Citibank Review: Account Good for You?
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Citibank offers banking services and credit cards. But service fees and balance requirements are on the high side. Is it the right bank for you?
CreditDonkey Score | 3.5 | ||
Savings | 3.0 | ||
CD | 3.0 | ||
Checking | 3.0 | ||
Mobile App | 4.5 | ||
Customer Service | 4.0 | ||
Pros and Cons
- Perks for high balance customers
- Many fee-free ATMs
- Global presence
- No free checking option
- Higher balance requirements
- Low savings APY
Bottom Line
Large national bank best for high balance customers
Citibank has a large number of branches and ATMs throughout the US. But it's a bank geared towards those with high balances in their deposit accounts.
Low-balance customers may find the requirements too high and the perks a bit lacking. See if their offerings are good for you.
Services Offered
Citibank offers the following:
- Access Account: This is for consumers who don't write checks. Even though you get a checking account, it doesn't come with paper checks.
Instead, you can use Citi's online banking platform to pay your bills and manage your finances. There are no overdraft fees for this account because Citi won't approve transactions that exceed your balance.
- Basic Banking: If you won't keep a balance higher than $1,500 in your account, but you want access to paper checks, the Basic Banking account is a good choice. You can write an unlimited number of checks, and use online banking services and Citibank or partner ATMs.
- Citibank Account: If you keep a minimum of $10,000 in your checking, savings, retirement, or investment accounts, you can use the Citibank Account.
In exchange for the larger balance, you won't pay any non-Citibank ATM fees and you get your first order of checks free of charge.
- Citi Priority: With a combined average monthly balance of $30,000+, the Citi Priority offers financial advice over the phone from a Citi Financial Advisor.
You'll also get preferred rates on deposit products, and waived fees in addition to the standard benefits of online banking and use of Citi ATMs worldwide.
- Citigold: With a combined average monthly balance of $200,000+, the Citigold also offers a dedicated financial services team, around-the-clock customer support, waived or reduced fees, and preferred pricing and rates on Citi deposit products.
The information for Access Account, Basic Banking, Citibank Account, Citi Priority, and Citigold has been collected independently by CreditDonkey. The details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the bank. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.
Citi also offers a variety of CD and IRA options to help you reach your investment and/or retirement goals.
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Reasons We Like Citibank
- Citibank has a large network of ATMs that you can use fee-free. More than 70,000 fee-free ATMs at Citi branches and participating retail locations nationwide, including Target, CVS Pharmacy, Rite aid, Walgreens, Duane Reade and ATMs displaying Allpoint or MoneyPass logo.
- Citibank has more than 1,800 branches outside of the United States. If you travel, it may be helpful to have your bank in the country you travel to as it can save you money and confusion.
Keep in mind that foreign exchange fees may apply to any withdrawals made overseas.
Your Citibank Routing Number:
Each state that Citibank is located in has its own routing number. Use the routing number on the lower left-hand side of your checks when routing money to your account either via Direct Deposit or from any other type of transfer. - You can pay your bills online through your Citi checking account. If you are tired of mailing paper checks, you can set up online bill pay right through your Citi account.
This service is free and handles paying your bills for you, whether you set up a one-time payment or put your bills on a recurring payment status.
- You can make mobile deposits with the Citibank app. As long as you have an iPhone, iPod Touch, or Android device, you can download the Citibank app.
Within the app, you can deposit your checks from the comfort of your own home by taking a picture of the front/back of the check and following the on-screen prompts.
Citibank Credit Card: Citi offers a large variety of credit cards, each with its own benefits. Whether you want to earn rewards, avoid late/penalty fees, or want to earn cash back, Citi offers a variety of options. - The online Citibank platform is user-friendly. Whether you need to transfer funds, pay a bill, check balances, or review your spending, the online platform is easy to navigate.
You can even link outside bank accounts to your Citi account to truly have one-stop banking when you log into your Citi account.
