U.S. Bank review 2025: Checking, savings, CDs, and some unique perks

As a large regional bank based in Minneapolis, U.S. Bank has more than 2,200 locations in 26 states. It offers a handful of interest-earning checking and high-yield savings accounts, as well as money market accounts, certificates of deposit, loan products, and much more. There are also frequent promotions and rewards such as intro bonuses for opening a checking account. 

Here’s what you need to know about U.S. Bank. 

Rates and fees current as of Sept. 25, 2025 and are subject to change. 

U.S. Bank at a glance 

Who is U.S. Bank good for? 

If you’re looking for a full-service bank that’s got it all—from personal and business accounts to credit cards and financial advisors—and you want to keep all your banking at one establishment, U.S. Bank probably has just about everything you could want. 

U.S. Bank can also be good a good financial institution for students or those who want to set up a joint account with a minor to teach them about money. The bank also offers many banking discounts and fee waivers for current and former military members. 

Who shouldn’t use U.S. Bank? 

U.S. Bank only operates in 26 states. If you prefer online banking but don’t live in one of these states, U.S. Bank isn’t for you. You may not even be able to open certain accounts depending on your zip code (unless you’re an existing U.S. Bank member). 

U.S. Bank also is not for those searching for a free checking account, as its accounts charge monthly maintenance fees. Yes, you can get them waived—but you’ll have to jump through some hoops. 

U.S. Bank rates and products 

U.S. Bank offers fairly common checking and savings accounts, but you get unique benefits depending on your age. It’s also got a wide variety of CD term options and bonus offerings, though rates and availability vary by region.

Bank details checked Sept. 25, 2025. 

Checking accounts

U.S. Bank offers two checking account options. It doesn’t offer any free checking accounts, but you can have the monthly fees waived in some cases: 

• U.S. Bank Smartly Checking: The bank’s main checking account product in which you can have fees waived and utilize the bank’s larger rewards program. 
• Safe Debit Account: A more limited checking account with a debit card only. 

Perks based on age and military status

Depending on a customer’s age, U.S. Bank may also offer benefits such as waived fees, enhanced overdraft protection, and extra waived fees for non-U.S. Bank ATM transactions. U.S. Bank makes an effort to incentivize youth and young adults between ages 13 and 24 to bank with them via features like these. 

It’s also worth noting that U.S. Bank and Greenlight (a company that offers a debit card designed to teach kids about money) have teamed up to offer an ecosystem that allows you to monitor and manage your child’s debit card from your U.S. Bank account. You can decide where they spend money, transfer money instantly from your U.S. Bank account, and more. 

U.S. Bank also offers benefits for seniors and U.S. military members, both veterans and active duty. 

U.S. Bank Smart Rewards

U.S. Bank offers the “Smart Rewards” program, allowing participants to enjoy perks such as cash-back offerings on certain credit cards through the bank, fee discounts on select loans, and fee reimbursement for some non-U.S. Bank ATMs. It’s comprised of five tiers based on your combined qualifying U.S. Bank balances:

• Bronze tier: Up to $4,999.99 
• Silver tier: $5,000-$24,999.99 
• Gold tier: $25,000-$49.999.99 
• Platinum tier: $50,000-$99,999.99 
• Platinum plus tier: $100,000+ 

U.S. Bank Smartly Checking account

• Minimum opening deposit: $25  
• Monthly fee: $12 (after the first two statement periods). Waive fee with any of the following: 
  • Combined monthly direct deposit of $1,500+
  • Average account balance of $1,500+ 
  • Hold a U.S. Bank Smartly™ Visa Signature® Card 
  • Have an eligible U.S. Bank small business account 
  • Be age 13-17 or 18-24 years old 
• Overdraft protection: With eligible linked account (savings, checking, money market, credit card, etc.) 
• ATM fees: $3 for non-U.S. Bank ATM transactions 
• Overdraft fee: $36 for overdrafts of $5.01 or greater 
• Stop payment request fee: $35  
• Cashier’s check fee: $10
• Other unique perks: 
  • Overdraft fee forgiveness if you bring your account current by 11 p.m. the same day 
  • Qualifies for increased interest rate for U.S. Bank Smartly Savings account 
  • Smart Rewards program eligibility, offering fee waivers, discounts, and additional bank rewards 

