Convenience is everything, with apps, the Internet of Things (IoT), and AI catering to a consumer’s every whim. But sometimes you need a personalized, human touch — no one wants to spar with a robot that has got its hands on your money.
In this arena, MidFirst Bank shines. It scores top marks for custom satisfaction, one of the very few banks to score well. It offers outstanding, personalized customer service 7 days a week.
MidFirst pairs the modern glam of online and mobile banking with its old-fashioned customer service and also offers outstanding programs to incentivize young savers.
About MidFirst Bank
Founded in 1982, Midfirst Bank was created to meet the needs of high-net-worth individuals and their families.
It operates as one of the nation’s largest private financial institutions with more than $20 billion in assets, including roughly $1 billion in regulatory capital.
Midfirst is known for its customer service, convenience, and financial stability.
It has over 80 branch locations and over 100 bank-owned ATMs, with physical storefronts in Arizona, California, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas.
MidFirst Bank Checking Accounts
MidFirst offers a range of checking accounts to meet the diverse financial goals of consumers. Varying options are available across different states.
1. LiveFree Checking
As the name implies, LiveFree is a free checking account. It meets consumers’ basic banking needs who want a no-frills, digital checking account. Balances do not earn interest, but there are no account maintenance fees.
A minimum deposit of $100 is required to open an account, and LiveFree offers mobile deposit, Zelle, and bill pay services. Account holders who have set up direct deposit can get paid up to two (2) days early with Early Pay.
This account is open to most consumers in the U.S., but it is not listed as an option for residents in Colorado or Texas on MidFirst’s menu of checking account options by state.
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2. Boost Checking
Boost Checking is also referred to as eChecking in MidFirst’s menu of checking account options. This free checking account is designed for online banking customers who want to bank digitally and earn interest on their account balance.
Earn up to 5.00% APY for balances up to $20,000. To qualify for this perk, you must make at least 15 debit card transactions per month and make one online bill payment or direct deposit.
No minimum deposit is required to open an eChecking account. It offers free online and mobile app banking, Early Pay with direct deposit set-up, Zelle, and bill pay services.
There is a monthly service of $10, but MidFirst waives the fee for maintaining an average daily balance of at least $500 or setting up a recurring monthly direct deposit of at least $250.
States with a MidFirst branch may not offer Boost Checking or eChecking accounts; check the options for your state.
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3. M Account
An M Account is a more traditional or old-school checking account, but you can use online and mobile banking features too. It requires a $100 minimum deposit and offers Zelle, bill pay services, and mobile deposits. With direct deposit set up, you can receive your paycheck up to two (2) days early through Early Pay.
The account offers free money orders, free cashier checks, and free incoming wires. Account balances do not bear interest.
There is a $10 monthly fee for the M Account, but it is waived for maintaining a $1,000 minimum average daily balance or setting up a recurring monthly direct deposit of at least $250. Additionally, there are fees for paper statements (eStatements are free) but the bank waives the paper statement fee for consumers over 60.
The account may not be offered to residents of Colorado.
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4. M+ Account
The M+ Account is similar to the M Account but with more bells and whistles and more requirements. It offers a tiered rate of interest, with APYs ranging from 0.15% to 0.30%.
There are free paper statements and free eStatements, no minimum deposit requirements, free bill pay, free online and mobile banking, free cashier checks and money orders, free incoming wires, discounts on safe deposit boxes and wallet (standard personal) checks, and the ability to pay friends and family through Zelle.
The account has a $15 monthly maintenance fee, but MidFirst will waive it for maintaining a $2,500 minimum average daily balance or if you have at least $50,000 in combined deposits.
5. Preferred Checking
Offered to residents of Colorado, Preferred Checking is a free bank account that offers tiered interest rates and a number of perks you won’t find with other MidFirst accounts.
Like many other accounts, Preferred Checking offers free online and mobile banking, free bill pay and eStatements, and early access to direct deposit through Early Pay.
But Preferred Checking also boasts free incoming and outgoing domestic wires, has no minimum opening deposit requirements, monthly ATM fee reimbursements of up to $12 per statement cycle (for out-of-network ATM usage), and a free, small safe deposit box for one year.
MidFirst Bank Savings Account
MidFirst offers consumers a few savings account options, including one designed for kids. Here’s what you need to know about two of those options, Performance Savings and the iSave Savings Program.
1. Performance Savings
This is a basic, low-fee, interest-bearing savings account. No minimum opening deposit is required, but there is a $3 account maintenance fee if your average daily balance falls below $250. Your checking account balance can be combined with your Performance Savings balance to satisfy the requirement.