- You have several options to contact Citibank's customer service. You can call 1-888-248-4226; chat online by logging into your account and choosing the "chat" option; or visit a branch in person.
FYI: You can also make an appointment online through Citibank's portal.
- Citibank offers a variety of CD options with terms ranging between 3 months to 5 years. They also offer automatic renewal at maturity and CD laddering to give you access to your funds while allowing the interest to grow.
- You can open a Citibank IRA with either a money market account or CD. They are both FDIC insured. This gives you some reassurance that your retirement funds will be there even if Citibank were to go out of business.
Reasons You May Want to Look Elsewhere
- The rates on their CDs are on the low side. If you compare the CD rates to other national banks, they may compare.
But, if you compare them to nationwide online banks, the rates often pale in comparison. If you don't mind not having a physical branch to bank at, an online bank may be a better choice.
How It Compares
Bank of America:
Bank of America is more widely spread throughout the United States, making it easier to find a branch for in-person banking.
Like Citi, Bank of America also offers lower interest rates than online banks. However, Bank of America requires a minimum opening deposit while Citibank's basic account does not require one at all.
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| Learn More | Learn More | |
Citibank | Bank of America | |
|---|---|---|
Citi Checking - $1,500 Bonus | Bank of America Advantage Banking - $300 Bonus Offer | |
Benefits and Features | ||
| Savings |
| Bank of America Advantage Savings Standard Rate: 0.01% APY |
| CD |
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| Checking |  | |
| Money Market |
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| ATMs | More than 70,000 fee-free ATMs at Citi branches and participating retail locations nationwide, including Target, CVS Pharmacy, Rite aid, Walgreens, Duane Reade and ATMs displaying Allpoint or MoneyPass logo. | |
| Customer Service | 24/7 Live Customer Service (Telephone) |
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| IRA CD | | |
| Locations | 645 retail bank branches concentrated in the six key metropolitan areas of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, and Washington, D.C. | |
| Learn More | Learn More | |
Blank fields may indicate the information is not available, not applicable, or not known to CreditDonkey. Please visit the product website for details. Citibank: Pricing information from published website as of 12/03/2024. This content is not provided by Citi. Any opinions expressed are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Citi. Bank of America: Pricing information from published website as of 12/03/2024 based on 91107 zip code. | ||
Capital One:
Capital One has caught on to the online banking competition. They made Capital One 360 as a result, which offers competitive interest rates. There are also no monthly fees or minimum monthly balance requirements.
The trade-off with Capital One 360 is the lack of physical branches to conduct your banking in person.
Citibank | Capital One | |
|---|---|---|
Citi Checking - $1,500 Bonus | Personal Savings Account - $1,500 Bonus - | |
Benefits and Features | ||
| Savings |
| |
| CD |
| 3.50% to 4.00% APY. Terms of 6 months to 5 years. 12-month CD APY of 4.00% |
| Checking | | |
| Money Market |
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| ATMs | More than 70,000 fee-free ATMs at Citi branches and participating retail locations nationwide, including Target, CVS Pharmacy, Rite aid, Walgreens, Duane Reade and ATMs displaying Allpoint or MoneyPass logo. | over 70,000 no-fee Capital One, MoneyPass, and Allpoint ATMs |
| Customer Service | 24/7 Live Customer Service (Telephone) | |
| Locations | 645 retail bank branches concentrated in the six key metropolitan areas of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, and Washington, D.C. | |
Blank fields may indicate the information is not available, not applicable, or not known to CreditDonkey. Please visit the product website for details. Citibank: Pricing information from published website as of 12/03/2024. This content is not provided by Citi. Any opinions expressed are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Citi. Capital One: Pricing information from published website as of 12/11/2024. | ||
- Chase coupon for National Bank
- Discover® Bank offer for Checking
- CIT Bank promo code (read latest review)
Compare Checking Account Promos
Bank of America Advantage Banking - $300 Bonus Offer
- The $300 bonus offer is an online only offer and must be opened through the Bank of America promotional page.
