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TAB Bank Review July 2024: High-yield savings, CDs, and cash back checking accounts

Rachel WitkowskiPersonal Finance Expert

Rachel Witkowski is a personal finance contributor to Fortune Recommends. Rachel reported on financial regulation and fintech at American Banker, and covered fintech policy and congressional oversight of the financial system for The Wall Street Journal.

Abigail RuegerREVIEWED BYAbigail RuegerDeputy Editor, Banking
Abigail RuegerDeputy Editor, Banking

Abigail Rueger is a deputy editor on the banking team at Fortune Recommends. She is passionate about personal finance and offering consumers actionable steps for making positive life changes. Prior to joining Fortune, Abigail spent four years as an editor for Choosing Therapy, a startup dedicated to providing the best mental health information on the web. 

TAB Bank is an online-only bank with several high-yield savings products meant to help underserved individuals and small businesses, such as a specialized checking account for truckers and equipment financing. The Utah-based TAB Bank started in 1998 as Transportation Alliance Bank but has broadened its services to nearly any saver. It offers a high-yield savings account and certificates of deposit (CDs) with annual percentage yields (APYs) exceeding 5% and a free checking account with cash back rewards. 

As a Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) member, accounts are insured up to $250,000 per depositor. 

All rates and fees are current as of July 2, 2024, and are subject to change. 

TAB Bank

Kasasa Cash Back checking account: A free checking account with cash rewards but no interest earned on deposits
Tab Chrome checking: A checking account built for truckers with a 0.10% APY
Savings account: High-yield savings with a 5.02% APY
CD rates: Up to a -% APY

Pros

  • Free checking account with cash back rewards
  • High-yield savings account with a 5.02% APY
  • Competitive CDs with APYs up to -%

Cons

  • Free checking account does not earn interest
  • $1,000 minimum to open a CD
  • No branch locations
TAB Bank has higher yields on its savings and CD accounts than it does for checking accounts unless you’re a truck driver. However, the rewards-based checking account earns cash back rather than an APY as long as you meet certain transactions and other requirements. Their checking and loan products are customized better to workers and businesses in the transportation industry and related fields.
If you prefer having an interest-earning checking account, and you’re not in the trucking industry, then TAB Bank might not be the right fit for you. The only checking account at TAB Bank that earns interest is meant for truckers and their different payroll structures. This is also an online-only bank, so if you’re looking for an in-person banking option TAB Bank won’t be right for you.
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TAB Bank rates and products

TAB Bank offers a Kasasa Cash Back checking account where you get 1% cash back on certain debit card purchases with no daily balance or minimum deposit amount to open. The account does not earn interest because it focuses on rewards. There is no bonus for opening the account, like some competitors are offering. 

However, the bank offers a separate checking account to truckers called TAB Chrome Checking, with a 0.10% APY. 

The bank also offers a high-yield savings account, CDs, and a money market account (MMA). 

Insight from Rachel Witkowski, Fortune contributor

“TAB Bank is a good option for those in the trucking industry and equipment financing because it has specialized banking accounts built for those atypical pay flows. If you are looking to park some cash in a high-yielding CD, TAB Bank stands among the top rates out there. However, it is more limited in the traditional banking products seen at the largest banks.”

Checking accounts 

TAB Bank offers two main checking accounts: a free checking account, called Kasasa Cash Back―which doesn’t earn interest―and an interest-bearing account for truckers called TAB Chrome Checking. 

The TAB Chrome account has an $8 monthly maintenance fee. But it can be waived if you meet one of the following: keep a $1,000 daily balance, make eight debit card purchases per monthly statement that are not ATM transactions, or have $1,200 in direct deposits per monthly statement cycle. 

Kasasa Cash Back checking account features

Cash back rewards1% cash back on certain debit card purchases
Minimum opening deposit$0
Monthly maintenance fee$0
ATM withdrawal feesRefunded for up to $5 each and $15 per month

TAB Chrome Checking account features

Minimum opening deposit$25
Monthly fees$8 but waivable
Top APY0.10%
Daily balance$1

Savings accounts

TAB Bank offers one high-yield savings account with a 5.27% APY that’s free to open and there’s no monthly maintenance fee. 

TAB Bank High Yield Savings account features

Minimum opening deposit$0
Monthly fees$0
Top APY5.02% so long as you have at least one cent deposited
Balance cap$0

TAB Bank savings rates compared to current top rates*

TAB Bank’s savings account yield is highly competitive and is one of the best high-yield savings account options out there right now. Compare the rates above to this list of competitors:

Money market accounts 

TAB Bank has one money market account at a 0.25% APY which is far below the rates of the best MMAs nationwide. Some of the other fees associated with this account include a cashier’s check fee of $15, a stop payment fee of $25, and an outgoing wire fee of $30.

