Citibank Personal Loans: 2021 Review
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Our Take
3.5
The bottom line: Citibank personal loans are a strong choice for current Citibank customers who value convenience, though more flexible options may be available.
Full Review
Citibank
Min. Credit Score
None
Est. APR
6.74 - 23.99%
Loan Amount
$2,000 - $30,000
Pros & Cons
Pros
- No origination or prepayment fees.
- Offers mobile app to manage loan.
- Offers a 0.50 percentage point rate discount for setting up autopay.
Cons
- No option to pre-qualify.
- Must be an existing Citibank customer.
- No option to choose or change your payment date.
- No co-signed, joint or secured loan options.
Compare to Other Lenders
 |  |
|---|---|
Est. APR7.04 - 35.89% | Est. APR4.99 - 19.63% |
Loan Term3 to 5 years | Loan Term2 to 7 years |
Loan Amount$1,000 - $40,000 | Loan Amount$5,000 - $100,000 |
Min. Credit Score600 | Min. Credit Score680 |
Compare estimated rates from multiple lenders
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Full Review
Citibank provides personal loans to existing customers. The loans come with some consumer-friendly features, like a mobile app to manage the loan and a considerable autopay discount compared with other bank lenders.
However, borrowers can’t pre-qualify to see potential rates and loan amounts. You won't know if you're approved, or the rate you would be offered, until you apply and undergo a hard credit check, which temporarily lowers your credit score.
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Rate discounts: Borrowers receive a 0.50 percentage point rate discount for setting up autopayments, which is a somewhat large discount compared with other banks.
The lender offers an additional 0.25% discount to Citigold and Citi Priority customers. Customers who have a checking account enrolled in the bank’s rewards program can earn points through their personal loan account, too.
No origination or prepayment fees: Citibank doesn’t charge origination fees, which are more common among online lenders, or prepayment fees, which are uncommon for personal loans. As long as you make payments on time and avoid the lender’s $25 late fee, you won’t pay any fees.
Wide range of repayment terms: Borrowers can choose from repayment terms of one to five years, while other banks may have more limited term offerings. A short repayment term can help you save on interest, but a longer term can lower your monthly payments.
Mobile app to manage your loan: Citibank customers already have access to the company’s mobile app. You can use it to see your loan’s remaining balance and make payments.
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Exclusive to existing customers: Borrowers must have an eligible Citi deposit account open for at least three months before applying for a personal loan, according to the company. If you're a Citi card-only customer, then your credit card account must have been open for at least one year.
No option to pre-qualify: Citibank doesn’t offer pre-qualification, which can show borrowers potential rates and loan amounts without affecting their credit scores. Pre-qualification is more common among .
No option to choose or change your payment date: Borrowers are given a payment date when they accept a loan, and that date can't be changed. The option to change your payment date, which is offered by some other lenders, is useful if you get a new payday or want to balance the loan with other monthly obligations.
No direct payments to creditors: If you get a Citibank debt consolidation loan, the bank won’t directly pay off your credit cards and other loans you’re consolidating, which is a convenient feature some other banks offer. Instead, Citibank will deposit the funds into your bank account and you’ll have to distribute them.
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Citibank doesn’t disclose many of its borrower requirements, but here’s what you need to qualify:
Loan example: A two-year, $15,000 loan with an APR of 17.4% would have monthly payments of $745. You’d pay $2,880 in total interest on that loan.
You can apply over the phone, at a branch or online by logging in to your account.
NerdWallet recommends comparing loans to find the best rate for you. Pre-qualifying may get you personalized rates from multiple lenders that partner with us. Pre-qualifying won't impact your credit.
Personal Loans Rating Methodology
NerdWallet’s review process evaluates and rates personal loan products from more than 30 lenders. We collect over 45 data points from each lender, interview company representatives and compare the lender with others that seek the same customer or offer a similar personal loan product. NerdWallet writers and editors conduct a full fact check and update annually, but also make updates throughout the year as necessary.
Our star ratings award points to lenders that offer consumer-friendly features, including: soft credit checks to pre-qualify, competitive interest rates and no fees, transparency of rates and terms, flexible payment options, fast funding times, accessible customer service, reporting of payments to credit bureaus and financial education. We also consider regulatory actions filed by agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. We weigh these factors based on our assessment of which are the most important to consumers and how meaningfully they impact consumers’ experiences.
This methodology applies only to lenders that cap interest rates at 36%, the maximum rate most financial experts and consumer advocates agree is the acceptable limit for a loan to be affordable. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for our star ratings. Read our editorial guidelines.
