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Citi® Priority Checking Account Review

Citi Mobile® App available to make banking easy

Reviews 450
Citi® Priority Relationship Tier
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Citi® Priority Relationship Tier
Citi® Priority Relationship Tier
Poor
Reviews 450
Bestmoney Staff
Jan. 10, 2024
3 min read
BestMoney Staff
Citi® Priority Relationship Tier Summary
Citi is the online and mobile banking platform from Citigroup, one of the “Big Four” banks in the United States. Citi offers most of the same products and services found at thousands of Citi branches in the U.S., along with a stack of dedicated online features. With basic and premium checking accounts, Citi appeals to a broad audience of online banking customers.

Pros

  • No minimum deposit to open checking account
  • Wide range of savings accounts, CDs and IRAs
  • Solutions for small businesses
  • Range of lending products
  • Up to $2,000 welcome bonus (with required activities)

Cons

  • Some features and rates limited to residents of certain states
  • Minimum balance to use checking accounts
  • Lacks features compared to native online banks

Citi® Priority Relationship Tier at a glance

9.6
Editorial score

Fees?

Fees waived with minimum balance
8.0

Security

FDIC insured, SSL encryption, multi-factor authentication
10.0

Customer service

24/7 customer service
10.0

Online experience

Excellent user-friendly site
10.0

Mobile experience

Excellent mobile app
10.0

This content is not provided by Citibank. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone and have not been endorsed by Citibank.

Citi® Priority Relationship Tier Citi® Priority Relationship Tier Visit Citi

Advantages Over Regular Bank 

As one of the Big Four American banks (alongside Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and Wells Fargo), Citigroup is the very definition of a regular bank. However, its online banking platforms offers numerous advantages over traditional banking. 

Here are some of the top reasons to choose Citi’s online banking platform:

  • Open a checking, savings or certificate of deposit account online, without having to go to a branch.
  • Access to other Citigroup products and services, such as mortgages, credit cards, personal loans, and lines of credit.
  • Earn a welcome bonus worth $200 to $2,000 by opening a new checking account and meeting qualifying deposit and balance requirements within a specific timeframe.

Cutting-Edge Banking Services 

Citigroup has invested heavily in its online banking platform. As a result, customers can expect to find plenty of great features on their banking platform and app.

Citi’s online banking platform lets you:

  • Pay bills online
  • Send money to friends with Zelle
  • Move money between your Citi and non-Citi accounts
  • Set up balance and payment alerts
  • Add your Citi debit card to mobile wallets (e.g. Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay)
  • Purchase presale tickets and exclusive experiences for concerts, sports, and dining with Citi Entertainment

Traditional Banking Services 

Given it’s Citigroup we’re talking about, it goes without saying that online banking users get access to all the same banking services as traditional banking customers.

Here are some of Citi’s top banking services:

  • Range of credit cards, including 0% intro APR credit cards, balance transfer credit cards, and rewards credit cards.
  • Wide range of checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, and banking IRAs.
  • Mortgages, home equity loans, personal loans, and lines of credit.
  • Investing insights and tools.
  • Free access to over 65,000 Citi ATMs around the United States and globally.
  • Small business accounts and credit cards.

Interest Rates and Fees 

From 5 types of checking and savings accounts and linked checking-savings accounts to dozens of CD and IRA options, Citi offers many ways to save.  The Accelerate Savings account – available in select states only and subject to certain terms and conditions – offers a 4.45% APY. 

Citi APYs

 

Rates

Min. balance

Savings

4.45%

$0

CDs

0.05% - 4.30%

$0 - $500

Customer Service 

Being a regular bank with an online platform, Citi offers its users several support options. Customers can get in touch by: the live chat option on the Citi website; calling online banking support on 800-374-9700; or by visiting one of the hundreds of physical branches in the United States. 

Mobile Apps

For a large traditional bank, the Citi mobile app is pretty good. Although it lacks certain online banking features, it does provide a convenient way to track and manage your bank accounts from the convenience of a smartphone or tablet. Citi’s mobile app has been certified by independent financial services ratings agency J.D. Power for providing an outstanding mobile credit card experience. It has a 4.6-star rating on the App store.

Here are some of the things you can do with the Citi mobile app:

  • Manage your finances and get personalized spending and saving insights
  • Instant access to your bank and credit card account summary without having to sign in
  • Custom alerts for transactions, purchases, payments, and more
  • Put a lock on a lost debit or credit card
  • Deposit a check by taking a photo from your phone
  • Send, receive, or request money using Zelle
  • Ask Siri to give your checking, savings, or credit balance

Security 

As a large bank, Citi has the means to protect its users from fraud and hacking. When you bank online with Citi, all your activity goes through 128-bit SSL encryption, an extended validation SSL certificate, and multi-factor authentication. Every time you sign in to Citi Online, your visit is timestamped so any unauthorized account access can be tracked. If Citi believes your account has been compromised, it blocks your online and mobile access and sends you an instant notification. 

Conclusion 

With Citi, what you see is what you get: a full-service banking platform and app from one of America’s largest banks. If you’re looking for an online banking platform that lets you access all the services of a major U.S. bank without ever having to go into a branch, then it’s fair to say Citi does the job.

Citi® Priority Relationship Tier Citi® Priority Relationship Tier Visit Citi

BestMoney Staff
Written by
Bestmoney Staff
Our editorial staff consists of writers who are knowledgeable about financial services. We specialize in simplifying the process of choosing the right provider for your needs.
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Trustpilot reviews
See what some customers are saying about Citi® Priority Relationship Tier
Bad • Reviews 450
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3%
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0%
Average
1%
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2%
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94%
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Angelica Guadalupe
1 day ago
Jason Rubinstein is a life saver!
Jason Rubinstein helped me with a couple of disputes that have been ongoing for a year with no response no matter how much I called, followed instructions, etc. With his help, I was able to get all of my money back from Priceline which also opened up my Delta credit after 12 months of waiting and arguing over the phone. In less than a month, Mr. Rubinstein was able to solve my issue due to his determination and hard work. Thank you so much to him! If you want to work with him, he is located in New York.
gs
gregg shanberg
1 day ago
Love this company
Whenever I call people bend over backwards for me and are always pleasant. Citi gave me over 5 times the credit any other card would and have given me 2 other cards since when my score was mediocre. Now that my scores are back over 700 I will remain loyal to this company that’s always been good to me.
MR MONEY FAME ENT CEO
2 months ago
Citi bank steal ppl money forget this…
Citi bank steal ppl money forget this bank don’t ever open a account with these broke ass ppl fr man it’s so sad
CJ
Carole Jonsson
5 months ago
Wow you go Citibank!
Wow you go Citibank!! They have installed a shield type apparatus that surrounds the keys on the ATM so any passerbyers cannot see the code that you are typing in and also they have installed automatic door switches that you just wave your hand over the accessory and it automatically opens the door. This is wonderful! No need to pull open heavy door any longer. Life made easy! Thanks you citibank for all you do!
Anthonys’ honest review
7 months ago
So far so good
So far so good, easy as 1, 2, and 3 to apply for a checking account their website is user friendly and the Citibank app is cool and Easy to navigate through
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