Bank details checked Sept. 25, 2025 

U.S. Bank Safe Debit Account

• Minimum opening deposit: $25  
• Monthly fee: $4.95 (cannot be waived) 
• Overdraft protection: N/A 
• ATM fees: $3 for non-U.S. Bank ATM transactions  
• Overdraft fee: $0  
• Stop payment request fee: N/A 
• Cashier’s check fee: $10   
• Other unique perks: 
  • Money order discounts 
  • Qualifies for increased interest rate for U.S. Bank Smartly Savings account 

Bank details checked Sept. 25, 2025 

Savings account 

U.S. Bank has one main savings account: the U.S. Bank Smartly Savings account. It’s a very accessible account with a comparatively low balance requirement and minimum amount to open. Its fees are also low and can be waived with qualifying activity. 

However, to get the most out of the account, you’ll need to pair it with other U.S. Bank accounts and have a substantial amount in qualifying deposits. The account offers up to 3.00% APY for those who: 

• Have a U.S. Bank Smartly Checking, Safe Debit, or U.S. Bank Smartly™ Visa Signature® Card 
• And have a combined qualifying balance of at least $100,000. 

You can also open a U.S. Bank Smartly Savings account for kids of any age to help them start their financial education early. You’ll both have to go to the branch together to do it. 

Bank details checked Sept. 25, 2025 

Money market account 

A money market account (MMA) is like a savings account that gives you improved access to your money, typically offering check-writing privileges, a debit card, etc. 

U.S. Bank offers an “Elite Money Market” account which can earn up to 4.25% APY when you deposit $25,000+ into either a new account or one that you opened within the last 30 days. Accounts with less than $25,000 will earn just 0.01% APY. Just note that the return you receive may vary based on your location. 

U.S. Bank also offers an IRA version of its MMA, simply called a Retirement Money Market account. It comes with some tax advantages of an IRA, but its maximum return rate is a paltry 0.01%. APY. Note that you must have an IRA to be able to open this account.

Bank details checked Sept. 25, 2025 

Certificates of deposit 

U.S. Bank offers several different CDs account options, including Standard, CD Special, Step Up, and Trade Up CDs. 

Its CD Specials are where the impressive APY lives. That said, other CD options may better suit your financial situation. For example, Step Up CDs earn a locked-in rate increase every seven months. And Trade-Up CDs allow you to lock in a return rate upon account opening—but request a rate increase once before maturity if APY increases. 

U.S. Bank charges the following CD early withdrawal penalties: 

• Terms of less than 1 month: All earned interest 
• Terms of 1 through less than 3 months: 30 days’ interest on the amount withdrawn 
• Terms of 3 through less than 13 months: 90 days’ interest on the amount withdrawn 
• Terms of 13 but less than 24 months: 180 days’ interest on the amount withdrawn 
• Terms of 24+ months: 365 days’ interest on the amount withdrawn 

The penalty you pay will not total more than interest earned on the current CD. 

U.S. Bank also offers business CDs that come with similar account options, term lengths, and APY. However, business CDs offer an additional account option: Jumbo CDs, which comes with interest rates of up to 3.97% and requires over $250,000. Just note that you can’t open a business CD online. 

U.S. Bank CD Special rates 

Bank details checked Sept. 25, 2025 

U.S. Bank Standard CD rates 

Bank details checked Sept. 25, 2025

U.S. Bank Trade Up CD rates 

Bank details checked Sept. 25, 2025 

U.S. Bank Step Up CD rates 

Bank details checked Sept. 25, 2025 

Other services U.S. Bank offers  

U.S. Bank provides many other financial products and services including: 

• Personal loans, auto loans, and lines of credit 
• Valuable rewards credit cards 
• Financial advisors through U.S. Bancorp 
• Business account products  
• Mortgages 
• Investing options 

Online banking 

U.S. Bank has grown its mobile banking capabilities on par with its competitors, recently ranking at the top of Javelin Strategy & Research’s 2025 Online Banking Scorecard—which evaluates hundreds of criteria with the country’s top financial institutions. This is the second consecutive year the bank has taken best-in-class. 

