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BMO Bank Review: Historic Bank With Multiple Account Choices -- and Some New Surprises

Review Updated
Steven Porrello
Kailey Hagen
Nathan Alderman
Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. APY = Annual Percentage Yield.

Founded in 1817, BMO Bank (formerly BMO Harris) is one of the oldest banks in North America. Hailing from Canada, BMO Bank offers American clients a suite of banking products, including savings accounts, CDs, checking accounts, and more. Its APYs aren't as impressive as other banks and credit unions, but if you're interested in banking with a large institution, read our expert review to see if BMO Bank will suit your banking needs.

Offer image for
Member FDIC.

BMO Bank

Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Bottom Line

BMO is a good choice for those who want to do all their banking in one place. Its APYs lag behind other banks and financial institutions, but it might suit you if you want relationship benefits from having all your accounts at one bank.

Accounts are subject to approval. BMO Bank N.A. Available in the U.S. Member FDIC

Pros
  • Generous relationship benefits
  • High APYs on long-term CDs
  • Strong suite of other banking products
  • Member FDIC
Cons
  • Low APYs on savings and CDs
  • Negative customer service reviews
  • Our methodology for scoring banks and credit unions revolves around evaluating key aspects such as annual percentage yield (APY), brand reputation, fees and minimum requirements, and additional perks.

    These criteria are weighted differently across various account types, ensuring a comprehensive assessment that reflects the competitive landscape and economic conditions.

    We strictly feature products that offer federal insurance and high customer satisfaction, keeping our recommendations unbiased by advertiser influence. This robust evaluation process helps us generate balanced, reliable best-of lists that guide consumers to top financial products.

    Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates bank accounts.

Is BMO Bank right for you?

BMO Bank is an excellent choice if you want to hold all your accounts at the same bank, as you can capitalize on relationship perks. It's also ideal if you want multiple ways to access your money, such as through ATMs, debit cards, or in-person at BMO Bank branches. It might not be the best bank for you if you're looking for high interest, as its savings account doesn't inspire quite as much as other institutions.

Savings accounts

BMO Bank offers two savings accounts -- one of which has a strong APY.

BMO Bank Alto Online Savings Account

BMO's high-yield savings account has an excellent APY and charges no fees nor requires any minimum opening deposits. The account is online only, so you won't get in-person support at BMO Bank branches, nor will you be able to make cash deposits or checks. That said, the BMO Bank Alto Online Savings allows unlimited transfers between it and another BMO Bank account (or an external account), so you can still move money quickly.

Ratings Methodology
Rates as of Apr 11, 2025

BMO Alto Online Savings Account

Member FDIC.
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
APY
4.10%
Min. To Earn APY
$0
  • High yield
  • No fees
  • No account minimums
  • $0 opening deposit
  • Unlimited support
  • Personalized support
  • Member FDIC
  • Not the highest APY
  • No cash deposits
  • No ATM or branch access
  • No mobile app

The BMO Alto Online Savings Account is a no-frills, no fee account with a competitive APY.

Accounts are subject to approval. BMO Bank N.A.  Member FDIC

BMO Savings Builder

BMO Savings Builder has a low opening deposit of $25, plus no monthly maintenance fees. The account has a lackluster APY, especially compared with the best high-yield savings accounts at other banks, but it does have a decent welcome offer. For your account's first year, you can earn a $5 reward for each month you save $200. If you were to save $200 each month for 12 months, you would earn $60 and your APY would be about 2.5%.

Other perks include mobile check deposits, access to over 40,000 fee-free ATMs nationwide, and built-in savings tools to help you reach your financial goals.

Compare savings rates

Make sure you're getting the best account for you by comparing savings rates and promotions. Here are some of our favorite high-yield savings accounts to consider.

