Citizens Bank VS NBKC Bank

Which bank is better for you?

  • Financial Rates: 1.5 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 3.5 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • No set amount to open most accounts
  • Good variety of accounts available
  • Overdraft Pass
  • Can open most accounts online

Cons:

  • Products not available everywhere
  • Accounts have monthly fees
  • Limited CD terms offered
  • Low interest rates for accounts
  • Financial Rates: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 5.0 Star Icon
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Pros:

  • No monthly fees on accounts
  • Low opening required amounts
  • Competitive interest rates
  • Interest rates not tiered

Cons:

  • Special CDs have high opening amount
  • Limited accounts available
  • Wire transfers have fees
  • Customer service not available 24/7
Citizens Bank Review

Checking, savings, and money market accounts do not have required opening amounts. However, to earn the best rates, you must be a Platinum member. A Platinum member has at least $25,000 in Citizen Bank accounts. The basic checking and savings accounts do not require you to be a Platinum member.

Citizens Bank offers a variety of accounts. These accounts include:

  • Four personal checking accounts
  • Three personal money market accounts
  • Four personal savings accounts
  • CD terms of 11, 14, and 24-month CDs
  • IRA accounts
  • Personal credit cards, lending, retirement, and investment options
  • Business savings, checking, and money market accounts
  • Business CDs
  • Credit cards, lending, and investment options for businesses

Checking and money market accounts include $5 Overdraft Pass. If you overdraw your account for $5 or less, there will not be a fee. To avoid other overdraft fees, deposit money into your account as soon as possible. There is no limit to how many overdrafts qualify for the pass.

If you live where Citizens Bank account are available, you can open most personal accounts online. The application is entirely online. To open the College Saver savings account, you need to visit a branch location. Business and IRA account must also be opened in a branch.

Accounts are not available everywhere. Citizens Bank currently operates in 11 states. If you do not live in one of these states, you cannot open an account. Those states are:

  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont

Citizen Bank accounts have fees. The fees range from $3.99 to $25 each month. There are ways to waive the fees. Those included making deposits and having set account balances. The balances range from $2,500 to $25,000, depending on the account. You can waive some money market and savings account fees by opening a Platinum checking account.

There are only three standard CD terms offered through Citizens Bank. They offer 11, 14, and 24-month CDs. The 14-month CD is an online-only account. Each term requires $1,000 to open. Business and IRA CDs are also available.

Most Citizens Bank accounts have low rates. The interest rates compare to typical brick-and-mortar bank rates. The CDs offer slightly higher rates if you also open a Citizens Bank checking account. Even those higher rates are not competitive with other online accounts.

Read the full Citizens Bank review.

NBKC Bank Review

There are no monthly maintenances fees for NBKC Bank accounts. There are no required amounts to keep in the accounts to avoid fees. NBKC accounts are completely free.

The opening required amounts for most NBKC accounts are low. The personal account and money market account only require $5 to open and earn interest. The health savings accounts do not have a set amount required to open. Each of the CD terms require $1,000 to open.

The accounts offered through NBKC Bank offer competitive interest rates. The rates are competitive with other online accounts. They are much higher than typical brick and mortar bank rates.

The interest rates for NBKC Bank are not tiered. Any amount over $0.01 earns the most competitive interest rates offered. You will receive a slightly lower interest rate if you have more than $1 million in NBKC accounts. Any amount from $0.01 to $1 million earns a competitive interest rate.

NBKC Bank offers four special CDs. Those terms include a seven-month, 12-month, 14-month, and 18-month CDs. These CDs earn more competitive interest rates than the other accounts. The seven-month and 14-month CD terms require $25,000 to open. The 12 and 18-month CDs require $1,000 to open.

NBKC Bank offers personal and business accounts. The only personal accounts offered are a checking and money market account, with some CDs. There are some business accounts available. Other accounts may be offered if you contact the bank directly.

There are fees to make wire transfers with NBKC Bank. To send a domestic wire anywhere in the United States has a $5 fee. To send or receive an international wire has a fee of $45.

Customer service for online accounts is not available anytime. They have specific hours at their branch locations. The hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. Some branch locations are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Read the full NBKC Bank review.

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Jenius Bank
Savings (Rate as of 3/29/2024)
APY 5.25%
Rate 5.25%
For APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Checkbook No
Member FDIC. No fees. Easy deposits and quick withdrawals.
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Barclays
Savings (Rate as of 3/29/2024)
APY 4.35%
Rate 4.35%
For APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Checkbook No
Member FDIC
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