Citi Simplicity vs. Diamond Preferred: Which is Best in 2024 (2024)

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John Kiernan, Credit Card Editor

Jul 9, 2024Fact checked

THE WINNER

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

Citi Diamond Preferred is the winner over the Citi Simplicity® Card. Citi Diamond Preferred wins by the thinnest of margins because it offers a slightly lower regular interest rate. Both the Citi Simplicity Card and Citi Diamond Preferred are among the best cards to get for introductory 0% APRs on purchases and balance transfers.

If you want to see where Citi Simplicity Card and Citi Diamond Preferred may differ, take a look at the comparison chart below.

WalletHub's credit card comparisons and ratings are completely independent and not provided, commissioned, or endorsed by any issuer. WalletHub independently collected information for

some of the cards

on this page.

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Citi Simplicity Card vs. Citi Diamond Preferred: Key Characteristics

Citi Simplicity® Card

2,542 Reviews

4.7WalletHub Rating

WalletHub Rating

4.7

This card has been scored using WalletHub’s proprietary credit card rating system. We evaluated this card for various cardholder needs and picked the rating for the need with the highest score, which is "Lower Cost of Existing Debt." A score of 5 is the best a card can receive, and the rating for the card may vary on different pages where it is compared to other cards for different needs.

Editor’s Rating

3.7

User Reviews

3.7

Market Comparison

5.0

fees: 5.0

cost: 5.0

APR: 5.0

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winner

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

Citi Simplicity Card vs. Citi Diamond Preferred: Other Fees

The Citi Simplicity Card does not charge a late fee or penalty APR, which should not matter if you pay your bill on time every month. Both Citi Simplicity Card and the Citi Diamond Preferred come with high regular APRs, too, but Citi Diamond Preferred carries a marginally lower range.

Both cards also charge a foreign transaction fee on all purchases processed outside of the U.S. So, rather than taking either card with you on your next trip abroad, use them at home to pay off high-interest debt or finance big-ticket purchases interest-free instead.

Citi Simplicity® Card

winner

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

foreign transaction fee

cash advance apr

29.99% (V)

cash advance fee

5% (min $10)

grace period

23 days

Additional Info

Citi Simplicity Card - Additional Info

The Citi Simplicity® Card is no longer available through WalletHub.com but may be available on the Citi website. Info about the card has been collected by us, the financial institution did not provide the details.
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 19.24% - 29.99%, 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 balances transfers completed within 4 months of account opening.
Stay protected with Citi® Quick Lock

Citi Diamond Preferred - Additional Info

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 18.24% - 28.99%, 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.

Citi Simplicity Card vs. Citi Diamond Preferred: Customer Reviews

The Citi Simplicity Card and the Citi Diamond Preferred get similar marks from our editors and users. The Citi Simplicity Card scored 3.7/5 stars in its full review, while the Citi Diamond Preferred got a 3.6/5 rating. The average user rating is even closer, with the Citi Simplicity Card getting 3.7 / 5 stars, while the Citi Diamond Preferred registers a rating of 3.7 / 5 stars.

Citi Simplicity Card vs. Citi Diamond Preferred: Ratings

Citi Simplicity® Card

winner

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

user reviews

2,542 Reviews

1,530 Reviews

EDITOR'S RATING

3.7 / 5

3.6 / 5

WALLETHUB RATING

4.7 / 5

WalletHub Rating

4.7

Editor’s Rating

3.7

User Reviews

3.7

Market Comparison

5.0

fees: 5.0

cost: 5.0

APR: 5.0

4.0 / 5

WalletHub Rating

4.0

Editor’s Rating

3.6

User Reviews

3.6

Market Comparison

4.1

fees: 5.0

cost: 3.3

APR: 5.0

BEST WHEN USED TO

Lower Cost of Existing Debt

About the Author

John S Kiernan

John Kiernan has covered the credit card industry for more than 15 years as a writer and editor for WalletHub. His work has been featured by major media outlets such as The Washington Post, Fox News and The New York Times and has been cited by industry regulators such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

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Still not sure?

