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NBKC Bank Review: An Affordable Choice for All-in-One Banking

Review Updated
Kailey Hagen
Author: Kailey Hagen
Kailey Hagen
Kailey Hagen
Writer

Kailey Hagen has been writing about small businesses and finance for almost 10 years. Articles she's written for The Motley Fool have been syndicated to USA Today, MSN, and Yahoo! Finance. She specializes in personal and business bank accounts and software for small to medium-size businesses. She lives on what's almost a farm in northern Wisconsin with her husband and three dogs.

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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. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page. APY = Annual Percentage Yield. APYs are subject to change at any time without notice.

NBKC Bank strives to put customers first with its emphasis on few fees and great customer support. It doesn't have as many checking and savings account options as some of its competitors, but the ones it offers are pretty competitive and come with rare perks, like out-of-network ATM fee reimbursement.

Read our full NBKC Bank review to learn more about everything it has to offer.

Offer image for
Member FDIC.

NBKC Bank

Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5 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
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Bottom Line

NBKC Bank offers competitive accounts backed by great customer service. While its APYs aren't the highest in the industry, they're well above the national average. And the lack of minimum balance requirements on most accounts means they're open to just about everyone.

Pros
  • No monthly maintenance fees
  • Several types of CDs
  • Good customer service
Cons
  • APYs not as high as some online banks

  • 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 NBKC Bank right for you?

NBKC Bank could be a good fit for you if:

  • You're looking to open a checking and a savings account.
  • You want access to add-on CDs.
  • You're comfortable managing your money online.

Savings accounts

The NBKC Everything Account consists of a linked checking and savings account you open together. The savings portion enables you to set up and track your progress toward savings goals, and it has no monthly fees.

Its annual percentage yield (APY) isn't as high as what you'll find with some of the best online banks, but it's still higher than what you see with most brick-and-mortar institutions. Plus, there's no minimum balance requirements to earn interest.

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
3.80%
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. 3.80% annual percentage yield as of December 28, 2024. Terms apply.
Min. to earn: $0
N/A
Open Account for American Express® High Yield Savings

On American Express's Secure Website.

up to 4.00%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
3.80%
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. See Capital One website for most up-to-date rates. Advertised Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is variable and accurate as of Dec. 6, 2024. Rates are subject to change at any time before or after account opening.
Min. to earn: $0
N/A

Certificates of deposit

NBKC Bank has three types of certificates of deposit (CDs).

NBKC Bank Personal CDs

NBKC Bank's Personal CDs are what most of us think of when we think of CDs. You deposit money into the account and leave it alone to earn interest. If you have to withdraw your funds early, you pay a penalty.

Available terms range from three months to five years and the minimum balance requirement depends on the term you choose. Longer-term CDs have lower balance requirements than short-term CDs.

Like NBKC's savings accounts, its CD APYs fall somewhere between those of brick-and-mortar banks and the best online banks.

NBKC Bank Add-On CDs

NBKC is one of the few places you'll find add-on CDs. This enables you to make additional deposits into the CD over the course of the term.

There's only a single, one-year term option and its APY isn't quite as competitive as what you can find elsewhere. But it could still be worth considering if you're interested in this type of CD.

NBKC Bank IRA CDs

NBKC Bank's IRA CDs are identical to its Personal CDs, except the money you put here is considered part of an IRA. This means you don't pay taxes on your interest when you earn it, but you're also unable to easily access your funds.

If you try to take money out before you turn 59 1/2, you'll face a 10% early withdrawal penalty.

Compare CD rates

CD rates change often, so it's a good idea to shop around before you commit to locking up your money. Here are a few other CD providers worth a closer look.

Rates as of Dec. 18, 2024
Bank & CD Offer APY Term Min. Deposit Next Steps
APY: 4.00% Term: 1 Year Min. Deposit:  $0
Open Account for Discover® Bank CD

On Discover Bank's Secure Website.

Member FDIC.
APY: 4.25% Term: 10 Months Min. Deposit:  $2,500
Open Account for

On Secure Website.

Member FDIC.
APY: 4.25% Term: 6 Months Min. Deposit:  $500
Open Account for

On Secure Website.

Checking account

The NBKC Everything Account serves as the bank's checking and savings account.

NBKC Everything Account review

The NBKC Everything Account offers all the features you'd expect from a checking account, including online and mobile account management tools and a debit card with access to a large, nationwide ATM network.

It also offers monthly out-of-network ATM fee reimbursements, which you don't see with every bank. Plus, there aren't any maintenance fees or minimum balance requirements.

Compare checking accounts

We recommend comparing checking accounts to make sure you're getting the best fit for you. Here's a list of our favorite accounts.

Account APY Promotion Next Steps
0%
Min. to earn: N/A
Earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month (see details when you click 'Open Account')
Open Account for Discover® Cashback Debit

On Discover Bank's Secure Website.

up to 1.10%
Min. to earn: $1
High APY when you complete 10 or more qualifying debit card purchases each month

Customer experience

So far, NBKC Bank hasn't featured in any large-scale customer satisfaction surveys, like the J.D. Power U.S. Direct Banking Study. This makes it a little difficult to know how it stacks up to its competitors.

But the reviews that are available for the bank are largely positive. It has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and most of its reviews here suggest its customers are happy with the service they receive.

Relationship benefits

NBKC Bank doesn't offer any relationship benefits, like better APYs on savings accounts or lower interest rates on loans to customers who open more than one account. But this isn't that unusual for a primarily online bank like NBKC Bank.

Because it doesn't have that many branches to maintain, it's able to keep its overhead costs down. It passes that onto its customers by eliminating many common bank account fees.

Alternatives to NBKC Bank

If you don't think NBKC Bank is right for you, here are some other options to consider:

Chime Bank

Chime is similar to NBKC Bank in several ways. It offers competitive online checking and savings accounts with few monthly fees. It doesn't have CDs, but those looking to earn a high APY on their savings should definitely move it up on their list.

Ally Bank

Ally Bank is one of the best-known online banks and it offers a greater variety of banking products than many of its competitors. These include checking, savings, and CD accounts as well as loans and investment accounts. Its APYs are usually pretty competitive and it doesn't charge monthly maintenance fees.

Other products by NBKC Bank

In addition to the bank accounts discussed above, NBKC Bank also offers the following:

NBKC Bank money market account

NBKC Bank's money market account is similar in many ways to its NBKC Everything Account. It offers an above-average APY plus a debit card and a nationwide ATM network for easy access to your funds. There's also no minimum balance requirement.

NBKC Bank credit cards

NBKC Bank offers the following credit cards:

  • NBKC Bank Visa Signature® Real Rewards Card
  • NBKC Bank Visa Signature® Max Cash Preferred Card
  • NBKC Bank Visa® Platinum Card
  • NBKC Bank Secured Visa® Card
  • NBKC Bank Visa Signature® College Real Rewards Card

NBKC Bank mortgages

NBKC Bank offers conventional home loans as well as FHA, VA, and construction loans. It can also help homeowners who are looking to refinance or borrow against the equity in their homes. Read our full NBKC Bank mortgage review to learn more.

NBKC Bank loans

NBKC Bank also offers the following types of loans:

  • Personal loans
  • Auto loans
  • Bridge loans

FAQs

  • NBKC stands for National Bank of Kansas City. This is the only city where the bank has any physical locations.

  • Yes, NBKC is a legitimate bank and its accounts are backed by the same FDIC insurance as other top banks.

  • NBKC has a hybrid checking-savings account known as the NBKC Everything Account. You open both types of accounts together and can move your money between them as needed.