U.S. Bank Review 2024

U.S. Bank is the consumer banking division of U.S. Bancorp, which is the fifth largest bank in the United States.

The bank traces its history back to 1863 when it was first opened as the First National Bank of Cincinnati.

Following a series of mergers and acquisitions in the early 2000s, U.S. Bank officially established its headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and now operates more than 2,000 physical branches with a focus in the Midwest and Western U.S.

In this U.S. Bank review, we’ll evaluate its products, fees, and services to help you determine if it’s right fo you.

U.S. Bank Checking Accounts

U.S. Bank offers two different checking account options.

U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking Account

U.S. Bank’s primary checking account earns variable interest and comes with a wealth of benefits to help you manage, move, and spend your money wisely.

The U.S. Bank Smartly checking account has no ATM fees at U.S. Bank and MoneyPass Network ATMs.

It doesn’t charge overdraft fees on balances of $50 or less and forgives fees for overdrafts of more than $50 if you cover the overdraft by 11 PM on the day you’re charged.

While there is a monthly maintenance fee of $6.95, there are several easy ways to waive it, like being a young adult or senior citizen. Teens can apply for a joint account with an adult and enjoy Smart Rewards such as waived savings account fees.

The account comes with useful online banking tools, like Zelle payments, mobile deposits, contactless payments, and automated bill pay. You can also choose from a range of Visa card designs for a customized look.

up to $450

U.S. Bank : Smartly® Checking
Open online

Details

Safe Debit Account

Safe Debit is a checkless checking account, a basic checking account that offers all of your basic checking needs, including a debit card, online banking, and online bill pay.

There are no physical checks available with this account, so all transactions occur digitally or with your debit card.

What makes the account “safe” is the lack of overdraft fees. Instead of being able to overdraft your account, your card will simply decline if you try to make a purchase that you cannot afford.

If, in the unlikely event you overdraft your account balance due to a restaurant tip or other unexpected charge, you will have to settle that up to continue using your account.

Safe Debit comes with a monthly maintenance fee of $4.95. Unfortunately, there’s no way to get around the fee.

Learn More:

• Best Checking Accounts
• Best Free Checking Accounts
• Best Rewards Checking Accounts
• Best Checking Account Bonus Offers

U.S. Bank Savings Accounts

U.S. Bank offers three different savings accounts, each of which can link to a checking account and be used for overdraft protection (with the exception of Safe Debit).

Note: The Annual Percentage Yields (APYs) may vary depending on your location, so be sure to reference the U.S. Bank website for rates specific to your area.

Bank Smartly® Savings Account

• All Balances: 0.01% APY

Bank Smartly® Savings is a basic, entry-level savings account for account balances of any size.

With this account, you’ll have online banking, automatic transfer options, and custom account alerts.

You’ll also earn interest on your deposits, but the APY is tiered depending on other relationships you have with U.S. Bank and account balances.

Bank Smartly® Savings has a small monthly service fee of $5 per month, and you can avoid it in a few ways:

1. Have a Bank Smartly® Checking or Safe Debit account
2. Hold a joint account with someone 17 or younger

Elite Money Market Account

• On Select Balances: up to 4.00% APY

The Elite Money Market account is a better option for larger accounts, offering competitive interest on high account balances.

While balances with less than $25,000 only earn 0.01% APY, higher tiers offer a more competitive rate.

Elite Money Market comes with a $10 monthly fee, which you can avoid by maintaining a minimum daily balance of $ 10,000 or opening a Smartly Checking account and falling into the Primary Smart Rewards tier.

There’s also a $100 minimum opening deposit.

U.S. Bank CDs (Certificates of Deposit)

U.S. Bank has a few options when it comes to CD accounts. Each CD account earns interest on deposits. As with most CD accounts, how much interest you earn depends on how long of a term you select.

Here is an overview of the current US Bank CD APYs and terms:

Standard CD

U.S. Bank’s entry-level CD comes with a term length from 1 to 60 months.

