Founded in 2007, First Foundation is a Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC)-insured bank with 31 branches in California, Florida, Hawaii, Nevada, and Texas. Its parent company is Texas-based First Foundation Inc., which also operates the wealth management company First Foundation Advisors.
First Foundation Bank was created initially to serve wealth advisory clients but has since expanded to offer consumer accounts to appeal to a broader base of consumers with more varied banking needs. It puts a strong focus on customer service and a high-touch banking experience, but it has a more limited digital experience as a result, with only a small handful of accounts are available to be opened online.
All rates and fees are current as of Aug. 21, 2025, and are subject to change.
First Foundation
First Foundation Bank
| Checking accounts | Starting at a $100 opening deposit |
| Savings accounts | Earn up to 4.25% APY |
| Certificate of deposit (CD) rates | Earn up to 4.15% APY on a four-month CD (APY) |
at MoneyLion
- Year Founded: 1990
- Company Headquarters: Dallas, TX
- CEO: Thomas C. Schafer
at MoneyLion
Who is First Foundation good for?
First Foundation is likely best for someone who lives near one of its 31 local branches and values a personal touch to their banking experience. While it offers a handful of banking services on its website and mobile app, it is not as comprehensive as some other banks that are set up to be 100% digital.
However, the bank has solid account options and appears to provide great customer service as well. Customer reports are generally positive, so if the limited ability to open an account online isn’t an issue for you, First Foundation may be a strong choice.
Who shouldn’t use First Foundation?
Those who want a seamless and fully digital banking experience may want to look elsewhere. If you prefer to do all your banking online, then you might potentially find banking with First Foundation a frustrating experience.
Pros
- Competitive interest rates
- Strong customer service
- Good account variety
Cons
- Some accounts can only be opened in person
- The interest-bearing checking account has a monthly fee (waivable)
- Limited physical footprint
First Foundation rates and products
In addition to savings accounts, First Foundation offers several consumer account options including a variety of checking accounts, money market accounts (MMAs), and certificates of deposit (CDs).
Bank details checked Aug. 21, 2025.
Checking accounts
First Foundation Bank offers three checking accounts: Personal Checking, Personal Interest Checking, and Senior Interest Checking.
All three accounts have a debit card, Zelle, bill pay, and mobile deposits. First Foundation will also reimburse up to $20 in ATM fees per month from ATMs nationwide.
Bank details checked Aug. 21, 2025.
Personal Checking
The Personal Checking account charges no monthly fee and requires a $100 minimum opening deposit. It is also the only checking account that does not accrue any interest.
You can open this account online if you are already a First Foundation customer. If you don’t yet have a First Foundation account, you can open a savings account online first and then open this checking account once you have an online login. Otherwise, you can go to a branch and open the account in person.
Personal Interest Checking
The Personal Interest Checking account has a $20 monthly fee, which will be waived if you maintain a minimum daily balance of $2,500. This account does earn interest.
However, this account is not available to open online and is only available through local branch locations.
Senior Interest Checking
The Senior Interest Checking account features exclusive extras available to customers who are 55 and over, such as free basic checks and no minimum balance requirements. This account also earns up to 0.03% APY.
Only existing customers are able to open this account online—you can open an online savings account first or visit a branch and open the account in person.
Savings accounts
First Foundation’s savings account can be opened online and is available to clients anywhere in the country. This high-yield savings account earns 4.25% APY and charges no monthly maintenance fee.
Know that a $1,000 minimum deposit is required to open this savings account.
The opening deposit for the online savings account must be “new money,” meaning it must come from a bank other than First Foundation.
You must first open an online savings account with First Foundation Bank in order to have the online checking account. ATM cards for the online savings account are available upon request.
Bank details checked Aug. 21, 2025.
You can learn more about how high-yield savings accounts work here.
Online money market accounts
MMAs can be thought of as a hybrid of a savings account and a checking account. They typically earn interest like a savings account but allow access to funds in a similar manner as a checking account. You can learn more about how MMAs work here.
The First Foundation Online Money Market account charges no monthly maintenance fee and requires a minimum deposit of $1,000 in “new money” to open (meaning you can’t transfer the funds from an existing First Foundation account). It earns a 4.25% APY, includes a debit card upon request and has check writing capabilities.
New customers can open this account online.
Bank details checked Aug. 21, 2025.
Certificates of deposit
When opening a CD account with First Foundation, you will get access to online and mobile banking. There are two CDs available, a four-month and a 12-month. Both can be opened online with a minimum deposit of $2,500. Both have interest that is compounded daily and credited monthly.
When opening a CD, you typically get a fixed interest rate in exchange for locking your money up for a specified period of time. If you withdraw the funds before the term of the CD, you usually have to pay an early withdrawal penalty. At First Foundation, that penalty is 90 days for the 4-month CD and 180 days of interest for the 12-month CD.