Up to six (6) account withdrawals, per statement cycle, are permitted. Beyond those six (6), an $8 excessive overdraft fee is charged for each additional withdrawal.
As of November 20, 2023, balances earn an APY of 0.35%.
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2. iSave Savings Program
MidFirst’s youth savings account is top-rate, one of the best you’ll find anywhere. It’s designed to help kids learn financial literacy and build the habit of saving money every month. If 12 consecutive monthly deposits are made, MidFirst Bank will match 50% of the highest single deposit made, up to $25 per year.
The account for youth 17 and under comes with free educational materials and a free personal deposit journal.
There’s no minimum opening deposit required, and interest is earned on all balances. Interest is compounded daily and paid monthly. As of November 2023, the APY for an iSavings account is 0.75%.
This account is free, but there is a $3 excessive withdrawal fee if more than six (6) withdrawals are made per statement cycle.
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MidFirst Bank CD Accounts
MidFirst Bank offers certificate of deposit (CD) accounts with flexible terms ranging from 91 days to 10 years.
A minimum balance of $1,000 is required to open a Relationship CD, or a $5,000 minimum for special terms.
Interest is compounded daily, and APY rates for shorter-term CDs are competitive with other financial institutions.
A 91-day or 182-day CD has an APY of 5.30% and a 12-month CD is set at 4.75%. For longer terms, the APY ranges from 0.90% to 1.40%.
These rates were current as of September 1, 2023, and the bank’s website notes that rates may vary based on your location.
MidFirst Bank MMA Accounts
MidFirst offers a Preferred Money Market Account (MMA) with a 2.00% APY. Their MMA combines the liquidity of a checking or spending account with the earning power of a CD.
A MidFirst money market account comes with free domestic wire transfers, free mobile and online banking, unlimited in-person and MidFirst ATM withdrawals, and interest is compounded daily and paid monthly.
There is a $10 excessive withdrawal fee for more than six (6) withdrawals made per statement cycle.
Additional Products
Beyond checking accounts, savings accounts, CDs, and MMAs, MidFirst offers a broad range of consumer loans and savings and investment products.
- IRAs
- Credit cards
- Mortgages and home equity loans
- Vehicle loans
- Community development lending
- Investment services and wealth management
Features
- Branch locations in the Southwest: 80 branches in the Southwest region with more than half in Oklahoma. Other states with a physical location are Arizona, California, Colorado, and Texas.
- Live human customer support: Get customer service seven days a week, with the bank known for excellent, personalized support.
- Account options vary by state: Different checking account options are offered depending on your location, but out-of-state residents can open online-only accounts.
- Fee-free account options: There are a handful of fee-free checking and savings account options, however, a $100 opening deposit is required unless you are opening a youth savings or Preferred Checking (Colorado-only) account.
- Limited ATMs: Around 100 MidFirst Bank network ATMs and no reimbursement for out-of-network ATM fees in most instances.
- Highly-rated app: MidFirst’s app for Apple devices is highly rated, with a 4.8-star rating. Its Android counterpart fares worse though, with a 3.3-star rating in Google Play.
Pricing and Fees
MidFirst Bank does assess a number of different fees for excessive withdrawals, overdrafts, and monthly maintenance fees. Here’s an overview of some of the common ones that consumers look out for.
Account Maintenance Fees
MidFirst Bank assesses account maintenance fees of $5 to $15 per month for some checking accounts, although you can avoid these service charges by meeting the minimum requirements for average daily balance or setting up a recurring monthly direct deposit.
There are also monthly service fees of $4 to $20 for savings and money market accounts, but these fees can also be avoided if you meet the average minimum daily balance threshold.
Excessive Transaction Fees
MidFirst Bank assesses an excessive transaction fee for more than six (6) withdrawals made per statement cycle from a savings or money market account.
The fee is $10 for MMAs, $3 for iSave accounts, and $8 for all other savings accounts.
The fee is charged with each withdrawal transaction made beyond the account’s monthly cap.
Paper Statement Fees
For most accounts, there is a $4 monthly paper statement fee. You can receive eStatements via email for no charge, or for certain account types there is no paper statement fee.
There is no paper statement fee for M+ checking accounts, savings accounts, or MMA accounts.
ATM Fees
There are no fees to use an in-network MidFirst Bank ATM, but for other machines, there is a $2.50 fee. Additionally, you may be charged an additional $2 to $4 by the other financial institution or ATM machine owner.
Dormant Account Fees
There is a $5 monthly account dormancy fee if your account goes dormant. After 12 months of inactivity — no debits, credits, or other activity — a $5 fee will be initiated on month 13 and charged every month thereafter.
