Key takeaways
- Each the Citi Customized Money® Card and the Citi® Diamond Most popular® Card characteristic no annual charge and intro APR presents on purchases and stability transfers.
- If you happen to want as a lot time as attainable to pay down current debt, the Citi Diamond Most popular Card could be the higher alternative because it comes with one of many longest intro APR presents for stability transfers available on the market.
- If you happen to don’t want an extended time frame to pay down debt, and for those who’re on the lookout for a card with extra long-term worth, the Citi Customized Money could be the higher alternative given its ongoing rewards construction.
Citi is an promoting associate
For lots of us, paying down a bank card stability is difficult, so we want all the assistance we will get. Enter the Citi Customized Money® Card and the Citi® Diamond Most popular® Card, each of which include intro APR presents on purchases and stability transfers and no annual charge.
These two bank cards present among the longest intro APR presents available on the market for paying down debt. This characteristic could be nice by itself. Nevertheless, compared to the opposite, one in all these playing cards presents rewards and advantages that go above and past.
Principal particulars
| Card | Citi Customized Money Card | Citi Diamond Most popular Card |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Earn 20,000 ThankYou Factors (price $200 in money again) after spending $1,500 on purchases within the first 6 months | None |
| Rewards fee |
|
None |
| Overseas transaction charges | 3% charge on overseas transactions | 3% charge on overseas transactions |
| Intro APR | 0% intro APR on purchases and stability transfers for 15 months, then a variable APR of 19.24% to 29.24%; transfers have to be accomplished inside 4 months of account opening; 5% stability switch charge (minimal $5) applies | 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months and on stability transfers for 21 months, then a variable APR of 18.24% to twenty-eight.99%; transfers have to be accomplished inside 4 months of account opening; 5% stability switch charge (minimal $5) applies |
| Annual charge | $0 | $0 |
Citi Diamond Most popular vs. Citi Customized Money highlights
Let’s check out what these playing cards provide and see which one comes out on high.
Welcome bonus winner: Citi Customized Money
Whereas not the best to achieve within the allotted time-frame, the Citi Customized Money presents a pleasant welcome bonus. Spend $1,500 within the first six months of account opening and also you’ll get 20,000 primary Citi ThankYou factors, that are price $200 in money again.
The Citi Diamond Most popular doesn’t embrace a welcome provide.
Rewards fee winner: Citi Customized Money
The Citi Customized Money can also be the definitive winner right here because it’s a rewards card and the Citi Diamond Most popular doesn’t provide rewards (it’s a stability switch card).
Some bank cards, known as rotating class bank cards, require you to choose the classes that you just spend essentially the most cash in (similar to grocery retailer or gasoline station purchases) or require you to activate assigned bonus classes on a month-to-month or quarterly foundation. For instance, you could get one spending class per quarter that may offer you the next money again fee. If you happen to neglect to alter your chosen class to a different class for the following quarter (otherwise you fail to activate the class), the spending class from the earlier quarter immediately reverts to the least amount of money again (often 1 p.c).
For many individuals, having to usually change rewards classes will be difficult and complicated. The Citi Customized Money takes the considering and guide labor out of it. It routinely supplies you with the best money again fee — that’s 5 p.c money again in your high eligible spending class every billing cycle, on as much as $500 every billing cycle, then 1 p.c again. So, for those who spend no less than $500 in one of many eligible spending classes, you’ll earn no less than $25 in money again every billing cycle ($300 per yr).
The eligible 5 p.c money again spending classes are quite a few. They embrace eating places, gasoline stations, grocery shops, choose streaming companies, drugstores, residence enchancment shops, stay leisure, choose journey and transit bills and health golf equipment.
Annual charge winner: Tie
Each the Citi Customized Money and the Citi Diamond Most popular provide all their advantages with no annual charge.
Overseas transaction charge winner: Tie
Each playing cards include a 3 p.c overseas transaction charge, making neither card a good selection for worldwide journey or on-line purchases in overseas foreign money.
Intro APR winner: It relies upon
The competitors for the winner right here is much less clear-cut. The intro APR provide winner is determined by whether or not you’re on the lookout for a greater intro APR provide for purchases or stability transfers. Each playing cards embrace intro APR presents for purchases and stability transfers, however for various lengths of time.
