Insider’s experts choose the best products and services to help make smart decisions with your money (here’s how). In some cases, we receive a commission from our our partners, however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.
We selected Capital One 360, Synovus Bank, Regions Bank, Delta Community Credit Union, and Credit Union of Atlanta as the best banks and credit unions in Georgia.
Our favorite financial institutions are federally insured by the NCUA and FDIC, which means up to $250,000 is secure per owner. These banks also stand out because they have low bank fees and strong features.
Best banks and credit unions in Georgia
Best bank for opening a savings account
Best bank for opening a checking account
Best bank for opening a checking and savings account
Best bank for opening a checking and savings account
Best local financial institution
Learn more
On Delta Community Credit Union’s website
Savings rates at the largest banks in Georgia
Below, you’ll find the savings rates from the biggest banks in Georgia. In November 2022, the national average for interest rates on savings accounts is 0.24%, according to the FDIC.
These financial institutions have savings account rates that are lower than the average savings account. We didn’t choose any of these large banks for our best savings account category. However, you may still decide one of these banks is a good fit for you.
Best bank for opening a savings account: Capital One 360
Capital One 360 Performance Savings™
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
3.00% as of 11/16/22
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
Capital One 360 Performance Savings™
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
3.00% as of 11/16/22
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
Details
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
3.00% as of 11/16/22
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
Why it stands out: The biggest brick-and-mortar banks in Georgia pay low interest rates on savings accounts, so we explored online high-yield savings accounts to determine our top pick in this category.
Capital One 360 is featured in our best online banks guide because its bank accounts do not require a minimum opening deposit or charge monthly service. Capital One 360 Performance Savings™ stands out because it pays a competitive interest rate higher than what many traditional savings account and high-yield savings accounts offer right now.
What to look out for: Capital One has branches throughout the US, but it doesn’t have any in Georgia. There’s a Capital One Cafe in Atlanta, where you can use self-service ATMs or speak with a Cafe Ambassador, but it doesn’t offer the same services as branches. Ultimately, you’ll have to be comfortable with online banking if you plan to use this account.
Best bank for opening a checking account: Synovus Bank
Synovus Free Checking Account
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
None
Minimum Deposit Amount
$100
Synovus Free Checking Account
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
None
Minimum Deposit Amount
$100
On Synovus Bank’s website
Details
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
None
Minimum Deposit Amount
$100
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
Why it stands out: Synovus Bank is one of the five largest financial institutions in the state, and it’s a good choice if you’re specifically looking for a checking account. The Synovus Free Checking Account has zero monthly service fees, and you’ll have access to over 1,250 free ATMs through Synovus and Presto! ATM networks.
You also may be able to get Synovus Plus features — like an automatic out-of-network fee refund each month or 50% off domestic wire transfer fees. To be eligible for Synovus Plus, you’ll need to have a minimum monthly deposit of $5,000 in your checking account or a balance of at least $25,000 across all your Synovus accounts.
What to look out for: Synovus Bank charges a $36 overdraft fee. Although it has multiple overdraft protection options, you may still have to pay a fee. For example, you can link your checking account to a savings account, but if you transfer money to cover a negative balance, you’ll have to pay a $10 overdraft protection transfer fee.
Best bank for opening a savings and checking account: Regions Bank
Regions LifeGreen® Savings Account
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.01%
Minimum Deposit Amount
$5 at a branch, $50 online
Regions LifeGreen® Savings Account
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.01%
Minimum Deposit Amount
$5 at a branch, $50 online
On Regions Bank’s website
Details
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.01%
Minimum Deposit Amount
$5 at a branch, $50 online
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
Why it stands out: Regions Bank is a solid option if you prefer traditional banking to online banking. It’s featured as our best national bank in the Southeast in our best national banks guide, and it has a variety of bank accounts to choose from.
The Regions LifeGreen® Savings Account is a great straightforward savings account — it doesn’t charge monthly service fees and has a low minimum opening deposit if you open an account at a branch.
