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Chase and Citi are two notable national banks with branches widely available in the US. If you don’t live near a bank location, you may also open accounts online.
To help you determine which bank might be a better fit for you, we’ve compared checking accounts, savings accounts, and CDs. We’re also reviewing financial institutions in trustworthiness so you can know more about each institution’s history.
$200 checking account bonus on Chase Total Checking
High interest rate on Citi Accelerate Savings
Pros and Cons of Citi
Pros and Cons of Chase
Citi vs. Chase Checking Account Comparisons
Chase and Citi have multiple checking accounts. Below, we’ve compared two popular checking accounts with minimal bank fees.
Citi Access Account
3.5/5
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
None
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
Fees
$10 monthly service fee
Citi Access Account
3.5/5
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
None
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
Fees
$10 monthly service fee
Citi Access Account
Details
Fees
$10 monthly service fee
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
None
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
Pros & Cons
No opening deposit
Relatively easy to waive monthly service fee
No overdraft fees
$10 monthly service fee
No paper checks
$2.50 fee for using out-of-network ATMs
BBB gives Citi an F in trustworthiness
Highlights
The most basic Citi checking account
Access to over 650 branches in the US
Waive the $10 monthly service fee by making one direct deposit per month, OR making one bill payment per month, OR maintaining an average monthly balance of $1,500 in linked accounts
We’ve compared the Citi® Accelerate Savings to the Chase Savings℠ since these accounts are available in most states and have similar monthly service fees.
Citi® Accelerate Savings
3.75/5
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
4.05% (vary by location)
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
Fees
$4.50 monthly service fee
Citi® Accelerate Savings
3.75/5
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
4.05% (vary by location)
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
Fees
$4.50 monthly service fee
Citi® Accelerate Savings
Details
Fees
$4.50 monthly service fee
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
4.05% (vary by location)
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
Pros & Cons
High APY (minimum $1 balance to earn)
No opening deposit
You may pay a monthly fee, depending on a variety of factors
Other fees depend on which checking account you link to your savings account
Not available in certain states
BBB gives Citi an F in trustworthiness
Highlights
Monthly fee depends on whether you link to a Citi checking account, and which checking account you choose
You may qualify to have the monthly fee waived, depending on which checking/savings package you have
No opening deposit
Compounding interest to maximize your savings
Not available in CA, CT, MD, NV, NJ, NY, VA, DC, certain parts of FL or IL
Additional Reading
Read our review
Citi vs. Chase CD Comparisons
Citi Fixed Rate CD
3.5/5
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.05% to 4.75%
Minimum Deposit Amount
$500
Citi Fixed Rate CD
3.5/5
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.05% to 4.75%
Minimum Deposit Amount
$500
Citi Fixed Rate CD
Details
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.05% to 4.75%
Minimum Deposit Amount
$500
Pros & Cons
Range of CD terms
Relatively low early withdrawal penalties
Rates vary depending on term
$500 to $2,500 opening deposit, depending on your state of residence
Must visit a branch to deposit more than $10,000
BBB gives Citi an F in trustworthiness
Highlights
Terms ranging from 3 months to 5 years
Early withdrawal penalties ranging from 90 to 180 days interest
Earn 1.10% APY on a 6-month CD; Earn 4.05% to 4.75% APY on a 9-month; Earn 2.00% to 3.00% APY on an 11-month CD; Earn 4.05% APY on an 1-year CD or 18-month CD
Earn 0.05% APY on other CD terms between 3 months and 10 months; Earn 0.10% APY on other CD terms between 13 months and 15 months and 30 months; Earn 2.50% APY on other CD terms between 2 years and 5 years
$500 opening deposit
Additional Reading
Read our review
Which Bank is More Trustworthy?
We use ratings from the Better Business Bureau to evaluate how a bank deals with customer issues.
The BBB gave JP Morgan Chase & Co. (Chase’s parent company) an A+ rating. Keep in mind a good BBB rating won’t guarantee that you’ll have a smooth relationship with a bank. Also consider talking to current customers or reading online customer reviews.
That said, JP Morgan Chase & Co. has been involved in a few recent public settlements. Here are recent cases with JP Morgan Chase & Co.:
Meanwhile, Citi has an F rating because it’s received a high volume of customer complaints and had government action taken against the business.
Citi has been in the following public scandals:
In 2020, the bank was required to pay $400 million in a settlement with the Comptroller of the Currency. The OCC stated the bank had inefficient banking practices.
Citi vs Chase FAQS
Your preference between these two banks may likely come down to where you live.
For example, the Citi® Accelerate Savings is a solid high-yield savings account option, but it isn’t available in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Washington, DC, and select parts of Florida and Puerto Rico. If you live in one of these states, you’ll have to compare the Citi® Savings Account with Chase’s savings accounts and see which institution you prefer.
You’ll also want be mindful of how both banks work and which accounts you’d like to open. For example, Citi organizes its savings and checking accounts into packages. Meanwhile, Chase has relationship banking perks. For example, you can earn a higher interest rate on a CD if you have a qualifying Chase checking account.
Chase has more than 4,700 branches in the US, while Citi has over 690 locations. You’ll still be able to open online bank accounts if you don’t live near a branch.
Evelyn He is a compliance associate at Insider who supports the Personal Finance Insider team. Personal Finance Insider is Insider’s personal finance section that incorporates affiliate and commerce partnerships into the news, insights, and advice about money that Insider readers already know and love. The compliance team’s mission is to provide readers with stories that are fact-checked and current, so they can make informed financial decisions. The team also works to minimize risk for partners by making sure language is clear, precise, and fully compliant with regulatory and partner marketing guidelines that align with the editorial team. Before joining Insider, she served in various legal and compliance roles in different industries, including the legal and pharmaceutical industries. Evelyn obtained her M.S. degree in Marketing at Boston University in 2022. Prior to combining and consolidating her knowledge of law and business, she spent one year finishing 1L courses at Suffolk University Law School to further her legal knowledge. She has also completed MBA business law courses while working on her Bachelor of Business Administration in Management at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her 14-year-old Shih Tzu named Money, and her 4-year-old Bichon named Tibber.