At a glance

Best credit union

4.6

Bankrate Score

CDs

Checking

Savings

Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.

Overview

Alliant Credit Union is ideal for eligible customers who want a range of high-yielding product options and to minimize fees. Alliant makes it easy to become a member, providing several methods of eligibility.

Highlights

24/7 Customer Service
ATM Fee Refunds
High APY

Overall

Alliant Credit Union offers deposit accounts with competitive APYs and minimal fees. This Chicago-based credit union is insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and offers a highly rated mobile app as well as access to a wide network of surcharge-free ATMs.

Pros

The savings accounts, checking accounts and CDs offer competitive yields.
Alliant offers surcharge-free access to over 80,000 ATMs.
The credit union has manageable membership requirements.

Cons

The credit union doesn’t offer any specialty CDs such as no-penalty CDs.

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Alliant Credit Union banking products

4.4

/5

See methodology Compare savings rates

SCORE BREAKDOWN

APY offering:

3.10%

4/5

APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account. APY includes the effects of compounding interest.

Minimum balance to earn interest:

$100.00

4/5

The lowest deposit amount an account must have before it can earn interest.

Monthly service fee:

$0.00

5/5

A monthly charge a financial institution deducts from an account if certain requirements are not met.

Minimum balance to avoid fee:

$0.00

5/5

The lowest balance an account must maintain in order to avoid a fee.

Access to funds:

Great

5/5

A procedure that allows an individual or organization to access and manage the funds of another account holder.

FEATURES

3.10% APY

APY last updated between 5/6 and 5/12.

$100 minimum deposit to open

Alliant Credit Union savings overview

Alliant Credit Union’s high-yield savings account is among the best savings accounts nationwide. It pays a top-tier APY, rewarding members for keeping their savings with the credit union. Account holders must maintain an average monthly balance of at least $100 to earn interest. A minimum balance of $5 is required to keep the account open.

The high-yield savings account doesn’t charge a monthly fee to members who sign up for e-statements. Otherwise, a $1 monthly fee is charged for paper statements.

Alliant also lets members open up to 19 savings accounts (called supplemental savings accounts) to save for specific goals. Members can name each account based on their goals, allowing them to track progress easily.

Alliant Credit Union has an account called the Ultimate Opportunity Savings Account. Depositing at least $100 into that account for 12 straight months will help you earn $100.

Pros

The high-yield savings account pays a competitive APY.
There’s no monthly fee for members enrolled in e-statements.
Members can open multiple accounts to track specific savings goals.

Cons

There are higher savings APYs available at certain online banks.
You need to have at least $100 to earn interest with the credit union’s High-Rate Savings account.

Rate history for Alliant Credit Union's Savings account

See how rates for this account have changed over time. Interact with the trend lines to view APY by date.

Alliant Credit Union

APY

APY last updated between 5/6 and 5/12.

National average APY

How do we get this data?

Bankrate independently tracks hundreds of APYs and product details for banking institutions nationwide. We retain the historical data of every rate we track in our database. If there are any gaps where we weren’t actively tracking a rate at the time, the graph will reflect the missing data.

See how rates for this account have changed over time. Interact with the trend lines to view APY by date.

Alliant Credit Union

APY

APY last updated between 5/6 and 5/12.

National average APY

How do we get this data?

Bankrate independently tracks hundreds of APYs and product details for banking institutions nationwide. We retain the historical data of every rate we track in our database. If there are any gaps where we weren’t actively tracking a rate at the time, the graph will reflect the missing data.

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Alliant Credit Union CD overview

Alliant offers a range of CD term lengths, and all of them carry high APYs. Customers can choose from CD terms ranging from three months to five years. The range of term lengths provide customers the ability to build a CD ladder. All CDs are insured by the NCUA and require $1,000 to open. The credit union also doesn’t have a maximum amount that you can put in a CD.

Alliant Credit Union gives you a higher APY for depositing $75,000 or more into some of its CD terms.

The credit union doesn’t offer any specialty CDs such as no-penalty CDs or bump-up CDs.

Pros

CD yields are competitive.
The credit union offers term lengths ranging from three months to five years.

