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Compare USAA Bank products: Savings, Checking, and CDs

Explore nine USAA banking products available to eligible military members and their families.

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USAA Bank offers nine checking and savings account options — most of which are free to open and maintain. But you must be a USAA member to qualify.

Am I eligible to open a USAA Bank account?

USAA Bank is open to active duty National Guard and Reserve members, veterans, cadets, midshipman and their immediate family members.

What banking products does USAA Bank offer?

USAA banking accounts feature no monthly service fees or minimum balances.

Checking

  • USAA Classic Checking. You’ll earn interest on balances of $1,000 or more and get reimbursed when you use other banks’ ATMS up to $15 month.
  • USAA Youth Spending. Open a checking account for your child with the option of setting up parental controls to limit things like ATM withdrawal and deposit rights.
  • USAA Classic Checking for Military Recruits. Comes with additional perks for fresh recruits, such as a waived opening deposit and a prefiled IRA to help simplify finances.

Savings

  • USAA Savings Account. Good for beginners, it features a APY on your total account balance.
  • USAA Performance First Savings Account. This account features higher interest rates — on to and 0.01% on + — but requires an opening deposit of $10,000 or more.
  • USAA Youth Savings. Meant to help parents teach kids about saving, you can give kids limited access to the website and choose whether or not they can make transfers or deposits.
  • USAA CDs. You’ll grow your money for a set period of time and get it back at the end of the term.
  • USAA 529 Plan. An investment account meant to help save for education costs, it features tax-free withdrawals for qualified expenses and requires an initial investment of either $50 with $50 monthly deposits or a one-time deposit of $250 with no subsequent deposits required.
  • USAA UGMA and UTMA Accounts. These custodial accounts let you invest money on behalf of a child, who’ll get access to it at 18 or 21, depending on the state.

Other products

  • Insurance. Get protection for valuables with over 12 different types of coverage.
  • Credit cards. You can earn cash back and rack up points with the reward system.
  • Investing. Watch your money grow with mutual funds, ETFs and other portfolio options.
  • Real estate. You can refinance a house, take out a loan or connect with a real estate agent.
  • Retirement and IRAs. Plan for the future with trust services, annuities and wealth management services.
  • Health insurance. Find dental, vision and Medicare coverage.

How does USAA Bank compare to other banks or services?

USAA Bank has far fewer office locations than most domestic banks, but its total amount of yearly domestic deposits are about average. Interest rates on its main savings accounts tend to be higher than some rates at competitors like Bank of America or Wells Fargo.

It offers Zelle for users to send and receive money, as well as automatic bill pay, mobile deposits and smart Pay options like Apple and Google Pay.

Checking accounts

Pros

  • No minimum balance requirements. After the initial $25 deposit, the amount you leave in the account is up to you.
  • 60,000 USAA Bank-preferred ATMs nationwide. That means you can withdraw without a fee. And if you do use an ATM that charges extra, USAA Bank will reimburse you up to $15 per month.
  • Optional overdraft protection. Back up your checking account with your USAA Bank savings or a credit card for extra protection.

Cons

  • High APY requirements. You need to keep at least $1,000 in your USAA Classic Checking account to earn interest. Even then, the rate is astonishingly low at 0.01%.
  • Long holds on deposits. If you make a deposit using Deposit Mobile, Deposit Home or Easy Deposit, USAA Bank may hold your funds for up to seven days.
  • Service fees. USAA Bank charges $29 for overdrafts, up to two times per day, and $29 for stop payment requests.

Savings accounts

Pros

  • No monthly service fees. You don’t need to worry about incurring fees, because it’s free to have a checking account with USAA Bank.
  • Unlimited ATM and in-person withdrawals. Federal regulation limits savings accounts to 6 outgoing transactions a month, but ATM and in-person withdrawals don’t count toward this limit.
  • Saving tools. With USAA Bank, you get access to a goal planner that helps you set, maintain and track savings goals.

Cons

  • Low APYs. Most savings accounts earn 0.05% APY, which is much lower than the competition. The USAA Performance First Savings account earns the highest rate at 0.01%, but you must maintain a minimum daily balance to earn this rate.
  • High opening deposit for USAA Performance First Savings account. This account requires a minimum $10,000 deposit and APY starts out at 0.01%.
  • Excessive transaction fee. If you make more than 6 outgoing transactions a month, you’ll pay $10 each time. Contact USAA to see if they’re temporarily waiving this fee during the coronavirus pandemic.

