The Best Banks and Credit Unions for 2018

NerdWallet has released its annual Bank Awards, highlighting the banks and credit unions that rated most highly for checking, savings and money market accounts. NerdWallet also selected the best credit

NerdWallet has released its annual Bank Awards, highlighting the banks and credit unions that rated most highly for checking, savings and money market accounts. NerdWallet also selected the best credit unions.

These financial institutions offer accounts with consumer-friendly features such as high interest rates, low fees and helpful money-management tools. Some also have perks such as ATM fee reimbursements and online budgeting tools.

NerdWallet, a personal finance website focused on comparing a wide range of financial products, chose its award recipients from dozens of financial institutions, including big-name banks and promising up-and-comers. NerdWallet writers and editors devoted more than 200 hours to comparing and scoring these institutions on criteria including interest rates, fees, bonuses, ATM access, digital experience and more.

Take a look below at NerdWallet's award winners.

NerdWallet's 2018 Bank Award Winners

Alliant Credit Union:  Best Checking Account, Best Credit Union and Best Savings Account
Ally Bank:  Best Checking Account and Best Savings Account
Aspiration:  Best Checking Account
Bank5 Connect:  Best Checking Account
Bank of Internet USA:  Best Checking Account, Best Money Market Account and Best Savings Account
Barclays:  Best Savings Account
Capital One 360:  Best Checking Account and Best Money Market Account
Charles Schwab Bank:  Best Checking Account
Chase:  Best Checking Account and Best Savings Account
CIT Bank:  Best Savings Account
Connexus Credit Union:  Best Checking Account and Best Credit Union
Consumers Credit Union:  Best Checking Account
Discover Bank:  Best Checking Account, Best Money Market Account and Best Savings Account
EverBank:  Best Money Market Account
First Tech Federal Credit Union:  Best Credit Union
Golden 1 Credit Union:  Best Credit Union
Marcus by Goldman Sachs:  Best Savings Account
Simple:  Best Checking Account
Synchrony Bank:  Best Savings Account
UFB Direct: Best Money Market Account


METHODOLOGY

To determine the best accounts, we  looked closely at 70 financial institutions, including the largest U.S. banks based on assets, debit card volume, internet search traffic and other factors; the nation's largest credit unions, based on deposits as well as broad-based membership requirements; and other notable and/or emerging players in the industry. We rated them on criteria including annual percentage rates, minimum balances, fees, digital experience and more.

Financial institutions surveyed:  Alaska USA Federal Credit Union,  Alliant Credit Union,  Ally Bank,  America First Credit Union, American Express,  Aspiration,  Associated Bank,  Bank5 Connect, BankDirect,  Bank of America,  Bank of Internet,  Bank of the West,  Barclays, BB&T,  BBVA Compass,  Boeing Employees Credit Union, BMO Harris,  Capital One 360,  Charles Schwab Bank,  Chase,  Chime,  CIT,  Citibank,  Citizens Bank, Comerica Bank,  Commerce Bank,  Connexus Credit Union,  Consumers Credit Union,  Discover Bank,  EverBank,  Fidelity,  Fifth Third Bank, First Citizens Bank, First National Bank,  First Tech Federal Credit Union,  GoBank,  Golden 1 Credit Union, HSBC Bank USA,  Huntington Bank,  KeyBank, M&T Bank, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, MetaBank,  Navy Federal Credit Union,  Pentagon Federal Credit Union,  PNC, PurePoint Financial, Qapital,  Radius Bank,  Regions Bank,  Santander Bank, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, Security Service Federal Credit Union,  Simple, Star One Credit Union,  State Employees' Credit Union of North Carolina,  State Farm Bank,  Suncoast Credit Union, SunTrust Bank,  Synchrony Bank,  TCF Bank,  TD Bank,  Union Bank, UFB Direct,  USAA,  U.S. Bank, Varo,  Wells Fargo, Woodforest National Bank and Zions Bank.

More From NerdWallet

Western Union Fraud Case: How to File a Claim For Kids' Allowance, No Cash Required 5 Surprising Factors That Inflate Your Car Insurance Rate

Tony Armstrong is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: tony@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @tonystrongarm.

Tuesday

NerdWallet has released its annual Bank Awards, highlighting the banks and credit unions that rated most highly for checking, savings and money market accounts. NerdWallet also selected the best credit

Tony Armstrong

NerdWallet has released its annual Bank Awards, highlighting the banks and credit unions that rated most highly for checking, savings and money market accounts. NerdWallet also selected the best credit unions.

These financial institutions offer accounts with consumer-friendly features such as high interest rates, low fees and helpful money-management tools. Some also have perks such as ATM fee reimbursements and online budgeting tools.

NerdWallet, a personal finance website focused on comparing a wide range of financial products, chose its award recipients from dozens of financial institutions, including big-name banks and promising up-and-comers. NerdWallet writers and editors devoted more than 200 hours to comparing and scoring these institutions on criteria including interest rates, fees, bonuses, ATM access, digital experience and more.

Take a look below at NerdWallet's award winners.

NerdWallet's 2018 Bank Award Winners

Alliant Credit Union:  Best Checking Account, Best Credit Union and Best Savings Account
Ally Bank:  Best Checking Account and Best Savings Account
Aspiration:  Best Checking Account
Bank5 Connect:  Best Checking Account
Bank of Internet USA:  Best Checking Account, Best Money Market Account and Best Savings Account
Barclays:  Best Savings Account
Capital One 360:  Best Checking Account and Best Money Market Account
Charles Schwab Bank:  Best Checking Account
Chase:  Best Checking Account and Best Savings Account
CIT Bank:  Best Savings Account
Connexus Credit Union:  Best Checking Account and Best Credit Union
Consumers Credit Union:  Best Checking Account
Discover Bank:  Best Checking Account, Best Money Market Account and Best Savings Account
EverBank:  Best Money Market Account
First Tech Federal Credit Union:  Best Credit Union
Golden 1 Credit Union:  Best Credit Union
Marcus by Goldman Sachs:  Best Savings Account
Simple:  Best Checking Account
Synchrony Bank:  Best Savings Account
UFB Direct: Best Money Market Account


METHODOLOGY

To determine the best accounts, we  looked closely at 70 financial institutions, including the largest U.S. banks based on assets, debit card volume, internet search traffic and other factors; the nation's largest credit unions, based on deposits as well as broad-based membership requirements; and other notable and/or emerging players in the industry. We rated them on criteria including annual percentage rates, minimum balances, fees, digital experience and more.

Financial institutions surveyed:  Alaska USA Federal Credit Union,  Alliant Credit Union,  Ally Bank,  America First Credit Union, American Express,  Aspiration,  Associated Bank,  Bank5 Connect, BankDirect,  Bank of America,  Bank of Internet,  Bank of the West,  Barclays, BB&T,  BBVA Compass,  Boeing Employees Credit Union, BMO Harris,  Capital One 360,  Charles Schwab Bank,  Chase,  Chime,  CIT,  Citibank,  Citizens Bank, Comerica Bank,  Commerce Bank,  Connexus Credit Union,  Consumers Credit Union,  Discover Bank,  EverBank,  Fidelity,  Fifth Third Bank, First Citizens Bank, First National Bank,  First Tech Federal Credit Union,  GoBank,  Golden 1 Credit Union, HSBC Bank USA,  Huntington Bank,  KeyBank, M&T Bank, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, MetaBank,  Navy Federal Credit Union,  Pentagon Federal Credit Union,  PNC, PurePoint Financial, Qapital,  Radius Bank,  Regions Bank,  Santander Bank, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, Security Service Federal Credit Union,  Simple, Star One Credit Union,  State Employees' Credit Union of North Carolina,  State Farm Bank,  Suncoast Credit Union, SunTrust Bank,  Synchrony Bank,  TCF Bank,  TD Bank,  Union Bank, UFB Direct,  USAA,  U.S. Bank, Varo,  Wells Fargo, Woodforest National Bank and Zions Bank.

More From NerdWallet

Western Union Fraud Case: How to File a Claim For Kids' Allowance, No Cash Required 5 Surprising Factors That Inflate Your Car Insurance Rate

Tony Armstrong is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: tony@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @tonystrongarm.

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