Cons

Alliant doesn’t offer any specialty CDs such as no-penalty CDs.
Some banks have lower minimum opening deposit requirements for CDs.

Rate history for Alliant Credit Union's CD accounts

See how rates for this account have changed over time. Select the CD term length from the dropdown and interact with the trend lines to view APY by date.

Alliant Credit Union

APY

APY last updated between 5/6 and 5/12.

National average APY

Term length

How do we get this data?

Bankrate independently tracks hundreds of APYs and product details for banking institutions nationwide. We retain the historical data of every rate we track in our database. If there are any gaps where we weren’t actively tracking a rate at the time, the graph will reflect the missing data.

See how rates for this account have changed over time. Select the CD term length from the dropdown and interact with the trend lines to view APY by date.

Alliant Credit Union

APY

APY last updated between 5/6 and 5/12.

National average APY

Term length

How do we get this data?

Bankrate independently tracks hundreds of APYs and product details for banking institutions nationwide. We retain the historical data of every rate we track in our database. If there are any gaps where we weren’t actively tracking a rate at the time, the graph will reflect the missing data.

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Alliant Credit Union checking overview

Alliant’s High-Rate Checking account pays a decent yield for a checking account, requires no minimum balance and charges no service fees or overdraft fees. Customers who open this account receive a Visa debit card.

The credit union offers access to over 80,000 surcharge-free ATMs and also offers rebates of up to $20 per month for out-of-network ATM use.

Alliant Credit Union members can enroll in Courtesy Pay, a service that might pay overdrafts not covered under traditional overdraft services, if a member transfers at least $600 from outside of Alliant into their account each month and has been with the credit union for at least six months.

Pros

There’s no monthly service fee or minimum balance requirement.
Members get access to 80,000 surcharge-free ATMs and $20 in monthly rebates.
Alliant Credit Union offers members a free first box of checks when you open its High-Interest checking account.

Cons

There are some checking accounts that offer a higher yield.
Alliant Credit Union doesn’t have a checking account for business customers.

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Bank fees

Fee	Charged?
Overdraft fee	None
Non-sufficient funds fee	None
Monthly maintenance fee	None
Out-of-network ATM fee	None
Excessive transaction fee	None
Stop payment fee	None

Find out: Tips to avoid common bank fees

About Alliant Credit Union

Alliant Credit Union is an NCUA-insured credit union based in Chicago. It's ideal for eligible customers who want a range of high-yield deposit products with minimal fees. Alliant makes it easy to become a member, providing several ways to become a member, including proximity to the credit union’s headquarters, employment and familial status, or by donating to a cause it supports.

Bank experience

Alliant is easy to join despite its status as a credit union. If you don’t meet specific criteria listed on its website, you can become a member of Foster Care to Success (FC2S) to become eligible for Alliant membership. Alliant will pay a $5 membership fee to FC2S on your behalf.

Alliant offered highly rated mobile apps for Android and iOS devices during Bankrate’s review. The app allows customers to deposit checks, transfer money between accounts, pay monthly bills and track expenses with a personal financial management tool.

The credit union provides a toll-free 24/7 phone number for issues that need immediate attention. It also offers an online contact form for other account and service questions.

How Alliant Credit Union compares to other banks

Compare different account types offered by Alliant Credit Union. Annual percentage yields (APYs) shown were updated between May 6, 2024 and May 12, 2024.

Selected bank Alliant Credit Union savings account NCUA Insured Bankrate score Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5 4.4 Bankrate Savings rating = 4.4/5 Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Annual percentage yields (APYs), minimum opening deposit requirements and minimum balances to avoid monthly service fees are some of the things that make up Bankrate’s score.	Most comparable Pentagon Federal Credit Union savings account NCUA Insured Bankrate score Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5 4.4 Bankrate Savings rating = 4.4/5 Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Annual percentage yields (APYs), minimum opening deposit requirements and minimum balances to avoid monthly service fees are some of the things that make up Bankrate’s score. Read review	Bankrate score Bankrate Savings rating Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Annual percentage yields (APYs), minimum opening deposit requirements and minimum balances to avoid monthly service fees are some of the things that make up Bankrate’s score. Read review
APY APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account. APY includes the effects of compounding interest. APYs last updated between May 6, 2024 and May 12, 2024.
3.10%	2.70%
Minimum balance for APY
$100.00	$5.00
Estimated earnings Interest earned calculation based on a $25,000 deposit amount for a period of 1 year and is rounded to the nearest dollar. Exact earnings are dependent on calendar year, balance, and compounding frequency. Minimum deposit rules may apply.
$775	$675

