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First Foundation Bank Online Savings Review: High APY, High Minimum Deposit

Review Updated
Kailey Hagen
Robin Hartill, CFP
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.

First Foundation Bank combines a competitive APY with convenient access to create one of the most appealing savings accounts we've come across. But its $1,000 minimum deposit requirement may deter some customers. Read our First Foundation Bank Online Savings account review below to learn if it's right for you.

Ratings Methodology
Rates as of Apr 17, 2025

First Foundation Bank Online Savings

Member FDIC.
Rating image, 4.25 out of 5 stars.
4.25/5 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, 4.25 out of 5 stars.
4.25/5 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
4.00%
Min. To Earn APY
$1,000 to open, then $0.01
  • Competitive APY
  • ATM access with unlimited fee reimbursements
  • No maintenance fees
  • High opening deposit requirement
  • Incoming wire transfer fee

The First Foundation Bank Online Savings account offers a competitive rate along with easier access to your cash than you normally see with a savings account. The steep opening deposit requirement may bar some from opening this account, but those who can afford it should definitely give First Foundation Bank a closer look.

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 17, 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.

First Foundation High Yield Savings interest rate

Account APY Minimum Deposit
First Foundation Bank Online Savings 4.00% $1,000
Data source: First Foundation Bank.

First Foundation's APY is stellar. However, you'll need $1,000 to open the account -- so even though $0.01 will earn the APY, this account is likely out of reach for many beginning savers.

Full First Foundation Bank Online Savings review

Top perks

High APY: The First Foundation Bank Online Savings account offers a competitive APY.

No monthly maintenance fee: Like most online banks, First Foundation Bank doesn't charge a monthly maintenance fee for its Online Savings account customers.

ATM card: You can request an ATM card for your First Foundation Bank Online Savings account if you'd like the option to withdraw cash directly from the account rather than transferring funds to your checking account first. This is a rare feature among savings accounts, so move First Foundation Bank up on your list if this is something that's important to you.

Unlimited ATM fee reimbursements: First Foundation Bank doesn't have its own network of ATMs, but it will reimburse you up to $20 per transaction for any ATM fees you are charged. There is no monthly limit on the number of ATM fee reimbursements the bank will give you.

Easily manage your savings account from anywhere: First Foundation Bank Online Savings account customers may access their account online through any web browser or with the bank's mobile app, available for both Android and Apple devices. You can pay bills online, transfer funds, and even pay friends and family directly whether they bank with First Foundation Bank or not. Mobile check deposit is another option if you have a paper check you'd like to deposit to your account.

FDIC insured: First Foundation Bank, just like a traditional bank, is covered by the FDIC. Your funds, up to a maximum of $250,000 per depositor, per institution, are protected in the event of bank failure.

What could be improved

$1,000 opening deposit requirement: You need at least $1,000 to open a First Foundation Bank Online Savings account, which is pretty steep compared to many other online banks.

Fees for incoming wire transfers: It's normal for banks to charge for outgoing wire transfers, but few banks charge for incoming wire transfers. Unfortunately, First Foundation Bank is one of them, though it will waive incoming wire fees for the first 60 days. You can also avoid this fee entirely by transferring money to your First Foundation Bank Online Savings account another way.

How to access your money

First Foundation Bank gives you the following options for depositing and withdrawing money from your Online Savings account.

Deposit options

You can deposit money into your First Foundation Bank Online Savings account in any of these ways:

  • ACH transfer
  • Direct deposit
  • Wire transfer
  • Mailed check
  • Mobile check deposit
  • Visiting a First Foundation Bank branch

Note that you might have to pay an incoming wire transfer fee if you decide to add funds to your account this way. And the bank you're transferring the money from may also charge an outgoing wire transfer fee.

Withdrawal options

These are your choices for withdrawing money from your First Foundation Bank Online Savings account:

  • ACH transfer
  • Wire transfer
  • Visiting a First Foundation Bank branch
  • ATM withdrawal
  • Point-of-sale withdrawal

First Foundation Bank doesn't partner with an ATM network provider, so you can use any ATM you'd like, but there's a maximum ATM withdrawal limit of $500 per day.

First Foundation Bank Online Savings is right for you if:

The First Foundation Bank Online Savings account is a great choice if you have a minimum of at least $1,000 to make an initial deposit and like the idea of having easy access to your money wherever you go. It's one of the few banks to offer an ATM card, and those who live in California, Nevada, Florida, or Hawaii also have the option of visiting a branch to access their money. The account also offers one of the highest APYs we've seen among the best high-yield savings accounts, which can help you grow your savings faster.

Keep reading about First Foundation Bank

Our savings account methodology

At Motley Fool Money, we rate savings accounts on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). We evaluate all savings accounts across four main criteria: annual percentage yield (APY), brand and reputation, fees and minimum requirements, and perks that really make a difference -- think ATM access, linked checking accounts, or even branch access.

Our scores are weighted as:

  • APY: 50%
  • Brand and reputation: 20%
  • Fees and minimums: 15%
  • Other perks: 15%

Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates bank accounts.

FAQs

  • The First Foundation Bank Online Savings account currently offers 4.00% APY.

  • Opening an online savings account at an FDIC-insured financial institution is generally a good idea if you want to maximize your interest earnings. Online banks usually have lower overhead than brick-and-mortar institutions, so they can often afford to pay higher APYs.

  • Interest is compounded daily and will post to your account at the end of each month.