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YACCT: CitiBank vs MBNA vs BankOne

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Praetor

Diamond Member
(Yet Another Credit Card Thread)

Some of you might remember an old thread I started about how much CitiBank seemed to want to get into my pants. They haven't relented in the least since then. They have however, become a little more "interesting" in their advertising. At least as far as claiming that every mailing they send is my "Last Chance" to apply.

Right.

Anyway, they're not the only company to take an interest in me, BankOne and MBNA have sent me offers in the past few weeks for cards. And I'm considering applying for one of them, but I'm not sure which. (I'll list the benefits towards the end) My major concern is customer service, ability to pay online, and general customer satisfaction. I'm not terribly worried about getting the card, as my credit score is fantastic, my income is middling, and my debt:income ratio isn't half bad.

I did a search here for anything on MBNA or BankOne and found very little. Most people appeared to briefly mention their card in passing. I've read a number of threads lauding the greatness of CitiBank (I believe the Grand Nagus himself pointed towards their Dividend Select at one time), so I think I might be covered in reviews there.

Anyway. Does anyone have any opinions on either of these banks? Or can point me to a site that might have customer comments regarding these banks and/or their offered cards? I'm currently hitting up BankRate.com for some basic info.

The nitty gritty of the offered cards:

CitiBank Citi Dividend Platinum Select
  • APR: 10.74% variable (prime + 5.99%)
  • 12 mo 0%
  • no annual fee
  • 20 day grace
  • 1% cashback
Pros: Popular card, decent customer service from what I've read, I think they'll sleep with me if I apply for the card (SCORE!)
Cons: Variable APR

MBNA WorldPoints Platinum
  • APR: 9.9% fixed
  • 0% until 01/04
  • no annual fee
  • 25 day grace
  • earn points towards "unlimited" cash rewads, plane tickets, car rentals, US$1m common carrier travel accident insurance
Pros: One of the lowest fixed APRs I've been offered
Cons: Err... I don't travel a whole lot if ever, and I try to pay for everything with my Visa/Check card from my bank. Someone mentioned that MBNA tends to go into Fraud mode often when making online purchases.


BankOne Platinum Visa
  • APR: 7.9% fixed
  • 0% until 02/04
  • no annual fee
  • 20 day grace
Pros: THE lowest fixed APR I've been offered, they don't harrass me with mailings like *ahem* CitiBank
Cons: Vanilla card, I know very little about the bank.
 
I have MBNA, one of those promotion cards they have at ballgames and such. One time I had to call them the service was great and I don't have any complaints. Though I do plan to switch to Citibank when I get the chance since from what I've seen they haven't offered me much.
 
1) CitiBank
2) MBNA

Why should you choose CitiBank?
1) Because I said so, 'nuff said.
2) APR shouldn't really matter because you SHOULD be paying off your balance in full every month. But let's say you made a large $2,000 purchase and want to pay it off over 2 months? Paying $1,000 now and $1,000 with 30 days interest is not going to kill you.
3) VISA Platinum card benefits rock, few other cc's can compare. One of the best benefits is their warranty manager service which is NOT available on all VISA cc's (for instance by Alaska Airlines/BOFA VISA doesn't offer this).
4) A nice flat 1% cash rebate, sure you have to first rack up $10,000 in purchases (not balance transfers) to get $100 cash but it's free money.
5) No annual fee.
6) Backed by one of the largest financial groups in the world.
7) One time use cc numbers (which MBNA and Amex also have).

CitiBank ownz j00!
 
Originally posted by: RossMAN
1) CitiBank
2) MBNA

Why should you choose CitiBank?
1) Because I said so, 'nuff said.
2) APR shouldn't really matter because you SHOULD be paying off your balance in full every month. But let's say you made a large $2,000 purchase and want to pay it off over 2 months? Paying $1,000 now and $1,000 with 30 days interest is not going to kill you.
3) VISA Platinum card benefits rock, few other cc's can compare. One of the best benefits is their warranty manager service which is NOT available on all VISA cc's (for instance by Alaska Airlines/BOFA VISA doesn't offer this).
4) A nice flat 1% cash rebate, sure you have to first rack up $10,000 in purchases (not balance transfers) to get $100 cash but it's free money.
5) No annual fee.
6) Backed by one of the largest financial groups in the world.
7) One time use cc numbers (which MBNA and Amex also have).

CitiBank ownz j00!
Click to expand...

8) CitiBank's Customer Service people are very nice. Every time I have ever called them they've been pleasant, friendly, and helpful. On top of that, they even speak english!

 
Originally posted by: ReelC00L
Originally posted by: RossMAN
1) CitiBank
2) MBNA

Why should you choose CitiBank?
1) Because I said so, 'nuff said.
2) APR shouldn't really matter because you SHOULD be paying off your balance in full every month. But let's say you made a large $2,000 purchase and want to pay it off over 2 months? Paying $1,000 now and $1,000 with 30 days interest is not going to kill you.
3) VISA Platinum card benefits rock, few other cc's can compare. One of the best benefits is their warranty manager service which is NOT available on all VISA cc's (for instance by Alaska Airlines/BOFA VISA doesn't offer this).
4) A nice flat 1% cash rebate, sure you have to first rack up $10,000 in purchases (not balance transfers) to get $100 cash but it's free money.
5) No annual fee.
6) Backed by one of the largest financial groups in the world.
7) One time use cc numbers (which MBNA and Amex also have).

CitiBank ownz j00!
Click to expand...

