This NBKC Bank review is ideal for customers who are looking for an online banking platform that provides competitive rates on deposit accounts particularly checking, and opportunities to avoid common bank fees.
Digital banking is booming.
In fact, the digital banking industry has never been in this state until 2020 when the pandemic hit the United States and the rest of the world.
People across all ages have relied so much on digital banking.
In fact, according to Forbes Advisor report, that although digital banking had been into the mainstream especially with the younger generations, last year, consumers of all ages have already hopped on board.
Furthermore, a financial analyst said that what happened last year, which continues on to date “is the greatest acceleration of digital banking in history.”
Meanwhile, an article by Reuters says that digital banks have won over American customers during the pandemic “by processing stimulus payments quickly, setting them apart from traditional banks and generating valuable word-of-mouth referrals.”
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Of course, in traditional banking, you can never make transactions easily. Sometimes, it takes a day or two to complete one transaction alone. But, with digital banking, everything happens in real-time.
But apart from reliability, and the convenience that digital banking platforms provide, consumers also need to look at other helpful rather amazing features to make the best out of their online bank accounts.
Apart from convenience and superb online banking capabilities, customers also need to look into fees and rates.
To be honest, finding a bank that offers convenience, competitive rates, and low to no fees at all can be quite a challenge. Normally, you only get one or two but you could hardly find a bank that provides all of these.
NBKC Bank is actually one of the very few that offers consumers the convenience of online banking, high-yield checking account, as well as ways to avoid common bank charges.
It’s a bank that is focused on providing consumers a great digital banking experience, and we are going to tell you more about how they do it in the next few sections.
Specifically, this NBKC Bank review will provide answers to these most commonly asked (yet very important) questions:
- What is NBKC Bank?
- Who is NBKC Bank best for?
- What does NBKC Bank offer?
- How to bank with NBKC Bank?
- Are there fees involved?
- Is NBKC Bank safe?
- What to like about NBKC Bank?
- What not to like about NBKC Bank?
WHAT IS NBKC BANK?
NBKC Bank was founded in 1999 as Horizon National Bank, and then was known for a while as the National Bank of Kansas City before converting to its current name in December 2015, hoping to appeal to a larger market.
Although the bank has a handful of branch locations in Kansas and Missouri where it is based, NBKC is primarily geared toward consumers who prefer to bank digitally over traditional ones.
NBKC Bank provides customers access to online banking and mobile apps for both Android and iOS devices. Additionally, the bank also provides access to more than 34,000 ATMs through the MoneyPass network.
Moving on, NBKC Bank is known for its mortgage lending services as well as for offering competitive rates on deposit accounts. But apart from that, NBKC Bank is also a great choice especially if you are also looking for convenience and ways to avoid common bank fees.
While the bank is not the biggest player among digital banking platforms, it boasts having $456 million in deposits to date.
With all these on its plate, NBKC Bank is sure to grow in the coming years. Definitely, something to look forward to.
WHO IS NBKC BANK BEST FOR?
NBKC Bank’s primary aim is to reach a bigger audience by providing a banking platform that is easily accessible digitally. Thus, it should appeal the most to people who prefer digital banking over traditional banking.
NBKC Bank is known for providing competitive rates on deposit accounts, so, if you want to save and earn more from your money, this bank is a good option for that.
Additionally, NBKC Bank also provides ways to avoid common bank fees, which makes it ideal for consumers who want to get away from paying off monthly fees and the like.
Know more about the NBKC Bank in the video below:
Furthermore, the bank requires a low minimum deposit particularly on its certificate of deposit account. So, if you are looking for that particular feature, then, NBKC Bank is for you.
Finally, NBKC Bank should also appeal to those who do not want to worry about maintaining account minimums as well as to consumers who are looking for a low-cost bank that provides strong customer service.
WHAT DOES NBKC BANK OFFER?
NBKC Bank offers a wide selection of products including mortgages, Home equity lines of credit (HELOCs), loans, as well as health savings accounts (HSAs).
However, for the purpose of this NBKC Bank review, we are going to focus only on the following:
- Checking Accounts
- Certificate of Deposit (CD) Account
- Money Market Account (MMA)
Checking Accounts
For this review, we are going to tackle both the personal and business checking accounts, namely:
- Everything Account
- Free Business Account
Everything Account
The NBKC Bank Everything Account combines everything that consumers need and expects from a savings and checking account into one simplified option.
