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Citizens Access Review 2025

Updated January 31, 2025
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At a glance

Overview

Citizens Access is an online bank with no branches that offers savings products. It’s a division of Citizens Bank. Citizens Access generally offers competitive yields on its deposit accounts, but only offers a savings account and a handful of certificates of deposit (CDs). If you’re looking for a money market or checking account, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Highlights:

High APY No Monthly Fees
3.6
Rating: 3.6 stars out of 5
Bankrate Score

CDs

Rating: 3.7 stars out of 5
3.7 /5

Savings

Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
4.4 /5
4.3
Rating: 4.3 stars out of 5
Customer Score
See all 47 consumer reviews Arrow Right Icon
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Bank logo
Member FDIC
Checking Account
0.00
%
APY
As of 6/17/2025
$50
Min. balance for APY
View offer Arrow Right Icon

Overall

If you’re looking to park your money in a high-yield account with no fees, Citizens Access may be worth considering. But you’ll need to be comfortable solely banking online as the bank doesn’t have any branches. While the savings account can be opened with just one cent, its CDs require a $5,000 deposit, which is sizable compared to what other banks require.

Pros

  • Checkmark Icon

    Citizens Access offers solid yields on its deposit accounts.

  • Checkmark Icon

    Customer service is available by phone seven days a week or by using the chat function on the bank’s website.

  • Checkmark Icon

    The Citizens Access savings account doesn’t have a monthly service fee.

Cons

  • Citizens Access has no physical branches or ATM access.

  • The online bank offers a limited selection of products.

Citizens logo

We want to know what you think about Citizens Access

Do you have experience with Citizens Access? Let us know your thoughts.

Citizens Access Bank products

Citizens Access Online Savings account

4.4
/5
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
SCORE BREAKDOWN
APY offering:
3.70%
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
4/5
Minimum balance for APY:
$0.00
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5/5
Monthly service fee:
$0.00
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5/5
Minimum balance to avoid fee:
$0.00
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5/5
Access to funds:
Good
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
4/5

Pros

  • Checkmark Icon

    Citizens Access offers a solid annual percentage yield (APY), which can be earned on any balance.

  • Checkmark Icon

    The bank does not charge any monthly service fees.

Cons

  • Citizens Access doesn’t provide an ATM card for withdrawals.

  • Citizens Access doesn’t offer accounts for those under 18 years old.

Rate history for Citizens Access's Savings account

See how rates for this account have changed over time. Interact with the trend lines to view APY by date.

Citizens Access
APY
National average APY

Display historical averages

Line chart with 2 lines.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying Time. Data ranges from 2024-06-01 04:00:00 to 2025-06-10 00:00:00.
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Data ranges from 0.56 to 4.5.
End of interactive chart.
How do we get this data?

Citizens Access certificates of deposit (CDs)

3.7
/5
Rating: 3.7 stars out of 5
SCORE BREAKDOWN
APY offering:
3.50%
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
4/5
Minimum deposit:
$5,000.00
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
3/5
Range of term lengths:
1 yr – 5 yrs
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
3/5
Early withdrawal penalty:
Good
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
4/5
Offer no-penalty or bump-up CDs:
Yes
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5/5
Offer IRA CDs:
No
Rating: 0 stars out of 5
0/5

Pros

  • Checkmark Icon

    Citizens Access offers a solid range of CDs.

  • Checkmark Icon

    Citizens Access pays a competitive yield on some of its CDs.

Cons

  • The minimum deposit is higher than what’s offered by most other online banks.

  • Higher yields are available elsewhere on longer terms.

  • Citizens Access doesn’t offer short-term CDs (maturities less than a year).

Rate history for Citizens Access's CD accounts

See how rates for this account have changed over time. Select the CD term length from the dropdown and interact with the trend lines to view APY by date.

Citizens Access
APY
National average APY

Display historical averages

Line chart with 2 lines.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying Time. Data ranges from 2024-06-01 04:00:00 to 2025-06-10 00:00:00.
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Data ranges from 1.73 to 5.
End of interactive chart.
Caret Down Icon
How do we get this data?

How Citizens Access compares to other banks

Compare different account types offered by Citizens Access. Annual percentage yields (APYs) shown were updated between June 10, 2025 and June 16, 2025.

