What is the average credit score needed to get approved for the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card?

You need good to excellent credit to qualify.

Does the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card report to all three credit bureaus?

Yes, this card reports to all three credit bureaus.

Is the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card application process lengthy? Can you prequalify?

Citi has a process for getting customers pre-approved. The application process is simple and takes only minutes.

What information is needed to apply for the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card?

To apply, you need to provide personal information like your name, date of birth, address and Social Security Number, along with all relevant financial information.

Does the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card have good customer service or helpful information online?

You can get in touch with Citi support through online chat or the 24/7 phone helpline.

Does the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card have a mobile app or the option to pay or manage your account online?

You can pay or manage your account online through the website and mobile app.

Does the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card raise credit limits automatically or charge for limit increases?

You can [request a credit limit increase](https://www.moneygeek.com/credit-cards/advice/increase-credit-limit-with-citi/) from Citi if you fulfill certain eligibility criteria.

Does the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card offer the option to freeze your credit/account or have other security features?

You can freeze your card online. Other security features include free fraud liability protection, early-warning fraud detection, automatic alerts and EMV chip.

Does Citi offer other credit cards besides the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card?

Citi offers several other credit cards, including the Citi® Double Cash Card and the Citi Simplicity® Card.

MoneyGeek’s Take

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card Review

The Citi Diamond Preferred card is a great option for people who want to finance new purchases while avoiding interest payments. It is also good value for those looking to consolidate debt thanks to an excellent introductory 0% APR offer for the first 21 months of card ownership.

Advertising & Editorial DisclosureLast Updated: 1/16/2023

Reviewed By

Alene Laney

The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.

In this Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card review, we evaluate the features and benefits of the card. The biggest perk of this card is the introductory 0% APR offer. This basically means that you pay nothing in interest during the first 12 months of having the card. The 0% APR is valid for both new spending and balance transfers, making it a great card if you want to consolidate debt. There is no annual fee. However, there is no rewards program with this card.

>>MORE: BALANCE TRANSFERS WITH CITI: AN IN-DEPTH GUIDE

Card Details to Know Up Front

Bonus, Fee or Feature
Has or Not
Has Annual Fee
Has Balance Transfer Offer
Has APR Offer
Has Rewarding Welcome Offer
Recommended Credit
Excellent
Has Balance Transfer Fee
Has Foreign Transaction Fee
High APR

Click to see this card’s rates, fees and how they compare to other cards in our dataset.

OUR REVIEW AT A GLANCE

Credit Card Details at a Glance
Pros & Cons Explained
Bonuses & Rewards Explained
Our Verdict: Is This Card for You?

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card at a Glance

If you are looking for a balance transfer card to consolidate debt or finance new purchases, the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card’s benefits are appealing. With no annual fee, the long introductory 0% APR offer makes this card one of the best options for people who carry a balance on their card.

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
Best balance transfer card for immediate transfers
- ExcellentRecommended Credit
- 0% Intro APR on new purchasesAPR Offer
- 12 monthsAPR Offer Duration
- 0% Intro APR, then 17.74% – 28.49% variable APR thereafterBalance Transfer Offer
- 17.24% – 27.99% VariableAPR
Pros
Long 0% APR introductory term
No annual fees
Free access to FICO score online
Special access to Citi-branded tickets to events, etc.

Cons
Limited time to make balance transfers
No other significant rewards
Balance transfer fee of 5% of each amount transferred or $5 minimum, whichever is greater
0% APR on balance transfers for 21 months and 0% APR on purchases for 12 months, then a variable APR of between 17.24% – 27.99% based on your credit
Enjoy Citi Entertainment rewards and tickets upon making your account
Free FICO score access can be found through your online account’s portal
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
Terms, rates and fees apply
Compare this credit card with other top-rated balance transfer cards at CardRatings.com.

Pros & Cons Explained

While the Citi Diamond Preferred card is a great value balance transfer card, it is important for you to fully understand its pros and cons before you apply for it.

Pros

Benefits
Description
Long 0% APR introductory offer
While other cards also have introductory 0% APR offers, the Citi Diamond Preferred offers a very long 0% APR introductory period of 21 months. This makes it a good choice for debt consolidation and a prime option for interest-averse customers looking to finance new purchases.
No annual fee
With no annual fee, you do not have to worry about annual spending to keep the card account.
Citi offers
Many perks come bundled with the card. You can borrow money against your card using the Citi Flex loan scheme, access live events and VIP experiences with the Citi Entertainment program and save on regular purchases with Citi Easy Deals.

Cons

Drawbacks
Description
No rewards
Many customers prefer credit cards with a reward points program. With the Citi Diamond Preferred, there are no reward points of any kind.
Late fees
While some other cards forego late fees, the Citi Diamond Preferred card has late fees that you have to pay if you don’t pay your bills on time.
Balance transfer fees
While this is essentially a balance transfer card, you will have to pay a balance transfer fee.
Foreign transaction fees
There is a fee for foreign transactions, so this card is not ideal for frequent international use.

INTERESTED IN COMPARING THE BEST CREDIT CARDS OF 2022?