U.S. Bank offers a robust selection of online educational material, intuitive account overviews, and a helpful AI chatbot. 

The U.S. Bank platform and customer support  

U.S. Bank has a user-friendly mobile banking app in which you can transfer funds, manage bill pay, check your credit score, and pay for transactions using your digital wallet, among other features. 

The bank also has 24-hour support by phone at 800-872-2657. You can also reach agents through your online banking or mobile banking app—and you can book an appointment online to meet with a representative by phone, in person, or virtually. 

Is U.S. Bank secure? 

U.S. Bank takes several actions to keep your information and money safe, including biometric login, two-factor authentication, security alerts, login notifications, and more. 

U.S. Bank offers a “digital security guarantee” in which it does not hold you liable for unauthorized transactions initiated online or through the mobile banking app, so long as you alert the bank immediately. 

The bank also has deposit insurance of up to $250,000 per account owner through the FDIC if the bank fails. 

U.S. Bank user reviews 

Many financial institutions have less-than-perfect online customer reviews. This is almost certainly because customers are most motivated to write a review when things go wrong. 

With this in mind, U.S. Bank score a mere 1.2 of 5 stars on Trustpilot from 1,310 reviews. Negative reviews revolve almost entirely around what the writers say was poor customer service. 

Reddit reviews aren’t as grim, with many users praising the bank for things like courteous branch employees, intuitive digital banking experience, and the chance to earn welcome bonuses after opening new accounts.  

Compare U.S. Bank alternatives 

Note that while Capital One acquired Discover in 2025, the two brands have continued to operate since then and offer distinct slates of products. 

U.S. Bank	Discover Bank	Alliant Credit Union
Checking account APY	Checking account APY	Checking account APY
Varies by region	Not interest bearing (but debit card that earns up to 1% back on purchases)	0.25%
Savings account APY	Savings account APY	Savings account APY
3.00%	3.50%	3.10%
CD APY	CD APY	CD APY
4.00%	Up to 3.50%	4.10%
Top MMA APY	Top MMA APY	Top MMA APY
4.25%	3.45%	N/A
Learn more	Learn more	Learn more
View offer at MoneyLion	View offer at Discover Bank	View offer at MoneyLion

Bank details checked Sept. 25, 2025 

Is U.S. Bank right for you? 

If you are in one of the 26 states where U.S. Bank offers its full products and services, then it might be a good fit if you want to earn decent APY on savings, CDs , or MMAs. You’ll be able to service your account in-branch. 

It’s also likely an ideal fit for anyone wanting to teach kids or young adults about money, as it offers the ability to open joint accounts which you can control for your child. It even comes with waived fees and other goodies just for them. 

U.S. Bank is also good for those who want the convenience of 24/7 customer service. This isn’t a feature that all banks offer. 

Frequently asked questions 

In which states does U.S. Bank have branches?

U.S. Bank offers branches in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

How much does it cost to open a U.S. Bank account?

There is no additional fee to open a savings or checking account at U.S. Bank. However, there is an opening balance requirement of $25.

What is the minimum balance required for a U.S. Bank savings account?

While you must deposit at least $25 to open a savings account, you don’t need to maintain a specific balance to prevent closure—banks generally just want some money there to know you’re using it.

Is U.S. Bank available in all 50 states?

U.S. Bank offers many—but not all—products to all 50 states. You’ll have to enter your ZIP code to see if you qualify for certain accounts.

Does U.S. Bank provide 24/7 customer service by phone? 

Yes, you can contact U.S. Bank any time by calling 800-872-2657.