If you're trying to decide between the Citi Simplicity® Card and Discover it® Cash Back card, it may be because both cards have a long intro 0% APR.
On that note, let's see how these credit cards contrast -- and which one might be best for your purposes.
The Citi Simplicity® Card takes "no fees" to another level
Neither card has an annual fee. But the Citi Simplicity® Card charges no late fees -- ever. Moreover, it doesn't have a penalty APR and a low balance transfer fee of There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
Meanwhile, the Discover it® Cash Back card charges no late fee for your first late payment, but imposes a fee for subsequent late payments.
Like the Citi Simplicity® Card, it doesn't have a penalty APR and charges a 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*.
The Discover it® Cash Back card offers one of the best welcome bonuses on any credit card
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
For example, if you earn $300 in cash back by the end of your card's first year, Discover will give you another $300.
It's hard for any credit card to beat Discover's first-year cashback match, and this Citi credit card is no different. Apart from its long intro APR period and low balance transfer fee, the Citi Simplicity® Card doesn't offer new cardholders any other benefits.
Considering that Discover also offers a long intro APR period and a similar balance transfer fee, its lead over Citi Simplicity® Card in this welcome bonus category is that much stronger.
Citi Simplicity Card offers one of the longest 0% intro APR periods for balance transfers
This card offers 21 months on Balance Transfers.
That's longer than the 15 months 0% intro APR duration offered on the Discover it® Cash Back. Coupled with its low balance transfer fee of There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5), this makes it the ideal credit card for balance transfers of the two.
The Discover it® Cash Back, however, still offers a relatively long zero-interest period for new purchases. You'll get 15 months of 0% intro APR on the Discover it® Cash Back, whereas the Citi Simplicity® Card will give you 12 months on Purchases.
If you're interested in 0% intro APR on new purchases only, the Discover it® Cash Back might have the better offer.
The Citi Simplicity® Card's go-to 18.24% - 28.99% (Variable) APR applies at the end of its intro period. Likewise, the Discover it® Cash Back's (slightly lower) go-to 18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR also kicks in at the end of its intro APR period.
Discover it® Cash Back has an excellent rewards system, bolstered by its 5% rotating bonus categories
The Citi Simplicity® Card card doesn't earn rewards, which is quite possibly its biggest weakness. Meanwhile, every quarter with the Discover it® Cash Back, you're given the chance to activate these bonus categories, allowing you to earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in quarterly spending. It's important to activate the bonus categories prior to the quarter, however, as failure to do so will result in earning only at the card's base rate of 1%.