The APY typically increases the longer you commit your funds, regardless of your account balance; however right now we’re seeing higher rates on shorter terms given the market.

You’ll need at least $500 to open this CD account (all the other options require $1,000).

CD Specials

A CD Special account gives you access to a more attractive APY.

You’ll need an initial deposit of at least $1,000.

This is one of the highest APYs that you can expect to find with any U.S. Bank account, so if you can afford to set your money aside for a while, a CD Special can net you the most in interest earnings.

Step Up CDs

A Step Up CD comes with a fixed interest rate that increases every seven months of the account’s term.

To achieve the highest APY, you have to agree to a 28-month term, so you’ll be in line for 3 rate increases before the account matures.

4. Trade Up CD

A Trade Up CD comes with the option to bump up to a higher APY once during your term if the Federal Reserve increases rates.

Typically, interest rates on CD accounts are locked, so whatever rate you agree to at the start of your term is what you get.

Therefore, the ability to “trade up” to a higher interest rate with a Trade Up CD is a pretty nice benefit.

Learn More:

• Best CD Rates
• MMA vs. Savings Accounts vs. CDs

U.S. Bank Business Accounts

U.S. Bank has several banking products for small businesses, offering loans, lines of credit, savings, CD, MMA, and checking accounts.

Here’s a closer look at their business checking accounts and money market accounts, which stand out the most among their business products:

U.S. Bank Business Checking Accounts

U.S. Bank offers three checking accounts for businesses:

• Silver Business Checking: The Silver Business Checking package is a good fit for newer businesses with fewer transactions. The account has a $100 minimum opening deposit and no monthly fees. It provides 25 free cash deposits and 125 transactions per month, along with free mobile deposits and overdraft protection.
• Gold Business Checking: Gold Business Checking has a waivable $20 monthly fee and a $100 minimum balance requirement. It comes with 100 free cash deposits and 300 free transactions per month. Additionally, you get overdraft protection and a discount on your first check order.
• Platinum Business Checking: Best fit for established businesses with lots of transactions, the Platinum account charges a waivable $30 monthly maintenance fee and gives accountholders 500 complimentary transactions per month and 200 free cash transactions.

Learn More:

• U.S. Bank Business Checking Account Review
• U.S. Bank vs Chase Business Checking Account

up to $900

U.S. Bank : Business Checking
Available nationwide

Details

U.S. Bank Business Money Market Account

U.S. Bank’s business MMAs can be opened with a $100 minimum deposit. You can waive the $15 monthly maintenance fee with a daily balance of $10,000 or more.

The account is FDIC insured and can be linked to your business checking account to provide overdraft protection. It also comes with ATM access and free online banking.

The biggest perk of the Platinum MMA account is its interest. The account offers tiered interest rates ranging from 0.05% APY to 1.15% APY. U.S. Bank is currently offering a 6-month introductory bonus rate of 4.25% when you maintain a balance between $25,000 and $3 million.

U.S. Bank Credit Cards

U.S. Bank offers many different credit cards, with a variety of reward options to choose from. Here’s a high-level overview of some of U.S. Bank’s most popular credit cards:

U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card: Best for General Rewards

Altitude® Go has one of U.S. Bank’s best introductory offers, with a 20,000-point bonus (worth $200) if you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days.

The standard points-earning options are pretty good too. This card comes with 4x points on dining, 2x points on groceries, gas, and streaming services, and 1x points on everything else.

Altitude Go has no annual fee, an intro APR of 0% for 12 months, and a $15 annual credit for streaming services, such as Spotify or Netflix.

U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card: Best for Cash Back

Cash+® Visa Signature® is U.S. Bank’s top cash-back credit card. You can earn 5% cash back on the first $2,000 in purchases in two categories of your choice, and 2% back on one “everyday” category (e.g., gas, groceries, or restaurants). All other purchases earn 1% cash back.

