Chase vs Citibank: Which Is Best for You?

Spencer Tierney
By Spencer Tierney 
Updated
Edited by Alice Holbrook

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The two big national banks Chase and Citibank have similar products and fees (and ways to waive them), but they differ in some ways.

Consider what’s important in your banking life, whether that means nearby ATMs or branch access, and read on to see how the banks compare.

Snapshot comparison

Chase

Citibank

Checking accounts

Chase Total Checking®

  • Monthly fee: $12 (See below for three ways to waive it).

  • Minimum opening deposit: $0.

Citi Regular Checking (in Basic Banking package)

N/A.

Savings accounts

Chase Savings℠

  • APY: 0.01% effective as of 02/10/2023. Interest rates are variable and subject to change.

  • Monthly fee: $5 (See below for four ways to waive it).

Citi Savings (in Basic Banking package)

  • APY: 0.03%, may vary by state.

  • Monthly fee: $4.50 (See below for three ways to waive it).

Certificates of deposit

Chase CD interest rates

  • 1-year: 0.01%.

  • 5-year: 0.01%.

  • Minimum deposit: $1,000.

Citibank CD interest rates

  • 1-year: 2.75%.

  • 5-year: 2.00%.

  • Minimum deposit: $500.

Overdrafts, ATMs, customer service

  • Overdraft fee: $34, maximum of three per day. No charge if account is overdrawn by $50 or less at end of day. Also no charge if the account is overdrawn more than $50 but the overdrawn balance is brought down to $50 or less by the end of the next business day.

  • Overdraft protection transfer fee: $0.

  • ATMs: More than 15,000.

  • Branches: More than 4,700.

  • Customer service: Available by phone (8 a.m.-12 a.m. ET, Monday-Friday, and 8 a.m.-8 p.m. ET on weekends), email and social media.

  • Overdraft fee: $0.

  • Overdraft protection transfer fee: $0.

  • ATMs: 60,000+.

  • Branches: Over 600 in the U.S.

  • Customer service: Available by phone 24/7, social media and messaging support (for existing customers).

  • Chase Overall Star Rating
    NerdWallet rating 

    at Chase, Member FDIC

    Citi® Overall Star Rating
    NerdWallet rating 

    Choose Chase if:

    • You prioritize branch accessibility.

    Choose Citibank if:

    • ATM accessibility is a priority.

    • You want higher CD rates.

    • You want to avoid overdraft fees.

    Or go with an alternative

    Unlike these brick-and-mortars, online banks don’t have thousands of branches. But they do have excellent annual percentage yields (APYs) that make your savings grow faster. And fees tend to be low or nonexistent.

    Chase vs. Citibank: Basic checking accounts

    Chase Total Checking®

    Citi Regular Checking (in Basic Banking package)

    Monthly fee

    $12.

    You must meet one of the following requirements:

    • Receive $500 or more in direct deposits monthly.

    • Maintain a beginning day balance of at least $1,500.

    • Have an average beginning day balance of at least $5,000 across qualifying Chase accounts.

    N/A.

    Minimum deposit to open

    $0.

    $0.

    APY

    None.

    None.

    ATM fees and network

    • More than 15,000 fee-free Chase ATMs.

    • $3 fee for using out-of-network ATMs in the U.S, plus any fees from ATM owner.

    • 60,000+ fee-free ATMs.

    • $2.50 fee for using out-of-network ATMs, plus any fee from ATM owner.

    Sign-up bonus

    $300 (expires 04/17/2024); our bank bonuses roundup explains how to qualify.

    None.

    Citibank has a better ATM network, with over 60,000 fee-free ATMs across the nation. But Chase offers a cash bonus for new account sign-ups.

    » Want more options? Take a look at NerdWallet’s best checking accounts.

    Chase vs. Citibank: Basic savings accounts

    Chase Savings℠

    Citi Savings (in Basic Banking package)

    APY

    0.01% effective as of 02/10/2023. Interest rates are variable and subject to change.

    Rates may vary by state. In some, it's 0.03% APY for balances below $25,000.

    Monthly fee

    $5.

    • Have a daily balance of $300 or more.

