December 25, 2024

Simmons Bank review: Brick-and-mortar bank that has a free checking account with a $0 initial opening deposit

Simmons #Simmons

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The bottom line: Simmons Bank could be a great choice if you’re considering opening a checking account or CD at a brick-and-mortar bank in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, or Texas. The bank pays low interest rates on savings and money market accounts , though.

Overall bank rating Pros and cons

Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

0.02% APY

Minimum Deposit Amount

$100

Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

0.02% APY

Minimum Deposit Amount

$100 Pros

  • Possible to waive monthly service fee
  • Cons

  • Low interest rate
  • $100 minimum opening deposit
  • $5 monthly service fee
  • More Information

  • Over 200 locations in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas
  • Access to 37,000 surcharge-free ATMs through the MoneyPass ATM network
  • To waive the $5 monthly service fee, keep at least $100 in your account daily
  • Interest compounded and deposited every quarter
  • Member FDIC
  • You might find the Simmons Bank Simply Savings Account appealing if you are able to open your account with at least $100 and maintain this amount daily. 

    On the other hand, if you don’t think you’ll meet these requirements, our best savings account guide includes free savings accounts with lower minimum opening deposits and higher interest rates.

    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    None

    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $0

    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    None

    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $0 Pros

  • No minimum opening deposit
  • No monthly service fees
  • No out-of-network ATM fees
  • Early direct deposit
  • Simmons Bank Round-Ups
  • Overdraft protection available
  • Cons

  • No checks included
  • $3 paper statement fee (no fee for online statements)
  • $36 overdraft fee
  • $10 overdraft transfer fee
  • No reimbursements on out-of-network ATM fees
  • More Information

  • Over 200 locations in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas
  • Access to 37,000 surcharge-free ATMs through the MoneyPass ATM network
  • No minimum opening deposit (Must make a deposit of any amount in the first 45 days, though)
  • Simmons Bank will round-up purchases to the nearest dollar and deposit the extra change into a second account if you have one
  • Overdraft protection that links your checking account to a savings account or apply for a line of credit
  • Member FDIC
  • The Simmons Bank Coin Checking Account is an overall strong checking account. It charges zero monthly services and has a $0 initial opening deposit — just make sure to make a deposit of any amount within the first 45 days, or the account will be closed by the bank.

    The one downside to the checking account is it doesn’t include checks. You’ll still have a debit card, though.

    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    0.05% to 0.50% APY

    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $500

    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    0.05% to 0.50% APY

    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $500 Pros

  • $500 minimum opening deposit
  • Good interest rates compared to other brick-and-mortar banks
  • Standard CD terms
  • Cons

  • Standard-to-high early withdrawal penalties
  • Online banks offer higher interest rates
  • More Information

  • Over 200 locations in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas
  • Access to 37,000 surcharge-free ATMs through the MoneyPass ATM network
  • Terms range from 6 months to 5 years
  • Early withdrawal penalties: If your CD term is under one year, the penalty is 180 days interest on the amount withdrawn; If you CD term is over one year; the penalty is 360 days of interest on the amount withdrawn
  • Interest compounded and deposited every quarter
  • Member FDIC
  • Simmons Bank pays a higher interest rate on CDs than other brick-and-mortar banks and requires only $500 to open a CD. 

    You’ll want to bear in mind the early withdrawal penalty, which can be high for some terms.

    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    0.01% to 0.10% APY

    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $100

    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    0.01% to 0.10% APY

    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $100 Pros

  • $100 minimum opening deposit
  • Possible to waive monthly service fee
  • 50 free deposits per month
  • Cons

  • Low interest rate
  • $10 monthly service fee
  • $0.25 deposit fee for each transaction that exceeds the monthly limit
  • No debit card included
  • No checks included
  • More Information

  • Over 200 locations in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas
  • Access to 37,000 surcharge-free ATMs through the MoneyPass ATM network
  • Earn 0.01% APY if you have an account balance under $2,500
  • Earn 0.05% APY if you have an account balance between $2,500 and $50,000
  • Earn 0.10% APY if you have an account balance over $50,000
  • To waive the $10 monthly service fee, keep at least $2,500 in your account daily
  • Interest compounded and deposited every month
  • Member FDIC
  • The Simmons Bank Money Market Account might be worthwhile if you plan to keep a high bank account balance.

    You’ll earn a higher interest on the  Simmons Bank Money Market Account than the Simmons Bank Simply Savings Account if you maintain $2,500 or more in your account. You’ll also waive the $10 monthly service fee by doing this.

    How Simmons Bank works

    Simmons Bank has over 200 brick-and-mortar locations in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. The bank is part of the MoneyPass ATM network, which has 37,000 surcharge-free ATMs throughout the US. 

    Customer service is available by phone from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT on weekdays and 8 a.m. to noon CT on Saturdays. 

    The bank’s mobile app received 4.6 out of 5 stars in the Google Play Store and 4.8 out of 5 stars in the App Store.

    Simmons Bank is FDIC insured. You may safely keep up to $250,000 in an individual account or $500,000 in a joint bank account. 

    Simmons Bank trustworthiness and BBB rating

    Simmons Bank hasn’t been involved in any recent public scandals. 

    We also include ratings from the Better Business Bureau so you can see how a bank deals with customer issues.

    The BBB gave Simmons Bank an NR rating because it doesn’t have enough information to rate the bank. 

    A strong BBB rating isn’t necessarily the end-all and be-all. Talk to current customers or read online customer reviews to get a more well-rounded perspective of the bank.

    Simmons Bank vs. Regions Bank

    Simmons Bank and Regions Bank have brick-and-mortar locations in most of the same states. Here’s how the two compare.

    Your decision between these two banks will likely depend on the bank accounts you’d like to open.

    Regions may be worthwhile if you plan to open a savings account. The Regions LifeGreen® Savings Account charges zero monthly services. In comparison, Simmons Bank charges a $5 monthly service fee on its lowest-tier savings account if you don’t keep at least $100 in your account. 

    If you’d like to open a checking account, you’ll probably prefer Simmons Bank, though. The Simmons Bank Coin Checking Account has a $0 minimum opening deposit, zero monthly service fees, and has 2-day early direct deposit. Meanwhile, Regions Bank charges monthly service fees on its checking accounts and requires an initial deposit of at least $50.

    Simmons Bank vs. First Horizon Bank

    See how Simmons Bank stacks up to another regional bank in the South: First Horizon Bank.

    Both Simmons Bank and First Horizon Bank offer free checking accounts.

    You might learn more about Simmons Bank if you’d prefer to open a checking account with $0 or get a 2-day early direct deposit. It also might be worth exploring if you’d also like to open a CD. Simmons Bank CDs earn a higher interest rate than First Horizon CDs.

    You might favor First Horizon Bank if you’re worried about overdraft fees. First Horizon Bank offers free overdraft protection that lets you link your checking account to a First Horizon Bank savings account, apply for a line of credit, or use a credit card.

    Frequently asked questions How many states is Simmons Bank in?

    Simmons Bank is available in 6 states: Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.

    What is a Simmons coin checking account?

    The Simmons Bank Coin Checking Account is a free checking account with a $0 minimum opening deposit.

    You can open the account online if you have a US ID, a social security number, and are at least 18 years old.

    Is Simmons a good bank?

    Simmons Bank could be a good option if you’re searching for a checking account or CDs. If you’d like to earn a competitive interest rate on a savings account or money market account, online banks will likely pay a higher rate.

    Sophia Acevedo

    Junior Banking Reporter

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