Check out other popular cards from our partners related to Citi Simplicity® Card and Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card.

Citi Double Cash® Card

3.48 out of 5 rating2,144 Reviews2,144 User Reviews

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3.48 out of 5 rating2,144 Reviews2,144 User Reviews

4.9WalletHub Rating

WalletHub Rating

4.9

This card has been scored using WalletHub’s proprietary credit card rating system. We evaluated this card for various cardholder needs and picked the rating for the need with the highest score, which is "Improve Credit by Paying in Full Each Month." A score of 5 is the best a card can receive, and the rating for the card may vary on different pages where it is compared to other cards for different needs.

Editor’s Rating

5.0

User Reviews

3.4

Market Comparison

5.0

fees: 5.0

rewards: 5.0

cost: 5.0

Other Features: 5.0

Purchase Intro APR→Not Offered

Transfer Intro APR→0% for 18 months|Transfer Fee: 3% intro fee ($5 min) for each transfer in first 4 months, after that 5% ($5 min) for each transfer

Regular APR→19.24% - 29.24% (V)

Purchase Intro APR

Not Offered

Transfer Intro APR

0% for 18 months|Transfer Fee: 3% intro fee ($5 min) for each transfer in first 4 months, after that 5% ($5 min) for each transfer

Regular APR

19.24% - 29.24% (V)

annual fee

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

3.94 out of 5 rating431 Reviews431 User Reviews

Apply Now

3.94 out of 5 rating431 Reviews431 User Reviews

4.1WalletHub Rating

WalletHub Rating

4.1

This card has been scored using WalletHub’s proprietary credit card rating system. We evaluated this card for various cardholder needs and picked the rating for the need with the highest score, which is "Earn Rewards." A score of 5 is the best a card can receive, and the rating for the card may vary on different pages where it is compared to other cards for different needs.

Editor’s Rating

4.6

User Reviews

3.9

Market Comparison

4.1

fees: 2.9

rewards: 4.0

cost: 4.8

Other Features: 0.0

Purchase Intro APR→Not Offered

Transfer Intro APR→Not Offered

Regular APR→21.24% - 29.24% (V)

Purchase Intro APR

Not Offered

Transfer Intro APR

Not Offered

Regular APR

21.24% - 29.24% (V)

annual fee

$95

rewards rate

1 - 10 points / $1

Bonus Offer

70,000 points

Bonus Offer

70,000 points

accepted credit

Excellent Credit, Good Credit

Pros

70,000 points initial bonus
High rewards rate
No foreign-transaction fees

Cons

$95 annual fee
No 0% intro rates
High regular APR

Rewards Details

Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
Earn 10 points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
Earn 3 points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
$100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card

Additional Info

No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases

Pros, Cons, & Details

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Questions & Answers

Comparing credit cards can be tough. But you’ve got the knowledgeable WalletHub community on your side. We encourage everyone to share their knowledge while respecting our content guidelines. Please keep in mind that editorial and user-generated content on this page is not reviewed or otherwise endorsed by any financial institution. In addition, it is not the financial institution’s responsibility to ensure all posts and questions are answered. WalletHub independently collected information for some of the cards on this page.

What are the best Citi Diamond Preferred Card benefits?

Chip Lupo, Credit Card Writer

@CLoop

The best Citi Diamond Preferred Credit Card benefits are ID theft protection and $0 fraud liability. These perks are certainly good to have, though it's important to note that they are also relatively common credit cards benefits.

Citi Diamond Preferred Credit Card Benefits

ID theft protection
$0 fraud liability
EMV chip technology
Citi Entertainment
Rewards of N/A on purchases

While these benefits aren't bad, the Citi Diamond Preferred credit card simply doesn't have as many benefits as a lot of the other credit cards on the market. To learn more, check out WalletHub's full Citi Diamond Preferred review.

Upvotes

What is the credit limit on a Citi Diamond Preferred card?

Maria Adams, Credit Cards Moderator

@m_adams

The credit limit on a Citi Diamond Preferred card is $500 or more, with some cardholders reporting $10,000+ starting credit limits. Citibank will determine your specific credit limit based on factors such as your credit history, annual income, and any debt you owe.