There is no annual fee, and a $200 bonus if you apply online and spend at least $1,000 in the first 120 days of opening your account.

U.S. Bank FlexPerks® Gold American Express® Card: Best for Travel

FlexPerks® Gold is a travel rewards card that earns 5x points on travel purchases, 3x points at restaurants, 2x at gas stations, and 1x points on everything else.

FlexPerks® Gold also comes with some nice travel perks, such as reimbursement for TSA Precheck.

New cardholders can earn a 30,000 FlexPoints bonus if they spend $2,000 on eligible purchases in the first four months. (30,000 points is worth about $450 in travel redemption).

FlexPerks Gold has an $85 annual fee.

U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card: Best for Balance Transfer

U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum is a general-use credit card that has no annual fee.

The best perk with this card is that it comes with 18 interest-free months on balance transfers — making it the bank’s best option for paying down high-interest credit card balances.

U.S. Bank Secured Visa® Card: Best for Building Your Credit Score

U.S. Bank Secured Visa® is for people who have no credit history, or who are trying to rebuild their credit score.

As a secured credit card, you have to fund the account to use it. There are no points up for grabs and no signup bonus.

But, with no annual fee, and fewer risks than a traditional credit card, Secured Visa is a great option for those that might not qualify for other cards.

Other Credit Cards

U.S. Bank has a number of credit card partnerships with grocery stores and retailers, such as Ralphs, Kroger, and Harris Teeter. If you’re interested in taking a look at the full credit card lineup, you can do so here.

Features

Here are some of the top features that stand out about U.S. Bank:

• 3,100+ Branches in 26 States: U.S. Bank is one of the largest financial institutions in the country. Its physical locations are primarily located in the West and Midwest, where it is one of the most accessible national banks.
• 4,800 ATMs: U.S. Bank’s ATMs follow the same trend as the bank’s physical branches — there are a ton of them in total, but only within the same regions that the bank’s branches operate in.
• Online Banking: As a U.S. Bank customer, you can expect the robust online banking experience that you normally would with a bigger bank. You’ll have access to all of your accounts, online bill pay, and easy transfers and payments with Zelle — all without having to visit a bank in person.
• Mobile App: U.S. Bank’s mobile app makes it easy to manage your bank account on the go. The mobile banking app currently holds strong ratings of 4.8 stars (out of 5) in the App Store, and 4.7 stars (out of 5) in the Google Play Store.

Fees

Big banks typically charge fees, and U.S. Bank is no different. Here’s the rundown of common fees you can expect to see as a U.S. Bank customer:

Monthly Maintenance Fees

There’s a built-in monthly maintenance fee with most U.S. Bank deposit accounts. The good news is you can avoid this fee with all of them except for Safe Debit Checking.

Just make sure you understand and can meet the waiver requirements when you open up your account.

Here is a breakdown of U.S. Bank’s monthly maintenance fees:

Overdraft Fees

U.S. Bank offers overdraft protection on both of its checking accounts. If you overdraft your account by $50 or less, you can transfer funds to cover it from a linked account without incurring a fee.

For overdrafts of $50 or more, you can have fees forgiven by depositing funds to cover the overdraft by 11 PM on the day the fees were applied.

ATM Fees

ATM withdrawals are free at all U.S. Bank locations, and there’s a $2.50 fee for using non-U.S. Bank ATMs.

If you’re traveling abroad and need some cash, you could be looking at a 3% fee on the amount you withdraw.

Other Common Fees

• Wire Transfer Fees: $20 for incoming domestic wire transfers | $30 for outgoing domestic wire transfers
• Paper Statement Fee: $2 (can be waived)
• Stop Payment Fee: $35 (can be waived)

Getting Started

Signing up for checking accounts, credit cards, auto loans, and home equity lines is easy to do online.

Once you pick the account that you want to sign up for, click the red Open an Account button, and follow the signup instructions.