- The offer is for new checking customers only.
- Offer expires 01/31/2025.
- To qualify, open a new eligible Bank of America Advantage Banking account through the promotional page and set up and receive Qualifying Direct Deposits* totaling $2,000 or more into that new eligible account within 90 days of account opening. Bank of America Advantage SafeBalance Banking® for Family Banking accounts are not eligible for this offer.
- Once all requirements are met, Bank of America will attempt to pay bonus within 60 days.
- Additional terms and conditions apply. See offer page for more details.
- *A Qualifying Direct Deposit is a direct deposit of regular monthly income – such as your salary, pension or Social Security benefits, which are made by your employer or other payer – using account and routing numbers that you provide to them.
- Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC.
U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking - Up to $450 Bonus
Earn up to $450 with a new Bank Smartly Checking account. Complete the following within 90 days of account opening:
- Enroll in online banking or the U.S. Bank Mobile App
- Make two or more direct deposits(s) totaling $2,000 to $4,999.99 to earn $250, $5,000 to $7,999.99 to earn $350 or $8,000 or more to earn $450.
Fund your new account within 30 days to start qualifying activities. Offer may not be available if you are an existing U.S. Bank customer or live outside of the U.S. Bank footprint.
HSBC Premier - Earn Up to $2,500
Start an HSBC Premier relationship today. You'll enjoy premium banking with both local and global benefits and access to wealth solutions offered through HSBC Securities, (USA), Inc*.
You could earn $1,500 or $2,500 if you open a new, eligible HSBC Premier checking account from July 1, 2024 through January 2, 2025, and complete qualifying activities.
- Get a $1,500 Cash Bonus: Add New Money of $100,000 to $249,999 in deposit and/or eligible investment accounts within 20 days of opening your new checking account and maintain the Qualifying Balance for 3 full consecutive months.
- Get a $2,500 Cash Bonus: Add New Money of $250,000+ in deposit and/or eligible investment accounts within 20 days of opening your new checking account and maintain the Qualifying Balance for 3 full consecutive months.
- Cash Bonus will be deposited into your new checking account within 8 weeks of meeting all the offer requirements.
Compare Savings Accounts
High-Yield Savings Premier - 4.46% APY
- No account activity or maintenance fees
- $500 minimum opening deposit
- FDIC insured
Discover® Online Savings - $200 Cash Bonus
To qualify for Bonus: Apply for your first Discover Online Savings Account, enter Offer Code CY924 at application, deposit into your Account a total of at least $15,000 to earn a $150 Bonus or deposit a total of at least $25,000 to earn a $200 Bonus. Qualifying deposit(s) may consist of multiple deposits and must post to Account within 45 days of account open date. Maximum bonus eligibility is $200.
What to know: Offer not valid for existing or prior Discover savings customers, including co-branded, or affinity accounts. Eligibility is based on primary account owner. Account must be open when bonus is credited. Bonus will be credited to the account within 60 days of the account qualifying for the bonus. Bonus is subject to tax reporting. Offer ends 03/13/2025, 11:59 PM ET. Offer may be modified or withdrawn without notice. Due to new customer funding limits, you may wish to initiate fund transfers at your other institution. For information on funding your Account, see FAQs on Discover.com/Bank. See advertiser website for full details.
CIT Bank Platinum Savings - 4.55% APY
- 4.55% APY with a balance of $5,000 or more
- 0.25% APY with a balance of less than $5,000
- $100 minimum opening deposit
- No monthly maintenance fee
- Member FDIC
Bottom Line
Citi can be especially beneficial for those who travel or need access to a large ATM network.
Chase Total Checking® - $300 Bonus
- New Chase checking customers enjoy a $300 bonus when you open a Chase Total Checking® account with qualifying activities
- With over 4,700 branches, Chase has the largest branch network in the U.S. plus access to more than 15,000 ATMs.