The Citi Diamond Most popular supplies you with a 0 p.c intro APR on purchases for 12 months, whereas the Citi Customized Money offers you a 0 p.c intro APR provide on purchases for 15 months. So, for those who’re on the lookout for a greater intro APR provide for purchases, the winner right here is the Citi Customized Money.
Nevertheless, the Citi Diamond Most popular has an extended intro APR provide for stability transfers — you’ll get a 0 p.c intro APR on stability transfers for 21 months, whereas the Citi Customized Money presents a 0 p.c intro APR on stability transfers for 15 months. For each playing cards, be aware that stability transfers have to be accomplished inside 4 months of account opening and {that a} 5 p.c stability switch charge (minimal $5) applies.
After the intro APR presents expire for each playing cards, the Citi Diamond Most popular comes with a slightly-lower variable APR of 18.24 p.c to twenty-eight.99 p.c, whereas the Citi Customized Money comes with a 19.24 p.c to 29.24 p.c variable APR.
Which card earns essentially the most?
The Citi Customized Money is in a category by itself right here, because the Citi Diamond Most popular doesn’t offer you a possibility to earn rewards. With the Citi Customized Money, your high eligible spending class will earn you 5 p.c money again on as much as $500 price of purchases every billing cycle (1 p.c again after that restrict is met). You’ll additionally earn 4 p.c money again on motels, rental vehicles and sights by reserving by way of Citi Journey (by way of June 30, 2025) plus 1 p.c money again on all different purchases.
Spending instance
Let’s say you spend $600 at eating places in a month, $500 at grocery shops and $100 at gasoline stations. This implies you’d get:
- $26 again on restaurant spending ($25 for the primary $500, $1 for the remaining $100)
- $5 again on grocery retailer spending
- $1 again on gasoline station spending
That involves a complete of $32 in money again for that billing cycle. What you earn the following month may very well be totally different and are available from a distinct eligible spending class, however it’s all nice when the Citi Diamond Most popular earns you nothing compared.
Why must you get Citi Diamond Most popular?
If you wish to switch a stability and get the longest attainable intro APR provide accessible, then the Citi Diamond Most popular is definitely price it.
Extra advantages
Apart from the improbable intro APR provide on stability transfers and no annual charge, the opposite Citi Diamond Most popular advantages are fairly frequent and nothing you haven’t seen earlier than. You’ll get perks like 24/7 customer support, contactless funds, account alerts, digital pockets capabilities and entry to Citi Leisure — most of that are all so commonplace throughout the bank card trade now, they barely need to be singled out as “extra advantages.”
Redemption choices
There are not any redemption presents right here for the reason that Citi Diamond Most popular doesn’t provide rewards.
Advisable credit score rating
The beneficial credit score rating for the Citi Diamond Most popular is nice to wonderful (or a FICO rating of 670 to 850).
Why must you get Citi Customized Money?
The Citi Customized Money is price it for those who don’t need to have to recollect which spending class earns you 5 p.c money again, and also you merely need a card that adapts to your spending month to month. You also needs to get this card if you wish to earn a welcome bonus, obtain intro APR presents and never pay an annual charge.
Extra advantages
The extra Citi Customized Money advantages are successfully the identical as these discovered on the Citi Diamond Most popular. However as a result of the Citi Customized Money additionally has the above-mentioned rewards fee that the Citi Diamond Most popular doesn’t have, it feels such as you’re getting much more with these advantages.
Redemption choices
The redemption choices for the Citi Customized Money are quite a few as a result of the money again technically comes within the type of Citi ThankYou factors, albeit the essential model (merely that means you’ll be able to’t switch your rewards to most Citi journey companions). You may redeem your rewards for money again within the type of a direct deposit, test or assertion credit score. Moreover, you’ll be able to redeem them for present playing cards, journey booked by way of Citi or purchasing with factors at eligible retailers.
Advisable credit score rating
The beneficial credit score rating for the Citi Customized Money can also be good to wonderful.
The underside line
Certain, the Citi Diamond Most popular Card has one of many longest intro APR presents accessible for stability transfers, together with no annual charge, however that’s just about all it has. The Citi Customized Money Card presents 5 p.c money again on one eligible high class every billing cycle (on as much as $500 per billing cycle, then 1 p.c again). Consequently, except you want an extended introductory stability switch interval, the Citi Customized Money beats the Citi Diamond Most popular — and it isn’t all that shut.
