Best Banks in South Florida | Rates, Account Types, Min. Deposit

Finding the best banks for you always does the trick. It automatically transforms your banking experience into something worth the time. However, in places like South Florida, where a plethora of good banks exists, you may have a little difficulty in choosing for yourself.

Not to worry, we have you just about sorted out. This post is all for you; it will immensely enable you to make better decisions about what bank to subscribe to. Welcome to an excellent banking experience already!

In this read, I will show you the best banks in south Florida, their rates, account types, and minimum deposit. This will interest you greatly.

What is the Best Bank to Put Money In?

Here’s a list of the best banks and credit unions:

• Ally Bank.
• Discover Bank
• Alliant Credit Union
• Capital One 360
• Varo Bank
• Simple

What is the Best Bank With No Fees?

• Best no-fee checking accounts
• Best overall: Capital One 360 Checking Account.
• Runner-up: Ally Interest Checking Account.
• Discover Cashback Debit Account.
• Chase College Checking Account.

Who is the Best Bank for Small Businesses?

The 7 Best Banks for Small Business in 2023

• Wells Fargo: Best for branch accessibility.
• Chase: Best for small business credit cards
• Capital One: Best for high-volume deposits and monthly transactions.
• Azlo (from BBVA Compass): Best for digital, no-fee business checking accounts.
• NBKC: Best for easily accessible, low-fee checking and savings accounts.

What is the Most Used Bank in America?

The 10 biggest banks in the U.S. by total assets, according to the Federal Reserve.

• JPMorgan-Chase. At the top of the list, JPMorgan Chase holds almost $2.4 trillion in worldwide assets.
• Bank of America.
• Wells Fargo.
• Citibank/Citigroup.
• U.S. Bank/U.S. Bancorp.
• PNC.
• Capital One.
• TD Bank.

1. Ally Bank: Best Banks in South Florida.

Savings Account

0.05% APYMinimum Deposit: $50Pros

• Almost 100 locations in the state
• Special online banking benefits
• Great APYs

Cons

• No free accounts, without stipulations

Best For

• Account-holders who want to bank with multiple institutions

With a wide variety of account options, BankUnited is likely to meet your financial needs. The Value and Value Rewards Plus checking accounts are some of its most popular choices among consumers. The Value account has a manageable monthly fee of $7, though you can avoid it just by maintaining a $500 average balance.

The increasingly common health savings account (HSA) is an offer at BankUnited. In addition, if you want a traditional savings option, the Value savings account calls for a $300 average daily balance to get rid of its $5 monthly fee. Just as with Wells Fargo, though, CDs remain the sole way to receive high APYs. These start rather low but end up at 1.74% for 60 months.

Your online banking experience with BankUnited will be pretty standard, as features like online bill pay, internal account transfers, and mobile check deposit are included. But what you might not expect is its unique FinanceWorks system. This connects all your accounts, even those at outside institutions, so you can get a full view of your finances to create a budget.

If you own a home at the time your account is opened, you’ll gain access to a few of this bank’s beneficial programs. You’ll find homeowners assistance programs, loan modification services, and repayment plans, depending on your personal situation.

2. Best Banks in South Florida: CIT Bank Savings Builder Account

Savings Builder Account

0.45% APYMinimum Deposit: $100Pros

• One of the best APYs on the market
• No monthly fees
• Low $100 minimum

Cons

• Must make $100 in monthly deposits or maintain a balance of at least $25,000 to earn top APY

Best For

• Those who already have a large savings balance or can contribute frequently

There are few, if any, accounts on the market that offer a more beneficial savings environment than the Savings Builder account from CIT Bank.

The account features a $100 minimum and a 0.45% APY that you can gain eligibility for in two distinct ways. More specifically, account holders that maintain an account balance of at least $25,000 or make $100 or more in monthly deposits will earn that rate. If you do not meet either of these stipulations, CIT will shift your APY to 0.29%. 

Because CIT is an online/mobile bank, the quality of its apps and website is incredibly important. The app includes a bunch of features, most notably mobile check deposits, digital account statements and transaction histories, and inter-account transfers. Between the Apple and Android app stores, CIT’s app has garnered an average rating of 3.85 stars out of 5.

In an effort to help its customer base save, CIT has put together an entire suite of savings products, including the following:

• Money market account
• Premier High-Yield Savings account
• 6-month to 5-year term CDs
• 2-year to 5-year jumbo CDs
• 1-year to 4-year “RampUp” CDs
• No-Penalty/11-Month CD

3. Best Banks in South Florida: BAC Florida Bank My eBanc™

Money Market Account

0.70% APYMinimum Deposit: $5,000Pros

• High APY
• No minimum to earn APY

Cons

• Lofty minimum opening deposit

Best For

• Customers who prefer remote banking

My eBanc™ is BAC Florida Bank’s online-only branch that serves customers all over Florida and the U.S. If you’re a prospective savings account holder interested in this bank, the SuperSaver money market account is where you’ll want to turn your attention.

The account includes a rather impressive no minimum of 0.70% APY, a rate easily above the market average. Still, you must have at least $5,000 lying around to deposit if you have your sights set on the SuperSaver MMA.

Aside from the lack of in-person interactions, My eBanc™ has just about everything you’d need for a successful basic banking experience. For example, you can transfer money between your internal bank accounts and on a person-to-person basis through the bank’s app and website too. There’s also online bill pay, mobile check deposit, and a free ATM card.

