Alliant Credit Union review 2025: High-yield savings and checking (for your kids, too)

Joseph HostetlerBy Joseph HostetlerStaff Writer, Personal Finance
Joseph HostetlerStaff Writer, Personal Finance

    Joseph is a staff writer on Fortune's personal finance team. He's covered personal finance since 2016, previously serving as a reporter and editor at sites like Business Insider and The Points Guy. He has also contributed to major outlets such as AP News, CNN, Newsweek, and many more.

    The Alliant Credit Union logo on a blue and purple layered background.
    Illustration by Fortune; original logo from Alliant Credit Union

    Alliant Credit Union is an online-only financial institution with a suite of attractive personal banking products, including high-earning certificates of deposit (CDs), free checking accounts, and multiple savings accounts designed for both adults and kids. 

    The credit union is light on fees, and its APYs are fairly competitive across the board. But it’s not necessarily the right choice for everybody’s banking needs. Here’s what you should know about Alliant Credit Union. 

    Rates and fees are current as of Aug. 15, 2025, and are subject to change. 



    Alliant Credit Union at a glance 

    Alliant Credit Union Ultimate Opportunity Savings

    Checking accounts Up to 0.25% APY
    Savings accounts Up to 3.10% APY
    CD rates Up to 4.10% APY
    View offer

    at MoneyLion

    • Year Founded: 1935
    • Company Headquarters: Chicago, IL
    • CEO: Dennis Devine

    Credit union details checked Aug. 15, 2025. 

    Who is Alliant Credit Union good for? 

    Alliant Credit Union is good for families who want to build steady savings with solid APYs and goal-oriented tools. Its low-cost savings and checking accounts earn interest at fairly competitive rates, and the credit union even offers accounts geared toward kids to help them learn financial responsibility. 

    Alliant is also good for anyone looking to invest in a CD, as it’s got a few options with rates at or above 4.00% APY. 

    Though there may be an image of credit unions as having restrictive membership requirements based on geography or employment, Alliant’s friendly membership requirements make it possible for almost anyone to join.  

    Who shouldn’t use Alliant Credit Union? 

    Alliant doesn’t offer business accounts, which may be an issue if you’re a business owner seeking an account to keep your business and personal finances separate.  

    You won’t find business checking accounts, business loans, business credit cards, etc.  If what you need is to quarantine your business-related banking from your personal banking, look elsewhere. 

    This credit union is also a fully digital institution. It operates exclusively online, meaning it has no physical branches. If you’d prefer to bank in-person, you won’t be satisfied with Alliant. 

    Pros

    • No fees on checking accounts
    • Extensive network of ATMs
    • Competitive high-yield savings account APY

    Cons

    • No business accounts
    • No physical locations
    • Some accounts not available nationwide

    Alliant Credit Union rates and products

    Again, Alliant Credit Union offers high-interest checking accounts for both adults and teens, as well as savings accounts for adults and young kids. It also offers CDs with generous APY. 

    Alliant is largely fee-free, with relaxed requirements to keep your accounts active. Just note the minimum balance requirements for some of its deposit options. 

    Checking accounts No monthly fees or balance requirements
    Savings accounts $5 minimum to keep account open, $100 minimum to earn interest
    CDs$1,000 minimum opening deposit

    Checking accounts 

    Alliant offers two high-APY checking accounts: one for adults and one for teens. A teen checking account is for kids between 13 and 17 years old and requires joint ownership with an adult. 

    Both checking account types offer 0.25% APY when you opt into eStatements and have at least one monthly electronic deposit. That’s considerably higher than what you’ll earn from most financial institutions’ basic checking accounts. And because you won’t pay any monthly service fees, everything you earn will essentially be yours to keep. 

    You’ll also get access to more than 80,000 ATMs and up to $20 in ATM fee rebates each month. 

    Alliant high interest checking account features 

    Account opening bonusN/A
    Minimum opening deposit$0
    Monthly fees$0
    Top APY0.25%
    Minimum balance$0
    Free checksFirst box
    Mobile depositYes
    Types of checking accounts available High-Rate Checking Account, Teen Checking Account
    Domestic wire transfer (outgoing)$25
    Foreign wire transfer (outgoing)$50

    Credit union details checked Aug. 15, 2025. 



    Savings accounts 

    Alliant offers multiple types of savings accounts. You can choose from a standard high-yield savings account, a savings account for children, and up to 19 supplemental savings accounts. All accounts offer a decent 3.10% APY. They also require that you keep at least a $100 balance to earn APY. 

     Supplemental savings accounts can serve as “buckets” for your various savings goals. Kids savings accounts are a great tool to help children learn the value of saving and budgeting. 

    Alliant high interest checking account features 

    Minimum opening deposit$5
    Monthly fees$0
    Top APY3.10%
    Minimum balance to earn interest$100
    Types of savings accounts availableHigh-Rate Savings Account, Supplemental Savings Account, Kids Savings Account
    Inactivity fee$10
    Monthly withdrawal limitUnlimited

    Credit union details checked Aug. 15, 2025. 

    CDs 

    Alliant offers two types of CD: standard (requiring a minimum $1,000 opening deposit) and jumbo (requiring a minimum $75,000 deposit). You’ve got eight different CD term lengths—from three months to five years— and rates range from 3.10% to 4.10%. As expected, your return rate is often slightly higher with a jumbo CD. 

    You can also open IRA CDs with similar return rates and term lengths. 

    Alliant Credit Union CD features 

    Minimum opening deposit$1,000
    Available term lengths3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60 months
    Top APY4.10%
    Early withdrawal penalty (lost dividend)– Terms of 17 months or less: Number of days the certificate is open, up to 90 days 
    – Terms of 18-23 months: Number of days the certificate is open, up to 120 days 
    – Terms of 24-48 or 60 months: Number of days the certificate is open, up to 180 days
    Grace period7 days

    Credit union details checked Aug. 15, 2025. 

