Awards
The MyBankTracker Editorial Staff analyzed and compared the top financial institutions and products in the U.S. to identify the best options for their money.
(In our mission to ensure that this list is accurate and up-to-date, our recommendations for the best financial institutions and products may -- and they often do -- change throughout the year.)
Best Accounts
Best Checking Accounts for 2024
| Bank Account | Best Feature |
|---|---|
| Chase Total Checking | Widespread branch and ATM access. |
| Ally Bank Interest Checking | Long list of useful perks such as early direct deposit & auto-savings. |
| Axos Bank Rewards Checking | Earn a market-leading interest rate. |
| LendingClub Bank Rewards Checking | Unlimited 1% cash back on debit card purchases |
| CIT Bank eChecking | Up to $30 per month in ATM fee rebates |
| Alliant Credit Union High-Rate Checking | No monthly fees and ATM fee refunds available. |
Best Savings Accounts for 2024
| Bank Account | Best Feature |
|---|---|
| American Express® High Yield Savings Account | Consistently competitive savings rates. |
| Ally Bank Online Savings Account | Useful savings tools and features. |
| Capital One 360 Performance Savings | Exceptional mobile banking features. |
| CIT Bank Savings Connect | Earn a market-leading savings rate. |
| Discover Online Savings | Excellent customer support. |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs Online Savings | No fees to worry about. |
Best Money Market Accounts for 2024
| Bank Account | Best Feature |
|---|---|
| Sallie Mae Money Market | Market-leading money market rate |
| Ally Bank Money Market Account | ATM/debit card access with no monthly fee |
| Discover Bank Money Market Account | No fees |
Best CDs for 2024
| Bank | Best Feature |
|---|---|
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs | Market-leading CD rates. |
| Synchrony Bank | Bump up CDs with competitive rates. |
| Capital One 360 | Market-leading CD rates with low early withdrawal penalties. |
Credit Cards
Best Travel Credit Cards for 2024
| Credit Card | Best Feature |
|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | $300 annual travel statement credit. |
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | Multiple credits toward various travel and shopping expenses. |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | Simple travel rewards program. |
Best Cash Back Credit Cards for 2024
| Credit Card | Best Feature |
|---|---|
| Wells Fargo Active Cash Card | Unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases |
| American Express Blue Cash Preferred | Great for cash back at U.S. supermarkets (terms apply) |
| Citi Custom Cash | Bonus cash back on your biggest spending categories |
Best Rewards Credit Cards for 2024
| Credit Card | Best Feature |
|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | Points worth 25% more when redeemed for travel booked via Chase. |
| Venture Rewards from Capital One | Redeem miles for any travel, retroactively. |
| Chase Freedom Flex | Cash back on a variety of categories |
Best Low Interest Credit Cards for 2024
| Credit Card | Best Feature |
|---|---|
| Simmons Visa | Low ongoing APR |
| Chase Slate Edge | Opportunity for rate reductions |
| Wells Fargo Reflect | Cell phone protection |
Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards for 2024
| Credit Card | Best Feature |
|---|---|
| Citi Diamond Preferred | Lengthy introductory APR period available on balance transfers. |
| Wells Fargo Reflect Card | Ability to extend the intro APR period. |
| Citi Simplicity | Lengthy introductory APR period available on balance transfers. |
Best Secured Credit Cards for 2024
| Credit Card | Best Feature |
|---|---|
| Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card | Low security deposit to get started. |
| Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa | No interest charges or annual fees |
| OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card | No checking account required |
Best Student Credit Cards for 2024
| Credit Card | Best Feature |
|---|---|
| Capital One Quicksilver Rewards for Students | Start with a low security deposit |
| Discover it Student Cash Back | Earn cash back on your spending |
| Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students | Cell phone protection up to $600 |
Personal Loans
Best Personal Loans for 2024
| Loan Provider | Best Feature |
|---|---|
| SoFi | Borrow up to $100,000 with no fees. |
| LightStream | Low borrowing rates. |
| Happy Money | Designed to help pay down high-interest debt. |
Best Banks
Best National Banks for 2024
| Bank | Why |
|---|---|
| Chase | More than 4,700 branches and 16,000 ATMs. Top-notch credit cards. |
| TD Bank | Extended business hours for convenient branch access. |
| PNC Bank | Bank accounts come with great money management features. |
Best Online Banks for 2024
| Bank | Why |
|---|---|
| Ally Bank | Solid suite of deposit products with consumer-friendly tools. |
| Discover Bank | Consistently competitive deposit accounts with very few fees. |
| LendingClub Bank | Stellar interest rates and no monthly fees on savings, rewards checking, and CDs. |