Keep in mind that you need at least good credit to get approved for the Citi Diamond Preferred card. For your best chances at a high credit limit, you'll want good-to-excellent credit and plenty of disposable income.

Even if you...

Upvotes

How do I contact Citi Simplicity customer service?

WalletHub

@WalletHub

The easiest way to contact the Citi Simplicity Card customer service is online, either by logging into your account or through Citi Mobile app, or by calling them at (866) 696-5673. Alternatively, you can either contact customer service by mail or visit a local Citi branch.

How to Reach the Citi Simplicity Card Customer Service

Online: Log in to Citi Online or use the Citi Mobile App to live chat with a customer service representative.
Phone Number: (866) 696-5673. From the automated system,...

Upvotes

What's the Citi Simplicity credit score requirement?

Maria Adams, Credit Cards Moderator

@m_adams

The Citi Simplicity Card credit score requirement is 700 or higher. This means that you need at least good credit to get this card.

It is also worth noting that you never can be 100% sure whether you'll be approved just by credit score alone. Your credit score is only one of the aspects Citi will look at when making a decision on your application. Your debt, annual income, and any past negative marks on your...

Upvotes

Does the Citi Diamond Preferred card offer rewards?

Maria Adams, Credit Cards Moderator

@m_adams

No, the Citi Diamond Preferred card doesn't offer any rewards on purchases. This card is aimed at people who want to save on purchases, as it offers a purchase intro APR of 0% for 12 months. Citi Diamond Preferred also has a transfer intro APR of 0% for 21 months, with a 5% (min $5) balance transfer fee. The card's regular APR is 18.24% - 28.99% (V).

If you're looking for a credit card with rewards there are several options available from different issuers. One good card is the...

Upvotes

What are the Citi Simplicity Card rewards?

Maria Adams, Credit Cards Moderator

@m_adams

The Citi Simplicity Card does not offer any rewards. Instead of rewards, this card offers an intro APR of 0% for 12 months on new purchases and 0% for 21 months on balance transfers and has a $0 annual fee. The card's regular APR is 19.24% - 29.99% (V). There is also a balance transfer fee of 3% intro fee ($5 min) for each transfer in first 4 months, and 5% ($5 min) for each transfer after that.

The Citi Simplicity Card is one of the best balance transfer credit cards on the market right now. However, if a rewards credit card is what you are looking for, there are several...

Upvotes

What credit score do I need for the Citi Diamond Preferred card?

Roy Vreer

@roy_vreer

That would be anywhere above 700.

View more answers

Upvotes

How do I reach Citi Diamond Preferred customer service?

WalletHub

@WalletHub

To talk to Citi Diamond Preferred customer service, call 1 (800) 950-5114 and then enter the last four digits of your card number. If you don't have your card, be prepared to provide other verifying information, such as your Social Security number (SSN) and You will then hear a brief summary of your account. You can say “skip” at any time to bypass the account summary. This process will get you in contact with a live representative who should...

Upvotes

Is Citi Diamond Preferred a good balance transfer card?

Bogdan Roberts, Credit Cards Moderator

@bogdan_roberts

Yes, Citi Diamond Preferred is a good balance transfer card for people with good credit or better who need a long time to pay off their balance. Citi Diamond Preferred lets you do that at a reduced rate. It offers an introductory APR of 0% for 21 months on balance transfers. It also has a $0 annual fee.

Citi Diamond Preferred Balance Transfers: Things to Know

Citi Diamond Preferred's balance transfer fee is 5% (min $5).
Transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening...

Upvote

Is a secured loan a good idea?

Erinn Dimond

@Erinn.dimond

A secured personal loan is a good idea if you have a low credit score, you're sure you can repay the loan on schedule, and you own an asset that is worth at least as much as the loan you want. Putting up collateral to secure your loan can make it easier to get approved when you have a low score. It should also result in a lower interest rate than you'd get otherwise. However,...

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