Alliant Credit Union has three savings accounts: a High-Rate Savings account, a Supplemental Savings account and a Kids Savings account.	The Premium Online Savings account earns a dividend rate that’s above the national average APY, and it requires only a $5 minimum deposit with no monthly fee. PenFed’s Regular Savings account offers a very low APY, but it can be opened at a branch and provides easy ATM access.

You can earn a competitive APY with the High-Rate Savings account. You can set as many as 19 different savings goals through additional savings accounts.	The Premium Online Savings account offers an above average APY There are no monthly service fees to worry about Customers can set up free online recurring transfers with the Premium Online Savings account	N/A
You need to keep at least a daily average of $100 in the High-Rate Savings account to earn interest. There’s a $1 charge for paper statements. You need to keep at least $5 in the High-Rate Savings account to keep the account open.	The Regular Savings account pays an APY that’s lower than the national average The Premium Online Savings account doesn’t provide ATM access	N/A

APY offering: 3.10% 4/5 APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account. APY includes the effects of compounding interest. Minimum balance to earn interest: $100.00 4/5 The lowest deposit amount an account must have before it can earn interest. Monthly service fee: $0.00 5/5 A monthly charge a financial institution deducts from an account if certain requirements are not met. Minimum balance to avoid fee: $0.00 5/5 The lowest balance an account must maintain in order to avoid a fee. Access to funds: Great 5/5 A procedure that allows an individual or organization to access and manage the funds of another account holder.	APY offering: 2.70% 3/5 APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account. APY includes the effects of compounding interest. Minimum balance to earn interest: $0.00 5/5 The lowest deposit amount an account must have before it can earn interest. Monthly service fee: $0.00 5/5 A monthly charge a financial institution deducts from an account if certain requirements are not met. Minimum balance to avoid fee: $0.00 5/5 The lowest balance an account must maintain in order to avoid a fee. Access to funds: N/A 0/5 A procedure that allows an individual or organization to access and manage the funds of another account holder.	APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account. APY includes the effects of compounding interest. The lowest deposit amount an account must have before it can earn interest. A monthly charge a financial institution deducts from an account if certain requirements are not met. The lowest balance an account must maintain in order to avoid a fee. A procedure that allows an individual or organization to access and manage the funds of another account holder. Bankrate does not currently track additional product details for this bank.

Selected bank Alliant Credit Union CD NCUA Insured Bankrate score Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5 4.7 Bankrate CD rating = 4.7/5 Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Annual percentage yields (APYs) and minimum deposits are some of the things that make up Bankrate’s score.	Most comparable Quorum Federal Credit Union CD NCUA Insured Bankrate score Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 4.5 Bankrate CD rating = 4.5/5 Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Annual percentage yields (APYs) and minimum deposits are some of the things that make up Bankrate’s score. Read review	Bankrate score Bankrate CD rating Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Annual percentage yields (APYs) and minimum deposits are some of the things that make up Bankrate’s score. Read review
APY APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account. APY includes the effects of compounding interest. APYs last updated between May 6, 2024 and May 12, 2024.
5.15%	2.60%
Minimum deposit
$1,000.00	$1,000.00
Term
1 yr	1 yr

Alliant Credit Union is an online credit union offering a wide array of CD terms. It also offers jumbo CDs, which generally earn a little more interest than regular CDs. The regular CDs require a $1,000 minimum deposit, and you’ll need at least $75,000 for a jumbo CD.	Members have access to term savings accounts (another name for certificates of deposit). The bank offers term lengths ranging from three months to five years. No specialty term savings accounts are offered, such as a no-penalty account. All of the CD terms pay annual percentage yields (APYs) that are above the national average, and a handful of the terms offer some of the highest APYs on the market today. Larger deposits are rewarded with a higher yield, as deposits of $100,000 or more earn an additional 0.1 percent APY, according to the bank’s website. Quorum’s CDs all require a manageable $1,000 minimum deposit to open. The accounts are insured by the National Credit Union Association's Share Insurance Fund. Quorum also offers IRA CDs with terms ranging from three months to five years.