Best Regional Banks in the Northeast for 2024
| Bank | Why |
|---|---|
| KeyBank | Strong financial health and attractive cash back credit card |
| M&T Bank | Large branch network and useful money management tool |
| Valley National Bank | Free basic checking and savings accounts available |
Best Regional Banks in the South for 2024
| Bank | Why |
|---|---|
| Fifth Third Bank | Free checking accounts and great personal loan rates |
| Synovus Bank | Full suite of financial services that include free checking |
| Prosperity Bank | Large branch network in Texas |
Best Regional Banks in the West for 2024
| Bank | Why |
|---|---|
| Union Bank | Free basic checking with ATM fee rebates |
| KeyBank | Great suite of accounts and strong financial health |
| Umpqua Bank | ATM refunds on its low-cost basic checking account |
Best Regional Banks in the Midwest for 2024
| Bank | Why |
|---|---|
| Huntington Bank | Free checking with a great overdraft policy |
| BMO Harris Bank | Free checking with access to more than 40,000 surcharge-free ATMs |
| Fifth Third Bank | Free checking along with great personal loan rates |
Best Credit Unions for 2024
| Credit Union | Why |
|---|---|
| Alliant Credit Union | Very easy for anyone to become a member. |
| PenFed Credit Union | Credit cards with high rewards rates |
| Consumers Credit Union | Free rewards checking account |
Investing
Best Brokerages for 2024
| Brokerage | Best Feature |
|---|---|
| Vanguard | Extremely low expense ratios. |
| Fidelity | Select index funds have zero expense ratios. |
| Charles Schwab | Commission-free stock trades with fractional investing |
Best Robo-Advisors for 2024
| Robo-Advisor | Best Feature |
|---|---|
| Betterment | $0 minimum investment. |
| Wealthfront | Can integrate with your banks accounts. |
| Schwab Intelligent Portfolios | Low overall fee policy. |
Best Finance Apps
Best Investing Apps for 2024
| App | Best Feature |
|---|---|
| Robinhood | No trading fees. |
| Acorns | Automatically invests what you can afford. |
| StashInvest | Ease of entry into the world of investing. |
Best Everyday Money Management Apps for 2024
| App | Best Feature |
|---|---|
| Mint | Syncs all your financial accounts in one place. |
| Empower | In-depth investment and retirement planning tools. |
| YNAB | Intricate, guided tool to help set up realistic budgets. |
Best Tax-Filing Apps for 2024
| App | Best Feature |
|---|---|
| TurboTax | Intuitive and easy-to-navigate mobile apps |
| H&R Block TaxPrep | Take pictures of documents for easy info entry. |
| TaxAct Express | Cheaper than the competitors. |
| TaxSlayer | Option to deduct filing fees from tax refund. |
How We Picked Accounts
The overall rank for each financial account, product, or institution within a specific category is dependent on how many days in the previous quarter that each candidate was ranked among the top 10.
Best Checking Accounts
The best checking accounts were selected from roughly 50 popular checking accounts available based on widespread ATM access, branch locations, interest rates, perks, bonuses, fees and the ease of waiving them.
Best savings accounts
We analyzed nearly 250 savings accounts to choose the best of them based on the consistency of high-interest rates, fees, minimum balance requirements, and account features.
Best money market accounts
We researched more than 65 money market accounts and we picked the best ones based on the consistency of high-interest rates, fees, minimum balance requirements, debit card access, check-writing ability, and other features.
Best CD accounts
We examined around 155 CDs and reviewed them based on the interest rates, available CD maturity terms, minimum balance requirements, and early withdrawal penalties.
Best personal loans
We chose the best personal loans among 20 major U.S.-based lenders that offered unsecured loans nationwide. The key factors in the selection process included interest rates, repayment periods, minimum and maximum borrowing amounts, origination and processing fees, prepayment penalties, and loan disbursement speed.
Best brokerages
The best brokerages were chosen among the largest U.S.-based brokerages based on account fees, investment options (diversity of options and their expense ratios, if any), trading fees, research tools, and online/mobile account management.
How We Picked Banks
How did we decide what makes a great bank? We considered more than 5,000 banks, credit unions, and their accounts for this guide.
The Best National Bank category includes banks with 1,000 or more branches and has among the top 10 U.S. deposit market shares according to the FDIC.
The Best Regional Bank category includes banks that operate branches in at least two U.S. states and do not have the top 10 U.S. deposit market shares according to the FDIC.
The Best Online Bank category includes online-only banks that operate less than 10 domestic retail locations.
The Best Credit Union category includes all credit unions federally insured through the National Credit Union Administration.
The overall rank for each institution within each category was dependent on how many days in the quarter the institution's score was among the top 10.