- Chase Mobile® app - Manage your accounts, deposit checks, transfer money and more -- all from your device.
- JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC
- Open your account online now
- Available online nationwide except in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. For branch locations, visit locator.chase.com.
- Chase Overdraft Assist℠ - no overdraft fees if you're overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the business day or if you're overdrawn by more than $50 and bring your account balance to overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the next business day*
Bank of America Advantage Banking - $300 Bonus Offer
- The $300 bonus offer is an online only offer and must be opened through the Bank of America promotional page.
- The offer is for new checking customers only.
- Offer expires 01/31/2025.
- To qualify, open a new eligible Bank of America Advantage Banking account through the promotional page and set up and receive Qualifying Direct Deposits* totaling $2,000 or more into that new eligible account within 90 days of account opening. Bank of America Advantage SafeBalance Banking® for Family Banking accounts are not eligible for this offer.
- Once all requirements are met, Bank of America will attempt to pay bonus within 60 days.
- Additional terms and conditions apply. See offer page for more details.
- *A Qualifying Direct Deposit is a direct deposit of regular monthly income – such as your salary, pension or Social Security benefits, which are made by your employer or other payer – using account and routing numbers that you provide to them.
- Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC.
U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking - Up to $450 Bonus
Earn up to $450 with a new Bank Smartly Checking account. Complete the following within 90 days of account opening:
- Enroll in online banking or the U.S. Bank Mobile App
- Make two or more direct deposits(s) totaling $2,000 to $4,999.99 to earn $250, $5,000 to $7,999.99 to earn $350 or $8,000 or more to earn $450.
Fund your new account within 30 days to start qualifying activities. Offer may not be available if you are an existing U.S. Bank customer or live outside of the U.S. Bank footprint.
HSBC Premier - Earn Up to $2,500
Start an HSBC Premier relationship today. You'll enjoy premium banking with both local and global benefits and access to wealth solutions offered through HSBC Securities, (USA), Inc*.
You could earn $1,500 or $2,500 if you open a new, eligible HSBC Premier checking account from July 1, 2024 through January 2, 2025, and complete qualifying activities.
- Get a $1,500 Cash Bonus: Add New Money of $100,000 to $249,999 in deposit and/or eligible investment accounts within 20 days of opening your new checking account and maintain the Qualifying Balance for 3 full consecutive months.
- Get a $2,500 Cash Bonus: Add New Money of $250,000+ in deposit and/or eligible investment accounts within 20 days of opening your new checking account and maintain the Qualifying Balance for 3 full consecutive months.
- Cash Bonus will be deposited into your new checking account within 8 weeks of meeting all the offer requirements.
Discover® Online Savings - $200 Cash Bonus
To qualify for Bonus: Apply for your first Discover Online Savings Account, enter Offer Code CY924 at application, deposit into your Account a total of at least $15,000 to earn a $150 Bonus or deposit a total of at least $25,000 to earn a $200 Bonus. Qualifying deposit(s) may consist of multiple deposits and must post to Account within 45 days of account open date. Maximum bonus eligibility is $200.
What to know: Offer not valid for existing or prior Discover savings customers, including co-branded, or affinity accounts. Eligibility is based on primary account owner. Account must be open when bonus is credited. Bonus will be credited to the account within 60 days of the account qualifying for the bonus. Bonus is subject to tax reporting. Offer ends 03/13/2025, 11:59 PM ET. Offer may be modified or withdrawn without notice. Due to new customer funding limits, you may wish to initiate fund transfers at your other institution. For information on funding your Account, see FAQs on Discover.com/Bank. See advertiser website for full details.
Write to Kim P at feedback@creditdonkey.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for our latest posts.
Note: This website is made possible through financial relationships with some of the products and services mentioned on this site. We may receive compensation if you shop through links in our content. You do not have to use our links, but you help support CreditDonkey if you do.
This content is not provided by Citi. Any opinions expressed are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Citi.
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