Simmons Visa review 2023: An unremarkable low interest card

The Simmons Visa credit card is billed as a low interest credit card, but we consider it a low appeal card. While it does have a relatively low ongoing APR, everything else about this card is a snooze.

Simmons Visa basics

• Annual fee: $0.
• Welcome bonus: None.
• Rewards: None.
• APR: 0% intro APR for 12 billing cycles on balance transfers, then a variable APR of 15.50% to 23.50% applies on purchases and balance transfers. Balance transfers must be completed within 60 days of account opening date and a fee of either $10 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater, applies for the first 60 days, then $0 after.
• Recommended credit score: Good to excellent.
• Other benefits: Secondary rental car coverage, up to $1 million in travel accident insurance.

Simmons Visa review

The Simmons Visa charges no annual fee and is marketed as a low interest card. It’s true that the card does come with an intro offer on balance transfers: 0% intro APR for 12 billing cycles on balance transfers, then a variable APR of 15.50% to 23.50% applies on purchases and balance transfers. Balance transfers must be completed within 60 days of account opening date and a fee of either $10 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater, applies for the first 60 days, then $0 after. 

However, that period is much shorter than what you can find on the best balance transfer credit cards available on the market today.

While the ongoing interest rate on the Simmons Visa is lower than what you’ll see on many credit cards, at least at the lower end of the APR range, it’s still in the double digits. And, particularly since you’re not guaranteed to get the lowest APR, rolling a balance over from month to month can still result in expensive interest charges.

Consider a hypothetical where a cardholder is carrying a $1,000 balance on a credit card with a 15.65% APR, and is making $35 payments every month. It would take about three years to pay that down and would result in roughly $241 paid in interest.

The Simmons Visa also lacks meaningful benefits and doesn’t earn rewards. While it may appeal to some consumers who want a low interest card for emergencies where they can’t avoid carrying a balance, most will find there are better credit cards for their financial needs.

Pros

• Intro APR offer on balance transfers: The Simmons Visa offers a 0% intro APR for 12 billing cycles on balance transfers, then a variable APR of 15.50% to 23.50% applies on purchases and balance transfers. Balance transfers must be completed within 60 days of account opening date and a fee of either $10 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater, applies for the first 60 days, then $0 after.
• Chance for low ongoing APR: If you get a regular APR at the lower end of this card’s possible range, it may be lower than what you’d get on one of the many popular rewards cards out there, which can come with APRs upward of 20%.
• Basic cardholder benefits: Simmons Visa cardholders get secondary rental car coverage and up to $1 million in travel accident insurance. If the card is issued as a Visa Signature, cardholders will get extended warranty protection as well.

Cons

• High balance transfer fee: Considering that many cards with balance transfer offers charge only a 3% balance transfer fee, the Simmons Visa’s fee of either $10 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater, for the first 60 days, then $0 after that is unattractively high.
• Intro APR period is short and only applies to balance transfers: Some cards offer 0% intro periods for almost two years and on both balance transfers and new purchases, whereas this card’s promotion only applies to balance transfers.
• No rewards: This card earns no rewards in return for your spending, giving it little appeal beyond the medium-length intro APR offer.
• Foreign transaction fees: The Simmons Visa card charges 2% of each transaction in U.S. dollars. If you plan to travel abroad, consider applying for a card with no foreign transaction fee instead.
• Lacking in meaningful perks: While you don’t expect luxury perks like airport lounge access on a no-annual-fee card, you can easily find more than what the Simmons Visa offers. 

Simmons Visa APR

The Simmons Visa comes with a 0% intro APR for 12 billing cycles on balance transfers, then a variable APR of 15.50% to 23.50% applies on purchases and balance transfers. Balance transfers must be completed within 60 days of account opening date and a fee of either $10 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater, applies for the first 60 days, then $0 after.

While those who want to move over debt from another card and plan to pay it back within a year may be fine with this offer, there are much better balance transfer deals out there. 

How the Simmons Visa compares to other 0% APR cards 

Simmons Visa vs. Wells Fargo Reflect® Card * The information for the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card * The information for the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is a powerful debt-buster, offering one of the longest intro APR periods you’ll find: 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and on balance transfers made within the first 120 days, afterwards a 18.24%, 24.74%, or 29.99% variable APR applies. There’s a balance transfer fee of 5% with a $5 minimum.

Plus, the Wells Fargo Reflect offers more valuable perks than the Simmons Visa including access to a 24/7 roadside dispatch network and up to $600 in coverage for your cellphone when you pay your bill with this card, protecting it from damage or theft (up to two claims in a 12-month period; subject to a $25 deductible). This combination of attributes make it a better choice for most than the Simmons Visa. 

Simmons Visa vs. Citi Double Cash® Card

The Citi Double Cash® Card has several key advantages over the Simmons Visa. New cardholders get a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months. After that, the standard variable APR will be 19.24% to 29.24%. An intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3%, whichever is greater, applies to transfers completed in the first 4 months. After that, the fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5). The Double Cash also earns 2% cash back on purchases — 1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they’re paid off, plus, for a limited time, 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24. This gives you a reason to keep it in your wallet long after the intro APR period expires.

Simmons Visa vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited®

The no-annual fee Chase Freedom Unlimited® comes with a 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% to 29.24%. An intro transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies in the first 60 days. After that, a fee of either $5 or 5% of each transfer applies. But unlike the Simmons Visa, it earns generous rewards of 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% cash back on eligible dining and drugstore purchases and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases. 

An extra benefit for those who already hold one of the premium Chase travel cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is that rewards can be pooled together and redeemed through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal for travel at an elevated value on travel — or transferred 1:1 to Chase airline and hotel partners. 

This versatility makes it a superior choice over the Simmons Visa.

The Simmons Visa is right for you if:

• You need to carry a balance and want a card with a potentially lower than average APR.
• You plan to transfer a balance from another credit card, can pay it off within a year, and aren’t bothered by this card’s high balance transfer fee.
• You’re OK with a no-frills credit card that doesn’t earn rewards or offer much in the way of perks.