Best Citi Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Interest payments can make existing credit card debt or new purchases cost more, but credit cards offering 0% APR promotions can help you save while you pay down a balance over time. Here are some of the other perks you can find in select Citi balance transfer cards:

• Extra-long APR periods, which give you a hefty amount of time to pay down a large balance.

• A sign-up bonus, which can make a major purchase even more rewarding.

• Ongoing rewards, which can be helpful if you plan to keep using the card after you pay down the balance.

• No late fees, which can save you an added cost if you accidentally miss your payment due date.

Each of these Citi cards offers some, though not all, of these benefits. Typically, you’d need good or excellent credit (corresponding to a FICO score of 690 to 850) to qualify for them.

Rewards: Earn 2% cash back on all purchases (1% back as you buy, 1% back as you pay).

Welcome offer: None.

Annual fee: $0.

APR: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months, and then the ongoing APR of 13.99%-23.99% Variable APR.

The Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer has a generous no-interest period for balance transfers, and it charges a relatively modest 3% balance transfer fee if you transfer in the first 4 months of cardholding. Plus, its high cash-back rate for all purchases makes it a card worth holding onto even after you’ve paid down your debt. However, there’s no 0% APR promotion for new purchases, and the card doesn’t offer a sign-up bonus.

Rewards: None.

Welcome offer: None.

Annual fee: $0.

APR: 0% Intro APR for 21 months on Balance Transfers and 12 months on Purchases, and then the ongoing APR of 13.74%-23.74% Variable APR.

If your main goal is debt repayment, it’s hard to beat nearly two interest-free years to pay off a transferred balance. The no-interest promotion isn’t as long for new purchases, however, and the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card doesn’t earn rewards. Also note the 5% balance transfer fee, which is on the higher side, but the extra cost might be worth it to you in exchange for those additional months to repay your balance.

Rewards: None.

Welcome offer: None.

Annual fee: $0.

APR: 0% Intro APR for 21 months on Balance Transfers and 12 months on Purchases, and then the ongoing APR of 14.74%-24.74% Variable APR.

The Citi Simplicity® Card offers the same 0% APR promotion as the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card, with an added feature: no late fees or penalty APR. If you’ve forgotten a credit card bill or two in the past and want the cushion from financial consequences just in case, this is a helpful benefit. Otherwise, the card offers no sign-up bonus or rewards, and the balance transfer fee is on the high end at 5%.

• Earn 2 ThankYou points per $1 at supermarkets and gas stations on up to $6,000 in spending per year, and 1 point per $1 after that.

• Earn 1 ThankYou point per $1 on all other purchases.

• Round up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase (so if you spend $3, you’ll earn 10 points, for example).

• Get 10% of your points back when you redeem them, on up to 100,000 points per year.

Welcome offer: Earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com. For a limited time, earn 5 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on air travel and hotels up to $6,000 in the first 12 months and then 1 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent thereafter.

Annual fee: $0.

APR: 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months from date of first transfer and on purchases from date of account opening, and then the ongoing APR of 13.49%-23.49% Variable APR.

In exchange for a less robust 0% APR offer, the Citi Rewards+® Card offers a sign-up bonus and the ability to earn Citi ThankYou points on purchases. This is a helpful mix of benefits if you want to earn rewards on spending while paying down a balance over time. But other cards, like the Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer, have a higher ongoing rewards rate for all kinds of purchases, not just groceries and gas.