Citibank Personal Loans Review

Pros Explained

• Quick loan disbursement: If you opt for an electronic transfer to your Citi checking or savings account, you can receive your loan funds as soon as the same day you apply.
• Autopay discount: By signing up for automatic payments at the time of origination, you can qualify for an interest rate deduction.
• No origination fees: Citibank doesn’t charge origination fees, helping you save money compared to some other lenders.

Cons Explained

• Only for existing Citibank customers: To qualify for a personal loan from Citibank, you must have an existing Citi deposit account that’s been open for at least 12 months. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait to apply or work with another lender. 
• In-person applications required for larger loans: With Citi, you can apply for a personal loan online as long as the amount you want is $30,000 or less. You must apply for loans over $30,000 in person or over the phone.
• Limited loan term options: Although some lenders offer loan terms as long as seven years, Citibank is more limited. The maximum loan term available is five years. 
• No pre-qualification tool: Unlike most lenders, Citi doesn’t offer pre-qualification to let you check your potential rates before you apply. This means you’ll have to apply and generate a hard credit inquiry to check your rates.
  

Types of Personal Loans Offered by Citibank 

All of Citibank’s personal loans are unsecured, so there’s no need for collateral. When you take out a loan from Citibank, you can use it for a range of purposes, including: 

• Debt consolidation
• Medical expenses
• Home improvements
• Moving expenses
• Car repairs
• Vacations

Although Citibank’s loans can be used for debt consolidation, you should know that you cannot use a Citi personal loan to pay off a credit card issued by Citibank or its affiliates; Citibank’s affiliates offer popular store credit cards like the Macy’s Credit Card, the CITGO Rewards Card, and the Costco Anywhere Visa. Citi also prohibits the use of personal loans for post-secondary education expenses and student loan repayment.

Time to Receive Funds

When you apply for a Citibank loan, you can receive a decision in less than 60 seconds. If your application is approved, the fastest way to get the loan funds is to opt for an electronic transfer to your Citi bank account. Loans can be disbursed to Citi accounts as soon as the same day you apply.

If you want the funds deposited into a non-Citi account, it can take one or two business days to receive the money. If you want to receive a paper check, it can take up to five business days.

Borrower Requirements

To qualify for a personal loan from Citi, you must meet the following requirements: 

• You must be the age of majority in your state
• You must have a valid Citi deposit account that’s been open for at least 12 months
• You must have an income of $10,500 or more
• You must meet Citi’s credit and debt-to-income criteria
  

Citibank Personal Loan Features

As a Citibank customer, you can qualify for an interest rate reduction when you sign up for automatic payments at the time of your application. 

Co-Signers and Co-Applicants

Citibank doesn’t allow co-signers or joint applications for personal loans. 

Can You Refinance a Personal Loan With Citibank? 

If you have an existing Citibank personal loan you’d like to refinance, the lender does allow you to refinance current loans. To qualify for an additional Citibank loan, you must have had your loan for at least six months at the time of your application. 

Customer Service

You can reach customer support by phone or by visiting a Citibank branch in person. You can use the branch locator tool to find a branch near you and schedule an appointment to meet with a lending specialist. 

To call Citi’s customer service team, dial (866) 422-0316.

Customer Satisfaction

Citi is the third-largest bank in the U.S. based on consolidated assets. As is common with large banks that offer many different types of banking products, credit cards, and loans, customer reviews are mixed. 

In the 2022 J.D. Power Consumer Lending Satisfaction Study, Citibank was ranked 11th out of 22 lenders, with a score just above the industry average. But its score with Trustpilot is more negative; it has a 1.2 (Bad) rating based on close to 200 reviews. 

Applying for a Citibank Personal Loan 

If your desired loan amount is $30,000 or less, you can apply for a personal loan online. If you want to take out a loan for more than that, you’ll have to apply in person at a Citi branch or over the phone.

Citibank does not have a pre-qualification tool, so there is no way to check your eligibility or rates without impacting your credit. 

To start the application process, Citi will prompt you to sign in to your bank account. It will use your account information to populate some of the required information. Citibank will ask you for your Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number, address, birth date, and income. It will ask for your consent to perform a hard credit check that can affect your credit score. 

Alternative Personal Loan Lenders

Final Verdict

If you are an existing Citibank customer, you can quickly apply for a personal loan online and receive a decision in less than 60 seconds. You can borrow up to $30,000 online—more if you apply over the phone or at a Citi branch—with competitive APRs.

However, you must be an existing Citibank customer to qualify for a loan. If you haven’t had a Citi checking or savings account open for at least 12 months, you aren’t eligible for a loan and will have to work with another lender. If you’re looking for other options, check out our selections for the best personal loan lenders.

Methodology

Investopedia is dedicated to providing consumers with unbiased, comprehensive reviews of personal loan lenders. To rate providers, we collected hundreds of data points across more than 40 lenders, including interest rates, fees, loan amounts, and repayment terms, to ensure that our reviews help users make informed decisions for their borrowing needs.