The Everything Account is an interest-bearing account that offers a high annual percentage yield (APY) of 0.25%. The rate varies so it can sometimes be greater or lower, but still competitive enough compared to what other banks offer.
Unlike other checking/savings accounts, the Everything Account does not have a minimum balance requirement. Needless to say, the same APY applies across all balances, which means the more money you save, the higher your earnings will be.
With this account, consumers can save, spend, as well as pay bills in just one place.
Furthermore, Everything Account holders will get to enjoy the following amazing perks:
- No monthly maintenance fees
- No overdraft fees
- No minimum balance requirements and fees
- No foreign transaction fees
Apart from these, since the account is essentially a combination of checking and savings accounts, consumers can expect to manage their money more efficiently. Other features that Everything Account provides include:
- One Bill Payment
- Savings Goal Trackers
- Option to link external accounts to your Everything account
The latter allows you to have a complete view of your finances, which is great and very helpful, right?
To open an Everything Account, all you have to do is go online. According to NBKC, customers can complete the whole opening process in as little as five minutes.
Similar to other banks, to apply, you must be a citizen of a resident alien of the United States, and must be at least 18 years of age.
Additionally, you will be asked to provide your personal information including your name, valid address, phone number, email address, as well as your Social Security Number. You will also need to present a valid government-issued identification like a passport or driver’s license to complete your bank account application.
For this particular type of account, the bank does not have a minimum deposit requirement. However, the account holder must make a deposit within the first 30 days of account opening. Also, it is important to know that any deposits made within that period will be held for five business days. In some cases, deposits may even be held for up to nine business days before the money becomes available.
Meanwhile, new account holders may have to wait for up to 90 days before they can send or receive international wire transfers. Wire transfers come with a fee. Sending a domestic wire transfer costs $5 while receiving is free of charge. As for international wire transfers, the cost is $45 to send and receive.
Everything Account comes with a debit card, which can be accessed for free in over 32,000 ATMs nationwide.
Free Business Account
NBKC Bank also offers Free Business Checking, which is another area that sets them apart from everyone else.
Similar to the bank’s Everything Account, this does not charge monthly maintenance fees and is very easy to use.
While it does not offer any interest on the account, the bank’s Free Business Checking has no minimum deposit requirement, no monthly fees, no overdraft fees, as well as no incoming wire transfer fees.
Additionally, account holders have access to mobile check deposits via the NBKC Bank app, which makes collecting money so much easier.
Certificate of Deposit (CD) Account
If you want to earn a little more, the NBKC certificate of deposit account is perfect for you.
Generally speaking, CD accounts have higher interest rates. Needless to say, the longer you keep your money in the bank, the more interest you’ll earn.
NBKC Bank offers Personal CD as well as IRA CD accounts with terms that range from three months up to five years.
Meanwhile, the rates range from 0.10% for a 3-month CD term to 0.30% for a 5-year CD term.
The minimum balance requirement to open a CD account varies depending on the term. For terms up to one year, the minimum balance requirement to open a CD account is $1,000. For CDs with terms of two to five years, the requirement is only $250.
In addition, the bank also offers a special one-year Add On CD, which you can open for as low as $0. This particular CD account earns an APY of 0.30%. An Add-On CD account allows you to make additional deposits during the CD term.
It is important to know that total deposits cannot be greater than $240,000. If you wish to withdraw money from your CD account ahead of its maturity reason, similar to other banks, an early withdrawal penalty applies.
Upon opening a CD account, there is a minimum of 75-day hold required before an account holder can withdraw funds.
To open an NBKC Bank CD account, you must also be at least 18 years old, and a U.S. citizen or resident alien with a valid ID and Social Security number.
Money Market Account (MMA)
Technically speaking, NBKC does not offer a savings account. So, in lieu of that, customers may opt to open a money market account instead.
Money market account holders may earn the current rate of 0.25%. Apart from that, they may benefit from certain account features similar to that of the bank’s checking account — including no fees for the most part.
The MMA comes with a debit card, check-writing capabilities, as well as a free book of starter checks.
