USAA Bank Review 2026: Checking, Savings and CDs
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Overall institution rating
3.8
USAA Bank offers accounts with savings and budgeting tools and no monthly fees. Through online banking options, mobile tools and broad ATM access — including ATM fee reimbursements — USAA Bank ensures that members can access their money from nearly anywhere.
You can bank with USAA if you're a current member of the military, you’ve served in the military, are a spouse of someone who has, or are a child of a USAA member.
Best for: Those who want to avoid fees on basic bank accounts and are looking for automatic savings tools, but aren’t likely to need in-person services or the best interest rates.
No monthly fees.
Large, free, nationwide ATM network.
ATM fee rebates.
Offers automatic savings features.
Low rates on some savings and CDs.
Limited branch access.
Limited membership.
Full review
Full review
Savings
USAA Savings
3.2
/53.2
/5APY
0.01%
With $0 min. balance for APY
Bonus
N/A
APY
0.01%
With $0 min. balance for APY
Bonus
N/A
Helpful tools and no monthly fee, but low rate. The USAA savings account has no monthly fee, though you need $25 to open an account. The bank offers automatic savings transfers that put portions of direct deposits and other transactions into savings. USAA's tools can help visualize your spending. These features make it easier to save money. However, the 0.01% interest rate is about as low as you can go; you can find much better rates elsewhere.
» Want to see more options? Check out NerdWallet’s best high-yield online savings accounts
Checking
USAA Bank Classic Checking
4.6
/54.6
/5Monthly fee
$0
APY
0.01%
With $1,000 min. balance for APY
Monthly fee
$0
APY
0.01%
With $1,000 min. balance for APY
Bonus
N/A
Show details
No monthly fee. USAA’s Classic Checking Account has no monthly service fee and only requires $25 to open.
Big ATM network and fee refunds. USAA participates in a network of more than 100,000 fee-free preferred ATMs, including some USAA-branded ATMs that have the ability to take check and cash deposits. The bank also offers up to $10 monthly in reimbursements if the owner of a non-network ATM charges you a fee.
Fast transfers available. Payday is up to two days early with early direct deposit. USAA also belongs to the Zelle network which offers free same-day transfers between banks. See more about banks that use Zelle.
Low rate. While earning interest on a checking account can be a perk, USAA’s account pays only 0.01%, and balances must be at least $1,000 to earn interest.
Certificates of deposit
USAA Bank CD
2.4
/52.4
/51-year APY
1.80%
3-year APY
1.30%
1-year APY
1.80%
3-year APY
1.30%
5-year APY
1.25%
Minimum deposit
$1,000
Show details
USAA has broad CD options with fixed terms ranging from 30 days to seven years. Some other banks offer terms that go up to five years, but not seven. You can compare USAA’s CD rates with the best CD rates at other banks and credit unions.
Customer experience
USAA has only a few branches, so it is best for those who prefer to do their banking online. You can use the bank’s mobile app to pay bills, deposit checks, transfer money and monitor your balances. The bank’s website also offers a financial advice section.
You can reach customer service representatives by phone every day except Sunday. Support is also available by chat.
Membership eligibility. To join USAA, you must be actively in the military, a veteran, an employee of certain federal agencies, or a spouse or child of a USAA member.
Overdraft fees
Free transfers and an overdraft buffer. USAA offers free overdraft transfers from a USAA checking or savings account as a backup. It also offers overdraft protection via credit card cash advance, subject to card fees and interest rates. There's no charge for accounts that get overdrawn by $100 or less.
Overdraft fee. Transactions that are paid when an account goes negative are charged $29 per transaction, but it is limited to one charge per day.
How does USAA Bank compare?
Up to 4.00%
$300 + 0.70% APY
3.75%
$300
Methodology
NerdWallet’s overall ratings for banks and credit unions are weighted averages of several categories: checking, savings, certificates of deposit or credit union share certificates, banking experience and overdraft fees. Factors we consider, depending on the category, include rates and fees, ATM and branch access, account features and limits, user-facing technology, customer service and innovation. The stars represent ratings from poor (one star) to excellent (five stars). The ratings are incremented in tenths of a star.