Big Bank Convenience Scorecard

Though the biggest U.S. banks may seem interchangeable, there are some fundamental differences that affect the everyday consumer. Recent news that Bank of America reduced their number of available ATMs by nearly 9% over the first half of 2012 is a cause of concern for active customers. In more positive news, however, both Bank of America and Wells Fargo have announced their plans to offer mobile check deposit service to mobile banking customers, following in the footsteps of Chase and Citibank.

ATMs and mobile deposits are just two of many convenience factors that consumers may consider when choosing a bank, or when deciding to leave one.

How do the big banks compare?

*Caribbean countries and territories are combined

Highlights

• Bank of America can’t quite top Chase in the number of ATMs, Wells Fargo in branch availability and nationwide presence, or Citibank in international branch availability.
• Where BofA does outperform the competition is in international partnerships, with partnering banks in 7 other countries as well as many Caribbean locations. These relationships come in handy when looking for fee-free ATMs while traveling abroad.
• Bank of America also picks up the slack in the mobile app department. Its app is available on the most platforms out of the 4 biggest banks we surveyed.
• Citibank and Bank of America both offer online chat services for answering customer service inquiries, so there’s no need to pick up the phone.