    Alliant Credit Union CD rates

    Term lengthAPY
    3-month3.10%
    6-month4.10%
    12-month4.00%
    18-month3.80%
    24-month3.70%
    36-month3.65%
    48-month3.65%
    60-month3.65%
    3-month
    APY3.10%
    6-month
    APY4.10%
    12-month
    APY4.00%
    18-month
    APY3.80%
    24-month
    APY3.70%
    36-month
    APY3.65%
    48-month
    APY3.65%
    60-month
    APY3.65%

    Alliant Credit Union jumbo CD rates

    Term lengthAPY
    3-month3.10%
    6-month4.10%
    12-month4.05%
    18-month3.85%
    24-month3.80%
    36-month3.75%
    48-month3.70%
    60-month3.70%
    3-month
    APY3.10%
    6-month
    APY4.10%
    12-month
    APY4.05%
    18-month
    APY3.85%
    24-month
    APY3.80%
    36-month
    APY3.75%
    48-month
    APY3.70%
    60-month
    APY3.70%

    Alliant Credit Union IRA CD rates

    Term lengthAPY
    3-month3.10%
    6-month4.10%
    12-month4.05%
    18-month3.85%
    24-month3.80%
    36-month3.75%
    48-month3.70%
    60-month3.70%
    3-month
    APY3.10%
    6-month
    APY4.10%
    12-month
    APY4.05%
    18-month
    APY3.85%
    24-month
    APY3.80%
    36-month
    APY3.75%
    48-month
    APY3.70%
    60-month
    APY3.70%


    Other services Alliant Credit Union offers  

    Alliant Credit Union offers a handful of other financial products and services, including:  

    • Auto loans: Alliant’s auto loans are as low as 5.34%. It also offers loans specifically for RVs and Teslas. 
    • Credit cards: Credit cards are also available when banking with Alliant. Its Visa® Platinum Credit Card comes with a low intro APR window and no annual fee. 
    • Personal loans: Choose loan terms from one to five years and borrow up to $100,000. These are great for debt consolidation, home renovations, or emergencies. 
    • Mortgages: You can buy a new home, refinance your current home, or request a construction loan to build something yourself. 

    The Alliant Credit Union platform and customer support  

    Alliant offers a well-developed mobile banking platform that allows customers to deposit checks, make payments, manage their debit and credit cards, and transfer funds between accounts 24 hours a day. 

    While the bank is entirely digital, customers can reach a customer service representative by phone (800-328-1935) from Monday to Friday between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Central Time and on the weekend between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Central Time. You can also chat online from Monday to Friday between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Central Time. 

    Is Alliant Credit Union secure? 

    Alliant is as secure as any major financial institution. It implements fraud monitoring, secure browsing when banking online, and device verification. Deposits are also insured up to $250,000 by the NCUA per account holder per ownership category. 

    Alliant Credit Union user reviews 

    Alliant Credit Union gets a 3.5 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot from 129 reviews. That may sound middle-of-the-road, but you’ll find that many banks struggle to receive even 2 stars in online forums. That’s because most user reviews tend to be motivated by frustration. All things considered, a 3.5 rating is not bad. 

    Customers have complained about high interest rates, difficulty in opening an account, and poor customer service. Reddit users generally have a more positive opinion of Alliant, praising the lack of fees, ubiquitous in-network ATMs, and high-APY savings accounts. 

    Compare Alliant Credit Union alternatives 

    Two popular online bank options that may be worth your consideration include Discover and Capital One. (Note that while Capital One acquired Discover in 2025, the two brands maintain distinct suites of products as of this writing.) 

    Alliant CU Logo
    Alliant Credit Union
    Discover Bank logo
    Discover Bank

    Capital One
    Checking account APYChecking account APYChecking account APY
    Up to 0.25%Not interest bearing (but debit card that earns up to 1% back on purchases)0.10%
    Savings account APYSavings account APYSavings account APY
    3.10%3.50%3.50%
    CD APYCD APYCD APY
    Up to 4.10%Up to 3.50%Up to 4.20%
    Checking account monthly feeChecking account monthly feeChecking account monthly fee
    $0$0 $0
    Learn moreLearn moreLearn more
    View offer
    at MoneyLion
    View offer
    at Discover Bank
    View offer
    at MoneyLion

    Credit union/bank details checked Aug. 15, 2025.

    Is Alliant Credit Union right for you? 

    Alliant could be a great option for someone looking for free online checking and high-yield savings options, along with a range of CD term lengths. However, someone looking for business checking or savings accounts—or anyone who desires an in-person banking experience—should look elsewhere. 

    Check Out Our Daily Rates Reports

    Frequently asked questions 

    Who can join Alliant Credit Union?

    There are multiple ways to qualify to join Alliant Credit Union. For example, current or retired employees at one of Alliant’s business or organizational partners, as well as direct relatives of a member at Alliant are eligible. You can also donate $5 to the Alliant Credit Union Foundation (note that the way this works is that Alliant Credit Union will contribute $5 to the foundation on your behalf, rather than you making a separate donation).

    Can you use Zelle with Alliant accounts?

    Alliant Credit Union does not currently offer access to Zelle. However, you can send money through other means, such as Venmo and PayPal. 

    Is Alliant Credit Union secure?

    Yes, insofar as financial institutions can be. Alliant Credit Union uses multiple digital security measures to safeguard your data and money. And because it’s a regulated credit union by the NCUA, deposits are insured up to $250,000 per account holder per ownership category.

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