Account APY Promotion Next Steps
up to 3.80%²
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. You can earn the maximum APY by having Direct Deposit (no minimum amount required) or by making $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits every 30 days. See SoFi Checking and Savings rate sheet at: https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
Min. to earn: $0
New customers can earn up to a $300 bonus with qualifying direct deposits!¹
4.10% APY for balances of $5,000 or more
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. 4.10% APY for balances of $5,000 or more; otherwise, 0.25% APY
Min. to earn: $100 to open account, $5,000+ for max APY
Earn a bonus of at least $225 after a one-time deposit of $25,000+. Circle with letter I in it. Transfer a one-time deposit of $25,000-$49,999.99 for a bonus of $225. Transfer a one-time deposit of $50,000+ for a bonus of $300. Account must be opened with code PS2025 while this promotion lasts, and funded within 30 days. Bonus will be fulfilled within 60 days from the funding date. There is no period of time where the customer will be required to maintain the funds. Account must be open when bonus is credited. One bonus per account and primary customer. Bonus will be credited into the Platinum Savings Account that fulfills the funding requirement. Funding can be deposited all at once or incrementally.
3.70%
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. 3.70% annual percentage yield as of April 11, 2025. Terms apply.
Min. to earn: $0
N/A
Open Account for American Express® High Yield Savings

On American Express's Secure Website.

Disclaimers



SoFi disclosure:

¹ New and existing Checking and Savings members who have not previously enrolled in Direct Deposit with SoFi are eligible to earn a cash bonus of either $50 (with at least $1,000 total Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period) OR $300 (with at least $5,000 total Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period). Cash bonus will be based on the total amount of Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit Promotion begins on 12/7/2023 and will be available through 1/31/26. See full bonus and annual percentage yield (APY) terms at sofi.com/banking#1.

² SoFi members who enroll in SoFi Plus with Direct Deposit or by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee every 30 days or with $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits during the 30-Day Evaluation Period can earn 3.80% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate. Members without either SoFi Plus or Qualifying Deposits, during the 30-Day Evaluation Period will earn 1.00% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Only SoFi Plus members are eligible for other SoFi Plus benefits. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 1/24/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. See the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions at https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#plus.

³ We do not charge any account, service or maintenance fees for SoFi Checking and Savings. We do charge a transaction fee to process each outgoing wire transfer. SoFi does not charge a fee for incoming wire transfers, however the sending bank may charge a fee. Our fee policy is subject to change at any time. See the SoFi Checking & Savings Fee Sheet for details at sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/.

⁴ SoFi Bank is a member FDIC and does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance per depositor per legal category of account ownership, as described in the FDIC’s regulations.

Any additional FDIC insurance is provided by the SoFi Insured Deposit Program. Deposits may be insured up to $3M through participation in the program. See full terms at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/sidpterms. See list of participating banks at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/participatingbanks.

We’ve partnered with Allpoint to provide you with ATM access at any of the 55,000+ ATMs within the Allpoint network. You will not be charged a fee when using an in-network ATM, however, third-party fees incurred when using out-of-network ATMs are not subject to reimbursement. SoFi’s ATM policies are subject to change at our discretion at any time.

Early access to direct deposit funds is based on the timing in which we receive notice of impending payment from the Federal Reserve, which is typically up to two days before the scheduled payment date, but may vary.

Overdraft Coverage is limited to $50 on debit card purchases only and is an account benefit available to customers with direct deposits of $1,000 or more during the current 30-day Evaluation Period as determined by SoFi Bank, N.A. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the“30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Members with a prior history of non-repayment of negative balances are ineligible for Overdraft Coverage.

Checking accounts

BMO Bank has three checking accounts, one of which offers attractive relationship perks.

BMO Smart Advantage Checking

This account is a good fit for those who want to avoid maintenance fees, but who don't have large balances. There is a low $25 minimum opening deposit requirement, but there's no ongoing balance requirements you must meet to avoid fees. This account doesn't earn interest, but new customers can earn a $350 cash bonus when they have at least $4,000 in qualifying direct deposits during the first 90 days after account opening (conditions apply).

BMO Smart Money Checking

This account is similar to the BMO Smart Advantage Checking account, except it charges a $5 monthly maintenance fee to adults 25 or older. These individuals would be better off trying one of the other accounts listed here if they want to bank with BMO. But if you're under 25, this is a free place to keep your cash. You'll also have the opportunity to earn a $350 bonus once you make $4,000 in qualifying deposits within the first 90 days of account opening. (Conditions apply.)