Overdraft Fees
MidFirst Bank charges a $35 overdraft fee for each charge overdrawing your account that the bank pays. A maximum number of five (5) overdraft fees are charged per processing day, or no more than $175.
If your account remains overdrawn for seven (7) consecutive calendar days, the bank will charge a one-time extended overdraft fee of $25.
Overdraft Protection Fees
Account holders can sign up for optional Overdraft Protection. If an account is overdrawn, funds will be transferred in from an eligible, linked MidFirst Bank account.
A fee of $12.50 will be charged for each day that a transfer is made.
Getting Started
You can open an account online or at a MidFirst branch location.
Online, the process takes about 5 to 10 minutes on the website at midfirst.com. This option is open to only residents of Arizona, Oklahoma, or Colorado. It’s a straightforward process with step-by-step prompts.
A third option is to create an account by phone. Call 1-888-MID-FIRST OR 1-888-643-3477.
Promotions
MidFirst has periodic and ongoing promotions for new and existing customers.
Young savers, with an iSavings account, can get up to $25 a year for saving money for at least 12 consecutive months.
In the past, MidFirst Bank has run some generous refer-a-friend style promotions where account holders would get $25 for each referral and the referred friend would also get $25 in their new account.
Additionally, MidFirst is running a current checking account promotion for Q4 (September 1 to December 31) of 2023 in Arizona.
This offer is for new Arizona customers who open an account during Q4. Customers will receive $300 for opening a new account and completing at least two of the three following requirements:
- Receive a direct deposit of at least $500
- Make at least 10 debit card purchases
- Complete at least three (3) Zelle transactions
Security
MidFirst Bank has a number of security measures in place to keep your money safe. Firstly, your deposits are covered by FDIC insurance for up to $250,000 per account — or up to $500,000 if it’s a joint account held by you and your spouse.
When it comes to protecting your data, MidFirst employs a variety of security measures. Online information is protected through strong encryption and GlobalSign digital certificates, and servers are continually monitored.
Additionally, online and mobile banking comes with a number of built-in security features and authentication checks.
Customer Support
MidFirst Bank offers many ways for customers to reach account support, including phone, email, web form, and in person. There is no chat support.
- Phone support: 1-888-MIDFIRST (1-888-643-3477). Personal banker support is available 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. CST on weekdays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST on Fridays, and 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. CST
- Automated bank account service line: Available 24/7 at 1-888-MIDFIRST. You will need to know your account number and PIN number.
- Customer service contact form: Fill out the web form online with your contact info and a bank rep will be in touch.
- By mail: MidFirst Bank Headquarters, 101 Cook Street, Denver, CO 80206. This address is listed on the customer contact page, but there is also a corporate address listing for 11001 N. Rockwell Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73162.
- Credit card support 24/7: 1-866-762-0492 for inquiries or assistance with your MidFirst Bank Visa card.
Customer Reviews
MidFirst Bank currently holds a 3.4 out of 5-star rating with Trustpilot, but only has a total of 5 reviews – so not much to base this on. Here is what some of the bank’s customers have to say about it.
5-star review
Love this bank. Let's see what the future holds.Richard Post Trustpilot
1-star review
Midfirst Bank is so customer un-friendly! I have banked here for nearly 20 years and over time, this bank has made it so difficult on the customer. I'm sure someone sitting in an office somewhere thinks they are making things safer and more fraud-resistant overall, but these stupid decisions have made doing business here just ridiculous! The amount of verification needed just to accomplish a simple task is nonsensical. I just called the customer service line to perform a simple task. After giving them my name, date-of-birth, last 4 of social security number, the last for digits of my debit card and even told them the design of my card (stars and stripes), they still would not assist me unless I could tell them the last transactions used by my card. Utterly ridiculous! And I'm not sure what the next 63 verifications would be entailed before they decided if they would help me or not.Dan H Trustpilot
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Range of checking account options, including the no-fee LiveFree checking account
- Checking and savings accounts designed for children with annual cash bonuses to encourage monthly savings
- Full line-up of bank services and products; ability to serve as a one-stop shop for your full banking experience for mortgages, car loans, retirement saving, investment, and wealth management
- Personalized customer service for both personal consumer and business accounts
- Many easy ways to waive service fees, like setting up a monthly direct deposit of at least $250 or meeting minimum balance requirements that range from $250 to $2,500
Cons
- Relatively high deposits are required to open an account; an initial deposit of at least $100 is required for most accounts whereas other banks and credit unions would require $25 or less
- Higher APYs can be found elsewhere for savings accounts; the MidFirst Performance Savings account has a 0.75% APY whereas there are many other bank savings accounts with 5.00% interest or better.
