Citizens Access Review: High APYs and No Monthly Fees

4.7

GBR RATING

GOBankingRates scores and rankings are objectively determined by our research/editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors that differ from category to category depending on what consumers want from varying products and banks. Read our full Editorial Guidelines here.

With high rates and no fees, Citizens is a good contender for a place to park your savings.

Citizens Access opened for business in July 2018, but its parent company, Citizens Bank, has been in the banking industry for over 190 years. The bank has total assets worth over $22.7 billion. With its solid savings options for customers, GOBankingRates has ranked Citizens Access as one of the Best Online Banks of 2025. As an online bank, Citizens Access does not have physical branches but is top-rated in its services and offerings.

Citizens Access offers a small amount of financial products, but it does well with what it offers. Two savings accounts, a range of CDs, mortgages and loan refinancing round out their product offerings.

Citizen Access Savings Accounts

Citizens Access Bank offers a high-yield online savings account with an annual percentage yield (APY) of , 18 times more than the national average of 0.25%. Additionally, the bank maintains a no-fee policy, ensuring customers can grow their savings without incurring service charges.

4.8

GBR RatingGOBankingRates scores and rankings are objectively determined by our research/editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors that differ from category to category depending on what consumers want from varying products and banks. Read our full Editorial Guidelines here.

Citizen Access Savings Accounts

Start Banking

Best For

Online Banks

Mobile App

Great APYs

Account Perks

Low Monthly Fees

Min. Balance to Earn APY $0.01

Citizens Access Bank offers a high-yield savings account with a competitive APY and no monthly fees. However, for some customers, the lack of checking account options and no ATM access will prove to be limiting factors.

Fees

No monthly service fee

APY

Min. Opening

$0.01

Pros

• Competitive interest rate 
• Low minimum opening deposit 
• No monthly maintenance fees

Cons

• Savings account doesn’t come with ATM access
• Cannot conduct in-person transactions
• Limited account types

Quick Take

Citizen Access Bank offers one savings account with a APY and no monthly maintenance fees. Customers can open the account in less than five minutes from the comforts of their home. 

• Earns higher than the national average in terms of APY
• No monthly maintenance fees
• Savings account is FDIC-insured
• No physical branches
• No comprehensive banking coverage 

Show Pros, Cons and More

Hide Pros, Cons and More

Citizen Access CD Accounts

Citizen Access offers a small range of CDs with respectable interest rates. Although there are no maintenance fees, they do come with a minimum deposit of $5,000.

4.7

GBR RatingGOBankingRates scores and rankings are objectively determined by our research/editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors that differ from category to category depending on what consumers want from varying products and banks. Read our full Editorial Guidelines here.

Citizen Access CD Accounts

Start Banking

Best For

Online Banks

Mobile App

Great APYs

Account Perks

Low Monthly Fees

Choose from Regular CDs and Ladders

Citizen Access CDs are ideal for someone who can afford the $5,000 minimum deposit — those who can will benefit from the competitive APY rates.

Fees

No monthly service fee

APY

–

Min. Opening

$5,000

Pros

• High APY for one year CD
• Flexible terms 
• No monthly fees

Cons

• High minimum deposit
• Early withdrawal penalties
• Limited account types 

Quick Take

Citizens Access offers CD accounts with a guaranteed fixed rate of interest, flexible interest payment options, high APYs across all terms, and no fees.

• One-year CD will earn APY 
• No monthly maintenance fees
• Flexible terms options between one to five years
• A minimum deposit requirement of $5,000 is required
• No in-person transactions 

Show Pros, Cons and More

Hide Pros, Cons and More

Citizen Access Banking Experience

There’s an advantage to not having immediate access to money you’re saving for a specific purchase or goal. Citizens Access is a good option for anyone prioritizing saving. You get top rates without the temptation of an ATM card. Citizen Access has been rated GOBankingRates top 10 online banks for 2025. 

Customer Service

You can contact Citizens Access customer service via secure online message or at 888-201-6505. The bank responds to secure online messages within 24 hours. No live chat is currently available. However, the bank has customer service hours seven days per week. You can reach someone Monday-Friday, 6 a.m.-12 a.m. ET; Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. ET; and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. ET. 

Online and Mobile Experience

You can access your account information on the website anytime you use your Citizens Access online login. Additionally, you can manage your account via the Citizens Access mobile app, which currently has a rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars on the App Store and 4.6 out of 5 stars on Google Play.

Comparable Online Bank Options  

Citizens Access is not the only top-rated online bank on the market. Before opening an account, it helps to see how Citizens Access stacks up to its competitors.

Savings

CDs

SELECTED BANK

4.8

GBR RatingGOBankingRates scores and rankings are objectively determined by our research/editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors that differ from category to category depending on what consumers want from varying products and banks. Read our full Editorial Guidelines here.