BMO Relationship Checking

This is BMO's interest-bearing checking account. It offers a modest APY as well as the opportunity to earn a $500 cash bonus by having at least $7,500 in qualifying direct deposits within the first 90 days of account opening. (Conditions apply.) The account has a monthly fee, which is waivable. However, you'll need a five-figure balance to avoid this. If you don't think this is feasible, this may not be the account for you.

CD accounts

BMO Bank offers a standard certificate of deposit (CD) with a variety of terms.

BMO Bank CD

If today's high rate environment has you enthused about saving money, BMO Bank's CDs can match your excitement. The bank offers numerous "special CD terms," which have some of the biggest long-term CD rates we've seen. The terms are unusual for CDs -- like 35 and 59 months -- but could lock you into a rate that stays elevated even if CD rates in general begin to fall.

BMO Bank's Standard CDs, however, have uber-low APYs that don't compare with other CD providers. These CDs have conventional terms, like 3 months and 5 years, but the rates are nothing to brag about.

Regardless of which term you choose, you'll need at least $1,000 to open a CD account. The bank's interest penalty for early withdrawals is also very severe in comparison to other CD providers, especially on long-term CDs.

BMO Bank offers competitive APYs on its Special CDs. However, if the terms don't suit you -- or you'd like to earn more interest elsewhere -- here are a few other great CD providers that beg comparison.

Money market accounts

For BMO Bank clients looking to earn more interest on their savings, BMO Bank can offer you a money market account -- the BMO Relationship Plus Money Market Account.

BMO Relationship Plus Money Market Account

The BMO Relationship Plus Money Market Account account is open to all, but its APY gets a boost when you link it to a BMO Relationship Checking. Your account's APY will depend on which relationship tier you fall into -- Silver, Gold, Platinum, or Premium. The account has a $10 monthly maintenance fee, which is waivable if you have a $5,000 minimum daily balance.

Customer experience

Customer service

BMO Bank provides a wealth of customer support options. For one, it has an excellent library of support content and a very easy-to-use question and answer format that can answer a question and replace a lengthy phone call. Speaking of which, you can get in touch with its call center from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. CT Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT Saturday and Sunday. You can also visit one of its roughly 1,000 branches.

As varied as its support avenues are, BMO Bank's customer service in the U.S. ranks low on most third-party sites. It has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, but its Trustpilot's 800-plus reviews have given it a 1.2 out of 5. Its U.S. branches didn’t receive high ratings from J.D. Power, either. Oddly enough, BMO Bank's Canadian division ranked first in J.D. Power's 2023 Canada Online Banking Satisfaction Study. Moral of the story, if you're not getting the help you need from an American, just ask for a Canadian.

BMO Bank relationship benefits

If you have a BMO Bank Relationship Checking account, you can get relationship perks through one of four tiers: Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Premier. BMO Bank will automatically place you in one of these tiers based on your quarterly combined balance across all eligible accounts. The perks grow as you move into the upper tiers, but you'll need a high balance. Some noteworthy perks in each tier include:

Silver Gold Platinum Premier
Quarterly combined balance required Less than $25,000 $25,000 to $99,999.99 $100,000 to $249,999.99 $250,000 and over
Relationship Plus Money Market ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Overdraft fee rebate 1 overdraft fee per month
Outgoing wire transfer fee rebate Up to $30 per month Up to $60 per month Up to $90 per month
Credit card spend bonus $10 per quarter $25 per quarter $50 per quarter $75 per quarter
Data source: BMO Relationship Checking-Relationship Packages

That last one bears some explanation. In essence, if you link a BMO Bank credit card (discussed below) with a BMO Bank Relationship Checking Account and spend $3,500 each quarter, you'll qualify for the bonus under your tier. For instance, if you spend $3,500 quarterly on a Platinum Rewards card as a Premier client, you would get $75 quarterly.

FAQs

  • BMO Bank Alto is a division of BMO Bank. In essence, BMO Bank is a brick-and-mortar bank and can give you in-person support, whereas BMO Alto is completely online. Because it's online, BMO Bank Alto can offer you higher APYs on savings accounts and CDs, but you won't be able to access money through ATMs, debit cards, or in-person at banks.

  • Bank of the West is now a part of the BMO Bank brand. If you were a former Bank of the West client, your bank account should be within BMO Bank now.