Selected bank
Citizens Access savings account
Citizens Access Logo
Member FDIC
Bankrate score
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
4.4
Most comparable
Synchrony Bank savings account
Synchrony Bank Logo
Member FDIC
Bankrate score
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
4.5
Read review
Search for or select a bank:
Caret Down Icon
Bask Bank savings account
Bask Bank logo
Member FDIC
Bankrate score
5.0
Read review
APY
3.70% 3.80% 4.20%
Minimum balance for APY
$0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Estimated earnings
$1,850 $1,900 $2,100
Citizens Access offers a high-yield savings account with a minimum opening deposit of just one cent. This online bank doesn’t charge monthly service fees and offers a highly rated mobile app. You’ll earn a competitive yield and can access your money at an ATM with the Synchrony Bank High Yield Savings Account. You’ll also have $5 worth of domestic ATM fees reimbursed per month and you won’t be charged a monthly service fee. Bask Bank’s Interest Savings Account earns a highly competitive APY, with no minimum balance requirement or monthly fees. The bank also offers a Mileage Savings Account, which allows you to earn American Airlines miles as rewards, based on your monthly balance.
  • Citizens Access’ savings account earns a competitive yield.
  • The account charges no monthly fee and requires just a penny to open.
  • You can get up to $5 worth of ATM fees reimbursed with this account.
  • You’ll earn a competitive yield with Synchrony’s savings account.
  • There are no monthly service fees.
  • Bask Bank’s Interest Savings Account earns a top-notch yield.
  • The Interest Savings Account doesn’t charge a maintenance fee or require a set minimum balance.
  • ATM access to this account is not provided.
  • As an online-only bank, Citizens Access may not be the best choice for those who prefer branch access.
  • Some banks pay a higher yield on their savings accounts.
  • All tiers have the same APY, so customers are not rewarded for depositing more money
  • Bask charges $35 per outgoing domestic wire transfer not done online, which is steep compared to other banks.
  • Neither savings account comes with ATM access.
APY offering:
3.70%
4/5
Minimum balance for APY:
$0.00
5/5
Monthly service fee:
$0.00
5/5
Minimum balance to avoid fee:
$0.00
5/5
Access to funds:
Good
4/5
APY offering:
3.80%
4/5
Minimum balance for APY:
$0.00
5/5
Monthly service fee:
$0.00
5/5
Minimum balance to avoid fee:
$0.00
5/5
Access to funds:
Great
5/5
APY offering:
4.20%
5/5
Minimum balance for APY:
$0.00
5/5
Monthly service fee:
$0.00
5/5
Minimum balance to avoid fee:
$0.00
5/5
Access to funds:
Great
5/5

Bank fees

Fee Charged
Overdraft fee N/A
Non-sufficient funds fee N/A
Account maintenance fees None
Out-of-network ATM fee N/A
Excessive transaction fee None

Customer experience

Customer service

Long support hours. Citizens Access customer service representatives are available to answer questions about CDs and savings accounts seven days a week: 7 a.m. to midnight on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends. There is also a chat option available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (All times are Eastern.)

Support wait times. Though there are many ways to connect, customer service isn’t always easy to get in contact with, according to a Bankrate staff member. There isn’t a way to contact support through the app, and when making a call, there’s always a wait time to get in touch with a representative. Even then, sometimes you get transferred to another department, making that wait even longer. 

Digital experience 

Highly rated mobile app. Citizens Access’s mobile app earns top marks on both the Apple App and Google Play stores. Citizens Access customers can use the mobile app to check account balances, move money and make mobile deposits. That noted, the app is missing many digital features that come with more advanced mobile banking apps, according to a Bankrate staff member who has a Citizens Access account. The app doesn’t have a virtual assistant or budgeting tools and you can’t dispute transactions or open new accounts through the app.

Lightbulb Icon

Bankrate staff insights

“You can get a very competitive savings rate with Citizens Access, but shouldn’t expect much more than a place to store and grow your money,” said a Bankrate staff member who uses the account personally. “One of the main reasons I opened the Citizens Access savings account is because of its competitive rate. Customer service, on the other hand, isn’t one of Citizens Access’s strengths — getting in touch with a customer service representative can be an unnecessary hassle.”

Disclosure: To enhance our product reviews, Bankrate employees often open accounts and provide feedback. They may have been compensated for their time and account maintenance, but this does not affect the integrity of their review.

Account Homepage

Citizens Access online banking accounts homepage
Citizens Access online banking savings account overview

The above images were last updated on April 26, 2024.

Review methodology

With so many financial institutions to choose from, it can be hard to know who to trust. Bankrate’s ever-growing list of bank and credit union reviews is updated regularly. Our editorial team analyzes and reviews each institution across deposit products such as savings accounts, checking accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs) and money market accounts (MMAs). Banks are rated by important factors such as offered interest rates, fees, minimum balance requirements, access to funds and more.

We assign a score to each type of account and its features, weigh them carefully based on importance to account holders and determine an overall score. Read our full review methodology.

Citizens Access customer reviews

CTA Citizens Access has 47 reviews

Citizens Access has 47 reviews

Dive into community reviews below and see what others think about Citizens Access.