    • Set up an automatic transfer of $25 or more from Chase checking account.

    • Link this account to a College Checking account or a high-end checking account such as Chase Premier Plus Checking℠.

    • Note: Account owners younger than 18 don't have to pay a fee.

    $4.50.

    • Have at least a $500 average monthly balance.

    • Note: As part of the Basic Banking package, no monthly fee if you have a qualifying direct deposit and make a qualifying bill payment each statement period, or if you maintain a minimum $1,500 monthly balance across eligible linked accounts.

    • Note: Account owners age 62 and older don’t have to pay a fee.

    Minimum deposit to open

    $0.

    $0.

    Sign-up bonus

    N/A

    N/A

    Both have minimal interest rates, with Citi having a slight edge.

    Both have monthly fees that are easy to avoid.

    » Want to find higher rates? Check out NerdWallet's best online savings accounts.

    Chase vs. Citibank: Certificates of deposit

    Chase

    Citibank

    1-Year APY

    0.01%.

    2.75%.

    3-Year APY

    0.01%.

    2.00%.

    5-Year APY

    0.01%.

    2.00%.

    Minimum deposit to open

    $1,000.

    $500.

    Rates may vary by location.

    Citi has generally better rates. To compare Citi's rates with other options, see our list of current CD rates. To see more detail about Chase’s offering, see our Chase CD rates review.

    » Want better returns on your CD? See our list of best CD rates.

    Chase vs. Citibank: Banking experience

    Chase

    Citibank

    Branches

    More than 4,700.

    Over 600.

    Banking apps (current ratings from app store users)

    • 4.8 out of 5 stars for iOS.

    • 4.4 out of 5 stars for Android.

    • 4.9 out of 5 stars for iOS.

    • 4.7 out of 5 stars for Android.

    Customer service

    • Available by phone (8 a.m.-12 a.m. ET Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. ET on weekends).

    • Email support available.

    • Social media support available.

    • Available by phone 24/7.

    • Social media support available.

    • Messaging support available (for existing customers).

    Though similar in bank experience offerings, Chase has a far superior branch count. Citibank holds 1,800 branches internationally; consider this if you travel frequently and find yourself in need of branch services abroad.

    Chase vs. Citibank: Overdraft fees

    Chase

    Citibank

    Overdraft fee

    $34, maximum of three per day. No charge if account is overdrawn by $50 or less at end of day. Also no overdraft fee if the account balance is overdrawn more than $50 but is brought down to being overdrawn by $50 or less by the end of the next business day.

    $0.

    Overdraft protection transfer fee

    $0 per transfer.

    $0.

    Extended overdraft fee

    None.

    None.

    If you want to avoid overdraft fees, choose Citibank, which is now one of an increasing number of banks that don’t charge overdraft fees.

    Chase offers overdraft protection transfers for free and there's no fee if your account is overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the day. When an account is overdrawn more than $50, customers can also avoid an overdraft fee if the account balance is brought down to being overdrawn by $50 or less by the end of the next business day. Otherwise, Chase charges an overdraft fee up to three times per day.

    Barclays logo
    Learn More

    Member FDIC

    Barclays Online Savings Account

    Barclays logo
    APY

    4.35%

    Min. balance for APY

    $0

    EverBank logo
    Learn More

    Member FDIC

    EverBank Performance℠ Savings

    EverBank logo
    APY

    5.15%

    Min. balance for APY

    $0

    More branches or more ATMs

    For more branches, Chase may be better for you. But for more free ATMs and higher CD rates, Citibank may be more attractive.

    Both banks have a range of accounts and services, but they’re similarly bogged down by poor rates.

    If you’re not impressed with either bank, check our roundup of the best online checking accounts or best credit unions for other options.

    The information related to Citi Regular Checking, Citi Savings and Citi CDs has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.

    On a similar note...

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    NerdWallet rating 

    4.5

    /5
    SoFi Checking and Savings

    at SoFi Bank, N.A., Member FDIC

    APY

    4.60%

    With $0 min. balance for APY

    Bonus

    $400

    Up to $300 cash and $100 in rewards points. Terms apply.

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