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American Express National Bank Review 2024

Updated April 29, 2024
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At a glance

4.5
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Bankrate Score
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CDs

Rating: 4.3 stars out of 5

Checking

Rating: 4.8 stars out of 5

Savings

Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5

About Bankrate Score

Overview

American Express National Bank is convenient for AmEx credit card customers who’d prefer to visit one website to manage multiple financial accounts. While the bank doesn’t offer a money market account, its full suite of products offering high yields, including CDs, checking and savings accounts, makes it easy to bring your banking under one roof.

Highlights

  • 24/7 Customer Service
  • Low Min Deposit
  • No Monthly Fees
Sponsored offers
Info

These are sponsored offers rated highly by us for competitive rates, fees, and minimums.

Bank logo
Member FDIC
Savings Account
4.35
%
APY
APY
Info
As of 7/10/2024
Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
$0
Min. balance for APY
View offer Arrow Right
Promoted offer:
Bank logo
Member FDIC
Checking Account
0.50
%
APY
APY
Info
As of 7/10/2024
Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
$0
Min. balance for APY
View offer Arrow Right

Overall

American Express National Bank is an online bank that offers savings and checking accounts with competitive yields, as well as some CDs that pay above-average rates. The checking account earns rewards for purchases, although it’s only available to those who have had an American Express card for at least three months.

Pros

  • Checkmark

    American Express customers can easily access credit card and bank accounts in one place.

  • Checkmark

    There are no minimum deposit requirements for CDs, the savings accounts or the checking account.

  • Checkmark

    The checking account pays a competitive APY, and account holders earn points for qualifying debit card purchases.

Cons

  • Not all CD rates are competitive compared to what other top online banks offer.

  • The checking account is only available to customers who have had an American Express card for at least three months.

  • Branch banking isn’t available.

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American Express Bank banking products

4.4
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
Bankrate Score

American Express Bank savings overview

American Express National Bank offers an online savings account that earns a competitive annual percentage yield (APY). The account requires no minimum deposit to open, and it has no minimum balance or monthly service fees. An ATM card isn’t available.

Pros

  • Checkmark

    The savings account charges no monthly fees and has no minimum balance requirement.

  • Checkmark

    It pays a competitive APY.

Cons

  • The account doesn’t come with an ATM card.

  • There isn’t a way to make cash deposits into American Express savings accounts.

  • See how rates for this account have changed over time. Interact with the trend lines to view APY by date.

    American Express Bank
    APY
    APY
    Info
    National average APY
    How do we get this data?
    Info
Compare Offer
Sponsored Offer
Info

This is a sponsored offer rated 4 stars or higher for competitive rate, fees, and minimums.

Bank logo
Member FDIC
Savings Account
4.35
%
APY
APY
Info
As of 7/10/2024
Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
Info
$0
Min balance for APY
Promoted offer:

Bank fees

Fee Charged?
Overdraft fee None
Non-sufficient funds fee None
Monthly maintenance fees None
Out-of-network ATM fee None
Excessive transaction fee None

Customer experience

Customer support

Customer service hours. American Express National Bank customers cannot visit a branch. Customers can, however, reach someone at the bank 24 hours a day, seven days a week by phone.

High customer satisfaction. American Express ranked fourth in overall satisfaction among online-only banks for its checking and savings accounts, according to J.D. Power’s 2023 Direct Banking Satisfaction Study

Digital experience

Highly rated mobile app. The American Express mobile app receives high marks on the Apple App and Google Play stores. The iOS app alone has more than 3 million user ratings. Users report that the app is easy to navigate, including a Bankrate staff member who uses American Express personally. You can easily transfer money from other accounts into the AmEx account, and you can link AmEx credit cards so that you can see both banking and credit activity. You can also send money to any Venmo or PayPal user right in the app.

Strong communications. AmEx updates its customers on important financial news. “When the Federal Reserve was raising interest rates, I routinely got updates telling me my new rate on savings,” said a Bankrate staff member with an account. “Often, those notices came almost as soon as the Fed announced a rate hike.”

Personal loan promotions. While American Express generally offers a stellar digital experience, it clutters its site (and your mailbox) with personal loan promotions, according to a Bankrate staff member with an AmEx account. 

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Bankrate staff insights

“You can get a strong rate with American Express National Bank, but if you’re looking for a traditional brick-and-mortar institution, this isn’t your jam: It has just one physical location,” said a Bankrate staff member who banks at American Express. “The app is easy to use and connects to your AmEx credit card, if you have one. In general, AmEx is a good place to park cash you want to keep safe and earn a solid yield.”

Featured customer reviews

The consumer reviews posted on Bankrate.com ("Bankrate") are individual, subjective opinions of reviewers, and not of Bankrate. Bankrate does not endorse any of the opinions expressed by reviewers or any responses to reviews. Bankrate cannot guarantee or verify the accuracy of the opinions shared by individual reviewers. Some reviews may be edited for length and clarity.