CDs

Pros

  • Flexible. USAA Bank has CD terms that range from 30 days to seven years, so you’re bound to find one that suits your needs.
  • No fees. The only time you’ll pay a fee is if you withdraw your money early.
  • Strong APYs for long-term CDs. Rates start at 4.5% for one-year CDs and go up to 2.02% for seven-year CDs.

Cons

  • $1,000 opening deposit. You’ll need to set aside at least $1,000 if you want to open a CD with USAA Bank.
  • Early withdrawal penalties. If you need to withdraw your money early, you’ll pay a penalty equal to 30 days to 365 days of interest depending on your CD term.
  • Poor APYs for short-term CDs. From 30-day CDs to nine-month CDs, you’ll get 0.05% APY. With rates this low, you’re better off keeping your money in a high-yield savings account.

Overall banking

Pros

  • Membership perks. USAA Bank members get access to competitive credit card and loan rates, an attractive awards program that offers discounts for car rentals, travel deals and more. Plus, free access to a large network of over 60,000 ATMs.
  • Deployment help. USAA Bank’s team of professionals are available to help you during any stage of the deployment process.
  • Several customer service options. Reach a representative by phone, email, fax, US mail or face-to-face at a local branch.

Cons

  • Eligibility. To open an account, you’ve got to meet membership eligibility requirements.
  • Limited in-person options. USAA Bank only has five brick-and-mortar locations, which can be frustrating if you’re hoping for face-to-face service.
  • No business banking products. USAA Bank doesn’t offer any business checking or savings accounts, so you’ll need to look elsewhere if you need an account for your business.

USAA Bank reviews and complaints

IDC Financial Publishing gave it a “Superior” rating for the 130th consecutive quarter, and its bank is a member of the FDIC. It’s also rated “Outstanding” by the FFIEC.

However, it’s not accredited by the BBB, and only has a C+ rating due to some recent government action taken against it. USAA Bank was accused of “failing to properly honor consumers’ stop payment requests on preauthorized electronic fund transfers” by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.

Additionally, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency alleged that USAA Bank “failed to implement and maintain an effective compliance management system,” essentially esquing certain risk management practices. USAA Bank has reached a settlement regarding both allegations and is taking steps to resolve the issues.

USAA Bank customer service

Get USAA banking support through one of these options:

  • Phone: Call 210-531-8722
  • Mobile app: The USAA Bank mobile app allows you to make deposits, manage your account and get financial advice.
  • Electronic message: Log into your account to send a note directly to USAA Bank.
  • Branch: Get face-to-face service at locations in Colorado Springs, CO; West Point and Highland Falls, NY; Annapolis, Maryland; and San Antonio, TX.
  • Fax: Send and receive documents at 800-531-5717
  • Mail: If regular mail is more your thing, send a letter to:
    USAA Federal Savings Bank
    10750 McDermott Freeway
    San Antonio, TX 78288-9876

Compare USAA Bank products to the competition

Sort the table by minimum deposit to open, ATMs and more to see how USAA banking products compare to the competition.

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1 - 6 of 26
Product USFSA Finder Score Account type Annual Percentage Yield (APY) FDIC or NCUA insured amount Minimum balance to earn interest Minimum deposit to open Offer Estimated total balance
Uphold
Uphold logo
Finder score
Savings app
Up to

4.65%

Up to $2.5 million
$1
$0
$1,046.50
Finder score
Traditional savings,Checking
Up to

4.00%

Up to $250,000
$0
$0
Get up to $300 cash bonus with qualifying direct deposit. Terms apply. This offer is available until December 31, 2024.
$1,040
Finder score
Savings app
Up to

4.86%

Up to $250 million
$0
$0
$1,048.60
Finder score
Traditional savings

3.80%

Up to $250,000
$0
$0
$1,038
Western Alliance HYSA through Raisin
Raisin logo
Finder score
Traditional savings

4.50%

Up to $250,000
$0
$1
$1,045
Barclays Tiered Savings
Barclays logo
Finder score
Traditional savings
Up to

4.65%

Up to $250,000
$0
$0
Get a $200 Bonus when you deposit $25,000 or more within 30 days and maintain that balance for 120 days. Available to new bank customers.
$1,046.50
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What is the Finder Score?

