no monthly service fee
up to 4.00% bonus
$0
- 3 Savings Pods that let you earn up to 4.00% bonus
- No minimum opening deposit
- No monthly service fees
- No overdraft fees
- No instant transfer fees to other Current members
- Early direct deposit
- Debit card included
- Budgeting tools: Round-ups and Spending Insights
- Earn cash back on debit card purchases
- $2.50 out-of-network ATM fee
- Can't overdraw from your account without the Overdrive feature
- Access to 40,000 fee-free Allpoint ATMs
- You may overdraw up to $200 from your account with no overdraft fees if you're eligible for Overdrive
- To be eligible for the Overdrive feature, you'll need to receive direct deposits $500 per month
- 3 Savings Pods: You may deposit up to $2,000 in each Savings Pod; Money that is kept in Savings Pods can earn 4.00% bonus
- Round-Ups: Debit card purchases are rounded up to the nearest dollar and the change is deposited into a Savings Pod
- Spending Insights: You can create a budget that keeps track of specific categories of spending; Spending Insights monitors how much you spend and can issue alerts if you are close to your limit
- Cash back: You can earn cash back at 14,000 select stores when you use your debit card; Points be redeemed at the Current Shop for cash
- Issued through Choice Financial Group (Member FDIC)
The bottom line: Current could be a great choice if you'd like to earn a high interest rate on some of your savings, or are looking for budgeting features to help track your spending. It also might be ideal if you're a parent searching for a fee-free debit card for a teen. The best high-yield savings accounts pay a high interest rate on balances over $6,000, though.
Current Pros and Cons
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Current Account
The Current Account is a solid free hybrid checking/savings account. It might be appealing if you're comfortable keeping your money all in one place and looking for budgeting tools and savings features.
Most notably, Current lets you earn up to 4.00% bonus through a savings feature called a Savings Pod. A Savings Pod may be used to save money for individual goals, and you can add an image and description to label how the money will be used. Each account has three Savings Pods, which can earn bonuses maximum of $2,000 per pod.
You'll also get some notable perks common in checking accounts — for example, the Current Account has a two-day early direct deposit and lets you earn cash back on debit card purchases.
Current Teen Account
Current also has a debit card for teens. To be eligible for the debit card, at least one parent will have to get a Current Account. Teens will need to open and link a separate account through a QR code.
Teens will be able to manage their debit card through the Current Teen Account, which doesn't have minimum balance requirements or monthly service fees.
With the Teen Account, you also have the unique option to donate to charities — choose from a list of organizations and save money through a Giving Pod.
How Current Works
Current is a mobile fintech platform with banking products for adults and teens. Anyone over the age of 18 may open a hybrid checking/savings account. You may also open a debit card for a minor if you're a parent, but you'll have to open a Current Account first.
While Current isn't a bank, its banking services are issued through Choice Financial Group (Member FDIC). You may safely keep up to $250,000 in an FDIC-insured bank account.
If you have questions about Current's banking products, you'll have to search through the website FAQ section or submit an email request. You can't call a customer representative on the phone.
The platform's mobile app is rated 4.6 out of 5 stars in the Google Play Store and 4.7 out of 5 stars in the Apple store.
Current Trustworthiness and BBB Rating
The Better Business Bureau rates businesses by assessing how they respond to customer complaints. Current has an A rating because the BBB has received 588 customer complaints.
Current hasn't been involved in any recent public controversies or lawsuits.
How Current Compares
Current vs. Chime
See how the Current app compares to Chime, another popular fintech banking platform.
Choosing between Current and Chime may depend on what you prioritize in your banking experience.
Current offers a higher interest rate than Chime, but there are account balance limits and money that isn't kept in Saving Pods won't earn any interest.
Meanwhile, the Chime Savings Account has a bit more of a straightforward approach. There aren't any limits on account balance to earn the bonus. However, you would need to open the Chime® Checking Account before opening the Chime Savings Account.
You may also prefer Current to Chime if you're looking for more unique budgeting features. You can create a budget to keep track of your spending in certain categories or earn cash back on debit card purchases.
Current vs. Spruce
Current and Spruce both offer mobile banking products. See how the two stack up below.
Your decision between these two mobile banking platforms may ultimately hinge on how you would conduct your finances.
With Current, you'd be opening a hybrid checking/savings account. A hybrid account combines savings and checking features. You'll earn a high interest on money kept in three Savings Pods like you would with a savings account (although, there's a limit of $2,000 per pod that can earn bonuses). In terms of checking account features, you'll be able to receive early direct deposit and have access to a debit card.
Spruce has separate savings and checking accounts. The Spruce Spending Account also has a debit card and offers early direct deposit. Meanwhile, the Spruce Savings Account lets you save for individual savings goals.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed Current
We rate bank accounts on a scale from one to five stars. For Current, we used Personal Finance Insider's bank account ratings methodology. The exact factors we evaluate vary depending on the type of account.
We use a weighted average to get our star rating, which means we weigh certain features, like interest rates and fees, at a higher weight percentage than others. We understand that these areas can more heavily impact a person's overall banking experience.
Current Frequently Asked Questions
You can open a Current Account and Teen Account, and there are no monthly service fees or subscription fees.
Can I deposit cash in the Current Account?
You may deposit cash at over 60,000 stores. You may also link an external bank account and make transfers to deposit money into a Current Account.
If you're looking for more online-only institutions that accept cash deposits at ATMs or stores, review our list here.
You'll have access to 40,000 fee-free ATMs in the Allpoint ATM network.
You may withdraw up to $500 daily from ATMs. The debit card has a daily spending limit of $2,000.
Current does not permit daily limit increases, so you won't be able to make one-time withdrawals or debit card purchases that exceed the limits.