To open a money market account, the bank requires a minimum deposit of $5 only.
HOW TO BANK WITH NBKC BANK?
There are two ways to open an account with NBKC Bank. The first is to visit a branch location, and the second is online.
For the former, only residents living in Kansas and Missouri can avail of that option as the bank physical locations are only limited to that area.
Meanwhile, the latter is ideal especially for those living outside Kansas and Missouri, and those who prefer online banking.
As mentioned earlier, NBKC claims that opening an account online only takes as little as five minutes to finish.
The standard requirements for opening a bank account application. You must be at least 18 years old, and a citizen or resident alien of the United States.
Additionally, you must also hold a Social Security number and must be able to present valid government-issued identification such as a passport or driver’s license.
Deposits and Withdrawals
NBKC Bank allows customers to deposit in different ways. It could be via electronic transfers from other banks (be mindful of a daily limit though), direct deposit, or mobile check deposit using your smartphone.
Meanwhile, customers with checking and money market accounts may withdraw cash using their debit card at any MoneyPass ATM for free. In case you use an out-of-network ATM, you get an automatic refund for fees (up to $12 per month) charged by other banks.
Customer Service
To report a lost or stolen card, you may reach NBKC customer service anytime, any day.
Meanwhile, for any other concerns related to your account, you may reach the bank’s customer service support via phone or online chat on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST.
You may also opt to send an email if you have further questions.
As for those living in Kansas and Missouri, you have the option to visit a branch near for in-person customer support.
ARE THERE FEES INVOLVED?
NBKC Bank does not charge common bank fees like monthly maintenance fees, non-sufficient funds, as well as overdraft fees.
Furthermore, the bank does not require a minimum balance to avoid fees.
The only fees that the bank charges are the $5 domestic wire transfer fee (for outgoing transaction only), as well as the $45 international wire transfer fee (for both incoming and outgoing transactions).
IS NBKC BANK SAFE?
Account safety and security are very important. So, in this NBKC Bank review, we are also going to look into that.
NBKC Bank provides a safe and secure online platform for its customers. It uses bank-level security features to ensure that all personal data gathered are safe.
Meanwhile, NBKC Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which protects all deposits for up to $250,000 per depositor, for each account ownership category, in the event of a bank failure.
Overall, NBKC Bank is a safe and secured online banking platform.
WHAT TO LIKE ABOUT NBKC BANK?
In this section of our review on NBKC Bank, we are going to share with you a list of the things that makes this bank stand out. This includes the following:
- Competitive Rates on Deposit Accounts – The bank’s checking account offers a competitive interest rate. Although it changes from time to time, the rates are still relatively high. The same goes for NBKC’s money market accounts.
- ATM Reimburses Up To $12 Per Month – NBKC Bank does not charge ATM fees if you transact within the MoneyPass network. However, in the event of an out-of-network transaction, the bank reimburses up to $12 a month for fees incurred.
- Almost Fee-Free Deposit Accounts – The bank does not charge some of the most common bank fees including monthly maintenance, overdraft, and insufficient fund fees. Additionally, it also does not charge returned items and stop payment order fees, as well as no minimum balance is required.
- Superb Customer Support – Customers may reach the bank in different channels including phone, live chat, as well as through email.
- User-Friendly Online and Mobile Banking – NBKC ensures customers have the best digital banking experience by providing user-friendly online and mobile banking platforms.
WHAT NOT TO LIKE ABOUT NBKC BANK?
While it seems like NBKC Bank is perfect, it’s not. In fact, it does have some flaws as well, which include the following:
- Limited Physical Branch Locations – Unfortunately, NBKC physical branches are only located in Kansas City, Missouri area.
- High Early Withdrawal Penalty for CD Accounts – Although early withdrawal penalties for CD accounts are normal, NBKC charges a bit higher than the average.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON NBKC BANK
NBKC Bank is a generally online bank that offers competitive APYs for checking and money market accounts.
But apart from that, it also stands out because it does not charge monthly maintenance, overdraft, insufficient fund, and other common bank fees except for wire transfer fees.
Also, it offers a user-friendly online and mobile interface, which makes digital banking easy for its customers.
Don’t you just think this bank has everything or at least most of the things that consumers are looking for in a bank?