The Finder Score crunches over 250 savings accounts from hundreds of financial institutions. It takes into account the product's interest rate, fees, opening deposit and features - this gives you a simple score out of 10.

To provide a Score, Finder’s banking experts analyze hundreds of savings accounts against FDIC-reported national averages as a baseline. Accounts with rates well over the national average are scored the highest, while accounts with rates well below are scored low.

Read the full Finder Score breakdown

1 - 6 of 16
Product USFSA-CDS Finder Score 6-month APY 1-year APY 5-year APY Minimum deposit to open
Western Alliance Bank 12 months CDs through Raisin
Raisin logo
Finder score
N/A
4.25%
N/A
$1
Finder score
N/A
N/A
N/A
$1
Alliant Credit Union CDs
Alliant Credit Union logo
Finder score
4.00%
4.10%
3.65%
$1,000
Valley Direct Online CD
Valley Direct logo
Finder score
N/A
4.00%
N/A
$500
Finder score
N/A
N/A
N/A
$1
Bask Bank CDs
Bask Bank logo
Finder score
4.45%
4.25%
N/A
$1,000
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What is the Finder Score?

The Finder Score analyzes hundreds of CDs from more than 100 institutions. It takes into account the product's interest rate for available terms and opening deposit requirements - this gives you a simple score out of 10.

Different banks and credit unions offer CDs for various lengths of time, ranging from as short as seven days to as long as 20 years. For our ratings, we consider the term lengths that the FDIC uses in its monthly updates on national rates.

If a bank or credit union doesn’t offer a CD for a specific term used by the FDIC, we don’t penalize it: Instead, we simply don’t rate it. Each of the standard term lengths has its own APY rating based on the FDIC’s average rates.

Read the full Finder Score breakdown

1 - 5 of 20
Product USFSA-CHK Finder Score Fee Minimum deposit to open Annual Percentage Yield (APY) Offer
Finder score
$0 per month
$0
Up to 4.00%
Get up to $300 cash bonus with qualifying direct deposit. Terms apply. This offer is available until December 31, 2024.
Finder score
$0 per month
$0
N/A
Finder score
$4.95 per month
(can be waived)
$25
N/A
$300 Bank of America Advantage Banking offer: See offer page for more details. Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC.
Finder score
$0 per month
$0
4.86% on balances of $0+
1.00% on balances of $0+
0.51% on balances of $0+
Step Black Card
Step logo
Finder score
From $0 per month
$0
4.00% on balances of $0 to $1,000,000
loading

What is the Finder Score?

The Finder Score crunches over 300 checking accounts from hundreds of financial institutions. It takes into account the product's monthly fees, overdraft fees, opening deposit, customer support options, ATM network and features — this gives you a simple score out of 10.

To provide a Score, Finder’s banking experts analyze hundreds of checking accounts against what we consider is the best option: no monthly fees, no overdraft fees, a large ATM network of 50,000 or more, additional features outside of typical banking services, and the optional perk of earning interest. Accounts that are nearly free to maintain and use are scored the highest, while accounts with costly fees and few features are scored the lowest.

Read the full Finder Score breakdown

Bottom line

If you’re looking for a no-fee checking or savings account, consider opening a USAA banking account. But if you’re not eligible for membership, check out other bank accounts with competitive features.

Frequently asked questions

What is USAA’s routing number?

Its routing number is 314074269.

What are USAA’s customer service hours of operation?

For questions about banking, you can call for help Monday to Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays.

What does USAA stand for?

It stands for United Services Automobile Association and was originally founded in 1922 by 25 Army officers in San Antonio who decided to insure each other’s cars.

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Amy Stoltenberg managed newsletters at Finder, gathering the best articles each week to help subscribers save money and stretch their hard-earned dollars. She also handles the Twitter account, dabbling in Instagram and Facebook too. When she's not on the computer, you can find her exploring Los Angeles with a good book in tow. She studied writing at Savannah College of Art and Design and has been featured on the Zoe Report. See full bio

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Cassidy Horton is a freelance personal finance copywriter and past contributing writer for Finder. Her writing and banking expertise have been featured in Forbes Advisor, Money, The Balance, Money Under 30, Insure.com, and other top digital publishers. She holds a BS in public relations and an MBA from Georgia Southern University. See full bio

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