Charles Schwab Bank Review: Account Good for You?
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Charles Schwab is more than a brokerage. It also offers high yield checking and savings interest rates that might far surpass your local bank. Read on to learn the pros and cons.
Overall Score | 4.1 | ||
Savings | 4.0 | ||
Checking | 4.0 | ||
Customer Service | 4.5 | ||
Mobile App | 4.0 | ||
Pros and Cons
- No account minimum
- No service fees
- Refund all ATM fees
- Only checking or savings
- Must do banking online
Bottom Line
Popular brokerage with a free checking account that refunds ATM fees
Many people don't realize that the household name for investment brokerages also offers a couple of banking options. While their options are simple - just checking and savings, they do pack quite a punch. You'll have to be tech savvy as you can only access your funds online, which can make the task of making deposits interesting for some.
Charles Schwab does offer some beneficial bank account options that may help you save more than the penny or two that you'll save at your local bank.
If you're considering opening a personal checking or savings account, you must check out these promotions.
Services Offered
If you're looking for a wide selection of account options, you won't find them here. Charles Schwab keeps it simple with just a high-yield checking and high-yield savings account. Both accounts are strictly online, but if you have a branch near you (there are 340 in the United States), you can try to conduct your business there. Not all branches are capable of handling banking tasks, though.
You can open the high-yield checking account online in a matter of minutes. There is a catch, though. In order to open a checking account, you have to first open a Schwab One Brokerage account. You don't ever have to do anything with the account, but they make you open it and then automatically assign you a checking account with a separate account number.
In order to open the savings account, you have to download the application, complete it and mail it to Charles Schwab. It will take a little longer to get the account up and running since you have to wait for the snail mail, but the process is simple.
- Withdraw the funds at any ATM using your Visa debit card
- Pay bills online via the Schwab Bill Pay Service
- Transfer funds to a non-Schwab account electronically via your computer or mobile device
Compare Savings Account Promotions
Discover Online Savings - $200 Cash Bonus
To get your $150 or $200 Bonus: What to do: Apply for your first Discover Online Savings Account (online, by phone or Discover App). Enter Offer Code CY222 when applying. Deposit into your account a total of at least $15,000 to earn a $150 Bonus or deposit a total of at least $25,000 to earn a $200 Bonus. Deposit must be posted to account within 30 days of account open date. Maximum bonus eligibility is $200.
What to know: Offer not valid for existing or prior Discover savings customers or existing or prior customers with savings accounts that are co-branded, or affinity accounts provided by Discover. Eligibility is based on primary account owner. Account must be open when bonus is credited. Bonus will be credited to the account within 30 days of the account qualifying for the bonus. Bonus is interest and subject to reporting on Form 1099-INT. Offer ends 06/15/2022, 11:59 PM ET. Offer may be modified or withdrawn without notice. See advertiser website for full details.
CIT Savings Builder - 0.55% APY
Earn up to 0.55% APY. Here's how it works: Maintain a minimum balance of $25k OR make at least a $100 minimum deposit every month. Member FDIC
Compare Checking Account Promotions
Citi Priority Account - Up to $1,500 Cash Bonus
- Earn up to $1,500 cash bonus when you open a new account with required activities
- Open a new eligible checking account in the Citi Priority Account during the offer period 1/5/22-7/17/22
- Within 20 days of opening, deposit $50,000 in New-To Citibank funds between the new checking and savings accounts
- Maintain a minimum balance of $50,000 in the checking account for an additional 60 consecutive calendar days from the 21st day
- After all required activities are met, the cash bonus will be deposited to your account within 90 calendar days
CIT Bank Savings Connect - 0.90% APY
- Earn a competitive high yield savings rate with access and convenience features of an eChecking account.
- Earn 0.90% APY on Savings Connect and up to 0.25% APY on eChecking.
- Minimum of $100 for both the Savings Connect and eChecking to open ($200 total)
BMO Harris Premier™ Account - $350 Cash Bonus
Open a new BMO Harris Premier™ Account and get a $350 cash bonus when you have a total of at least $7,500 in qualifying direct deposits within the first 90 days of account opening. Offer is limited to one per customer and is not available for existing BMO Harris personal checking customers (including signers on joint accounts) or those who have closed a BMO Harris personal checking account within the past 12 months. Conditions apply.
Reasons We Like Charles Schwab Bank
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- You don't have to pay any monthly fees. You might be able to find higher interest rates elsewhere, but you will be hard-pressed to find another online bank that doesn't charge monthly fees. The lack of fees can make up for the slightly lower interest rates.
- You don't need a minimum balance. It's always a nice feeling when you don't have to worry about carrying a minimum balance or risk getting charged a fee. Charles Schwab doesn't require a balance for either their checking or savings accounts.
- You can get your ATM fees refunded. If you've dealt with the frustration of getting charged to take your own money out of an ATM, you'll love Charles Schwab's ATM refund policy. If you withdraw the funds using your Schwab Visa debit card at an ATM that accepts the Visa debit card, Schwab will refund you the ATM fee. There is no limit on the number of refunds you can get either.
