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5 Reviews

Western Alliance Bank Review

Written by
Michael Graw
Michael Graw is a personal finance expert at BestMoney.com, specializing in online banking and insurance. His work has appeared in print magazines and on high-impact websites. With a passion for clarity and practicality, Michael helps readers navigate today’s financial landscape.

November 21, 2025

2 min

western-alliance-bank-high-yield-savings-premier

In a Nutshell

Western Alliance Bank is a Phoenix-based bank founded in 2003. Its High-Yield Savings Premier account offers 3.80%¹ annual percentage yield (APY) on deposits up to the maximum limit allowed of $250,000. You can open a new account with as little as $500. However, Western Alliance Bank has no branch access for this account type and doesn’t offer ATMs. So, it’s best for individuals who want to earn the best interest rate on their savings.

Western Alliance Bank High-Yield Savings Premier Pros & Cons

Pros

Earn 3.80%¹ APY on deposits
No account activity or maintenance fees
Fast online account opening

Cons

Doesn’t accept ATM deposits
No branch access for savings accounts
western-alliance-bank-high-yield-savings-premier

Western Alliance Bank High-Yield Savings Premier at a glance

8.8
Editorial score

Rates

Opening balance is $500, but only a minimum balance of $0.01 is required to earn the advertised APY
10.0

Fees & Requirements

No monthly fees; requires $500 to open an account but only $0.01 to earn the advertised APY
8.0

Security

FDIC insured (directly), SSL/AES encryption and supports 2 factor authentication
10.0

Customer Service and Mobile Experience

Extended CS hours, no/limited virtual live chat, FAQ/help page; has branch locations; mobile app ratings aren't great - 2.4 on Google Play and 1.4 on the App Store
8.0

Features and Benefits

Includes 2 out of 4- digital savings tools, easy online transfers; no banking sign-up bonus and requires $500 opening balance
8.0

Advantages Over Traditional Banks

Western Alliance Bank’s High-Yield Savings Premier account offers 3.80%¹ APY on all deposits. That’s more than 9 times the national average savings account interest rate in December 15, 2025².

On top of that, the savings account has no fees. You’ll need a minimum deposit of $500 to open an account, but a minimum balance of $0.01 is required to earn the advertised APY.

Cutting-Edge Banking Services

Western Alliance Bank’s High-Yield Savings Premier account is designed to hold your funds while they earn high-yield interest. It’s not a cutting-edge bank account with tons of features.

You can make online transfers in and out of the account from a single external bank account, but you cannot connect multiple accounts or make cash or wire deposits. In addition, there’s no support for online bill pay and no way to categorize transactions in your account.

Traditional Banking Services

Western Alliance Bank has a limited range of personal banking services. The High-Yield Savings Premier account does not include a debit card or checks. You can open personal checking accounts, personal loans, and credit cards with Western Alliance Bank at one of its regional division branches.

Western Alliance Bank has more services for small businesses, including business checking and savings accounts, business certificates of deposit (CDs), and business money market accounts. The bank offers business loans, equipment financing, and business credit cards. Western Alliance Bank also supports credit card processing for business payments.

Interest Rates and Fees

The High-Yield Savings Premier account offers 3.80% APY on unlimited deposits without account activity or maintenance fees. You can open an account with a minimum deposit of $500. After that, you must maintain a minimum balance of $0.01 to earn the advertised APY. Interest accrues daily and is paid to you monthly.

Account Activity/ Maintenance FeesInterest RateMinimum Opening Deposit
None3.80% APY$500

Customer Service and Online Experience

Western Alliance Bank offers customer support by phone for the High-Yield Savings Premier account. Customer support is available 6am to 6pm PDT, Monday through Friday.

You can open a new account online in less than five minutes. You’ll need to provide your email, address, phone number, and Social Security number. You’ll also need to connect an external bank account to make the minimum $500 initial deposit. Overall, the process is fast and easy.

Western Alliance Bank’s website doesn’t have a detailed online knowledge base. However, there are helpful FAQs explaining how the High-Yield Savings Premier account works.

Security

Western Alliance Bank is the primary subsidiary of Western Alliance Bancorporation, a publicly traded bank with more than $85 billion in assets. American Banker and Bank Director rated it as a top U.S. bank in 2022 and 2023.

Western Alliance Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The High-Yield Savings Premier account is FDIC-insured for up to $250,000 per single deposit account holder. This insurance means that in the unlikely event that Western Alliance Bank fails or goes out of business suddenly, you would still be able to get up to $250,000 of your money out of the bank.

In addition, Western Alliance Bank allows you to connect to only one external bank account. This condition is beneficial for security since it limits the number of potential access points to your savings account.

Western Alliance Bank also has a dedicated fraud team available by phone with extended hours, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT on Monday to Friday and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. PT on Saturdays.

Summary

Western Alliance Bank’s High-Yield Savings Premier account offers 3.80% APY with no account activity or maintenance fees. The account is highly secure and FDIC-insured. You can open a Western Alliance Bank account online in minutes with a $500 minimum deposit.

Overall, the High-Yield Savings Premier account is an excellent choice if you want to earn as much interest as possible on your savings and don’t need additional banking services.

Methodology

This review is based on information available on the Western Alliance Bank website.

Disclaimers

¹The annual percentage yield (APY) is accurate as of January 8, 2026 and subject to change at the Bank’s discretion. Refer to product’s website for latest APY rate. Minimum deposit required to open an account is $500 and a minimum balance of $0.01 is required to earn the advertised APY.

Accurate as of the time of publication. The national average rate referenced is from the FDIC’s published National Rates and Rate Caps for Savings deposit products, accurate as of December 15, 2025. See the FDIC website for more information.

Western Alliance Bank, Member FDIC.

Written byMichael Graw

Michael Graw is a personal finance expert at BestMoney.com, specializing in online banking and insurance. His work has appeared in print magazines and on high-impact websites. With a passion for clarity and practicality, Michael helps readers navigate today’s financial landscape.

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Trustpilot reviews
See what some customers are saying about Western Alliance Bank High-Yield Savings Premier
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20%
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Samuel Jacob
5 months ago
The most return for your safe no risk…
The most return for your safe no risk investment , FDIC insured , I’ve been with this bank for some time , not too complicated , good return , 4.3% , better then many , great customer service , friendly , if you’re investing in a high yield savings account I highly recommend Western Alliance Bank
Jacqueline Kounkel
11 months ago
Love them so far
Love them so far
James Holland
1 year ago
This bank seems very reliable to me.
This bank seems very reliable to me.
jk
james klinefelter
4 months ago
When I tried to link my local bank with…
When I tried to link my local bank with Western Alliance Bank I was ignored for the first two months even after sending multiple messages. In the 3rd and 4th month they repeatedly verified my identity even though I had been a customer for over a year. I had no access to my funds for over 4 months and could not close the account until the link was confirmed.
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