4.3 Star Icon
47 ratings
Score breakdown
5 stars
45%
4 stars
40%
3 stars
13%
2 stars
2%
1 star
0%
Score by category
Overall Rating 4.3 / 5
Competitiveness of APY 4.2 / 5
Amount of fees 4.2 / 5
Customer support 4.4 / 5
Website / Mobile app 4.4 / 5
Verified Badge Icon Bankrate methodology disclosure

In July 2024, Bankrate collaborated with a third-party vendor to survey 1,200 bank account holders nationwide. Bankrate and our vendor collected and summarized account holder responses to five rating questions on a 5-point scale as well as open-ended reviews of the banking experience. Responses are based on individual account holder product details, and therefore cannot be verified for accuracy. Reviewers received an incentive for their feedback. Their ratings are unedited and have not been reviewed or approved by the associated bank or credit union, nor do these responses reflect Bankrate's own expert review of these banking products.

Community Reviews

See what users like you are saying about Citizens Access.
Search Icon
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Anonymous account holder
March 6, 2025
It’s expensive and nothing special compared to other banks.
Score by category
Amount of fees 1 / 5
Competitiveness of APY 2 / 5
Customer support 4 / 5
Website / Mobile app 3 / 5
Accounts held by this user
Certificate of Deposit (CD) No
Money Market Account (MMA) No
Savings Account No
Checking Account Yes
Anonymous account holder
March 6, 2025
So far it’s good , bank folks are really helpful and readily available.
Score by category
Amount of fees 4 / 5
Competitiveness of APY 4 / 5
Customer support 4 / 5
Website / Mobile app 4 / 5
Accounts held by this user
Certificate of Deposit (CD) Yes
Money Market Account (MMA) No
Savings Account Yes
Checking Account Yes
Anonymous account holder
March 3, 2025
Everything is good with them.
Score by category
Amount of fees 4 / 5
Competitiveness of APY 3 / 5
Customer support 3 / 5
Website / Mobile app 3 / 5
Accounts held by this user
Certificate of Deposit (CD) No
Money Market Account (MMA) No
Savings Account Yes
Checking Account Yes
Anonymous account holder
March 3, 2025
Great service and low fees.
Score by category
Amount of fees 5 / 5
Competitiveness of APY 5 / 5
Customer support 5 / 5
Website / Mobile app 5 / 5
Accounts held by this user
Certificate of Deposit (CD) Yes
Money Market Account (MMA) Yes
Savings Account Yes
Checking Account Yes
Anonymous account holder
March 3, 2025
I have no problems whether I go to the branch or use my mobile app. People are friendly and helpful.
Score by category
Amount of fees 5 / 5
Competitiveness of APY 5 / 5
Customer support 5 / 5
Website / Mobile app 5 / 5
Accounts held by this user
Certificate of Deposit (CD) No
Money Market Account (MMA) No
Savings Account Yes
Checking Account Yes
Anonymous account holder
March 3, 2025
Overall customer service is very friendly.
Score by category
Amount of fees 5 / 5
Competitiveness of APY 5 / 5
Customer support 5 / 5
Website / Mobile app 5 / 5
Accounts held by this user
Certificate of Deposit (CD) Yes
Money Market Account (MMA) No
Savings Account Yes
Checking Account Yes
Anonymous account holder
March 3, 2025
Excellent service whether it's online or at the branch.
Score by category
Amount of fees 5 / 5
Competitiveness of APY 5 / 5
Customer support 5 / 5
Website / Mobile app 5 / 5
Accounts held by this user
Certificate of Deposit (CD) No
Money Market Account (MMA) Yes
Savings Account No
Checking Account No
Anonymous account holder
March 3, 2025
They are very helpful with advice and care about what’s best for their customers.
Score by category
Amount of fees 5 / 5
Competitiveness of APY 4 / 5
Customer support 5 / 5
Website / Mobile app 5 / 5
Accounts held by this user
Certificate of Deposit (CD) No
Money Market Account (MMA) No
Savings Account Yes
Checking Account Yes
Anonymous account holder
March 3, 2025
Excellent and positive overall.
Score by category
Amount of fees 5 / 5
Competitiveness of APY 5 / 5
Customer support 5 / 5
Website / Mobile app 5 / 5
Accounts held by this user
Certificate of Deposit (CD) Yes
Money Market Account (MMA) Yes
Savings Account Yes
Checking Account Yes
Anonymous account holder
March 3, 2025
They charged me 25 dollars for not having a transaction occur for one month. Awful!
Score by category
Amount of fees 2 / 5
Competitiveness of APY 3 / 5
Customer support 4 / 5
Website / Mobile app 2 / 5
Accounts held by this user
Certificate of Deposit (CD) No
Money Market Account (MMA) No
Savings Account Yes
Checking Account Yes