- You can make mobile deposits. Making deposits without a physical branch to visit might seem complicated, but Schwab makes it simple. After you open your account, apply for Schwab Mobile Deposit. Once approved, you take a picture of your check with your smartphone and upload it to the Mobile Deposit service.
- You get free standard checks and a free ATM card. Free standard checks and a free ATM card are two more ways you can save money with Charles Schwab's banking service.
- You can set up direct deposit for checking or savings. If you want to simplify the funds transfer process, set up automatic deposit into your checking or savings account. These deposits are available the same day, unlike ACH transfers from another bank.
- You can use Schwab's free bill pay service. Rather than transferring your funds here, there, and everywhere, you can take advantage of Schwab's free bill pay service. Paying your bills right from your high yield checking account can alleviate some of the headache of transferring funds.
- You can use contactless payments such as Apple Pay and Android Pay. Just link your checking account to the eligible device and you can easily and securely pay vendors and retailers.
- You have FDIC coverage. Your deposits (up to $250,000) are protected by FDIC insurance. This means should something happen to Charles Schwab Bank, your money is still safe.
- You can have free overdraft coverage. If you have available funds in an eligible Schwab brokerage or online savings account, Schwab will cover your overdrafts in your checking account at no charge. This isn't a green light to make overdrafts, but at least you know you have the coverage should it happen.
Reasons You May Want to Look Elsewhere
- Your deposits or money transfers can take a long time. During the first 30 days of owning the account, any checks you deposit that aren't cashier's checks or government-issued checks are held for five business days before the funds become available. Some deposits made with Schwab Mobile Deposit after the first 30 days may also be held for an extended period (Schwab notifies you of the exact waiting period after the deposit).
- You have to bank online even if you have a Charles Schwab bank in your area. The point of an online checking or savings account is for you to handle your transactions online. This decreases the amount of overhead required for the bank to offer these accounts, which results in higher interest rates. Not all Schwab branches have the ability to accept deposits or help with any banking transactions, leaving you to operate online.
- The only type of account you can open is checking or savings. The only two banking options you have are the checking or savings accounts, both of which offer minimal interest compared to other options, such as CDs. If you have long-term savings needs, you may want to look elsewhere to make more interest.
How it Compares
Charles Schwab Bank vs Ally: Schwab and Ally Bank both offer online banking, but the similarities end there. If you are looking for more than checking or savings, Ally Bank has more options, including money market accounts, CDs, and IRAs.
Charles Schwab Bank | Ally Bank | |
---|---|---|
High Yield Investor Checking – Unlimited ATM Rebates - | Online Savings Account - 0.60% APY - | |
Benefits and Features | ||
Savings | ||
CD | Offers brokered CDs from other banks. Terms range from 1 month to 20 years. Minimum deposit of $1,000. | 0.30% to 2.00% APY. Terms of 3 months to 5 years. 12-month CD APY of 1.25% |
Checking | 0.03% APY, $0.01 account minimum | 0.10% APY for daily balances less than $15,000. 0.25% APY for daily balances over $15,000 |
Customer Service | 24/7 Live Customer Service (Telephone and Chat) | |
ATMs | Unlimited ATM fee rebates when used with ATMs with the Visa, Interlink logo. Available worldwide. | Over 43,000 no-fee Allpoint ATMs |
Locations | 345 branches across the country. You may also open an account online. | |
Charles Schwab Bank: Pricing information from published website as of 03/10/2022. Ally Bank: Pricing information from published website as of 05/12/2022. |
Charles Schwab Bank vs Capital One 360: Capital One 360 also offers more products than the Charles Schwab Bank offers. If you want more than checking or savings, you can open a money market or IRA account. They also have Capital One branches, known as cafés, located throughout the US.
Charles Schwab Bank | Capital One | |
---|---|---|
High Yield Investor Checking – Unlimited ATM Rebates - | Personal Savings Account - $150 Bonus - | |
Benefits and Features | ||
Savings | ||
CD | Offers brokered CDs from other banks. Terms range from 1 month to 20 years. Minimum deposit of $1,000. | 0.60% to 2.25% APY. Terms of 6 months to 5 years. 12-month CD APY of 1.30% |
Checking | 0.03% APY, $0.01 account minimum | |
Customer Service | 24/7 Live Customer Service (Telephone and Chat) | |
ATMs | Unlimited ATM fee rebates when used with ATMs with the Visa, Interlink logo. Available worldwide. | Over 40,000 no-fee Capital One & Allpoint ATMs |
Locations | 345 branches across the country. You may also open an account online. | |
Charles Schwab Bank: Pricing information from published website as of 03/10/2022. Capital One: Pricing information from published website as of 5/21/2022. |
You might also consider:
Discover Online Savings - $150 Cash Bonus
To get your $150 or $200 Bonus: What to do: Apply for your first Discover Online Savings Account (online, by phone or Discover App). Enter Offer Code CY222 when applying. Deposit into your account a total of at least $15,000 to earn a $150 Bonus or deposit a total of at least $25,000 to earn a $200 Bonus. Deposit must be posted to account within 30 days of account open date. Maximum bonus eligibility is $200.
