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3. Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card review: Long intro offer for balance transfers

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reviews

1.9

Rating: 1.9 out of 5.

Editors’ Take: A lengthy intro period for balance transfers makes this card a good option for consolidating high-interest credit card debt.

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Great for a long balance transfer offer

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Annual fee: $0

The average credit score for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is 694

The average credit limit for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is $8,574

Explore more about this card:

• Pros and cons
• In-depth Editorial review
• Member reviews

Here’s the average credit limit of members who matched their Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card or similar cards.

% of members by credit limit range

The average credit limit for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is $8,574, with $500 being the most common.

Here’s the average credit score of members who matched their Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card or similar cards.

% of members by credit score range

The average credit score for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is 694, with 746 being the most common. Note this is just one of the deciding factors when it comes to getting approved.

This content is curated by Intuit Credit Karma’s Editorial team using data from members who were approved for this card or similar cards, or who self-matched this card or similar cards. Intuit Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our third-party advertisers don’t review, approve or endorse this content. Information about financial products not offered on Credit Karma is collected independently. Our content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted.

Member stats

Updated daily

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32.5%

Average credit utilization (or what percent of the card’s credit limit is being used) of members who matched with this card or similar cards.

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48 years

Average age of members who matched this card or similar cards.

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$101,783

Average annual income of members who matched this card or similar cards. Note: Income may be estimated for some members by Credit Karma and may differ from members’ actual incomes.

Pros and cons

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No annual fee

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Long intro APR for balance transfers gives you time to pay down debt

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No rewards for extra value after you pay off your balance

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Balance transfer fee

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

Updated April 29, 2025

This date may not reflect recent changes in individual terms.

Written by: Tim Devaney

4 things you should know about the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

Here’s a quick breakdown of the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card’s key features.

The long intro APR period could help you pay off your debt

The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card could help you pay off your existing credit card debt with its introductory balance transfer offer.

The card comes with a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months from the date of account opening. After the intro period expires, you’ll be charged a variable APR of 17.24% - 27.99% on balance transfers.

But keep in mind that the intro 0% balance transfer APR offer only applies to transfers made within the first four months of account opening.

You’ll also be charged a balance transfer fee of 5% (minimum $5) based on the amount of each transfer, which could create a large upfront cost if you have to transfer a sizable balance.

While the card’s balance transfer fee is high, the length of this offer makes it a good option for people who want as much time as possible to pay off their credit card debt without interest. It’s rare to see a card with an intro balance transfer period of 21 months.

Intro offer could help with large purchases

The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months from account opening. When the intro period expires, you’ll be charged a variable APR of 17.24% - 27.99% on purchases.

While we don’t recommend carrying a balance if you can avoid it, this offer could help you out if you have a large purchase you’d like to pay off over time, or if you have to cover an unexpected expense that throws off your budget.

You won’t be distracted by rewards

The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card isn’t a rewards credit card and has no connection to the Citi ThankYou® rewards program, so you won’t earn any rewards or cash back on an ongoing basis.

But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Instead of tempting you to spend more money just to earn rewards, the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card encourages you to focus on paying off your balance.

Unfortunately, that also means you might need to look for another card if you want to start earning rewards after paying off your balance. Otherwise, you’ll have to be OK with using your card as a payment option, not a way to earn something extra.

No annual fee to hold you back

If you’re trying to get out of debt, paying an annual fee for a balance transfer card might seem like it defeats the purpose.

So it’s important to note that the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card comes with a $0 annual fee.

Think of it as one less obstruction on your path to getting out of debt.

Take a close look at the fine print

Citibank puts up a few more stumbling blocks that could trip up even the most responsible cardholders.

• The 0% APR intro offers don’t mean you can take your time making payments. You still have to make minimum payments each month by the due date.
• If you pay late, or pay less than the minimum, you could lose the intro APR and be hit with a much higher penalty APR. You could also be charged late fees.
• Even if you’re approved for the card, your balance transfer request could be declined.
• Even if your balance transfer request is approved, your credit limit might not be enough to transfer your entire balance. Your credit limit will depend on your credit history, so consider that point if you apply for this card.

Who this card is good for

The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card can lend a helping hand to people who are trying to pay off credit card debt. The intro APR offer for 21 months on balance transfers is one of the longest available, so if you’re looking for the most time to pay off credit card debt, you might want to give it a look.

But that doesn’t mean this card is the right choice for everyone. Whether you want to transfer a balance or make a large purchase, the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card demands close attention and a clear understanding of the potential interest charges. If you don’t read the fine print, you might end up accumulating more debt than you had when you started.

Not sure this card is right for you? Consider these alternatives.

If the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card isn’t the right fit, you might be interested in other balance transfer credit cards instead.

• Citi Double Cash® Card: This card could be good for people who want to earn straightforward rewards after paying off debt.