Citizens Bank Mortgage Review 2026

Citizens Bank is headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, where it began as High Street Bank in 1828. Today, it has nearly 1,000 branch locations across more than a dozen states. Along with conventional and government-backed loans, Citizens Bank offers mortgage refinancing and construction loans. For a home purchase, closing with Citizens typically takes 30 to 45 days.

Pros and cons of Citizens Bank

Affordability: 4.2 stars

Citizens Bank offers competitive interest rates, multiple low-down-payment mortgage options and down payment assistance for qualifying first-time homebuyers, awarding it 4.2 out of 5 stars for affordability. The bank does not disclose information about fees online.

• Interest rates: Citizens Bank has annual percentage rates (APRs) slightly below Bankrate's national average as of this writing. Notably, if you manage your money with the bank and set up auto-payments and paperless billing, you’ll get a 0.125 rate discount. The bank offers rate locks of up to 60 days.
• Down payment: The lender provides several options that allow as little as a 3 percent down payment, including Fannie Mae’s HomeReady mortgage for qualifying borrowers. You can also get an FHA loan with just 3.5 percent down or a VA loan with no required down payment. First-time homebuyers might qualify for the bank's down payment assistance program as well. 

Availability: 5 stars

Citizens Bank lends mortgages in nearly all U.S. states and offers a variety of mortgage options, earning the lender 5 out of 5 stars for availability. 

• Home loans offered: The bank’s loan products include conventional, FHA and VA loans, along with home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and refinancing, including cash-out. The bank can also assist with construction financing if you’re building a new home. 
• Footprint: Although Citizens Bank only maintains branch locations in some states, it is licensed to originate mortgages for qualified borrowers in almost all U.S. states (except Alaska and Hawaii).
• Where to find: Customers can apply for a mortgage at Citizens Bank online, at physical branch locations (limited to some states) or by phone.

Borrower experience: 3.7 stars

Though the bank offers an all-digital mortgage application process, it doesn't have as many contact methods as other lenders, and you'll need to submit information to get a personalized rate quote. For these reasons, Citizens Bank gets 3.7 out of 5 stars for borrower experience.

• Application and preapproval process: The entire application process can be completed online, and it includes a format optimized for mobile devices and an easy document upload feature.
• Transparency: Citizens Bank offers sample rates online for its 15-year and 30-year fixed-rate mortgages. However, keep in mind that the advertised rates assume a 740 credit score. Borrowers who want personalized rate information will need to complete a prequalification process, which includes verification of employment.
• Customer service: You can get in touch with Citizens via an online chat feature, phone support and in some locations, in-person customer service. 

J.D. Power ranked Citizens Bank four points below the study average in its 2024 mortgage origination satisfaction study. The bank has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since 2019 and holds an “A+” rating with the organization. On Trustpilot, the bank has a “Bad” rating based on nearly 700 customer reviews.