The Regions Bank LifeGreen® Checking Account has a monthly service fee, but you can waive the fee if you keep at least $1,500 in your account monthly, make a $500 single direct deposit, or have $1,000 combined in direct deposits.
What to look out for: Regions Bank has a $36 overdraft fee, but earlier this year, it eliminated overdraft protection transfer fees. This means if you transfer money from a linked bank account to cover an overdraft, you won’t have to pay a fee.
Best credit union: Delta Community Credit Union
Delta Community Credit Union Personal Savings Account
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.20%
Minimum Deposit Amount
$5
Delta Community Credit Union Personal Savings Account
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.20%
Minimum Deposit Amount
$5
On Delta Community Credit Union’s website
Details
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.20%
Minimum Deposit Amount
$5
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
Why it stands out: You might like Delta Community Credit Union if you want to use a credit union instead of a bank. The credit union has 27 branches in the Metro Atlanta area, and it’s part of the CO-OP Shared Branch Network, which means you have access to 5,000 shared branches throughout the US.
Delta Community Credit Union has solid free checking and savings accounts with low minimum opening deposits. If you have the Delta Community Credit Union Personal Checking Account, you may enroll in a rewards program, where you’ll earn points on debit card purchases. You can use points on categories like cash back, travel, gift cards, concerts, and more. The credit union also has notable CDs with solid interest rates.
What to look out for: Delta Community Credit Union lets you become a member if you or a family member meet one of the following requirements:
- You live or work in select Georgia counties
- You are a current or former employee of one of the businesses on this list
- You are a member of select associations
- You are a full-time employee of Delta Air Lines who is a non-US citizen living in the Bahamas, Canada, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands
If you are a full-time employee of Delta Air Lines who is a non-US Citizen and living in certain foreign countries, you are eligible to open only a savings account.
Delta Community Credit Union members will need to open the Delta Community Credit Union Personal Savings Account.
Best local financial institution: Credit Union of Atlanta
Credit Union of Atlanta Share Savings Account
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.05% APY
Minimum Deposit Amount
$25
Credit Union of Atlanta Share Savings Account
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.05% APY
Minimum Deposit Amount
$25
On Credit Union of Atlanta’s website
Details
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.05% APY
Minimum Deposit Amount
$25
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Why it stands out: If you like banking with local financial institutions instead of national banks, the Credit Union of Atlanta is an excellent choice.
Credit Union of Atlanta is certified as a minority depository institution (MDI) by the National Credit Union Administration and a community development financial institution (CDFI) by the US Department of Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund.
Credit Union of Atlanta has two branches in Atlanta, and it’s part of the CO-OP Shared Branch network, which has around 5,000 shared branches around the US. It has free checking and savings accounts with low minimum opening deposits.
What to look out for: To open an account at Credit Union of Atlanta, you must be eligible for membership. Credit Union of Atlanta membership is limited to employees of certain organizations, such as the city of Atlanta, Zoo Atlanta, and Atlanta public schools. You may find the full list of organizations here.
All members will also need to open the Credit Union of Atlanta Share Savings Account with $25.
Other institutions that didn’t make our list and why
- Truist Bank (Member FDIC): Truist Bank has the most branches in the state, but our top picks have lower monthly service fees and higher interest rates.
- Wells Fargo (Member FDIC): Wells Fargo has a substantial branch and ATM network in Georgia, but our top picks have more appealing bank accounts with lower monthly services. It’s also received a poor rating from the Better Business Bureau and has been involved in several public settlements.
- Bank of America (Member FDIC): Bank of America has a large branch and ATM network. However, its monthly service fees are a bit higher than our top picks.
- Ameris Bank (Member FDIC): Ameris Bank checking and savings accounts have monthly service fees if you don’t meet certain requirements. You’ll also need at least $200 in your account daily to earn interest on the Ameris Bank Personal Savings Account.
- Chase (Member FDIC): Chase has a variety of accounts and a large branch and ATM network. But our top picks have lower monthly service fees.