What to know: Offer not valid for existing or prior Discover savings customers or existing or prior customers with savings accounts that are co-branded, or affinity accounts provided by Discover. Eligibility is based on primary account owner. Account must be open when bonus is credited. Bonus will be credited to the account within 30 days of the account qualifying for the bonus. Bonus is interest and subject to reporting on Form 1099-INT. Offer ends 06/15/2022, 11:59 PM ET. Offer may be modified or withdrawn without notice. See advertiser website for full details.
Online Savings Account - Earn 0.60% APY
- No fees
- No minimum opening deposit
- No minimum balance required
High Yield Savings - 0.75% APY
- 0.75% APY
- $100 minimum opening deposit
- No monthly service fees
Bottom Line
If you want to make a little more interest than your local bank offers and can manage your money online, Charles Schwab Bank can be a good option. If your goals are more long-term and you can tie your money up for a few months to a few years, you may want to look at other online options that offer CDs and money markets, as you can often get higher interest rates with those products.
Chase Total Checking® - $200 Bonus
- New Chase checking customers enjoy a $200 bonus when you open a Chase Total Checking® account and set up direct deposit
- Access to 16,000 Chase ATMs and more than 4,700 branches
- Chase Mobile® app - Manage your accounts, deposit checks, transfer money and more -- all from your device.
- Open your account online now
- Available online nationwide except in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. For branch locations, visit locator.chase.com.
- Chase Overdraft Assist℠: $0 overdraft fee when you overdraw your account $50 or less*
*We won't charge an overdraft fee if you are overdrawn $50 or less at the end of the business day. Chase may pay, for a $34 fee, overdraft transactions at our discretion based on your account history, deposits and transaction amount. If you've enrolled in Debit Card Coverage, everyday debit card purchases like groceries, may be approved at our discretion when you don't have enough money in your account.
Citi Priority Account - Up to $1,500 Cash Bonus
- Earn up to $1,500 cash bonus when you open a new account with required activities
- Open a new eligible checking account in the Citi Priority Account during the offer period 1/5/22-7/17/22
- Within 20 days of opening, deposit $50,000 in New-To Citibank funds between the new checking and savings accounts
- Maintain a minimum balance of $50,000 in the checking account for an additional 60 consecutive calendar days from the 21st day
- After all required activities are met, the cash bonus will be deposited to your account within 90 calendar days
Money Market Account - Get a Year of Amazon Prime
- Open a new Money Market account using promo code AMZN22.
- Fund your account with $15,000 within 15 days.
- Keep a minimum balance of $15,000 for 60 days.
Discover Online Savings - $200 Cash Bonus
To get your $150 or $200 Bonus: What to do: Apply for your first Discover Online Savings Account (online, by phone or Discover App). Enter Offer Code CY222 when applying. Deposit into your account a total of at least $15,000 to earn a $150 Bonus or deposit a total of at least $25,000 to earn a $200 Bonus. Deposit must be posted to account within 30 days of account open date. Maximum bonus eligibility is $200.
What to know: Offer not valid for existing or prior Discover savings customers or existing or prior customers with savings accounts that are co-branded, or affinity accounts provided by Discover. Eligibility is based on primary account owner. Account must be open when bonus is credited. Bonus will be credited to the account within 30 days of the account qualifying for the bonus. Bonus is interest and subject to reporting on Form 1099-INT. Offer ends 06/15/2022, 11:59 PM ET. Offer may be modified or withdrawn without notice. See advertiser website for full details.
TD Beyond Checking - $300 Cash Bonus
- Earn $300 when you receive direct deposits totaling $2,500 or more within 60 days
- Get more from your checking account. With TD Beyond Checking with Payback Plus, you'll earn interest and get reimbursed for non-TD ATM transactions, Rush Bill Payments and more.
- Monthly maintenance fee waived when you receive monthly direct deposits of $5,000 or more, or maintain a minimum daily balance of $2,500, or a combined balance of $25,000 across eligible TD accounts.
- TD fees waived at any ATM and non-TD fees reimbursed when you keep at least a $2,500 daily balance
- Overdraft Payback - Get overdraft fees automatically reversed up to two times a year.
- Get your money where it needs to go —fast— with Rush Bill Payments, Send Money with Zelle®, incoming wires and a reimbursement for one outgoing wire (domestic or international) per statement cycle.
- TD checking accounts come with an instant-issue debit card. And, you can pay with confidence with Zero Liability protection and 24/7 fraud monitoring.
- Monthly maintenance fee waived on one TD Simple Checking℠ account and any Savings and Money Market accounts. Plus, get free standard check orders, money orders, official bank checks and stop payments.
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