Many terms of CDs are available. Jumbo CDs earn a little more interest. Alliant offers IRA CDs.	The accounts require a manageable minimum deposit to open Big savers are rewarded for deposits above $100,000 A handful of terms offer highly competitive yields	N/A
You’ll need at least $1,000 to open a CD at Alliant Credit Union. Alliant doesn’t offer CDs with a term longer than five years.	The credit union doesn’t offer any specialty term savings accounts Early withdrawal penalties are on the steep side	N/A

APY offering: 5.15% - 1 yr 5/5 APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account. APY includes the effects of compounding interest. APYs are selected based on Bankrate reviews of the highest rates a bank offers between the term ranges of 7 and 17 months. This excludes jumbo CDs and applies when the minimum deposit is $25k or less. Minimum deposit: $1,000.00 4/5 The minimum deposit amount a financial institution requires in order to open a CD. Range of term lengths: 3 mos - 5 yrs 5/5 A designated amount of time that funds must be held within a CD. Early withdrawal penalty: Good 4/5 A penalty incurred when funds have been withdrawn from a CD before its maturity date. Offer no-penalty or bump-up CDs: No 0/5 A CD that doesn’t incur a penalty if funds are withdrawn before its maturity date. Offer IRA CDs: Yes 5/5 An IRA account which consists of CDs that typically earns fixed interest over a specified period of time.	APY offering: 2.60% - 1 yr 3/5 APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account. APY includes the effects of compounding interest. APYs are selected based on Bankrate reviews of the highest rates a bank offers between the term ranges of 7 and 17 months. This excludes jumbo CDs and applies when the minimum deposit is $25k or less. Minimum deposit: $1,000.00 4/5 The minimum deposit amount a financial institution requires in order to open a CD. Range of term lengths: 3 mos - 5 yrs 4/5 A designated amount of time that funds must be held within a CD. Early withdrawal penalty: Subpar 2/5 A penalty incurred when funds have been withdrawn from a CD before its maturity date. Offer no-penalty or bump-up CDs: No 0/5 A CD that doesn’t incur a penalty if funds are withdrawn before its maturity date. Offer IRA CDs: Yes 5/5 An IRA account which consists of CDs that typically earns fixed interest over a specified period of time.	APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account. APY includes the effects of compounding interest. APYs are selected based on Bankrate reviews of the highest rates a bank offers between the term ranges of 7 and 17 months. This excludes jumbo CDs and applies when the minimum deposit is $25k or less. The minimum deposit amount a financial institution requires in order to open a CD. A designated amount of time that funds must be held within a CD. A penalty incurred when funds have been withdrawn from a CD before its maturity date. A CD that doesn’t incur a penalty if funds are withdrawn before its maturity date. An IRA account which consists of CDs that typically earns fixed interest over a specified period of time. Bankrate does not currently track additional product details for this bank.

Selected bank Alliant Credit Union checking account Bankrate score Rating: 0 stars out of 5 N/A Bankrate Checking rating = 0.0/5 Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Minimum balances to avoid monthly service fees, whether the bank has a monthly service fee, minimum opening deposit requirements, fees to use out-of-network ATMs and overdraft fees are some of the things that make up Bankrate’s score.	Most comparable SoFi checking account Member FDIC Bankrate score Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5 4.9 Bankrate Checking rating = 4.9/5 Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Minimum balances to avoid monthly service fees, whether the bank has a monthly service fee, minimum opening deposit requirements, fees to use out-of-network ATMs and overdraft fees are some of the things that make up Bankrate’s score. Read review	Bankrate score Bankrate Checking rating Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Minimum balances to avoid monthly service fees, whether the bank has a monthly service fee, minimum opening deposit requirements, fees to use out-of-network ATMs and overdraft fees are some of the things that make up Bankrate’s score. Read review
APY APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account. APY includes the effects of compounding interest. APYs last updated between May 6, 2024 and May 12, 2024.
N/A	0.50%
Minimum balance to open
N/A	$0.00

Alliant Credit Union has a High-Rate Checking account and a Teen Checking account. The High-Rate Checking account doesn’t charge a monthly service fee or overdraft fees. The account also reimburses a generous $20 worth of ATM fees per month.	SoFi Checking and Savings lets you earn a competitive annual percentage yield and it gives you access to direct deposits up to two days early. The account also lets some customers overdraft by $50 or less without being charged a fee.

