2024's Best Banks in America | SmartAsset.com (2024)

Best Online Bank: Ally Bank

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Ally is an online-only bank offering an array of banking, auto, home loan and investing products. The company’s key products include savings accounts, checking accounts, individual retirement accounts (IRAs) certificates of deposit (CDs)and money market accounts.

Ally’s online savings account boasts a 4.25% APY that comes without monthly maintenance fees or minimum balance requirements. But this account comes with an excessive transactions fee of $10. The bank’s website also shows it charges users for expedited delivery, outgoing domestic wires, account research and returned deposit items.

Ally makes up for its lack of physical presence through its mobile offerings, online banking tools and 24/7 customer service support. The bank’s mobile app, which has an average rating of about 4.5 stars out of 5 between the Apple and Android app stores, allows users to make transfers, deposit checks and much more.

Best Major Bank: Chase

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Chase bank offers the most exhaustive banking experience in America for those who prefer in-person banking. You can find Chase all over the U.S., withthousands of branches and in-network, free ATMs.

Being able to access your money easily is an important consideration when choosing a bank. You’ll have more opportunity for free withdrawals with Chase - especially if you live in New York City, Chicago or Los Angeles.

Chase’s app has an average rating of 4.7 stars out of 5 between the Apple and Android stores and is arguably the most intuitive and easy-to-use banking app available. You can manage every one of your accounts on the go - including savings accounts, checking accounts, credit cards and even your mortgage.

Best Credit Union: Digital Federal Credit Union

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See Also

Chase Bank Review 202410 Easiest Bank Accounts You Can Open Online Instantly (2024)The 10 Best Online Banks of 2024 | Marketwatch GuidesIsn’t it time your checking account paid you back?

Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU) is the best credit union in the U.S. according to our rankings. When you open a Primary Savings Account, you get to earn a fantastic 6.17% APY when you apply to the first $1,000 that you deposit in this account. And you don’t need to open your wallet too much to get there, as you only need to make a $5 deposit to open an account. And top it off, there are no monthly fees to worry about.

DCU also offers an Advantage Savings Account which offers a 3.56% APY that doesn’t require a deposit to get started. And just like the Primary Savings Account, there are no monthly fees with Advantage Savings, which means you get to enjoy earning the APY while saving more money in your account.

The majority of DCU’s member base consists of current employees, retired employees or members who come from eligible companies or organizations. If you don’t find yourself in any of those categories, you will need a spouse or an immediate family member of someone who does, or live, work, attend school or worship in a qualified community.

DCU offers more than banking resources. If you are a member with this credit union, you have a wide variety of financial services at your fingertips. Members can take advantage of great perks such as student loans, auto loans, personal loans, rewards, real estate services and financial advisor services.

Best Bank for Savings: UFB Direct

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UFB Direct, a division of Axos Bank, is offering one of the best savings rates currently on the market. The bank features a high-yield savings account that has a great 5.25% APY. UFB accounts come with great perks for customers. When you open a UFB high-yield savings account, you don’t have to worry about monthly maintenance fees or minimum deposits. This makes it a simple and easy process for just about any customer to open an account. On top of these benefits, the account’s high 5.25% APY allows you to earn significant money in interest.

Another advantage that comes with the UFB high-yield savings account is a complimentary ATM card. The bank also provides a 24/7 customer service hotline, as well as an online chat function. If you need cash on the go, UFB has a large free ATM network with about 91,000 machines across the country. These are great resources for account holders since the bank’s sole branch location is in California. And if you are not near a branch or an in-network ATM, you can also reach UFB through their mobile app, as well as deposit checks remotely no matter where you are.

Best Bank for Small Business: Wells Fargo

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Wells Fargo excels at the main bank needs for small businesses: lending, banking accounts and merchant services.

In terms of deposit accounts, you’ll still get a good product with Wells Fargo business checking. You have the choice between three types of accounts: Initiate Business Checking, Navigate Business Checking and Optimize Business Checking. Each one is tailored for small businesses of different sizes and markets. While the monthly fees for these accounts can get hefty, the Initiate Business Checking and Navigate BusinessChecking accounts have ways to waive those costs. For the Optimize Business Checking account, though, you'll have an earnings allowance that you can use to pay your costs.

The final piece that makes Wells Fargo the best bank for small business is its merchant services, which integrate seamlessly with the checking accounts. Wells Fargo will set you up with a system to monitor your incoming cash flow, as well as access to Clover to accept credit and debit cards. You can connect it with your business checking account so you can easily monitor your inflow and outflow of funds.

Best Bank for Students: Synchrony

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Synchrony Bank is the best bank for students in the U.S. according to our rankings.Synchrony offers a High Yield Savings account that has a great savings rate for students, as it sports a 4.75% APY on all balances with no minimum requirements. Synchrony has three deposit tiers from $0 to 4,999, $4,999.01 to $24,999, and$24,999.01 and up, which all earn a 4.75% APY. So, students get to earn a great APY while saving more money in their account with no fees to worry about.

Synchrony doesn’t charge ATM withdrawal fees, which is a quality asset for students who are on the go and need money in a pinch. However, Synchrony does offer up to $5 in domestic ATM fee reimbursem*nts.

With the Synchrony High Yield Savings account, you’ll only be able to access your account digitally. The bank is entirely branchless, so customers can contact a representative online or over the phone for assistance.

Best Bank for ATMs: Fidelity

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Fidelity isn’t a typical bank, as it has its hands in many areas within finance: investing, financial planning, college savings and more. However, Fidelity’s Cash Management Account is a great option for anyone that wants fantastically cheap access to ATMs. When you use your Fidelity debit card at any ATM with the Visa®, Plus® or Star® logos in the U.S., Fidelity will reimburse you for whatever fees you are charged by the ATM operator. Keep in mind that for debit transactions made outside of the country, there is a 1% foreign transaction fee. This also applies to ATM withdrawals, though Fidelity will still reimburse for any fees your incur.

The features of a Fidelity account don’t stop there. You’ll earn a 2.72% APY, which is standard for most interest checking accounts. You can open an account with no minimum balance and you won’t pay any monthly maintenance fees. There are also no overdraft fees.

Fidelity operates almost entirely online, so be sure you’re comfortable with that before opening an account. However, its online and mobile experiences are highly rated, so you shouldn’t have any trouble navigating your account after opening.

How to Find the Best Bank for You

Choosing the best bank often comes down to your specific life circ*mstances, knowledge of savings and geography. If none of the banks we discuss above seem right to you, we would suggest you take the following into consideration:

• What are my financial goals?
• Do I want to bank online or in-person?
• Which banks are in my area?

You need to be honest about your financial standing. Do you have a large sum of money you want to store and accrue a small amount of interest, or are you just starting to build wealth? If you are in the former scenario, you should consider a bank with a high interest rate. If you are the latter, you may want to consider a bank that offers educational and planning tools to keep track of your funds.

Deciding to bank in-person or online is another consideration you need to make. Online banks offer advantages that brick-and-mortar banks cannot - namely high interest rates and no fees. That being said, it is normal to feel uncomfortable with storing your funds with an institution you cannot physically visit. The online banks recommended above have a history of stellar customer service and are all FDIC insured, so the risk is minimal if you choose one of them.

Ultimately, location may dictate your decision. Access to bank branches or in-network ATMs may be more convenient for you and help you avoid pesky fees. Make sure you check out your local bank and credit unions or the large national banks with branches in your area.