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Key takeaways
- Balance transfer cards can be a helpful financial tool for paying off credit card debt or an expensive purchase over time without incurring interest charges.
- The U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card* offers a cellphone protection benefit, not commonly found with this type of card, and one of the longest intro rates on the market.
- The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card offers a long introductory APR period, granting up to 21 months to pay for balance transfers completed within four months of account opening.
Citi is an advertising partner.
For cardholders who carry a balance and owe thousands of dollars in credit card debt, rewards and cash back should be the last thing on their minds. While earning cash back is a benefit of carrying a credit card, the average credit card interest rate is currently over 20 percent, which outweighs any rewards you’ll be earning. The best plan of action is to eliminate your debt before you start enjoying those rewards.
This is where simple balance transfer cards like the U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card* and Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card come in handy.
While 0 percent APR credit cards might seem boring, this type of card can help you pay down debt faster and without interest. But if you plan to take this route, which of the top balance transfer cards should you choose?
Main details
| U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card | Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | N/A | N/A |
| Rewards rate | N/A | N/A |
| Intro APR |
APR |
APR |
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 |
U.S. Bank Shield Visa vs. Citi Diamond Preferred highlights
Welcome bonus winner
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It’s fairly standard for credit cards with longer 0 percent intro APR periods to not offer a welcome bonus. While occasionally these types of cards can offer limited time offers, currently neither of these cards have a welcome bonus.
Rewards rate winner
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There are no rewards programs associated with either the U.S. Bank Shield Visa or Citi Diamond Preferred since these two cards are primarily balance transfer cards.
0% intro APR winner
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Both the Citi Diamond Preferred and U.S. Bank Shield have similar offers. However, when you look at the details, the U.S Bank Shield is the winner — but only by a few inches. The Citi Diamond Preferred offers a 0 percent introductory APR on balance transfers for the first 21 months (17.24% – 27.99% (Variable) APR thereafter).
However, the U.S. Bank Shield has extended its intro APR offer to 24 months (17.74% – 28.74% Variable APR thereafter), making it much more competitive.
For the purchase intro APR, the U.S. Bank Shield Visa offers a 0 percent intro APR period on purchases for a whopping 24 billing cycles (17.74% – 28.74% Variable APR thereafter), while the Citi Diamond Preferred offers a 0 percent intro APR on purchases for 12 months (17.24% – 27.99% (Variable) APR thereafter). That makes the U.S. Bank Shield Visa equally attractive for consumers trying to pay off their debt or who need a breather to buy an expensive item.
On the flip side, with the Citi Diamond Preferred, you’ll have four months to transfer your balances, whereas the U.S. Bank Shield Visa only provides 60 days to qualify for the introductory APR.
In essence, the Diamond Preferred is likely ideal for balance transfers, while the U.S. Bank Shield Visa is a good option for funding large, upcoming purchases.
Annual fee winner
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Both the U.S. Bank Shield Visa and Citi Diamond Preferred are no-annual-fee cards, so you won’t have to worry about paying a fee for card membership in addition to trying to pay off debt.
Foreign transaction fee winner
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Both the Citi Diamond Preferred and the U.S. Bank Shield Visa carry a 3 percent foreign transaction fee.
Be aware, though, that you’ll end up paying a separate dynamic currency conversion fee for converting the local currency to U.S. dollars at the point of sale overseas. It’s also worth noting that most financial experts recommend paying in local currency when traveling abroad.
Citi Diamond Preferred vs. U.S. Bank Shield Visa: Which card saves you the most?
Because the U.S. Bank Shield provides 24 months to pay off debt and charges the same 5 percent balance transfer fee, you have a few extra months to save on interest — so it can potentially save you more.
U.S. Bank Shield Visa vs. Citi Diamond Preferred balance transfer example
Let’s say you have $5,000 in credit card debt that you’d like to pay off with a balance transfer card. With both cards, you’ll add a 5 percent balance transfer fee for a total of $5,250 to pay off.
This means you’ll need to pay $250 a month over 21 months to become debt-free by the time the intro period ends with the Citi Diamond Preferred or around $208 per month with the U.S. Bank Shield if you take the full 24 months.
Why should you get the U.S. Bank Shield Visa?
The U.S. Bank Shield Visa is a phenomenal way to consolidate high-interest debt from other credit cards or buy a high-ticket item and pay it off interest-free.
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While there are a few standard benefits that almost every credit card offers nowadays — like credit score access, identity theft monitoring and auto bill pay — this card’s cellphone protection is a nice perk, especially since this card has no annual fee.
This benefit covers primary and additional lines as long as you pay your phone bill with your card. The protection covers damage or theft and pays up to $600 per occurrence with a two-claim maximum over a 12-month period. Additionally, there is a $25 deductible per claim.
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Because there is no rewards program, there are no redemption options available.
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The minimum recommended FICO Score for the U.S. Bank Shield Visa is 670.
Why should you get the Citi Diamond Preferred?
If you want a generous intro APR for 21 months to pay off debt, you’ll appreciate the Citi Diamond Preferred. It doesn’t hurt that the card offers a four-month window to transfer your high-interest balances, which could certainly make the card worth it if you need a longer window in which to move your balance over.
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While this card isn’t heavy on the perks, it does have a few benefits beyond standard card benefits, including $0 fraud liability, 24/7 customer service and account alerts.
If you like sporting events and shows, Citi Entertainment offers special access to sales, preferred seating and VIP packages.
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Citi Diamond Preferred doesn’t offer a rewards program, so there are no redemption options.
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For the Citi Diamond Preferred, the minimum recommended FICO Score is 670. To increase your odds of approval, you can see if you prequalify for a Citi card through Citi’s website or Bankrate’s CardMatch tool.
The bottom line
Both the U.S. Bank Shield Visa Card and Citi Diamond Preferred Card offer generous introductory APR periods for balance transfers. However, the U.S. Bank Shield Visa offers longer intro APR offers on balance transfers and purchases. So, unless you need longer to transfer your balance, the U.S. Bank Shield Visa is the better choice.
After you’ve paid off your debts — or an expensive upcoming purchase — there are no compelling reasons to actively use either card, although the U.S. Bank Shield Visa tries a bit harder to retain cardholders with cellphone protection.
Still, we don’t recommend closing any no-annual-fee cards in most cases, because doing so may negatively impact your credit score. Just use your plain balance transfer card occasionally to make sure the issuer doesn’t close it for you. Or, product change to a card you’ll actually use to retain the account history. For this, Citi generally has better options.
*Information about the U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card has been collected independently by Bankrate. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.
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