TAB Bank MMA features

Minimum opening deposit$25
Minimum daily balance$0.01
Top APY0.25%

Certificates of deposit

TAB Bank offers yields as high as -% APY on several of their CDs. It has CD options with seven different terms, from 6–60 months, and there’s a $1,000 minimum deposit requirement. 

The bank charges an early withdrawal fee if you remove the funds before the maturity date. The fee amount depends on how soon you withdraw the funds from the maturity date. 

TAB Bank CD features

Minimum opening deposit$1,000
Available term lengths6–60 months
Top APY-%
Early withdrawal penaltyYes, varies based on how many months you had the CD when funds were withdrawn

Other services TAB Bank offers 

TAB Bank offers a diverse range of financial products including checking, savings, and money market accounts for individuals, and several types of business accounts and loans. While the bank offers many different financial products, its consumer checking account is tailored to those in the trucking industry, which is not likely to be suitable for all types of customers. 

Some of the other offerings include:

  • Accounts receivable (AR) financing: AR financing allows businesses to use outstanding invoices as collateral for opening a line of credit.
  • Equipment financing: These loans are aimed at providing financing for trucking businesses. The money can be used for purchasing equipment, hiring staff (including drivers), and covering the costs of maintenance for vehicles. 
  • Asset-based financing: Asset-based financing from TAB Bank allows businesses to borrow money that is secured by the businesses’ collateral.
  • Business checking, savings, money market accounts, and CDs: TAB Bank also offers business checking, savings, money market, and CDs specifically tailored for businesses.
  • Online banking: TAB Bank is an online-only bank, which means you can only access their services virtually by desktop, phone, or through a mobile app.

TAB Bank’s platform and customer support 

TAB Bank’s customer service representatives can be reached by phone during business hours. The bank’s new accounts team representatives can be reached via phone Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Mountain Time (MT). For general inquiries, representatives are available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. MT and from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. MT on Saturdays.

TAB Bank was downgraded by the FDIC in February 2023 as “needs to improve” in bank requirements set out in the Community Reinvestment Act. The downgrade was due to the bank partnering with a financial technology (fintech) company to offer personal loans, including loans to buy cars and puppies, that consumer advocates claim were at predatory interest rates. 

The bank also paid restitution to customers who were charged a loan fee when they were in a so-called EasyPay Interest Rebate Program. The fee practice stopped in late 2022. 

Compare TAB Bank alternatives

TAB Bank logo
TAB Bank
Ally logo
Ally Bank
Everbank logo
Everbank
Checking APYChecking APYChecking APY
0%0.25%0.45%
Checking monthly service fee Checking monthly service fee Checking monthly service fee 
$0$0$0
Savings APYSavings APYSavings APY
5.02%4.20%5.05%
Savings monthly service fee Savings monthly service fee Savings monthly service fee 
$0$0$0
View offerView offerRead review

Is TAB Bank right for you?

TAB Bank offers some competitively high APYs for its savings account and CDs if you’re looking to hold cash in a high-yielding account for a while. The free rewards-based checking is a decent way to save extra dollars as long as you meet the cash back requirements. If you’re in the transportation industry, there are more customizable products for both individuals and businesses. 

Frequently asked questions

Is TAB Bank trustworthy?

TAB Bank has faced actions from federal and state regulators related to overcharging interest rates on loans, which it agreed to remedy. 

Is TAB Bank a real bank?

Yes. TAB Bank is an online bank with a federal banking charter approved by the FDIC. It was opened in 1998 and serves customers across the country. It offers deposit accounts and provides loans.

What does TAB Bank do?

TAB Bank offers online banking and loan services with a focus on underserved communities and the transportation industry. It has a specialized checking account for truckers and related loan services like equipment financing and accounts receivable financing. 

Read more

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    About the contributors

    Rachel WitkowskiPersonal Finance Expert

    Rachel Witkowski is a personal finance contributor to Fortune Recommends. Rachel reported on financial regulation and fintech at American Banker, and covered fintech policy and congressional oversight of the financial system for The Wall Street Journal.

    EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE: The advice, opinions, or rankings contained in this article are solely those of the Fortune Recommends editorial team. This content has not been reviewed or endorsed by any of our affiliate partners or other third parties.