Citi Flex Loan - A Different Type of Personal Loan
- Citi Flex offers a lower interest rate than you pay on monthly balances you carry on your Citi credit card.
- Citi Flex doesn't require a new application. It is tied to your current account.
- Citi Flex interest rates are fixed and you can select a payment term that fits your budget.
Citi Flex - Pay for Large Purchases at a Lower Rate
The Citi Flex Loan is the newest product offering from financial services giant Citibank. Citibank is the fourth largest bank in the US with over $1.3 billion in assets.
The Citi Flex Loan is an innovative product that is available to current Citibank customers who already have an active Citi credit card account. Citi Flex lets qualified customers take a portion of their credit card limit and convert it into a personal loan with a fixed APR that is repaid in a specified number of months. You can choose your own repayment timeline, with the maximum repayment term 60 months. Longer term loans have higher interest rates.
No Application Necessary
The Citi Flex Loan process is fast and simple. You can receive funds deposited into your bank account in one to two days. You don’t need to submit a formal application and Citi doesn’t check your credit. You do need a current Citi Card account in good standing.
Citi checked your credit and required an application when you opened the Citi Card account that you use for your Citi Flex Loan, so they don’t require it again. Citi doesn’t charge an origination fee when you request a Citi Flex Loan.
Why Take a Citi Flex Loan?
Citi emphasizes a number of common uses for a Citi Flex loan, including:
- To cover unexpected expenses
- Take a "much-needed" vacation
- Remodel your home
These expenses could be paid for by using your credit card, so why take out a Citi Flex loan? The main reason is that the Citi Flex loan payments will have a lower interest rate than your credit card interest rate. Your rate is not only lower, but it is a fixed rate, unlike your credit card balances. The monthly payment is also fixed and it is clear that if you make a set number of payments your Citi Flex balance will be paid off.
Citi lets you choose a repayment plan that works for you, though there is a minimum they required. Citi will present different options, making clear what your monthly Citi Flex payment will be. They also make clear that any balance you have on your credit card will have its own minimum payment obligation.
Citi Flex Pay
An interesting Citi Flex feature is that you can move eligible purchases after you have made them, shifting them from your regular CitiCard account to Citi Flex. This is called the Citi Flex Pay plan.Purchases made during your current or prior billing cycle that are greater than $100 can be included in your Citi Flex plan. Purchases that are eligible for moving into Citi Flex are clearly marked on your online or Ciit app account access.
Citi Flex is Part of Your Citi Account
Your Citi Flex Loan is part of your active Citi Card account. How much money you can borrow is based on your credit limit on your existing Citi Card account. Citi also determines your eligibility and the amount you can borrow based on your "creditworthiness and other factors." Citi doesn’t specify exactly what that means but they have access to your payment history on their account, so that clearly is one factor.
The Citi Flex transaction and information will appear on the same statement as you credit card. There is one monthly minimum payment required that covers both the CitiCard and Citi Flex balances. The statement makes clear how much you owe for each, but you make only one monthly payment.
Important Citi Flex Details
Before you take advantage of a the Citi Flex option here some important details.
- The minimum you can borrow on a Citi Flex loan is $500.
- CIti Flex Pay allows you to move elligble purhcases over $100 to a fixed rate repayment.
- No fees are charged for choosing to use Citi Flex, though late payment fees and other penalties can apply if you don't make your payment as agreed.
10 Comments
What if my existing citi card APR is higher than Flex Loan available on the same card, so I get the loan and pay off the outstanding balance portion on the same card? Then do I still only get to pay the loan portion at fixed APR unless I use the card?
Correct, if you run up new charges, you need to make the minimum required payment on those charges, at the higher interest rate and make your monthly payment on the Citi Flex Loan.
I am a holder of Citi cards and would like to get a flex loan of 5,000 and pay it back monthly.
Joel, you need to go to the Citi website and log-in to see Citi Flex offers.
I wan to request a Citi Flex loan of $5K.
You need to be a current Citi customer in order to qualify for a Citi Flex loan. If you are, please go the Citi website page with info about Citi Flex.
It is always wise to comparison shop before taking out a loan. Please check out our Personal Loan Rate Table. Scroll down the page to find the Loan Rate Table. All you need to do is estimate your credit score, enter your Zip Code, the loan size, and loan purpose and you can view preliminary offers without affecting your credit. Whether you find a better offer than Citi presents you, it makes sense to see what other lenders say, especially given it doesn't harm your credit score to do so.
If you consistently pay more than your minimum monthly payment and end up having enough money to pay your loan in full early, is there a prepayment penalty?
There is no pre-payment penalty. You will reduce your interest costs if you can pay it off early.
I would not do this loan. It has been nothing but a hassle. I borrowed $12,000 for 60 months with 7.99% interest. My payment is $244 a month. So $200 towards the balance and $44 in interest. I did not owe anything before this loan on my card. Last month, they charged me $87 in interest on top of my loan. So they double charged me interest. At this rate I will owe $5000 extra on top of the interest I am already paying. I contacted them and have been fighting with them since. They are trying to tell me that is the monthly interest I owe even though I am already paying it in the payment. I’m done fighting with them. I’m contacting the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau.