Citi Simplicity vs. Venture Credit Card Comparison

Name: Citi Simplicity® Card vs. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Item: Citi Simplicity® Card vs. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Author: Doug Milnes, CFA

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Both the Citi Simplicity® Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card cater to individuals with good to excellent credit, offering introductory APRs and the convenience of Mastercard's extensive network. The Citi Simplicity offers a long introductory 0% APR period, making it the clear winner if you want a card that excels in balance transfers.

However, the Venture has unlimited miles and travel perks, making it a compelling choice for those who prioritize earning travel rewards. While the Venture card does come with an annual fee, its generous welcome offer and flexible redemption options can offset that cost for frequent travelers.

Citi Simplicity® Card

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

MoneyGeek Rating

4.5/ of 5

Rates & Fees

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On Issuer's Site

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On Issuer's Site

Regular APR
18.74% - 29.49% variable
19.99% - 29.74% variable
0% APR Offer
0% for 12 months on purchases
-
Intro Offer
No current offer
Earn 75,000 miles
Rewards Summary
-
Earn 2X – 5X miles
Balance Transfer Offer
0% for 21 months on balance transfers
-
Balance Transfer Fee
3 percent ($5 minimum) intro balance transfer fee for balance transfers completed within the first four months of account opening. After that, a 5 percent fee for each transfer (minimum $5) applies.
4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that we may offer you. None for balances transferred at the Transfer APR.
Annual Fee
$0
$95
Recommended Credit
670-850 (Good to Excellent)
670-850 (Good to Excellent)
Penalty APR
-
-
Not sure?
The Citi Simplicity is the go-to for balance transfers, with its 0% APR for 21 months and no annual fee, making it ideal for debt consolidation. On the other hand, the Venture card is a better fit for travelers seeking to earn miles, with 2X miles on every purchase and various travel perks, despite its $95 annual fee.
Choose Citi Simplicity for savings on balance transfers or Venture for travel rewards and benefits.

Which Card Is Better for You?

You might prefer the Citi Simplicity if you want to consolidate debt and save on interest with a lengthy 0% APR period for balance transfers and purchases. The absence of annual fees and penalty charges makes it a cost-effective choice for those looking to simplify their finances without worrying about additional costs.

You might prefer the Venture card if you're a frequent traveler interested in earning miles on every purchase. With generous rewards on travel booked through Capital One and a substantial welcome offer, this card is tailored for those who want to leverage their everyday spending into travel opportunities despite the annual fee.

Head-to-Head Comparison: Card Details and Features

Evaluating APRs, fees, credit requirements, rewards and other features will help you determine which card aligns with your financial landscape. For instance, if you're managing existing debt, Citi Simplicity's balance transfer offer might appeal to you, while Venture's travel rewards could sway frequent travelers despite its annual fee.

Regular APR: Citi Simplicity

The Citi Simplicity offers a slightly lower starting APR, making it potentially better for minimizing interest costs.

Annual Fee: Citi Simplicity

For those looking to avoid annual fees, the Citi Simplicity is the better choice with its $0 annual fee, compared to the Venture card's $95 annual fee.

Introductory 0% APRs: Citi Simplicity

The Citi Simplicity is better for introductory 0% APRs, offering 0% for 12 months on purchases and 0% for 21 months on balance transfers, with a 3% balance transfer fee. The Venture card does not have a 0% APR introductory period.

Rewards: Venture

The Venture card is better for rewards, offering 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Miles do not expire, and there's no limit to how many you can earn. It also offers flexible redemption options for travel purchases.

Welcome Offers: Venture

The Venture card has a limited-time offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 within the first three months, plus receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit in your first cardholder year - that's equal to $1,000 In travel, making it superior in terms of welcome offers. The Citi Simplicity has no current offer.

Recommended Credit Score: Tie

Both the Citi Simplicity and Venture are designed for individuals with credit scores ranging from 670 to 850, indicating a good to excellent credit requirement. There is no distinct advantage between the two in terms of accessibility based on credit score.

Penalties and Fees: Citi Simplicity

Citi Simplicity is better for penalties and fees, charging no late fees and having a higher rating for penalties. However, Venture does not charge foreign transaction fees, which might benefit travelers.

Issuer Satisfaction: Venture

Capital One, which issues the Venture card, has a slightly higher issuer satisfaction rating at 4.2 compared to Citibank's 4.1. This makes the Venture card better in terms of issuer satisfaction.

Other Features & Perks: Tie

Both cards offer unique perks. Venture provides travel benefits like a $100 credit for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck, lounge access and special hotel stay benefits. Citi Simplicity offers features like Citi Quick Lock, $0 liability on unauthorized charges and ID theft protection. Depending on your preferences for travel perks vs. straightforward financial benefits, either card could be more appealing.

Methodology

MoneyGeek rates and reviews various credit cards like the Citi Simplicity and Venture using a tailored scoring system for various use cases. For these cards, the highest scoring use case is balance transfers.

The evaluation considers factors such as the quality of balance transfer offers and the introductory APR on purchases. Other considerations include credit requirements, customer satisfaction and penalty fees.

FAQ: Citi Simplicity vs. Venture

What are the main differences in rewards between Citi Simplicity and Venture?

The Citi Simplicity card does not offer rewards, while the Venture card offers travel rewards.

Does the Citi Simplicity card have an annual fee?

No, the Citi Simplicity card has no annual fee.

What is the welcome offer for the Venture card?

The Venture card, issued by Capital One, offers 75,000 bonus miles.

Can I transfer a balance without a fee with the Citi Simplicity card?

No, as the Citi Simplicity has a balance transfer fee.

Are there foreign transaction fees with the Venture card?

No, there are no foreign transaction fees with the Venture card.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

About Doug Milnes, CFA

Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.

Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.

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*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.
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