Skip to Main Content

Emigrant Bank Review 2023

Updated September 14, 2023
Bankrate logo

The Bankrate promise

At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. While we adhere to strict , this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation for .

On This Page

At a glance

3.8
Rating: 3.8 stars out of 5
Bankrate Score
Caret Down

CDs

Rating: 3.8 stars out of 5

Checking

Rating: 4.2 stars out of 5

Savings

Rating: 3.2 stars out of 5

MMA

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

About Bankrate Score

Overview

Emigrant Bank is best for customers in the New York City area, savers seeking yields above the national average, and consumers who are comfortable managing their bank accounts online.

Highlights

  • Low Min Balance
Compare offers
Info
Bank logo
Member FDIC
Savings Account
4.50
%
APY
APY
Info
As of 9/28/2023
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
$0
Min. balance for APY
View offer Arrow Right
Promoted offer: No account fees & earn up to $250 w/ direct deposit. Terms apply.
Bank logo
Member FDIC
Savings Account
4.75
%
APY
APY
Info
As of 9/28/2023
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
$0
Min. balance for APY
View offer Arrow Right
Promoted offer: Savings Products with Competitive Rates and No Minimum Deposit
Bank logo
Member FDIC
Savings Account
4.35
%
APY
APY
Info
As of 9/28/2023
Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
$0
Min. balance for APY
View offer Arrow Right
Promoted offer:

Overall

Emigrant Bank is a federally insured regional bank with two branch offices, one in Manhattan and one in Ossining, New York. Its deposit accounts generally pay rates above national averages, although significantly higher yields can be found elsewhere.

Pros

  • Checkmark

    Emigrant Bank’s fees are lower than many banks.

  • Checkmark

    Customers have broad ATM access through the Honor, Pulse, Plus and NYCE networks.

  • Checkmark

    Customers can transact business online, over the phone, and at ATMs and the two branch offices.

  • Checkmark

    It offers online bill payment.

  • Checkmark

    It offers a variety of products for personal and business banking.

Cons

  • The bank does not have a mobile app.

  • It has only two branch offices, both in New York state.

  • It does not offer a peer-to-peer payment platform.

  • Some opening deposits and balance minimums are stiff.

Emigrant Bank banking products

3.2
Rating: 3.2 stars out of 5
Bankrate Score
Invest Rate
4.35% APY
Info
Loan
$0 minimum deposit to open

Emigrant Bank savings overview

Emigrant Bank’s Regular Savings account earns an APY that’s above the national average. Much better rates can be found elsewhere, however, including at EmigrantDirect, a division of Emigrant Bank. The Regular Savings account requires just $5 to open, but there is a minimum balance requirement of $500 to waive the $2.50 monthly service fee.

Account holders can set up direct deposit of any regular payments, such as Social Security benefits or paychecks. The Regular Savings account is available as a passbook account or statement savings.

Pros

  • Checkmark

    The minimum opening deposit is low.

  • Checkmark

    The Regular Savings account is available as a passbook savings account or statement savings.

Cons

  • A $500 minimum balance is required to avoid a monthly service fee.

  • Other banks offer higher yields with lower minimum balance requirements.

  • See how rates for this account have changed over time. Interact with the trend lines to view APY by date.

    Emigrant Bank
    APY
    APY
    Info
    National average APY
    See table view
    How do we get this data?
    Info
Compare Offer
Info
Bank logo
Member FDIC
Savings Account
4.50
%
APY
APY
Info
As of 9/28/2023
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Info
$0
Min balance for APY
View offer Arrow Right
Promoted offer: No account fees & earn up to $250 w/ direct deposit. Terms apply.

Bank experience

Emigrant Bank offers customer service by phone from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time weekdays and by email. The bank's website has an FAQ page, but interest rates and some other account details are not disclosed on the site and require a phone call. Emigrant Bank does not have a mobile app.

About Emigrant Bank

Emigrant Bank is a well-established New York bank that was founded by Irish immigrants in 1850. It offers checking, savings and money market accounts, certificates of deposit, and mortgages, IRAs, investments and annuities. It also offers business banking. Emigrant Bank is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

Review methodology

With so many financial institutions to choose from, it can be hard to know who to trust. Bankrate’s ever-growing list of bank and credit union reviews is updated regularly. Our editorial team analyzes and reviews each institution across deposit products such as savings accounts, checking accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs) and money market accounts (MMAs). Banks are rated by important factors such as offered interest rates, fees, minimum balance requirements, access to funds and more.

We assign a score to each type of account and its features, weigh them carefully based on importance to account holders and determine an overall score. Read our full review methodology.