8) CitiBank's Customer Service people are very nice. Every time I have ever called them they've been pleasant, friendly, and helpful. On top of that, they even speak english!
Click to expand...

All my cc's customer service speaks English and are based in the US (I'm assuming) a few have had thick accents.

If you call Dell or Compaq's tech support that's another story.
 
Originally posted by: RossMAN
Originally posted by: ReelC00L
Originally posted by: RossMAN

CitiBank ownz j00!
Click to expand...

8) CitiBank's Customer Service people are very nice. Every time I have ever called them they've been pleasant, friendly, and helpful. On top of that, they even speak english!
Click to expand...

All my cc's customer service speaks English and are based in the US (I'm assuming) a few have had thick accents.

If you call Dell or Compaq's tech support that's another story.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was not contrasting with other cards but with customer service in general.
 
I'm noticing a trend in the poll, no one has voted for BankOne at all. That said, they're no longer in consideration.

Our Grand Nagus has once again poked his head in and voted for CitiBank, so that's a plus. 😛

My primary use for this card will be for balance transfers. I plan on dropping my other cards completely (save my Discover and my Visa Check card) once I get this done. I only have two cards that have a balance right now, one being my Sears card that I used to buy my washer and dryer with last year. (0% interest, 0 payments for 12 mo) I try to pay for everything with my check card, but having a good credit card is important to me.

So....
 
i've got that citi card. it works. as for customer service, one time i had to call them and during the long phone menu navigation they had a machine recording try to sell me something and to press 7 if i'm not interested. after the recording finally finished i pressed 7 and got another machine ramble on about how i should reconsider and then it proceeded to continue to try to sell me the product. it's not a person so you can't cut it off and say not interested. that didn't happen to me with amex.
 
Originally posted by: Praetor
Originally posted by: Oakenfold
Citi is EVIL.
All of it, the whole friggin lot of them under the umbrella that is Citigroup!
Click to expand...

errr... why?
Click to expand...

Let's just say I may have been employed by one of their companies. They have some MAJOR ethical issues that need to be addressed.
 
Originally posted by: Oakenfold
Originally posted by: Praetor
Originally posted by: Oakenfold
Citi is EVIL.
All of it, the whole friggin lot of them under the umbrella that is Citigroup!
Click to expand...

errr... why?
Click to expand...

Let's just say I may have been employed by one of their companies. They have some MAJOR ethical issues that need to be addressed.
Click to expand...

You may have been employed. Hrm... And what sort of ethical issues do they have?
 
I like citibank, good customer reps, nice website, good terms (I'm at 9.24%apr...not bad for a 21 year old student carrying a decent balance).

edit: that said though if you're getting this card for balance transfers I think it'd be dumb to get anything but the lowest APR card and then maybe pick up a citi card when you don't have to carry the balance anymore
 
MBNA's ridiculous fraud protection caused me to miss out on the Dell 8250 deal of the year, because they locked my card down after valid charges were put on it, and then when Dell went to charge my card it was locked. I hope MBNA burns in hell. I miss out on $710 because they are retarded.
 
Just do a search on google, the stuff comes up.
I would suggest terms that go like the following if I was looking for dirt on financial institutes.

Insurance Packing
Predatory Lending
Equity Stripping

Red Lining

To name a few interesting things to read about.
 
Originally posted by: maladroit
MBNA's ridiculous fraud protection caused me to miss out on the Dell 8250 deal of the year, because they locked my card down after valid charges were put on it, and then when Dell went to charge my card it was locked. I hope MBNA burns in hell. I miss out on $710 because they are retarded.
Click to expand...

Really?
Man I've got like 2 of their cards and always throwing wacky stuff on there, that's really weird..

Call and complain about it!
 
Originally posted by: Oakenfold
Originally posted by: maladroit
MBNA's ridiculous fraud protection caused me to miss out on the Dell 8250 deal of the year, because they locked my card down after valid charges were put on it, and then when Dell went to charge my card it was locked. I hope MBNA burns in hell. I miss out on $710 because they are retarded.
Click to expand...

Really?
Man I've got like 2 of their cards and always throwing wacky stuff on there, that's really weird..

Call and complain about it!
Click to expand...

I did. Got sick of the runaroud and gave up.
 
Originally posted by: maladroit
Originally posted by: Oakenfold
Originally posted by: maladroit
MBNA's ridiculous fraud protection caused me to miss out on the Dell 8250 deal of the year, because they locked my card down after valid charges were put on it, and then when Dell went to charge my card it was locked. I hope MBNA burns in hell. I miss out on $710 because they are retarded.
Click to expand...

Really?
Man I've got like 2 of their cards and always throwing wacky stuff on there, that's really weird..

Call and complain about it!
Click to expand...

I did. Got sick of the runaroud and gave up.
Click to expand...


Sorry to hear that man, I'd get another card with someone else instead of putting up with that crap!
I wonder how come I've never had any problems...Do you use the card much?
 
whoops...

I have MBNA and they give me a higher APR then my 7.99% at Fleet but I use it all the time because of 2 reasons.

1) They put your charge up on their website almost immediatly while Fleet sometimes takes up to 10 days.
2) They send you your bill in plenty of time to pay it and mail it out. I received my last bill on January 21.. and its not due until Feb 12.
Many companies will send out your bill so that you only have 10 days or so to get it back to them and thus incur a late charge.
 
Either one will jack up your rates to unbelievable levels if you are late on one or two payments.

I'd seriously consider any differences in all the penalty terms/fees before signing on with either. Thats where banks are really cashing it in these days.
 
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