Citibank Review: Checking, Savings and CDs
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- Savings
- Checking
- Certificates of deposit
- Customer experience
- Overdraft fees
Overall institution rating
4.3
Citibank has many perks you can expect from a big, national bank, including a wide range of product offerings and a massive ATM network. But it has fewer branches than some of its peers, like Wells Fargo and Bank of America, and its most competitive savings account is not available in all regions.
In July 2024, Citibank was fined more than $135 million for failing to make progress on data quality management issues that were part of an enforcement action in 2020. Read more about what this means for banking with Citibank in the Customer Experience section below.
Best for: Customers who want access to a huge network of free ATMs and a variety of banking products and live in one of the regions that’s eligible for Citi’s high-yield savings account.
Pros
- No overdraft fees.
- Competitive rate on some savings accounts and CDs.
- Large, free, nationwide ATM network.
- Large branch network.
- No minimum opening deposits on checking and savings accounts.
Cons
- Monthly fees (though they are avoidable).
- High minimum balance requirements to avoid fees.
- High savings rates not available in all states.
Full review
Savings
Savings
4.5
/5 NerdWallet ratingCiti® Accelerate Savings (Member FDIC; select markets only) earns a higher-than-average rate on deposits, and there's no minimum deposit required to open the account. The account charges a $4.50 monthly fee, but you can get it waived it in a few different ways, such as by having an average monthly balance of at least $500 or by having a Citi checking account.
This account is not available to residents of select markets including California, Connecticut, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Virginia and select areas in Florida and Illinois.
Checking
Checking
3.4
/5 NerdWallet ratingThe checking account in the basic banking package that offers check writing is called Regular Checking. With it, you’ll have access to free withdrawals from your account at more than 65,000 ATMs, which is many more than some other national banks offer. The monthly fee is steep but can be waived with monthly direct deposits totaling at least $250.
Certificates of deposit
CD
3.3
/5 NerdWallet ratingCitibank’s standard CD rates are higher than those of other national banks, and even national average CD yields, but you can still find online banks and credit unions with better rates. See more details on Citibank CD rates.
» Find high yields with our list of best CD rates for the month
Customer experience
4.9
NerdWallet ratingUsers can contact the bank 24 hours a day, and its customer service channels include phone, live chat and social media channels. The Android and iOS apps earn high user ratings.
Branches are plentiful in New York and California, but less so in other states. Citi offers more than 65,000 fee-free ATMs — more than the three largest national banks combined. And if you’re traveling abroad, it’s helpful to know that you can get service at the bank’s thousands of overseas branches.
Editor’s note: In July 2024, Citibank was fined more than $135 million for “deficiencies in [Citibank’s] data governance, risk management and internal controls that constitute unsafe or unsound practices and that contributed to violations of law or regulation,” according to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Reserve. This fine is related to enforcement actions that the OCC and the Federal Reserve took against Citibank in 2020. While the OCC said that the bank took steps to comply, it “failed to make sufficient and sustainable progress towards achieving compliance” since 2020.
This enforcement action and fine, which did not factor into our ratings, helps make customers aware of Citibank’s data and risk management behavior. Even if customer funds are protected by federal insurance, poor data management can erode consumer trust in a bank. Citibank said in a statement that it’s working to address the 2020 enforcement action so that its data quality management meets requirements, but it’s been a multi-year effort so far.
» Looking for more Citi products? Check out Citi credit cards with cash-back, balance transfer and travel rewards features
Overdraft fees
4.9
NerdWallet ratingIn June 2022, Citibank joined the league of other banks that don’t charge overdraft fees. If you don’t have enough funds in your account, your ATM and other debit card transactions will be declined. Optional overdraft protection transfers are still available from another linked Citi account, but they’re also now free.
The information related to Citi checking and savings accounts has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.
How does Citibank, N.A. compare?
 Member FDIC |  Member FDIC |
|---|---|
NerdWallet rating 4.5 /5 | NerdWallet rating 4.5 /5 |
APY 4.20% With $0 min. balance for APY | APY 4.55% With $5,000 min. balance for APY |
Bonus $300 Earn up to $300 with direct deposit. Terms apply. | Bonus N/A |
Learn more at SoFi Bank, N.A. | Learn more at CIT Bank |
Methodology
NerdWallet’s overall ratings for banks and credit unions are weighted averages of several categories: checking, savings, certificates of deposit or credit union share certificates, banking experience and overdraft fees. Factors we consider, depending on the category, include rates and fees, ATM and branch access, account features and limits, user-facing technology, customer service and innovation. The stars represent ratings from poor (one star) to excellent (five stars). Ratings are rounded to the nearest half-star. How we rate banks, credit unions and other financial service providers.
