East West Bank Review
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At a glance
Overview
East West Bank is best for customers on the West Coast or those who want access to branches in both the U.S. and China. The bank is unique for offering 11 types of checking accounts, allowing you to customize and choose the account most closely aligned with your needs. Plus, the bank’s highly-rated app makes online and mobile banking a breeze. However, customers looking to grow their savings should look elsewhere, as the interest rates offered at this bank are extremely low.
Highlights:
Highly Rated AppHighlights:
CDs
Checking
Savings
MMA
Offers featured here have been sponsored which impacts how, where, and in what order the products appear. Not all offers are displayed on this page.
These are sponsored offers rated highly by us for competitive rates, fees, and minimums.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
Bankrate Savings rating = 5/5
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
Bankrate Savings rating = 4.4/5
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
Bankrate Savings rating = 4.7/5
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
Offers featured here have been sponsored which impacts how, where, and in what order the products appear. Not all offers are displayed on this page.
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
Overall
East West Bank is a California-based institution with a large ATM network, so even if you don’t live on the West Coast, you’ll have easy and free access to your money. However, customers looking to grow their savings won’t find much help here, as rates at East West Bank are well below the national average.
Pros
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East West Bank customers have surcharge-free access to AllPoint and MoneyPass ATMs.
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East West Bank has a large branch network.
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The iOS and Android apps are highly rated by users.
Cons
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APYs for all consumer deposit accounts are extremely low.
East West Bank banking products
East West Bank savings overview
Pros
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Interest rates on the account are tiered.
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The minimum to open a Premier Savings account is only $100.
Cons
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There’s a $3 monthly maintenance fee that isn’t all that easy to waive.
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You must link your savings account to a checking account to have ATM access.
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The APY offered is very low; higher yields can be found elsewhere.
East West Bank CD overview
Pros
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The $1,000 deposit is reasonable.
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There are plenty of CD terms to choose from.
Cons
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Only standard CDs are available.
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Yields are extremely low.
East West Bank money market overview
Pros
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A Visa debit card is included with the account.
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Overdraft protection is available, but transfers do come with a fee.
Cons
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Higher yields are easily found elsewhere.
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You must link your money market account to a checking account to have ATM access.
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There’s a $12 monthly maintenance fee.
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A minimum deposit of $10,000 is required to open the account (waivable if you meet certain criteria).
East West Bank checking overview
Pros
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There’s a $5 monthly fee but it’s easy to waive.
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The account can be opened with just $100.
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Online banking lets you make person-to-person transactions through Zelle.
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There’s surcharge-free access to the Allpoint and MoneyPass ATM networks.
Cons
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East West Bank charges out-of-network ATM fees after two free withdrawals each month.
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Overdraft fees are slightly above average at $30.
Bank fees
| Fee | Charged? |
|---|---|
| Overdraft fee | $30 |
| Non-sufficient funds fee | $30 |
| Monthly maintenance fee | $0 - $12 |
| Out-of-network ATM fee | $1 |
| Excessive transaction fee | $10 |
Customer experience
Customer service. Customers can reach live service representatives by phone Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific time, or Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time.
Digital experience. East West Bank offers iOS and Android mobile apps, both highly rated. Through online and mobile banking, East West customers can transfer funds between accounts, pay bills and make person-to-person payments through Zelle.
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Review methodology
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.
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