- Bank OZK (Member FDIC): Bank OZK has a variety of accounts, but our top picks have more robust branch and ATM networks.
- United Community Bank (Member FDIC): United Community Bank has a sizable branch and ATM presence in the state, but its checking and savings accounts have monthly service fees unless you meet certain requirements.
- PNC Bank (Member FDIC): PNC Bank has a sizable branch and ATM network, but its savings and checking accounts have monthly service fees.
- Bridgeway Credit Union (Federally insured by the NCUA): This credit union is recognized as an MDI by the NCUA, and it may be a good option if you’re searching for a free checking account. It only has three branches in Georgia, though.
- Carver State Bank (Member FDIC): This Black-owned bank pays solid CD rates, but you’ll need to keep a certain amount in savings and checking accounts each month to waive monthly service fees.
- Citizens Trust Bank (Member FDIC): This Black-owned bank has a variety of checking accounts to choose from, but you’ll need to meet certain requirements to waive monthly service fees on checking and savings accounts.
- Unity National Bank (Member FDIC): This Black-owned bank has a several checking accounts to choose from, but it only has one branch in the state.
- Fifth Third Bank (Member FDIC) Fifth Third Bank is a regional bank with a few branches in Georgia. It has a solid free checking account, but its savings account isn’t as strong.
- First Citizens Bank (Member FDIC): First Citizens Bank has free checking and savings accounts, but it doesn’t have as many branches in the state as other regional or national banks mentioned on our list.
- Robins Financial Credit Union (Federally insured by the NCUA): Robins Financial Credit Union has a free checking account, but our top credit union has lower minimum opening deposits.
Bank trustworthiness and BBB ratings
We use ratings from the Better Business Bureau to help show how financial institutions address customer issues and handle transparency.
Keep in mind a good BBB rating doesn’t necessarily guarantee a smooth relationship with a financial institution. You may want to talk to current customers or read online customer reviews to see if a particular bank is right for you.
All the financial institutions on our list have an A+ rating from the BBB except Capital One and Regions Bank.
The BBB gave Capital One an A- rating because it has received a high volume of customer complaints on the BBB website.
Regions bank received a B+ rating from the BBB because of government action taken against the bank.
Capital One and Regions Bank have both been involved in recent public controversies.
In 2020, the Office of the Comptroller of Currency required Capital One to pay $80 million in a settlement that said the bank was partially responsible for a 2019 data breach when a hacker accessed over 100 million credit card applications.
In 2022, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau required Regions Bank to pay a total of $191 million in a settlement that accused the bank of charging customers surprise overdraft fees after some ATM withdrawals or debit card purchases.
Why trust our recommendations?
Personal Finance Insider’s mission is to help smart people make the best decisions with their money. We understand that “best” is often subjective, so under each section, we outline the advantages and limitations of each account or institution. We spent hours comparing and contrasting the features and fine print of various products so you don’t have to.
Methodology: How did we choose the best banks in Georgia?
We reviewed the 10 biggest banks and credit unions in the state, plus any financial institutions featured in our Black-owned banks and credit unions guide and Hispanic American-owned banks and credit unions guide.
We compared bank account features and fees until we narrowed down our top picks. Our top picks stood out from other financial institutions for many reasons. Some offered a competitive interest rate on a savings account or had bank accounts with minimal bank fees.
For our best credit union and the best local bank, we selected financial institutions with easy membership requirements, low minimum opening deposits, and unique bank accounts.
Frequently asked questions
The best option for you may be different from another individual’s because it depends on what you’re looking for. If you prioritize a traditional brick-and-mortar banking experience, you might look at the institutions mentioned in our savings rates list. If your goals are high savings rates and low fees, then you’ll probably want to go with an online bank. (See our picks for the best online banks here.)
Truist Bank, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America are some of the largest financial institutions in the state.
Check if a financial institution is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). As long as the institution has federal insurance, your money should be safe. Up to $250,000 is protected per owner in federally insured bank accounts.
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