Best Customer Service: Fifth Third Bank

Savings Account

0.01% APYMinimum Deposit: $0Pros

• Well over 100 branches in Florida
• Highly rated customer service
• Easily reachable monthly fee waivers

Cons

• High monthly checking fees

Best For

• Those who prioritize customer experience

According to J.D. Power’s most recent U.S. Banking Satisfaction Study, Fifth Third Bank ranked as the top banking experience specifically for customers in Florida. This study not only analyzed how many branches and ATMs banks had but also how well they resolved customer problems, how many fees they charged, and their overall offers. The bank took home the title ahead of alternatives like TD Bank, Citibank, and Chase.

This is among the best banks in South Florida.

Fifth Third Bank’s mobile iOS and Android-based apps are some of the most popular on the market today. It features an ATM/branch finder, up to six months of account history, mobile check deposit, and Now Balance, a widget that allows customers to check their account balances without logging in. The app also includes Zelle, a person-to-person mobile deposit service that you can use internally at Fifth Third or with any other U.S. bank account.

If you’re looking for a checking account, this bank has a multitude of choices that stretch from a typical low-fee account to military- and student-specific ones. Savings accounts and CDs are similarly varied, with money market accounts (MMAs), 529 college savings plans and a Goal Setter savings account also available, among other options.

4. Best Free & High-Yield Checking Accounts: BBVA

Checking Account

0.01% APYMinimum Deposit: $25Pros

• Low or nonexistent fees
• Impressive mobile app

Cons

• High monthly fees on certain accounts

Best For

• Customers new to banking

If you’re a Florida resident looking for one of the best banks in Florida, to open an account with a low opening deposit and no monthly fees, BBVA is your best bet, if you don’t mind bare minimum features. 

Both its Free checking and ClearConnect checking accounts don’t have monthly maintenance fees and they require just $25 each to get started. So what’s the difference?

The Free checking account is about as normal an offer as you’ll come across. Account-holders receive a Visa® debit card and get unlimited check writing, online/mobile banking, mobile check deposit, and online bill pay.

You can even customize your new debit card with a photo of your choice for free. There are no ATM fees at the 45 BBVA branches in Florida, but you can take part in a discounted ATM transaction program. For $5 a month, BBVA will waive your out-of-network ATM fees and reimburse you as many as four of the ATM fees other banks charge you in these instances.

For those who prefer a hands-off, independent banking experience, the ClearConnect checking account fits the bill. Your customer service will consist of text, email, and phone-based customer service and access to BBVA’s highly-rated website and Android/Apple mobile app.

This account also provides access to the Allpoint® ATM network, which consists of 55,000 fee-free ATMs. Otherwise, all other benefits are essentially the same.

5. Best for Students: PNC Bank

Savings Account

0.01% APYMinimum Deposit: $1Pros

• Financial organization tools
• Ability to track your spending
• Large ATM network

Cons

• Very low APY

Best For

• Young adults and students new to financial management

The Virtual Wallet Student® banking package from PNC Bank is as complete an offering as any Florida financial institution can offer. What the account lacks in APY (0.01%), it more than makes up for in financial education and university-centric benefits.

This is one of the best banks in South Florida.

PNC has forged a banking relationship with almost 50 major universities across the U.S., including institutions in the Sunshine State such as Florida Institute of Technology and Palm Beach State College. Students will reap perks like an ID/ATM combination card, fee-free ATMs on campus, and personalized debit cards.

PNC uses a unique pairing of two systems to ensure that students can track their spending and current balance. You can do the majority of this via a calendar-based system that shows the account’s activity on a daily basis.

The “Spending Zone” is the second half of this equation, though, and affords you a way to categorize your spending so that it’s easy to see where you’re overdoing it. If you want some help learning to manage your finances, you can set up parent alerts to let your folks know when the account’s balance gets low.

College students are notoriously short on cash, so PNC eliminated monthly fees as part of this account. All you’ll need is a measly $25 deposit to open an account. As long as you continue to provide proof that you’re a full- or part-time student, the bank will allow you to keep your account for up to six years.

How We Determine the Best Banks in Florida

To complete this study, researchers analyzed the 15 largest banks throughout the state of Florida. We determined the top national and local banks based on the total number of branches each has in Florida.

To make a final decision on which banks ranked best, we surveyed features like their checking and savings account interest rates, fee structures, and minimum balances, along with each account’s overall level of accessibility.

Conclusion

Author’s Recommendation

• Elfi vs Sofi 2023: Best Loan Refinancing Lender | Full Guide
• Best Banks In Maryland In 2023 | Rates, Account Types, Min. Deposit
• 13 Best Banks in Texas for Savings & Investment | 2023
• Best Banks in Pennsylvania PA in 2023 | Rates, Account Types, Min. Deposit
• Best Banks in Minnesota in 2023 | Rates, Account Types, Min. Deposit
• Best Banks In Louisiana In 2023 | Rates, Account Types, Min. Deposit
• Best Banks In Orlando In 2023 | Rates, Account Types, Min. Deposit
• 10+ Best Renters Insurance in California | 2023 List
• 10 best small business insurance in 2023
• Best Banks In Tennessee In 2023 | Rates, Account Types, Min. Deposit