On the surface, choosing a bank seem simple, but there are a number of things you need to pay attention to when picking a bank and we track it for you:
ATM fees
It may come as a surprise to you, but this is one of the top money-draining factors. You may pay from as little as $0.99 cents and as much as $5.00 per withdrawal when using an ATM that's out of the bank's network. On top of that, the owner or operator of the out-of-network ATM could impose a surcharge too. Here are the fees from the top national banks:
Out-of-Network ATM Fees at the Top U.S. Banks
| Bank | Out-of-Network Withdrawal Fee* | Foreign Exchange Fee | Foreign Withdrawal Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank of America | $2.50 fee waived for: no accounts |
3% | $5 |
| Wells Fargo | $2.50 (balance inquiry fee is $2.00) fee waived for: Portfolio Checking accounts, the first transaction for Preferred Checking accounts, & the first 4 transactions when enrolled in Military Banking program |
3% | $5 |
| Chase | $2.50 fee waived for: Chase Premier Platinum Checking, Chase Premier Savings, & the first 4 transactions for Chase Premier Plus Checking |
3% | $5 (balance inquiry fee is $2.50) |
| Citibank | $2.50 fee waived for: Citigold and Citi Priority members, if monthly balance requirements are met for all members, & if first listed account owner is 62+ for Basic Banking members |
3% | $5 |
| U.S. Bank | $2.50 fee waived for: Platinum Checking accounts & the first 2 transactions for Gold Checking |
2% for U.S. dollars and 3% for international currency | $2.50 |
| PNC Bank | $3 fee waived for: Performance Select Checking accounts & first 2 transactions for Performance Checking |
3% | $5 |
| Capital One | None fee waived for: no accounts |
3% | $2 |
| TD Bank | $3 fee waived for: TD Relationship Checking accounts, TD Premier Checking, TD Preferred Savings accounts, Private Tiered Checking, & TD Private Tiered Savings |
None | $3 |
| Truist | $3 fee reduced for: Truist Confidence Account ($2.50) |
3% | $5 |
| Citizens Bank | $3 fee waived for: the first 4 transactions for all accounts |
2.8% or 3%, depending on whether transaction is made in U.S. dollars or a foreign currency | $3 |
| Fifth Third Bank | $2.75 fee waived for: the first 10 transactions Military Checking accounts & the first 5 for Student Checking accounts |
3.2% (3% for transaction + .2% for currency conversion) | $5 |
| KeyBank | $2.50 fee waived for: Key Privilege Select Checking accounts & reimbursement up to $6/month for Key Advantage Checking accounts, Key Privilege Checking accounts, & Key Student Checking accounts |
2% | $5 |
| Regions Bank | $2.50 fee waived for: the first 2 transactions for Preferred Checking accounts & the first 2 transactions if you provide your Military ID for any Regions Checking accounts |
3% | $5 |
| M&T Bank | $3 fee waived for: no accounts |
$0.50 or 3% of the U.S. dollar amount, whichever is greater, of any Visa transaction | $5 or 3% of the U.S. dollar amount, whichever is greater, of the transaction |
| Comerica Bank | $2.50 fee waived for: no accounts |
3% | $5 |
| HSBC Bank | $2.50 fee waived for: no accounts |
3% | $2.50 |
| Santander | $3 (student value checking is $2) fee waived for: Santander Premier Plus Checking accounts & Santander Select Checking accounts |
3% when you use your ATM card and 4% when you use your debit card | $6 |
| BMO Harris Bank | $2.50 fee waived for: accounts with a college student member & Premier accounts, plus will rebate up to $25 in fees charged by other banks ATM's |
3% | $3 |
Minimum balance requirements
After opening an account with a bank that is offering promotional rates, customers forget to check for qualification conditions during the promotion or conversion fees or minimum balances after the promotion ends. You may be offered an excellent rate but high transaction fees negate the benefit you are receiving. Always confirm the total cost of banking not just one part. Also, make sure that when you open an account with a minimum balance restriction that you are prepared to satisfy that obligation to avoid monthly maintenance fees.
Basic Checking Account Fees at the Top U.S. Banks
| Account | Monthly Fee | Minimum Balance to Waive Fee | Direct Deposit Amount to Waive Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Total Checking | $12 | $1,500 | $500 (total) |
| Bank of America Advantage Plus | $12 | $1,500 | $250 (single) |
| Wells Fargo Everyday Checking | $10 | $500 | $500 (total) |
| Citibank Basic Banking Account | $12 | $1,500 | Any amount + one bill payment |
| U.S. Bank Smartly Checking | $6.95 | $1,500 | $1,000 (total) |
| PNC Bank Virtual Wallet® Account | $7 | $500 | $500 (total) |
| Truist One Checking | $12 | $500 | $500 (total) |
| TD Convenience Checking | $15 | $100 | None |
| Capital One 360 Checking® Account | None | None | None |
| Citizens One Deposit Checking | $9.99 | None | Any amount |
| AVERAGE | $10.77 | $950 | $541.67 |
Relationship banking
Banks may offer what’s called “Relationship Banking”. This is a type of banking where they encourage customers to hold several different types of accounts, such as checking, credit card accounts, CD’s, Money Market, etc., by offering attractive rates, savings plans and package transaction fees for a portfolio of services. These plans may allow customers to combine account balances to avoid maintenance charges or offer better rates and benefits. It is important to compare plans with more than one bank. Also, it may be more beneficial to hold individual accounts with different banks to maximize savings that combined offer better rates and fees than a single bank offering.
