have a large balance to transfer

You miss your due date often

If you miss your due date, which I don’t recommend, the Citi Simplicity card doesn’t penalize you with late fees or a penalty APR.

This can be a nice feature if you have irregular income and can’t always meet your due date.

Just be sure if you make late payments that they aren’t more than 30 days past due or it can damage your credit score, even if Citi doesn’t charge a late fee.

You need to transfer a large balance

While both the Citi Simplicity® and Diamond Preferred® card have promotional offers for balance transfers, you’ll pay less to transfer your balance to the Simplicity card versus Diamond Preferred on balances transferred.

Citi Simplicity®	Citi Diamond Preferred®
3% of each balance transfer ($5 minimum) within 4 months of account opening; then 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) after the 4 month intro period ends	5% of each balance transfer ($5 minimum)

When to go with Citi Diamond Preferred

Citi Diamond Preferred is very similar to Citi Simplicity minus the late payment forgiveness, but may be a better option if:

You like exclusive entertainment options and access to presale tickets

You enjoy live entertainment

If you love all things entertainment, the Citi Diamond Preferred card offers access to Citi Entertainment which offers exclusive access to events and ticket presales. Whether you love concerts, sporting events, or exclusive dining experiences, you’ll have access to all of this and more with Citi Entertainment.

Some of the most recent offerings for presale tickets and special offers include:

Presale tickets to The Last Airbender in Concert
Presale tickets to Rodney Carrington
Citi Preferred tickets to Blake Shelton’s show in Las Vegas
Citi Preferred tickets to Post Malone

Citi Preferred tickets are highly sought-after seats set aside for Citi cardholders. You need a special passcode, which you get when you log into your account, to purchase presale or Citi Preferred tickets.

Key differences between the two

There are four essential differences between the Citi Simplicity and the Citi Diamond Preferred.

Balance transfer fees

The Citi Simplicity charges 3% of each balance transfer ($5 minimum) within 4 months of account opening; then 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) after the 4 month intro period ends.

On the other hand, the Citi Diamond Preferred charges 5% of each balance transfer ($5 minimum). This means that the Citi Simplicity can be a better option for saving money on your balance transfers.

Winner: The Citi Simplicity because it has a lower balance transfer fee during the first four months, making it a more cost-effective option for transferring balances.

Late fees

The Citi Simplicity has no late fees, while the Citi Diamond Preferred charges a fee (See Terms). If you suspect you may be late with payments on occasion, then the Citi Simplicity would be a better bet. But remember, late payments can cause negative consequences to your FICO score, so it's always best to pay your bills on time.

Winner: The Citi Simplicity because it doesn’t charge any late fees, making it a better choice for those who may occasionally miss payment due dates.

Entertainment access

The Citi Simplicity doesn’t offer access to Citi Entertainment. The Citi Diamond Preferred, on the other hand, allows you as a cardholder to access unique entertainment opportunities, including concerts, sporting events, dining experiences, and more. It also enables you to access certain presale tickets before the general public.

Winner: Citi Diamond Preferred because it provides access to Citi Entertainment for special access to event bookings.

FAQs

Can I have both the Citi Simplicity and Citi Diamond Preferred?

As long as you can qualify for both cards, you can have both. Citi doesn't have a strict limit on the number of cards you can apply for, although they do require that you have eight days in between card applications and that you don’t apply for more than two Citi cards in a 65-day period.

Does the Citi Simplicity card have rewards?

The Citi Simplicity Card does not offer rewards. If you are interested in a balance transfer credit card that offers a rewards program and a generous intro APR promotional period, you may want to consider the Citi Double Cash^® Card. It gives you a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months (then 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)), and cardmembers can earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases; plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.

Does Citi Diamond Preferred have points?

The Citi Diamond Preferred card does not offer points or rewards. If you're open to applying for a rewards card from a different credit card issuer, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card could potentially be a good choice.

Cardmembers can earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day; and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply). This card also offers a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months, then 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)). Balance transfer fee applies.

Does Citibank give instant approval?

Citi provides instant approval, but in certain situations it may take longer to find out if you're approved for a card.

Is the Citi Diamond Preferred Card hard to get?

To be eligible for the Citi Diamond Preferred Card, you typically need to have a good to excellent credit score (a FICO score of 670 or higher). Citibank considers various factors when evaluating your creditworthiness, including your credit and payment history, debt-to-income ratio, and other relevant information.

Bottom line

The Citi Simplicity^® Card and Citi^® Diamond Preferred^® Card are very similar. The main difference is whether you regularly make late payments and want to avoid a late payment fee, or if you prefer access to Citi Entertainment.

I personally think Citi Simplicity offers a more robust financial benefit since it provides a safeguard for those unexpected times you must make a payment late.

Extended 0% Intro APR for Balance Transfers

Citi^® Diamond Preferred^® Card

4.4

Citi^® Diamond Preferred^® Card

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Rates and fees

Current Offer

Long introductory APR period for balance transfers

Annual Fee

Benefits and Drawbacks

Card Details

No annual fee & 0% Intro APR