Chase Freedom vs. Citi Simplicity – WalletHub Compares

John Kiernan, Personal Finance Reporter

on September 24, 2020

This content is not provided or commissioned by any issuer. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of an issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by an issuer.

Please note: Chase Freedom® may no longer be available to new applicants.

The Verdict: The Chase Freedom and Citi Simplicity cards cater to people with different spending approaches. If you’re the type who only wants one credit card in your wallet, Chase Freedom is the way to go. It covers all the bases in terms of financing and rewards, though not outstandingly.

The more strategic way to use credit cards is known as the Island Approach. It holds that you should strive to get the best possible rewards card for everyday spending and the best possible 0% APR card for financing, rather than a single card offering both moderate rewards and moderate financing rates. So, if you’re willing to compartmentalize your needs into multiple cards, you should opt for Simplicity’s top-notch financing terms. Read on to learn more.

SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON

Ad Disclosure

	Chase Freedom® (2,531)	Citi Simplicity® Card - No Late Fees Ever (2,512)
General
Network	VISA	Mastercard
Credit Card Company	Chase	Citibank
Min Credit Required	Excellent or Good	Excellent
Annual Fee	$0	$0
Purchases
Intro APR	0%	0%
Intro APR Period	15 months	18 months
Regular APR	14.99% - 23.74% (V)	14.74% - 24.74% (V)
Transfers
Intro APR	N/A	0%
Intro APR Period	N/A	18 months
Regular APR	14.99% - 23.74% (V)	14.74% - 24.74% (V)
Transfer Fee	5% (min $5)	3% (min $5)
Rewards
Reward Type	Cash Back	N/A
Reward Bonus	$200	N/A
Reward Cap	No	No
Reward Details	Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening Earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target® or Walmart® purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year. Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter! Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - it's automatic Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back.	N/A
Penalties
Max Late Fee	See Terms	None
Max Overlimit Fee	See Terms	None
Max Default APR	None	None
Cash
Cash APR	24.99% (V)	25.24% (V)
Cash Advance Fee	Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater.	5% (min $10)
Other
Additional Info	0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, then a variable APR of 14.99% - 23.74% Free credit score, updated weekly with Credit Journey℠ No annual fee	No Late Fees, No Penalty Rate, and No Annual Fee... Ever 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months from date of first transfer. All transfers must be completed in first 4 months. After that, the variable APR will be 14.74% - 24.74%, based on your creditworthiness. 0% Intro APR on purchases for 18 months from date of account opening. After that, the variable APR will be 14.74% - 24.74%, based on your creditworthiness. If you transfer a balance with this offer, after your 0% Intro purchase APR expires, both new purchases and unpaid purchase balances will automatically accrue interest until all balances, including your transferred balances, are paid in full There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 14.74% - 24.74%, based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi's discretion. Stay protected with Citi® Quick Lock and $0 Liability on Unauthorized Charges
One-time Setup Fees	None	None
Foreign Transaction Fee	3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars	3%
Grace Period	See Terms	23 days

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Before you apply for a credit card we recommend that you review and verify the credit card terms and conditions on the credit card company's web site. Please let us know if you find any differences.

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Chase Freedom vs. Citi Simplicity: Rewards

The Citi Simplicity Card does not offer rewards. That means Chase’s Freedom Card, which belongs to the Ultimate Rewards program, automatically takes the cake in this category.

Chase Freedom offers an enrollment bonus of $200 if you spend $500 in the first 3 months. It also gives 5% cash back on up to $12,000 spent on groceries the first year. In addition to those initial bonuses, Freedom continues to reward members with 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined spending across quarterly-rotating bonus categories. All other purchases earn 1% cash back, too.

Despite the fact that you have to sign up for the bonus categories every quarter, which can be a massive hassle for those who are forgetful, Freedom still gets the nod in this category just for offering rewards in the first place.

Category Winner: Chase Freedom

Chase Freedom vs. Citi Simplicity: Interest Rates

Citi Simplicity and Chase Freedom have similarly high regular APR ranges and neither card has a penalty APR.

But their 0% introductory APRs are a bit different. Citi Simplicity is interest-free for a long period on balance transfers, while Freedom is better for financing new purchases. Simplicity offers an intro APR of 0% for 18 months on transfers and 0% for 18 months on purchases. Freedom offers 0% for 15 months only on purchases.

Category Winner: Citi Simplicity

Chase Freedom vs. Citi Simplicity: Fees

Citi Simplicity has a $0 annual fee. Chase Freedom has a $0 annual fee. So no difference there. Similarly, both have a 3% foreign transaction fee. And, unfortunately, both charge a balance transfer fee: 3% (min $5) for Simplicity and 5% (min $5) for Freedom.

What really separates them are late-payment fees. Simplicity doesn’t charge a late fee, while Freedom does. That said, paying your bill late can hurt your credit score and lead to higher interest rates. So you don’t want to put yourself in that position to begin with, regardless of the fee.

Category Winner: Citi Simplicity

Still Not Sure?

Although you have the freedom to apply for any credit card, doing so isn’t always so simple. With that in mind, you may want to check out how these two cards compare to popular alternatives. Here are some helpful resources: