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Banking

KeyBank review: Solid and everyday banking for local and online customers

KeyBank offers everyday checking and savings with branch access in just 15 states.

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KeyBank is a regional bank with a mix of in-branch and online options. While it only has branches in 15 states, it offers a wide range of checking, savings and lending products, including basic accounts with no monthly fees, plus options for customers outside its branch network. Here's a closer look.

Products offered

Key Smart Checking®

Spotlight

Earn up to $300 in cash bonuses when you open a Key Smart Checking

Our expert take

KeyBank offers a solid range of everyday banking products but its interest rates and account perks may not be as competitive as those from online-only banks. With branches in just 15 states, it may be best suited for customers in its service areas who value regional access and in-person banking options.

  • Low minimum deposits on savings accounts
  • Offers kids savings account
  • No monthly service or minimum balance requirements on 2 checking accounts
  • Earns interest on 2 checking accounts
  • Low rates on savings and CDs
  • Branches and ATMs only located in 15 states
  • High minimums on its CDs
  • High minimum requirements to waive monthly fee on checking accounts

KeyBank checking accounts

Key Smart Checking

  • $10 minimum opening deposit
  • No monthly service fee
  • No minimum balance requirement
  • $3 fee for using non-KeyBank ATMs

Key Select Checking

  • Earns interest
  • $25 monthly service fee (can be waived with at least a $15,000 combined balance in KeyBank accounts or a minimum $5,000 in monthly direct deposits from your employer)
  • $50 minimum opening deposit
  • No fees for using non-KeyBank ATMs
  • Unlimited reimbursement

KeyBank Hassle-Free Account

  • Earns interest
  • $10 minimum opening deposit
  • No monthly service fee
  • No minimum balance requirement
  • No paper checks
  • No overdraft fees

KeyBank savings accounts

Key Active Saver

  • Earns interest
  • $10 minimum opening deposit
  • $4 monthly service, unless you have a KeyBank checking account

Key4Kids Savings Account

  • Earns interest
  • No monthly service fee
  • $10 minimum opening deposit
  • Available to children under 18 when the account custodian is a KeyBank deposit or credit customer.

Key Select Money Market Savings

  • $5,000 minimum opening deposit
  • $20 monthly service fee, unless you have a KeyBank consumer relationship package checking account or maintain a minimum daily balance of at least $25,000 during the statement cycle.
  • Unlimited check writing
  • Tiered interest rates based on balance

KeyBank CDs

Short-term CDs

  • $2,500 minimum opening balance
  • Terms of 6 days to six months
  • Earn the Relationship Rewards rate when you pair with a KeyBank checking account

Tiered long-term CDs

  • $2,500 minimum opening balance
  • Terms of 6 months to 10 years
  • Earn the Relationship Rewards rate when you pair with a KeyBank checking account

High-yield jumbo CDs

  • $100,000 minimum opening balance
  • Terms of 7 days to 120 months
  • Earn the Relationship Rewards rate when you pair with a KeyBank checking account

Other products offered

KeyBank also offers a variety of other products, including: 

  • Home loans and mortgages
  • Loans and lines of credit
  • Credit cards
  • Investment products
  • Insurance products
  • Debt consolidation

How KeyBank compares 

While KeyBank offers a wide range of products to fit different needs, EverBank also offers higher yields on its savings, money market accounts and CDs. The Everbank's Performance℠ Savings, Performance® Money Market and Performance® CDs have no monthly fees and no minimum balance requirements. Plus, if you want to transfer funds quickly, you can easily link with the EverBank Checking for seamless access.

EverBank Performance℠ Savings

EverBank, a Member FDIC.
  • Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    3.90% APY

  • Minimum balance

    None

  • Monthly fee

    None

  • Maximum transactions

    Up to 20 external transfers per day, with a maximum of 10 transfers from a linked external account into your EverBank accounts and 10 transfers from EverBank to external accounts. Up to 50 total external transfers per month.

  • Excessive transactions fee

    None

  • Overdraft fees

    N/A

  • Checking account

    Yes

  • ATM card

    Yes

Terms apply.

Pros

  • Earns a competitive APY with no minimum balance.
  • Free ATM card and no ATM fees

Cons

  • Limited branch locations

EverBank Performance® CDs

  • Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    From 3.50% to 4.05% APY

  • Terms

    From 3 months to 60 months

  • Minimum balance

    $1,000 minimum deposit

  • Monthly fee

    None

  • Early withdrawal penalty fee

    Early withdrawal penalty may apply.

Terms apply.

Pros

  • Above-average APYs
  • Range of CD terms
  • No monthly fee

Cons

  • $1,000 minimum deposit required
  • You can’t access your money before your CD term ends
  • Early withdrawal penalty fee
  • Limited physical branch locations


Happen Bank is also fully online but it comes with great perks on its accounts, especially its LevelUp Checking Account, which offers 1% unlimited cash-back on qualified purchases with your debit card and interest on certain balance requirements. There are also unlimited surcharge rebates for ATM fees charged by other banks and ATM owners.

The LevelUp Savings also offers no monthly fees and a solid rate that's broken up into two tiers depending on requirements.

Happen Bank LevelUp Checking

On LendingClub Bank's site
  • Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    1.00% APY applies to balances of $2,500.00 and greater; no APY if don't meet requirements

  • Minimum deposit to open

    $25

  • Minimum balance

    None

  • Monthly fee

    None

  • Free ATM network

    None

  • ATM fee reimbursement

    Unlimited surcharge rebates for ATM fees charged by other banks and ATM owners

  • Overdraft fee

    None

  • Mobile check deposit

    Yes

Terms apply.

Pros

  • High APY for a checking account
  • Low minimum deposit required
  • No minimum balance
  • No monthly fees
  • Offers ATM fee surcharge rebates
  • No overdraft fee

Cons

  • Requirements to earn APY
  • No ATM network

Happen Bank LevelUp Savings

  • Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    4.00% (with monthly deposits of $250 or more), or 3.00%

  • Minimum balance

    None

  • Monthly fee

    None

  • Maximum transactions

    None

  • Excessive transactions fee

    None

  • Overdraft fees

    N/A

  • Offer checking account?

    Yes

  • Offer ATM card?

    Yes

Terms apply.

Pros

  • Strong APY
  • No minimum balance required
  • No monthly fees
  • Free ATM card and no ATM fees

Cons

  • At least a $250 monthly deposit required to earn the highest APY
  • No physical branch locations
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Why trust CNBC Select?

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every banking review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of banking products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

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Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
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