Fubbalicious
Apr 1, 2023
Anyone Use American Express® High Yield Savings Account?
I've used [American Express] for a similar bonus in the past and had no problem. If you already have a credit card with them, you can access your banking and credit cards with the same logins, though it's not as seamless as other providers such as Capital One and Discover. You can easily close the account later – which is what I did. Just check if there is any closing fee/period. Though I don't think there is.
via Reddit
Bodark
Apr 1, 2023
Switching to Amex HYSA
Personally, I wouldn’t recommend against it per se, but I would recommend restructuring a bit. I had the Amex checking account and the stress really isn’t worth it. Look up how many of the compatible ATMs are in your area, then get rid of all of them. I live in NYC and according to the website, the compatible ATMs are everywhere but in reality when I go to the locations, they’re nowhere to be found.
via Reddit

Our editor's take

American Express makes it convenient to check your credit, savings and checking balances all in the same place. Bonuses aren’t always available, as is the case as of the time of this writing. Moreover, prospective customers should note that the American  Express Rewards Checking account is only available to Amex credit card members who have had an American Express card for at least three months.

You can use American Express’ ATM Locator to find nearby ATMs. The locator works fairly well, and even gives you step-by-step directions on getting there from your home address. However, the page doesn’t tell you what services are available at each location, unlike some other big banks. 

About American Express Bank

Financial-services giant American Express Co. received permission from the Federal Reserve to become a bank holding company in 2008. A year later, AmEx, which already operated a small bank, introduced personal online accounts. Today, the Salt Lake City-based bank offers CDs, a high-yield savings account and a checking account that’s available to customers who meet eligibility requirements.

How American Express Bank compares to other banks

Compare different account types offered by American Express bank. Annual percentage yields (APYs) shown were updated between July 3, 2024 and July 9, 2024.

Selected bank
American Express National Bank savings account
American Express National Bank Logo
Member FDIC
Bankrate score
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
4.4
Info
Most comparable
Barclays Bank savings account
Barclays Bank Logo
Member FDIC
Bankrate score
Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
4.9
Info
Read review
Search for or select a bank:
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Bankrate score
Info
Read review
APY
Info
4.25% 4.35%
Minimum balance for APY
$1.00 $0.00
Estimated earnings
Info
$1,063 $1,088
American Express National Bank offers a competitive yield on its High Yield Savings Account. The account doesn’t require a minimum opening deposit. The account also doesn’t have a monthly service fee or minimum balance requirements to worry about. The Barclays Online Savings Account offers a competitive yield on its savings account. You don’t need a minimum deposit to open an account and like at most online banks, you won’t pay a monthly service fee.
  • American Express features 24/7 customer support.
  • The bank lets you make automatic deposits into your savings account.
  • Barclays allows you to earn a competitive yield on your savings.
  • Barclays’ savings account doesn’t have a monthly service fee.
  • Barclays doesn’t have a minimum opening deposit requirement.
    N/A
  • Some online banks offer a higher yield.
  • You can earn a higher yield at some other online banks.
    N/A
APY offering:
4.25%
4/5
Info
Minimum balance to earn interest:
$1.00
5/5
Info
Monthly service fee:
$0.00
5/5
Info
Minimum balance to avoid fee:
$0.00
5/5
Info
Access to funds:
Good
4/5
Info
APY offering:
4.35%
5/5
Info
Minimum balance to earn interest:
$0.00
5/5
Info
Monthly service fee:
$0.00
5/5
Info
Minimum balance to avoid fee:
$0.00
5/5
Info
Access to funds:
Good
4/5
Info
Info
Info
Info
Info
Info
Bankrate does not currently track additional product details for this bank.

American Express National Bank vs. Discover Bank

American Express National Bank and Discover Bank are both digital banks that offer accounts with highly competitive rates, low minimum deposits and no monthly fees. Both conveniently offer customer support over the phone on a 24/7 basis.

Both banks offer CDs that tend to pay high yields, although Discover provides a wider range of terms. While American Express does not offer a money market account, Discover offers one that earns one of the top rates and includes a debit card and checks. The savings accounts at both banks pay high yields, require no minimum deposit and charge no maintenance fees.

The rewards checking accounts from both banks are highly rated. It should be noted that the American Express checking account is only available to customers who have had an American Express card for at least three months.

American Express Bank FAQs

Review methodology

With so many financial institutions to choose from, it can be hard to know who to trust. Bankrate’s ever-growing list of bank and credit union reviews is updated regularly. Our editorial team analyzes and reviews each institution across deposit products such as savings accounts, checking accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs) and money market accounts (MMAs). Banks are rated by important factors such as offered interest rates, fees, minimum balance requirements, access to funds and more.

We assign a score to each type of account and its features, weigh them carefully based on importance to account holders and determine an overall score. Read our full review methodology.