Varo Reviews, Rates and Fees
- Fee
- $0 per month
- Minimum deposit to open
- $0
Our verdict
A digital account with hard-to-beat perks like cashback rewards and no monthly fees.
Varo is an FDIC-insured digital bank account with no monthly fees, no opening deposit required, no overdraft fees, early payday access and Zelle integration for peer-to-peer payments. This account also unlocks Varo's optional savings account, which earns up to a 5% APY when you meet direct deposit and balance requirements. Varo also doesn't charge any foreign transaction fees on its debit card, so globetrotters can enjoy that perk. There are also cashback rewards, up to 6% with select brands. But like most digital banks, you'll need to visit a participating retailer to make cash deposits, which will cost you per deposit.
Best for: Anyone in need of a free, rewards digital checking account.
Pros
-
No fees
-
Early payday
-
No credit checks or minimum balances
Cons
-
Android app limitations
-
Expensive cash deposits
-
No checks or wire transfers
Who is the Varo bank account best for?
Varo is a legitimate, FDIC-insured bank. In fact, it was one of the first online banks ever. Its digital account is great for nearly anyone — it’s a free, low-maintenance bank account with no opening deposit requirement. And with the lack of foreign transaction fees on its Varo Visa debit card, frequent travelers can spend with less stress internationally.
It’s also best for anyone looking for a high-yield account. While Varo checking doesn’t earn any interest, opening this account unlocks Varo’s optional savings account, which earns up to 5% APY, making it one of the best high-yield savings accounts.
What we like about the Varo bank account
Varo sets itself apart as one of the only digital banks that’s FDIC-insured directly rather than through a partner bank. This status means that Varo can offer more types of banking products compared to other digital banks.
While lacking physical locations, Varo has all the typical features of a modern bank. It’s integrated with Zelle so you can perform peer-to-peer payments, features online banking and its own companion app, and you can get your paycheck up to two days early.
With a Varo account, you may also qualify for a cash advances from $20 to $250 to help with unexpected events, or just when you need to borrow some extra cash. The fee for the advances depends on the amount, from $1.60 to $20. There’s no interest rate, no required tip and you can choose a repayment time (up to 30 days). The maximum you can borrow with Varo’s advances depends on your account history, balance, direct deposit history and more. It’s a nice option to have for those tight times when you just need a little extra cash. Varo also works with many other cash advance apps if you want other options.
Unlocks high APY savings account
A Varo bank account qualifies you for Varo’s savings account, which boasts a high 5% APY on balances up to $5,000. For balances over $5,000, you’ll earn 2.5% APY — still higher than the national average, which currently sits at 0.43%, as reported by the FDIC. The highest rate is for the lowest balance, so those just starting a savings account benefit most.
To qualify for the 5% to 2.5% rate, you have to set up direct deposit and deposit at least $1,000 per month and maintain a positive balance. Compared to other top high-yield savings accounts, this rate is among the best and has simple requirements to qualify.
Up to 6% cash back with top brands
Cashback rewards are something we typically see with credit cards, but Varo’s bank account offers them too. And it’s actual cash back — not points — that’s automatically deposited into your account once you reach $5 in rewards.
Some brands you can earn up to 6% cash back with include:
- Circle K
- Petsmart
- Nike
- Forever 21
- Little Caesars
- Kohls
- Popeyes
- Macy’s
Where it falls short
Like most online banks, Varo’s biggest downfall is the lack of branch access and in-person support. But compared to other online banks, such as American Express, which offers 24/7 phone support, Varo’s customer support is limited.
Varo offers in-app chat support between 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MT and weekday phone support at 1-877-377-8276 (1-877-377-VARO). Most issues will need to be resolved through chat support, as the customer phone line is limited to issues logging in with the Varo app, filing a dispute or activating your digital wallet.
And unfortunately, Varo doesn’t offer joint bank accounts, perform wire transfers or accept ATM deposits. You’re limited to depositing cash at Green Dot ATM locations, but it’ll cost $4.95 to $5.95 per deposit.
Varo bank account fees and access
| Type of fee | Fee details |
|---|---|
| Monthly service | $0 |
| Opening deposit | $0 |
| ATMs |
|
| Debit card fees |
|
| Overdraft or nonsufficient funds | $0 |
| Wire transfers | Doesn’t allow wire transfers |
| Other fees |
|
Compare Varo to other top bank accounts
Narrow down top bank accounts by account type, opening deposits, fees and more. Select Compare on up to four providers to see them side by side.
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.
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.
Customer reviews for Varo
Overall, Varo’s reviews are pretty great. Here’s a breakdown of how this bank scores across BBB, TrustPilot and other popular customer review platforms.
Similar to most online banks, the majority of negative reviews stem from poor communication or issues contacting customer service. However, this is common among online banks due to their lack of in-person support.
BBB accredited Yes BBB rating A- BBB customer reviews 3.36 out of 5 stars, based on 172 customer reviews Trustpilot score 2.4 out of 5 stars, based on 2,407 customer reviews Apple App Store Score 4.9 out of 5 stars, based on 225,400 customer reviews Google Play Score 4.7 out of 5 stars, based on 235,000 customer reviews Customer reviews verified as of 17 October 2024 What do people on Reddit say?
Varo Bank: In the news
In March 2024, some Varo customer information was breached, and Varo has been accused of failing to protect customer information. Varo states its network did not experience a breach at all, and the data breach was outside source unaffiliated with Varo. In response, Varo reached out to its customers and offered to provide free credit monitoring services for two years through TransUnion and asked them to enroll, as reported by Banking Dive.
Checking account ratings
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
We analyze top checking accounts and rate them one to five stars based on factors that are most important to you. These factors include: monthly fees, the ease at which monthly fees can be waived, the breadth of ATM access, ATM and overdraft fees, and customer service.
Bethany Finder
Editor, Banking
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