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Other Features Explained

In addition to the low introductory APR and lack of an annual fee, here are some of the other key features of the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card:

Card Feature
Description
FICO score access
Card users can access their FICO score through their online card account to stay up to date on their credit score.
Citi Easy Deals
With this program, you earn points according to 10% of your monthly spends and you can have access to special entertainment and dining experience through Citi Entertainment.
Citi Identity Theft Solutions
Citi will help keep your identity safe by resolving identity theft issues quickly to help you get your life back on track.
$0 liability on unauthorized charges
The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card will protect you from unauthorized charges on your card, ensuring that you won’t be held responsible for charges you did not authorize.
24/7 customer service
You can reach a customer service representative 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to help with any issues that arise with your account.
Automatic account alerts
Card users can easily set up alerts to stay up to date on their balances, when payments are due and more.
Choose your payment due date
Customers can decide when they want to pay their bill for added account flexibility.
Contactless pay
The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card is a contactless, chip-enabled card, so you can simply tap your card on the payment reader to pay when you shop.

MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP

"For optimal use, you can transfer your balance to this card account in the first 120 days of use and ensure that you pay the minimum due amount each month to avoid any impact on your credit score. This gives you a long time where you can finance new purchases or consolidate debt without worrying about interest payments." - Alene Laney, Credit Card Journalist

Understanding the Fine Print

Before applying for any credit card, it’s important you understand the fine print so that you are not caught off guard by fees or terms.

Card Feature
Amount or Rate
APR
17.24% – 27.99% Variable
Annual Fee
$0
Balance Transfer Fee
$5 or 5%, whichever is greater
Balance Transfer APR
17.24% – 27.99% Variable
Late Fees
Up to $41
Cash Advance Fee
$10 or 5%, whichever is greater
Cash Advance APR
29.49% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fee
3%

Regular APR
The card comes with a generous 12 months of 0% APR. Once this period lapses, there is a variable APR of 17.24% – 27.99% based on your credit standing. The same applies to balance transfers.
Annual Fee
There is no annual fee for the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card.
Foreign Transaction Fees
There is a foreign transaction fee of 3% of each transaction on this card.
Balance Transfer and Cash Advance Fees
For balance transfers, there is a fee of 5% of each transfer with a $5 minimum fee. For cash advances, there is a 5% fee for every transaction with a minimum of $10.

WHERE TO FIND THIS INFORMATION?

If you compare the Citi Diamond Preferred card with other balance transfer cards, take a look at the balance transfer fees and the length of the introductory 0% APR period for the best deal. If you want to compare with a card you already use, take a look at your billing statement or visit the website or mobile app of the card issuer. You can also find information through the credit card agreement database maintained by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

Who Should & Shouldn’t Consider Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card?

Other Considerations for Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

Whether the Citi Diamond Preferred card is a good fit for you depends on how you plan to use it and whether you plan to use it as your first or only credit card or in addition to other cards you already use.

Things to Consider if This Will Be Your First or Only Credit Card

If you are getting this card as your first or only card, make sure that you work out if the benefits outweigh the costs. For example, be aware of the absence of reward points and monitor your spending to see if you can benefit from the Citi offers that come bundled with the card. Budget wisely for the introductory period so that your interest burden does not rise remarkably once the 0% APR offer ends.

Things to Consider if This Will Be an Additional Card in Your Wallet

If this is an additional card in your wallet, you might want to use it to transfer a high-interest balance from other existing cards to consolidate your debt. In this case, see if the interest savings outweigh the costs resulting from balance transfer fees in your case. Once again, you need to budget wisely and plan for the long-term so that you remain financially comfortable once the 0% APR offer ends.

WHY TRUST OUR REVIEWS

MoneyGeek has a defined and meticulous review process for credit cards. We collect information from the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau database, standardize data points for fair comparison, estimate average spend profiles, determine long-term value and frequently re-rank our top cards.

How Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card Compares to Other Cards

The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card is a great choice if you are looking for a balance transfer card with a long 0% APR introductory offer. However, there are other cards that might make more sense for you in terms of other fees and costs.

In-Depth Credit Card Comparisons:

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card vs U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card

Quick Comparison of Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

Introductory 0% APR: 21 months, then a variable APR of 17.24% – 27.99%
Regular APR: 17.24% – 27.99% variable
Annual Fee: $0
Balance Transfer Fee: 5% of transfer, $5 minimum
Best For: Those looking for Citi offers

Wells Fargo Platinum

Introductory 0% APR: 18 months
Regular APR: 16.49%–24.49%
Annual Fee: $0
Balance Transfer Fee: 3% for first 120 days, 5% thereafter with $5 minimum
Best For: Those looking for free cell-phone insurance and budgeting tools

Other Helpful Decision-Making Q&As

Here are some commonly asked questions about the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card that can help you decide whether or not you should apply for it.

Still not sure about this card? Consider these options.

If you are not sure about the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card, you can check out our top picks for balance transfer cards for other options. If you do not want a balance transfer card, take a look at rewards cards or travel cards.

View All Credit Cards

Learn more about credit cards in general

sources

Citi Credit Cards. "Diamond Preferred." Accessed August 29, 2021.
Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. "Credit card agreement database." Accessed August 29, 2021.

*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more aboutour editorial policies andexpert editorial team.
Advertiser Disclosure: MoneyGeek has partnered with CardRatings.com and CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. MoneyGeek, CardRatings and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. To ensure thorough comparisons and reviews, MoneyGeek features products from both paid partners and unaffiliated card issuers that are not paid partners.