See our top picks for best certificates of deposit here.
Other services First Foundation offers
In addition to personal deposit accounts, First Foundation Bank offers a full spectrum of additional services ranging from business accounts to real estate lending services, and residential mortgage loans. Additional services include:
- Business banking, including checking, savings, money markets, and CDs
- Lines of credit and term loans
- Owner-occupied real estate financing
- Small Business Administration (SBA) lending
- Equipment financing
- Business credit cards
- Multifamily lending
- Commercial real estate (CRE) lending
- Rental property loans
- Mortgages for primary residence purchases, vacation or secondary residences, and investment properties
- Credit cards
- Investment management
The First Foundation platform and customer support
First Foundation Bank offers online and mobile banking. Both platforms can be used to track your account activity, pay bills online, transfer funds, send person-to-person payments via Zelle, and more.
The bank’s customer service representatives can be reached via phone at 888-405-4332. Service hours are Monday through Thursday from 5 a.m. until 8 p.m. Pacific Time, Friday from 5 a.m. until 6 p.m. PT, and Saturday from 6 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. PT. You can also email the bank for support with digital accounts at newaccount@ff-inc.com.
The customer service phone number also provides automated support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Virtual help is also available via Webex from the bank’s website, which features a knowledge center with videos explaining many of its services.
First Foundation user reviews
First Foundation Bank only has two written reviews on Trustpilot and minimal comments on Reddit, however the few comments that do exist are mostly positive.
Users of the app on both the Apple App store and Google Play give it high praise, with iOS users overall giving it 4.6 stars out of five and Google Play users rating it 4.1 stars out of five.
Compare First Foundation alternatives
If you’re seeking a bank that may have a more robust digital footprint, SoFi or Quontic might provide that along with high-yield account options.
 First Foundation |  Quontic Bank |  SoFi® (Member FDIC) |
|---|---|---|
| Top savings APY | Top savings APY | Top savings APY |
| 4.25% | 3.75% | Up to up to 3.80%%.1 Get a 0.70% Boost on Savings APY to up to 4.50% for up to 6 months on new accounts with eligible Direct Deposit. Terms apply.2 |
| Top checking APY | Top checking APY | Top checking APY |
| 0.03% | 1.10% | 0.50% |
| Top CD APY | Top CD APY | Top CD APY |
| 4.15% APY on a 4-month CD | 3.75% on a 6-month CD | N/A |
| Learn more | Learn more | Learn more |
| View offer at MoneyLion | View offer at MoneyLion | View offer at SoFi |
Bank details checked Aug. 21, 2025.
Is First Foundation right for you?
Customers who live near a First Foundation Bank location may have the best experience. While the bank does have a website and mobile app, it leans toward personalized in-person banking. First Foundation seems to value the human connection of serving their local communities.
That said, it does offer solid accounts with competitive rates, and in-person banking is only required to open select accounts.
Frequently asked questions
Is First Foundation a real bank?
Yes, First Foundation is both an online bank and maintains local branches in California, Florida, Nevada, Hawaii, and Texas.
Is First Foundation secure?
First Foundation Bank is a secure and trustworthy bank. It is FDIC-insured so your funds are protected up to $250,000 per account type, per owner. The bank also utilizes all the security measures you should expect from a bank, such as encryption, two-factor authentication (2FA), staff training, and updated software.
Does First Foundation have Zelle?
Yes, First Foundation Bank’s mobile app and online banking platform include Zelle in the bill pay function.
How long has First Foundation been in business?
The founder of First Foundation, Rick Keller, began providing fee-only financial services in 1990. He established First Foundation Bank in 2007 to add banking to the list of services he offered.
SoFi disclaimer
1:
SoFi members who enroll in SoFi Plus with Eligible Direct Deposit or by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee every 30 days or SoFi members with $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits during the 30-Day Evaluation Period can earn 3.80% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Eligible Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate. Members without either SoFi Plus or Qualifying Deposits, during the 30-Day Evaluation Period will earn 1.00% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 1/24/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. If you have satisfied Eligible Direct Deposit requirements for our highest APY but do not see 3.80% APY on your APY Details page the day after your Eligible Direct Deposit arrives, please contact us at 855-456-7634. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. See the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions at https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#plus.
2: 0.70% Savings APY Boost
Earn up to 4.50% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on SoFi Savings with a 0.70% APY Boost (added to the 3.80% APY as of 8/5/25) for up to 6 months. Open a new SoFi Checking & Savings account with Eligible Direct Deposit by 1/31/26. Rates variable, subject to change. Terms apply at sofi.com/banking#2. SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.