- Limited account availability based on location; different account options are open to you based on the state you live in and the online menu of account options is a bit confusing and omits many account options that are listed on the bank’s current schedule of fees
- No chat support; customer service is primarily available in person at branch locations or via phone
Alternatives to Midfirst Bank
Bank of Oklahoma
A Tulsa-based bank, Bank of Oklahoma (BOKF) has been the state’s largest bank for the past 20 years with a nearly 15% market share for all deposit accounts. It holds over $12.1 billion in deposit account assets and offers exceptional flexibility and convenience.
BOKF has free checking account options and lower minimum deposits than MidFirst for accounts where a minimum opening deposit is required. Additionally, BOKF offers same-day credit for mobile check deposits made during weekdays before 10 p.m. CST.
Like MidFirst Bank, BOKF has expanded to other states. It also operates in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri.
Bank of America (BOA)
Bank of America is one of the best banks in Oklahoma and more broadly for consumers nationwide.
It has 11 locations throughout the state. Far fewer than MidFirst Bank, but it has unparalleled ATM convenience. BOA customers can access over 15,000 fee-free BOA ATMs throughout the United States and in 35 countries.
A global giant in the banking industry, BOA offers a huge range of products and services for consumers and businesses of all sizes, and an award-winning digital app with Erica, a mobile virtual assistant.
BancFirst
After MidFirst, BancFirst is the next largest bank in the state of Oklahoma with $5.9 billion in deposit account assets and a 7.1% market share.
BancFirst has over 100 branch locations throughout the state and offers four checking account options, including the Banc Free Checking which has no minimum balance or initial deposit requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most common FAQs consumers have about MidFirst Bank.
Is MidFirst a Safe Bank?
Yes, MidFirst is the largest privately owned bank in the state of Oklahoma and has over $37.2 billion in assets. The bank is a member FDIC-certified and has consistently received high marks from J.D. Power for customer satisfaction and financial and operational strength.
What is MidFirst Bank Known for?
MidFirst is known for its large presence in the state of Oklahoma and the broader Southwest region, short-term CDs with high APYs, and outstanding customer service. MidFirst also becoming a strong player on the national scene as a major mortgage servicer.
Does Zelle Work with MidFirst Bank?
Yes, Zelle is integrated with MidFirst banking products. Zelle is a convenient way to digitally send and receive money from friends and family. With the Zelle integration (you can add it with a couple of taps in the MidFirst banking app), you can connect your bank account to Zelle.
It’s free to use Zelle within the MidFirst app and available to all MidFirst customers, but Zelle does have a minimum user age requirement of 17 years.
Is MidFirst Bank the Best Bank for Your Needs?
For many customers, especially those in Oklahoma and nearby states, MidFirst Bank is an excellent option. It offers outstanding customer service and many flexible checking account options, including the Boost account with a highly competitive 5.00% APY.
Most accounts have monthly fees, but there are many easy ways to get the fees waived. There is no 24/7 customer service and limited branch locations outside of Oklahoma, with most of the stores concentrated near Tulsa or Oklahoma City.
Still, if you’re looking for a high-yield APY checking account, short-term CD options, or best-in-class customer service, MidFirst may be a great fit. Even if you live outside of the Southwest, with online and mobile banking options available nationwide, MidFirst deserves consideration for consumers in any region of the country.
Our Methodology
The BankBonus team has analyzed dozens of banks to provide our readers with thoroughly informed and accurate reviews.
We evaluate digital financial platforms, online banks, regional banks, and national banks across several metrics.
Our assessment of each bank factors in these considerations:
- Product lineup: We review the types of accounts, loans, and services offered by each bank, as well as the number of accounts.
- Fees and pricing: We also consider each institution’s fees, including monthly maintenance fees and other service charges.
- Account features: To compare banks, we take a close look at the features, limits, and capabilities each one has to offer.
- Interest: Along with these features, we consider whether or not the bank offers interest-bearing accounts and compare their rates to industry averages.
- Brand reputation: The bank accounts we recommend have been carefully vetted to ensure they are legitimate, secure, and backed by FDIC
- User experience: Additionally, we consider the ease of use and availability of resources on each bank’s website and factor in reviews of the mobile app from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
- Branch and ATM access: To gauge convenience, we also look at each bank’s branch and ATM availability and consider their ATM reimbursement policies.
- Customer service: In our review process, we also explore banks’ customer service channels, hours of availability, and third-party reviews.
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