The Alliant High-Rate Checking account doesn’t charge overdraft fees or a monthly maintenance fee. You can get $20 worth of ATM fees reimbursed per month with the High-Rate Checking account. The High-Rate Checking account comes with a free box of checks.	Customers can receive early direct deposits at SoFi Bank. SoFi customers have access to Allpoint network ATMs. SoFi customers earn a very competitive APY. The SoFi checking and savings account doesn’t have fees, which includes overdraft fees.	N/A
The High-Rate Checking account earns a low APY. There’s a 1 percent foreign transaction fee. You’ll pay a $15 fee for a deposited item that’s returned.	You can’t just get a checking account – you have to get both a checking and savings account.	N/A

Alliant Credit Union vs. Chase

Alliant Credit Union generally offers higher yields on its deposit products when compared to Chase, including its CDs and savings accounts. Moreover, as a credit union, Alliant is a non-profit organization, whereas Chase is a traditional bank. As such, Alliant has done a lot to benefit its customers, including eliminating overdraft and non-sufficient funds fees. In contrast, Chase still charges a hefty fee for both.

All that noted, Alliant doesn’t have physical branches, and so it isn’t a good option for those not comfortable banking solely online. In contrast, Chase has more branches than any other bank in the U.S., making it a better choice for those who prioritize physical presence.

Learn more: The best credit unions of 2024

Alliant Credit Union FAQs

Alliant Credit Union is best for customers who are comfortable banking solely online, as Alliant doesn’t have any branches. Its wide range of CDs also make it a good choice for those looking to build a CD ladder.
Yes. Alliant Credit Union is insured by the National Credit Union Association, up to the amount allowed by law: $250,000 per depositor, per account type.
Membership is open to current or retired employees (and their families) of business and organizations that partner with Alliant Credit Union. Membership is also open to those living or working in a community near Allaint’s corporate headquarters in Chicago, and those who are members of Foster Care to Success, an organization that serves foster teens in the U.S.

Review methodology

With so many financial institutions to choose from, it can be hard to know who to trust. Bankrate’s ever-growing list of bank and credit union reviews is updated regularly. Our editorial team analyzes and reviews each institution across deposit products such as savings accounts, checking accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs) and money market accounts (MMAs). Banks are rated by important factors such as offered interest rates, fees, minimum balance requirements, access to funds and more.

We assign a score to each type of account and its features, weigh them carefully based on importance to account holders and determine an overall score. Read our full review methodology.

Date Bankrate gathers rate data either directly from our partners, or through our proprietary rate surveying service. The rate change date is based on when Bankrate received or captured the rate change and may differ from the actual date the rate changed.	Alliant Credit Union APY APY last updated between 5/6 and 5/12. APY last updated between 5/6 and 5/12	National average APY The “national average” is determined by Bankrate’s comprehensive national survey of savings accounts and CDs and reflects the monthly average APY for each product.
12/08/2023	3.10%	0.57%
07/10/2023	3.10%	0.54%

Alliant Credit Union Review 2024

The Bankrate promise

At a glance

Overview

Highlights

Overall

Pros

Cons

We want to know what you think about Alliant Credit Union

Alliant Credit Union banking products

Alliant Credit Union savings overview

Pros

Cons

Rate history for Alliant Credit Union's Savings account

Alliant Credit Union CD overview

Pros

Cons

Rate history for Alliant Credit Union's CD accounts

Alliant Credit Union checking overview

Pros

Cons

Bank fees

About Alliant Credit Union

Bank experience

How Alliant Credit Union compares to other banks

Alliant Credit Union vs. Chase

Alliant Credit Union FAQs

Who is Alliant Credit Union best for?

Is Alliant Credit Union safe?

Can anyone open an account at Alliant Credit Union?

Review methodology

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