USAA Bank Review 2025: Checking, Savings and CDs
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Overall institution rating
3.7
USAA Bank offers accounts with savings tools and no monthly fees. Through online banking options, mobile tools and broad ATM access — including ATM reimbursements of up to $10 a month — USAA Bank ensures that members can access their money from nearly anywhere. You can bank with USAA if you're a current member of the military, you’ve served in the military, are a spouse of someone who has, or are a child of a USAA member.
Best for: Those who want to avoid fees on basic bank accounts and are looking for automatic savings tools, but aren’t likely to need in-person services or the best interest rates.
- No monthly fees.
- Large, free, nationwide ATM network.
- ATM fee rebates.
- Low rates on some savings and CDs.
- Limited branch access.
- Limited membership.
Full review
Full review
USAA Bank
Savings
USAA Savings
3.2
/53.2
/5APY
0.01%
With $0 min. balance for APY
Bonus
N/A
APY
0.01%
With $0 min. balance for APY
Bonus
N/A
The USAA savings account has no monthly fee, though you need $25 to open an account. The account, when combined with USAA’s checking account, has an innovative savings tool that analyzes your checking account to see if a few dollars can be automatically transferred to savings. If so, it makes the electronic transfer and sends you a text with your new checking balance. These types of tools can make it easier to save money. However, the 0.01% interest rate is about as low as you can go; you can find much better rates elsewhere.
» Want to see more options? Check out NerdWallet’s best high-yield online savings accounts
Checking
USAA Bank Classic Checking
4.4
/54.4
/5Monthly fee
$0
APY
0.01%
With $1,000 min. balance for APY
Monthly fee
$0
APY
0.01%
With $1,000 min. balance for APY
Bonus
N/A
Show details
USAA’s Classic Checking Account has no monthly service fee. But it pays only 0.01%, and balances must be at least $1,000 to earn interest.
USAA participates in a network of more than 100,000 fee-free preferred ATMs, including some USAA-branded ATMs that have the ability to take check and cash deposits. The bank also offers a $10 monthly reimbursement if the owner of a non-network ATM charges you a fee.
Payday is up to two days early with early direct deposit.
Certificates of deposit
USAA Bank CD
2.3
/52.3
/51-year APY
1.80%
3-year APY
1.30%
1-year APY
1.80%
3-year APY
1.30%
5-year APY
1.25%
Minimum deposit
$1,000
Show details
USAA has broad CD options with fixed terms ranging from 30 days to seven years. Some other banks offer terms that go up to five years, but not seven. You can compare USAA’s CD rates with the best CD rates this month at other banks and credit unions.
Customer experience
USAA has only a few branches, so it is best for those who prefer to do their banking online. You can use the bank’s mobile app to pay bills, deposit checks, transfer money and monitor your balances. The bank’s website also offers budgeting tools and a financial advice section.
You can reach customer service representatives by phone seven days a week. Support is also available by chat.
Overdraft fees
Free transfers and an overdraft buffer. USAA offers free overdraft transfers from a USAA checking or savings account as a backup. It also offers overdraft protection via credit card cash advance, subject to card fees and interest rates. There's no charge for accounts that get overdrawn by $50 or less.
Overdraft fee. Transactions that are paid when an account goes negative are charged $29 per transaction, but it is limited to one charge per day.
How does USAA Bank compare?
Up to 3.80%
Up to $300
4.30%
N/A
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). The ratings are incremented in tenths of a star.