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Citizens Access Review 2021
Member FDIC
Savings account
Member FDIC
Savings account
Member FDIC
Checking account
Overall
3.4
Bankrate Score
Citizens Access is a direct bank offering savings products. It is the new online division of Citizens Bank.
What we like
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Citizens Access offers competitive savings rates.
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Customer service is available by phone seven days a week, and customers can also use the bank's chat function.
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Citizens Access has a “no fees” policy.
What we don't
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Citizens Access doesn’t have a mobile banking app.
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There is no physical branch or ATM access.
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The bank offers a limited selection of products.
Savings accounts
4.2
Bankrate Score
Member FDIC
Savings account
Citizens Access has ranked as one of the highest APYs available nationwide. However, the account has a higher minimum balance than some of its competitors ($5,000), and if you go below the minimum you will earn a much lower APY. The bank reserves the right to close your account if you’re below $5,000 for 90 days or more.
What we like
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Citizens Access consistently offers a competitive rate.
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The bank does not charge any fees.
What we don't
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Other online savings accounts have lower minimum balance requirements.
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Citizens Access doesn’t have an ATM card available for withdrawals.
CD rates
3.3
Bankrate Score
Citizens Access offers different five CD terms, one of which is an 11-month no-penalty term. APYs on the bank's CD yields are mostly average, and they require a relatively steep $5,000 deposit to open.
What we like
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Interest can be paid and transferred to another linked account.
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Customers can open a no-penalty CD and avoid early withdrawal fees.
What we don't
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The minimum deposit is higher than what’s offered by other online banks.
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Higher yields are available elsewhere on both shorter and longer terms.
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There are limited CD terms to choose from.
Bank experience
Citizens Access has customer service representatives available seven days a week over the phone. Phone customer service is available from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern on weekdays and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern. Citizens Access also has an international phone number available and says it will answer secure messages sent via its website within 24 to 48 business hours.
While Citizens Access has no mobile app, its website is mobile responsive so that you can easily use online banking functionality on your smartphone, including to deposit a check.
About Citizens Access
Citizens Access officially made its debut in July 2018. Ever since its launch, the digital-first bank has consistently offered some of the nation’s highest savings account yields. Citizens Access provides nationally available products, including CDs and savings accounts. Customers enjoy fee-free accounts and access to savings calculators.
Liz Hund is a banking reporter at Bankrate. Previously, she was a writer at The Points Guy, where she covered everything from the latest travel news to credit card reviews. Liz is passionate about helping others reach their financial goals and aims to accomplish that through her writing. Her goal is to get others as excited about maximizing their money as she is, which is why she particularly enjoys the challenge of breaking down otherwise intimidating or hard-to-understand topics — especially for beginners. Liz is based in New York City and grew up between Michigan and Virginia. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.
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