You can also sign up for an account over the phone or at your local branch. Once you’re enrolled, you’ll have instant access to online banking and other financial services.

U.S. Bank Promotions

Bank	Bonus	Expires	Requirements
U.S. Bank U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking	up to $450	December 30, 2024	Direct Deposit Min Balance (optional)	Learn More
U.S. Bank Business Checking	up to $900	January 15, 2025	Min Balance Bill Pay (optional) Card Spend (optional)	Learn More
U.S. Bank U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card	20,000 Points		Card Spend	Learn More

Security

U.S. Bank has a strong, secure online banking platform, so you don’t have to worry about the security of your funds or personal information.

Here are some other security features that U.S. Bank offers:

• FDIC Insurance: Any deposits you make will be protected by the FDIC, up to $250,000.
• Fraud Prevention: 24/7 fraud monitoring, automatic account logout, and industry-leading encryption technology.
• Mobile Security: No personal or financial information is stored on your phone, and all wireless communications are also encrypted.
• Free Security Alerts: If you enroll, S. Bank will give you a heads-up if any shady activity occurs in your account.

Customer Service

With a large bank like U.S. Bank, it’s important to remember that you might not always get the level of service that you expect.

On the one hand, U.S. Bank has a ton of resources to employ many customer support agents.

U.S. Bank customer service lines are open 24/7, and you can shoot them an email if the issue isn’t pressing. You can also pop into your local branch if you prefer to speak with someone in person.

Customer Reviews

There are many negative reviews online, as reflected by U.S. Bank’s Trustpilot rating of 1.3 stars (out of 5).

But, our BankBonus.com readers have reached out and let us know what a great experience they have had with the bank and how beneficial their promotions have been.

BankBonus.com has been a tremendous blessing for my husband and I. Bank Bonuses are a great source of additional income for us especially since my husband retired last year after serving 35 years as a deputy sheriff. The income from the bonuses allow us to travel and explore parts of the world that we never thought we would see. I check this website at least 4-5 times a week searching for new bonuses where we meet the requirements. We are so thankful for this community, and the dedicated owners who keep this site up to date with all of the latest and greatest bank bonus information. Without this site, I don’t think my husband and I would have been so successful. Thank you!

Pros & Cons

Alternatives

The most popular alternatives of U.S. Bank include the Big Four U.S. banks:

1. Bank of America
2. Chase Bank
3. Wells Fargo
4. Citibank

All of these banks offer similar products and services and have a wide national presence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is U.S. bank a good bank to bank with?

Yes. U.S. Bank is a good bank to bank with, where you can find all of your standard banking services. If you’re located in the West or Midwest, you shouldn’t have any trouble locating a branch or ATM, and you can enjoy all of the conveniences of a big bank.

If you live on the East Coast, however, and want access to brick-and-mortar locations and in-network ATMs, you might be out of luck.

Is U.S. Bank better than Bank of America?

U.S. Bank and Bank of America (BoA) are similar in a lot of ways and are pretty much equal when it comes to products, services, and customer support. Both are huge national banks with lots of locations and account options. Both can give you access to plenty of financial products and have large support networks in place when you need help.

Similarly, both banks offer low-interest rates and tend to charge a bunch of fees.

Which bank is better mostly depends on your personal preference and location. If you are located on the East Coast, BoA is your only option, whereas if you live in the Midwest or West Coast, you’ll get to choose between the two.

Who is U.S. Bank owned by?

U.S. Bank is owned by its parent company, U.S. Bancorp, which is located in Minneapolis.

Is U.S. Bank Right For You?

U.S. Bank offers plenty of branches and ATMs, an all-in-one banking platform, and the convenience of a large bank. At the same time, the bank charges lots of fees and doesn’t offer the best interest rates.

So, if those things are important to you, you might want to look into one of the best online banks or top high-yield savings accounts.

Now that you know what to expect from U.S. Bank, it’s all up to you.