Citi
Citi Checking
By Alex Compton · Last verified
Simplified checking where the relationship tier matters more than the account
Insurance: FDIC insured up to $250,000 per depositor (Citibank, N.A.)
Account Terms History
A dated record of APY, fees and opening requirements. New changes append to this table; prior terms remain visible.
| Observed | APY | Monthly fee | Minimum | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-04 | No APY advertised for Regular or Access Checking | $15 Regular Checking; $5 Access Checking; waived with $250+ qualifying monthly deposits or an eligible relationship tier | None | Citi Simplified Banking and Relationship Tiers →Reconfirmed fee, waiver, ATM network, overdraft policy, and relationship-tier thresholds; corrected the non-Citi ATM waiver description |
| 2026-06-11 | None at base; linked savings rates vary | $15 Regular Checking; $5 Access Checking | None | Archive record · no attached snapshotLegacy snapshot before event-level evidence attachments |
Primary-source verification log
Append-only evidence ledger- changed
Reconfirmed checking fees, waiver rules, ATM network, no-overdraft policy and tier thresholds; corrected the non-Citi ATM fee waiver description
Fields: apy, atm, plans, termHistory, lastVerified
Citi Simplified Banking and Relationship Tiers →
Plan Options
Regular Checking
$15, waived with $250+ per month in enhanced direct deposits (payroll, ACH, Zelle, Venmo/PayPal via ACH) or any relationship tier
- ▸Citi's single standard checking account after its 2022+ simplification
- ▸Enhanced direct deposit definition is unusually loose, ACH transfers count
- ▸Home of Citi's recurring $300+ checking bonuses
Access Checking
$5, waived with $250+ enhanced direct deposits or owner age 23 or younger (effective July 2026)
- ▸Checkless account with no overdraft possible
- ▸Same loose deposit waiver as Regular Checking
Citi Priority (tier)
$0 service fees with $30,000-$199,999 combined average balances
- ▸All checking/savings service fees and non-Citi ATM fees waived
- ▸Citi Priority travel and banking perks plus dedicated phone support
Citigold (tier)
$0 service fees with $200,000+ combined balances ($180,000 to maintain)
- ▸Unlimited worldwide ATM fee rebates and no wire fees
- ▸Dedicated wealth team and investment guidance through Citi Personal Wealth Management
- ▸Wealth advisory through Citi Personal Wealth Management
Citigold Private Client (tier)
$0 service fees with $1,000,000+ combined balances
- ▸Everything in Citigold plus higher limits and private-client pricing
- ▸Dedicated team and invitations to Citi events
Features
- ▸One simplified checking chassis; benefits scale by relationship tier, not account type
- ▸Enhanced Direct Deposit counts ACH transfers and P2P payments, the easiest waiver definition among big banks
- ▸65,000+ fee-free ATMs including partner networks at retail locations
- ▸Roughly 650 branches, heavily concentrated in NYC, Chicago, Miami, SF, LA, and DC
- ▸Frequent and historically churnable checking bonuses
- ▸Citigold tier perks (ATM rebates worldwide, subscription credits) are genuinely strong
Pros
- +Loosest fee-waiver definition in the industry, a $250 ACH push waives it
- +Citigold is arguably the best premium banking tier of any US megabank
- +Big fee-free ATM network despite the thin branch count
- +Reliable bonus offers
Cons
- −Branch coverage is poor outside the six big metros
- −No interest on checking at any level
- −Tier benefits below $30k are nonexistent
- −Customer service reputation is mixed outside Citigold
Our Take
Citi checking is two different products wearing one badge. Below $30k it's a perfectly fine free account, the $250 enhanced-direct-deposit waiver is the easiest in the industry, and the bonuses keep coming. At $200k+ Citigold becomes one of the best premium banking deals anywhere, with worldwide ATM rebates and real subscription credits. If you don't live near a Citi branch and aren't chasing a tier, there are better hubs.
Best for: Big-metro residents and anyone with $200k+ who wants Citigold perks
Open at Citi →Last verified 2026-09-04
Rate this card
Be the first to rate it
Commentson Citi Checking
Comments are stored in your browser during our community preview. Accounts, moderation and cross-device sync arrive with Credit Compound Community.