Key takeaways
- Citi has several credit cards that come with a balance transfer offer, although terms and details vary widely.
- For example, some Citi credit cards in this niche offer rewards for spending, whereas others include longer intro APR offers.
- The best Citi balance transfer offer for you depends on factors like whether you want an intro APR for balance transfers and purchases, and whether you want to earn rewards for spending.
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A balance transfer allows you to transfer a high-interest balance to a new card with a lower APR or even a 0 percent APR for a limited time. That allows cardholders facing credit card debt to make repayments without accruing more interest charges.
Like other major credit card issuers, Citi offers a few 0 percent intro APR cards on purchases, balance transfers or both for a limited time. Some of these balance transfer cards offer rewards or extra-long intro periods.
Just know that Citi doesn’t allow balance transfers from one Citi card to another Citi card. If you have debt on a Citi card, you’ll want to look for a balance transfer offer from another issuer.
Top balance transfer Citi cards
Best for a long intro period for no fees
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With one of the longest balance transfer intro periods on the market, the Citi Simplicity® Card could be the right tool to help you start repaying credit card debt. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. Even so, you could still save a lot of money compared to paying interest on a balance. For example, if you transferred a balance of $2,000, you’d pay a $60 balance transfer fee and make interest-free monthly payments of $95 for 21 months (then a 18.24% – 28.99% (Variable) APR). If that balance accrued the average credit card interest rate of 20.09 percent on the original card, you’d pay $388.66 in interest over the same time frame.
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Pros
- The 0 percent intro period on balance transfers is one of the longest on the market.
- The card doesn’t charge late fees, penalty fees or an annual fee, making it a safer choice for practicing debt repayment.
Cons
- The card doesn’t offer rewards or a welcome bonus.
- If you don’t pay off the balance by the end of the intro period, it will start accruing interest just like any other card.
Best for a long intro period and lower APR
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The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card offers the same 21-month 0 percent intro APR on balance transfers as the Simplicity card above, although with a higher balance transfer fee: 5 percent (or $5 minimum) balance transfer fee. By consolidating multiple credit card balances onto the card, you only have to manage one monthly payment. And after the intro period ends, a 17.24% – 27.99% (Variable) APR kicks in, which is a better rate than that of the average credit card.
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Pros
- Spread out payments for a large balance transfer over the longest 0 percent intro period available.
- Get access to Citi Entertainment for tickets to concerts, sporting events, dining experiences and more.
Cons
- No rewards means this card won’t offer much value once the balance transfer offer ends.
- The balance transfer fee is slightly higher than that of some other cards.
Best for flat-rate cash back
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If you can pay off your balance transfer within 18 months at 0 percent interest, then you could use the Citi Double Cash® Card to also earn up to 2 percent cash back on all eligible purchases. You’ll get 1 percent when you buy and another 1 percent when you pay it off. Plus, you can snag a $200 cash back welcome bonus after spending $1,500 in the first six months. It also offers a not-too-shabby intro 0 percent APR on balance transfers for 18 months (then a 18.24% – 28.24% (Variable) APR). There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening.
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Pros
- If the intro period is long enough for you, this card offers better rewards and benefits than the more bare-bones cards with longer intro periods.
- The flat rate is one of the highest on the market, making this a popular option for flat-rate rewards fans.
Cons
- While the card offers an intro 0 percent intro APR on balance transfers, it doesn’t on purchases, so you won’t be able to finance a new purchase interest-free with the card.
- You only get the second half of your cash back if you pay off the purchase.
Best for customizable rewards
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With a 15-month intro 0 percent APR period on balance transfers, the Citi Custom Cash® Card also lets you earn 5 percent cash back on your top eligible spending category each billing cycle up to $500 spent, then 1 percent. That’s an impressively high bonus category rate, and you don’t have to activate or choose the category — it’s automatic. You can also tap into 4 percent cash back on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on Citi Travel (through June 30, 2026), 1 percent on everything else and a $200 cash back welcome bonus after spending $1,500 in the first six months. Plus, you’ll have an intro 15 months no interest on balance transfers (then a 18.24% – 28.24% (Variable) APR).
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Pros
- Even if your primary goal is to pay off a balance transfer, you could continue using this card to earn high rewards on your top spending category for months or years to come.
- The card also offers a 0 percent intro APR for 15 months on new purchases, allowing you to finance a big expense.
Cons
- You can only earn top rewards in one category, and the high-earning rate is capped at $500 per billing cycle.
- The balance transfer period is shorter than that of other Citi cards.
