Best Accounts at Banks and Credit Unions
Whether you're looking for free checking or high yields on your balances, we've pinpointed the top options.
As part of Kiplinger's annual list of the best personal finance products and services, we picked the top accounts at banks and credit unions. Be sure to see the complete list of our favorite investments, financial products, travel tools and more.
Online bank
Ally levies no minimum-balance or monthly fees on its checking and savings accounts, and it reimburses all ATM fees that other banks charge. Use the bank’s mobile app to deposit checks remotely.
Savings
The GE Capital Bank Online Savings account pays 0.95%, with no monthly fee or minimum-balance requirement.
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High-yield checking
The Consumers Credit Union (Illinois) Free Rewards Checking account pays up to 5.09% on balances of up to $10,000 if you meet certain requirements, including making 12 debit-card transactions a month.
Mobile bank
Simple encourages you to bank from your phone. Built-in tools help you budget and track money in a no-fee checking account from partner Bancorp Bank. You can withdraw money free from a network of 55,000 ATMs.
Credit union
Alliant Credit Union has free checking and savings accounts with decent interest rates. Anyone can join Alliant by making a $10 donation to Foster Care to Success.
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Lisa has been the editor of Kiplinger Personal Finance since June 2023. Previously, she spent more than a decade reporting and writing for the magazine on a variety of topics, including credit, banking and retirement. She has shared her expertise as a guest on the Today Show, CNN, Fox, NPR, Cheddar and many other media outlets around the nation. Lisa graduated from Ball State University and received the school’s “Graduate of the Last Decade” award in 2014. A military spouse, she has moved around the U.S. and currently lives in the Philadelphia area with her husband and two sons.
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