Interest rates
Many deposit accounts offered by banks will pay interest on customer balances. They include savings accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs), and even some checking accounts. Banks use customer balances to offer loans that produce profit for them. In turn, the banks pay interest on customer deposits.
Not surprisingly, you'd want to earn the highest interest rate possible -- often denoted by the annual percentage yield (APY).
The APY means the percent return that you'll get on your balance every year.
Large national banks that operate physical branches and ATM networks are less likely to provide extremely high APYs on their bank accounts.
Online banks tend to offer higher APYs because they don't have to pay the costs -- such as real estates, utilities, and employee salaries -- of running brick and mortar locations.
Furthermore, you'll find that online bank accounts will generally come with lower and fewer account fees, which just means more money in your pocket again.
Special accounts
We investigate whether a bank offers special accounts.
Many banks offer special accounts for senior citizens, teens, and children with reasonable APY rates, no minimum balances, and no fees.
There are also Christmas/holiday accounts, vacations accounts, military accounts, and health benefits accounts to look into.
Fees for special services
Before you sign up with a bank, it’s important to consider whether you’ll need to get printed copies of canceled checks or if you will be writing many checks.
Most banks now destroy the original canceled check and keep records digitally. If you need to retrieve these, some banks may charge as much as $5 per copy.
If you need to write many checks, it may be worth looking into the bank’s online banking options.
Most banks will give you a certain number of checkbooks when you open an account, but customers will have to purchase subsequent checks.
It may be cheaper to view canceled checks online and to print checks directly from a printer.
Customers have to be wary of overdraft fees and protection options. It’s important to check the individual bank’s terms of the agreement for overdraft protection.
Some are offering a line of credit feature, which offers rates high or lower than overdraft protection.
There can also be additional fees for using the protection if you bounce a check. It’s important to find out how much it costs for this protection and the options the bank offers to use these services.
Direct deposits
Because of the cost savings achieved by banks through direct deposit transactions, some banks will offer incentives for customers to use direct deposit. They may offer reduced or waived maintenance fees or free ATM usage among other things.
Charges per transaction
Besides a monthly maintenance fee, your bank may charge you a fee for individual transactions such as check writing, transfers between accounts, checking balances, and using ATM’s.
These can add up significantly per month. Also, remember that just because an account is offered as “Free Checking”, it may not be completely free from fees above certain levels or it may be conditionally free on maintaining a minimum account balance.
Online banking
Good online banking features are becoming more and more important for discerning customers these days.
It saves on time, money, and on paper. However, your bank may charge you a monthly fee for these services, although many banks offer these for free. Also, verify that these services are being offered from a secure site.
There are great opportunities to save and get great rates through virtual online banks. These banks can offer customers some advantages in lower fees or better rates, however, it’s important to evaluate how convenient or cost-effective these are if you need to conduct physical transactions.
Also, make sure these online banks are FDIC-insured or member of the FDIC.
This means that your deposits are insured by the FDIC. Some overseas banks may not be able to offer you this coverage.
There also may be some restrictions on how much of your deposit is insured if your online bank actually has an FDIC-insured parent bank.
Promotions & teaser rates
Customers can benefit from looking for banking promotions. Banks run different types of promotions for different types of account year-round.
They are a great way to get started with any type of account. Banks will sometimes offer higher rates, free features, discounts, waived fees, free gifts, cash, etc.
We make sure to read the fine print and track what fees or features will come into play once the promotion period ends.
Bank accessibility
We track locations, extended hours, local, national or international branches and online capabilities that are also considerations when selecting the right bank.
How to Choose the Best Bank for Your Needs
The most important thing for a prospective customer is to do your homework. You should not just compare different banks, but also different types of account products offered by each bank.
Do this, and you’re bound to get a great deal, or at least be far more educated and conversant in negotiating through the hundreds of options that banks offer.
When you’re shopping for a new bank, make sure you understand a few things before stepping into the bank around the corner from your home.
You should consider whether you are willing to pay higher fees for the convenience of the location, or if you are prepared to make a little extra travel or go with an online bank to eliminate the fees.