Best for travel, groceries and gas
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To lock in a 15-month intro 0 percent APR on balance transfers while earning 5X points on rental car, hotel and attraction purchases with Citi Travel (ends 12/31/2025) and 2X points on supermarkets and gas stations (on up to $6,000 in purchases per year, then 1X points), you could go for the Citi Rewards+® Card. You’ll earn 1X points on everything else, and all purchases round up to the nearest 10 points — taking your earnings further. And you can secure a 20,000-point welcome bonus after spending $1,500 in the first three months. Remember, after the intro period, a 17.74% – 27.74% (Variable) APR applies.
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Pros
- Pay off credit card debt interest-free for 15 months while earning rewards on common expenses.
- Take advantage of the unusual, but helpful, 10-point roundup on every purchase.
Cons
- Points can be redeemed for travel — among other options — through Citi Travel, but not with transfer partners, thus limiting their value.
- The 2X rewards spending cap for groceries and gas is relatively low.
Comparing the best balance transfer Citi card
| Card name | Best for | Annual fee | Recommended credit score | Balance transfer offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citi Simplicity® Card | Long intro period for no fees | $0 | Excellent, Good |
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| Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card | Long intro period and lower APR | Excellent, Good |
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| Citi Double Cash® Card | Flat-rate cash back | $0 | Good to Excellent |
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| Citi Custom Cash® Card* | Customizable rewards | $0 | Excellent, Good |
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| Citi Rewards+® Card* | Travel, groceries and gas | $0 | Excellent, Good |
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Bankrate insight
Balance transfer Citi cards typically require a good-to-excellent credit score. If you have bad or fair credit, consider our top picks for cards for bad credit.
Balance transfer Citi cards typically require a good-to-excellent credit score. If you have bad or fair credit, consider our top picks for cards for bad credit.
How to choose a balance transfer Citi card
If you’re set on a balance transfer card from Citi, here are a few deciding factors:
- Calculate the length of balance transfer intro period you need. Some Citi balance transfer cards offer the longest intro periods on the market, at 21 months. Others offer 18 or 15 months but better ongoing card perks. Depending on how much credit card debt you want to transfer, you might need more or less time to pay it off interest-free.
- Compare fees and APRs. Some Citi cards are very similar, with the only differences being no fees on one card (Simplicity card) versus a slightly lower minimum APR (Diamond Preferred and Rewards+ cards). If you’re worried you might make a late payment or carry a balance after the intro period ends, those perks are worth considering.
- Choose the type of rewards you want to earn. Maybe you don’t need to earn rewards — you only want plenty of time to pay off your balance. Or you might want to earn cash back over points, or vice versa. There’s a Citi balance transfer card for each option, so choose accordingly.
How to use your Citi card for a balance transfer
You can get pre-qualified for a Citi card, making it easier to know your approval odds for the card you want. Once you’re approved for a card, it’s time to start the balance transfer.
Generally, the credit limit you’re approved for is also the balance transfer limit. You’ll provide the issuer name, account number and amount you want to transfer from your other credit card. Then, Citi will contact the issuer to pay off the balance and transfer it to your new card.
Upon opening the new account, you have a set number of months to carry a balance without accruing interest charges. The goal is to pay off your debt before the regular APR kicks in. Or, some debtors might focus on paying off other high-interest debt while this balance stays interest-free.
Just keep in mind that once the intro period ends, the card will function like any other card. You’ll accrue interest charges on any unpaid balance.
What’s next?
The bottom line
The best Citi credit cards for balance transfers can offer you a break from interest charges while paying off credit card debt. But the card you apply for might depend on how long you need to pay off the balance or whether you want to earn rewards. Citi offers solid options in the balance transfer world, but you could also compare these options to the best balance transfer credit cards from other issuers.
Frequently asked questions
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It can take two to 21 days for Citi to complete a balance transfer. In the meantime, you can make charges on the card and pay off the revolving balance to keep your credit utilization low. How long a balance transfer takes can also vary by issuer.
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Balance transfers typically charge between 3 and 5 percent of the balance being transferred, with a minimum charge of $5 to $10. If you transfer $3,000 at a 3 percent rate, you’ll pay a $90 fee. But as long as you’re taking advantage of a 0 percent intro APR offer, the fee is usually worth the amount you’ll save in interest for that time period.
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The time it takes to repay a credit card balance depends on the size of the balance, the interest rate — which could be 0 percent with a balance transfer card — and the amount you can afford in monthly payments. Bankrate’s balance transfer calculator lets you input those factors to see when your debt will be paid off and how much money you’ll save in interest.
*Information about the Citi Custom Cash® Card and Citi Rewards+® Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
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