Citizen Access Savings Accounts

Start Banking

MOST COMPARABLE

4.7

GBR RatingGOBankingRates scores and rankings are objectively determined by our research/editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors that differ from category to category depending on what consumers want from varying products and banks. Read our full Editorial Guidelines here.

Sallie Mae Bank Savings Accounts

Read Review

MOST COMPARABLE

4.7

GBR RatingGOBankingRates scores and rankings are objectively determined by our research/editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors that differ from category to category depending on what consumers want from varying products and banks. Read our full Editorial Guidelines here.

Marcus by Goldman Sachs Savings Account

Read Review

Fees

Fees

Fees

No monthly service fee

No monthly service fee

None

APY

APY

APY

Min. Opening

Min Opening

Min Opening

$0.01

$0

$0

SELECTED BANK

4.7

GBR RatingGOBankingRates scores and rankings are objectively determined by our research/editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors that differ from category to category depending on what consumers want from varying products and banks. Read our full Editorial Guidelines here.

Citizen Access CD Accounts

Start Banking

MOST COMPARABLE

4.7

GBR RatingGOBankingRates scores and rankings are objectively determined by our research/editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors that differ from category to category depending on what consumers want from varying products and banks. Read our full Editorial Guidelines here.

Sallie Mae Bank CD Accounts

Read Review

MOST COMPARABLE

5.0

GBR RatingGOBankingRates scores and rankings are objectively determined by our research/editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors that differ from category to category depending on what consumers want from varying products and banks. Read our full Editorial Guidelines here.

Marcus by Goldman Sachs CD Account

Read Review

Fees

Fees

Fees

No monthly service fee

No monthly service fee

Early withdrawal penalty may apply

APY

APY

APY

–

Up to

Up to

Min. Opening

Min Opening

Min Opening

$5,000

$2,500

$500

Citizens Access vs. Marcus by Goldman Sachs

Both Citizens Access and Marcus by Goldman Sachs, Member FDIC, are online banks backed by bigger financial institutions. But Citizens Access prioritizes keeping fees low and rates high. Marcus by Goldman Sachs requires a minimum balance of $500 to open a CD, meaning it may be a better choice if you can’t meet the minimum deposit requirement of $5,000 for a Citizens Access CD.

Both Citizens Access and Marcus by Goldman Sachs, Member FDIC, are online banks backed by bigger financial institutions. But Citizens Access prioritizes keeping fees low and rates high. Marcus by Goldman Sachs requires a minimum balance of $500 to open a CD, meaning it may be a better choice if you can’t meet the minimum deposit requirement of $5,000 for a Citizens Access CD.

Citizens Access vs. Ally Bank

Citizens Access and Ally Bank meet different banking needs. You can stow away money in a Citizens Access account and keep it out of sight. Ally Bank offers a full range of banking products, including a checking account, making it a better choice for someone who prefers doing all of their banking in one place.

Citizens Access vs. Jenius Bank

Citizens Access and Jenius Bank are both online banks that offer high-yield savings accounts. Jenius Bank offers a more competitive rate of 4.8% APY, but offers no other products except for personal loans. Citizens Access offers a lower APY on its high-yield savings account, but also has CDs as part of its financial product lineup.

Final Take 

The bottom line is that what Citizens Access does, it does very well. Citizens Access gets high marks for certain features. Specifically, you won’t pay any fees for banking with Citizens Access, and you’ll earn solid APYs on savings and CD accounts. As such, GOBankingRates has named it one of the Best Online Banks of 2024.

If you’re just looking for a no-cost place to stash some extra cash and earn high yields, Citizens Access fits that bill to a T.

Rudri Patel contributed to the reporting of this article.

Editorial Note: This content is not provided by any entity covered in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, ratings or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any entity named in this article.

Rates are subject to change; unless otherwise noted, rates are updated periodically. All other information on accounts is accurate as of Dec. 17, 2024.

To determine the Best Online Banks of 2025, GOBankingRates looked at the following factors across exclusively online banks: (1) total assets as sourced from the FDIC; (2) monthly checking fee ratio (percent the minimum to avoid fee compared to the monthly fee itself); (3) savings APY; (4) 1-year CD APY; (5) Bauer rating (out of 5 stars); (6) products/services offered (auto loans, mortgage loans, credit cards, investment services, and insurance); and (7) the average mobile app rating between the Google Play (Android) and Apple stores. Factors (1) and (2) were weighed 0.5 times, and factors (3) and (7) were weighed 2 times. For all savings and checking account data, only the basic accounts or products offered at each institution were analyzed. All products and offerings had to be available as of Nov. 1, 2024, to be considered. Rates are subject to change; unless otherwise noted, rates are updated periodically. All other information on accounts is accurate as of Dec. 17, 2024.

Share This Article: