At a glance

3.8

Bankrate Score

CDs

Checking

Savings

MMA

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

Western State Bank is ideal for consumers in North Dakota or Arizona looking for a wide choice of checking accounts with unique perks and no fees or easy-to-avoid fees. The bank also offers access to thousands of ATMs through the MoneyPass ATM network.

Highlights

ATM Fee Refunds
Free Checking

Overall

Western State Bank is a well-established, federally insured bank based in North Dakota that offers deposit and loan products for individuals and businesses in North Dakota and Arizona. While it doesn’t offer very exciting rates, its accounts generally require little to open and come with perks, such as ATM fee refunds.

Pros

Western State Bank offers a selection of checking accounts with lots of perks and minimal fees.
Customers have access to thousands of MoneyPass ATMs.
It offers digital banking tools.
The bank prioritizes community involvement and offers benefits to service members.

Cons

APYs on deposit products tend to be low compared with top national offers.
Information on products is not readily available, since its website doesn’t post APYs or CD terms.

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Western State Bank banking products

2.4

Bankrate Score

Compare top savings rates

FEATURES

Western State Bank savings overview

Western State Bank’s Personal Savings account pays well below the APY at top-yielding banks.

On the plus side, it requires just $50 to open, and a $100 balance is all that’s needed to earn the APY and avoid a $5 monthly service charge.

There’s also no limit on free monthly debit transactions from the savings account — typically banks allow a maximum of six free transactions. The account refunds up to $20 in ATM fees per statement cycle.

Pros

The minimum deposit required to open an account and the balance needed to earn the APY are very low.
The $5 monthly service fee is waived for balances of at least $100.
Customers can make unlimited free debits.

Cons

The account's APY is very low.
The bank doesn’t post its savings APY on its website.

Rate history for Western State Bank's Savings account

Western State Bank

APY

APY last updated between 11/14 and 11/20.

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.

Western State Bank

APY

APY last updated between 11/14 and 11/20.

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.

2.5

Bankrate Score

Compare top CD rates

FEATURES

Western State Bank CD overview

Western State Bank offers seven terms of CDs ranging from 31 days to five years, which could be ideal for customers looking to build a CD ladder. APYs are generally below average, but the bank offers two specialty CDs, at nine and 18 months, with highly competitive yields. The minimum deposit for the specialty CD is $1,000, while for other CDs it’s $500.

The bank doesn't advertise CDs on its website, so an account must be opened at a branch.

Pros

The bank offers a range of CD terms, enabling depositors to build a CD ladder.
Two specialty CDs are offered with a competitive yield.

Cons

CDs are not advertised on the bank website and must be opened in a branch.
Rates on non-specialty CDs are low.

4.7

/5

See methodology Compare MMA rates

SCORE BREAKDOWN

APY offering:

4.50%

5/5

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

Minimum balance for APY:

$5,000.00

3/5

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

Check writing:

Yes

5/5

The ability to write a certain amount of checks within a statement cycle.

Debit/ATM access:

Subpar

2/5

The ability to withdraw funds from an account through the use of debit or ATM card.

Western State Bank money market overview

Western State Bank offers two types of money market accounts: the Treasury Market account can only be opened at a branch, and the High Yield Money Market account is the bank’s only online account. The Treasury Market account requires $50 to open, and a minimum balance of $1,000 to avoid the $10 monthly fee. Its interest rate is well below the national average.

Meanwhile, the High Yield Money Market account, which Bankrate scored for this review, earns a much more competitive interest rate, but it requires $5,000 to open. After that initial deposit, there’s no minimum balance requirement to earn the APY or waive a monthly fee.

Both accounts allow for 10 free customer-initiated transactions per month. Afterward, it’s $5 per transaction. The accounts also come with $20 in out-of-network ATM fee refunds each month.

Pros

Both money market accounts come with some ATM fee refunds.
It’s possible to earn a very competitive rate with the High Yield Money Market account.
There’s no monthly fee.

Cons

The High Yield Money Market account requires a high minimum of $5,000 to open.

4.5

Bankrate Score

Compare top checking rates

Western State Bank checking overview

Western State Bank offers a comprehensive lineup of four checking accounts: Free Checking, VIP Checking, VIP Plus Checking and Future Checking (a youth account) share many of the same benefits, including a reasonable opening deposit of only $50.

Free Checking, which Bankrate scored for this review, is the only checking account that doesn't pay interest, but it has no monthly service fee or minimum balance requirement. All checking accounts come with a debit card, free checks and up to $20 in ATM refunds per monthly statement cycle, though Free Checking and Future Checking customers have to present an ATM receipt and wait up to five business days to get the refund credited to their accounts. All accounts come with digital features, including mobile check deposit and bill pay, and free identity theft protection.

The VIP Plus account has the most features and benefits, including fee waivers on consumer and home equity loans. No minimum balance is required for customers who have $10,000 in any combination of deposits and/or loans. Otherwise, a $10 monthly fee applies.

Pros

The bank offers a range of checking accounts to fit customers’ needs.
Customers get $20 in monthly ATM fee refunds.
Checking customers get free Western State Bank checks.
The $50 opening deposit is reasonable.

Cons

To earn interest, customers will need to open a VIP Checking or VIP Plus Checking account, which have higher minimum balances and monthly fees.
APYs on interest-bearing accounts are not posted on the website.

Compare Offer

Bank fees

Fees	Charges
Overdraft fee	$32
Checking maintenance fee	$0
Savings maintenance fee	$5 if balance falls below $100
Money market maintenance fee	$10 if balance falls below $1,000
Excessive transaction fee	$5 for each transaction after the first 10 per month (for money market accounts)

Customer experience

24/7 support is available. Customers can email the bank through its Contact Us page on its website. There’s also an emergency phone line for lost or stolen debit, credit and ATM cards, which is available outside of branch business hours.

Well-rated business practices. Western State Bank has an A+ score from the Better Business Bureau, indicating a history of good business practices. However, the two customer reviews from its business profile are low.

Resources provided for customers and community. One unique service for customers is the bank’s “Move-on-Over Kit,” which provides helpful resources to assist new customers transitioning from another bank. The bank also sponsors the Cause in Your Community program, providing financial support to local nonprofits, and donates regularly to local schools.

Digital experience

Moderate to high app ratings. Western State Bank’s mobile app has an average rating of 4.8 stars on the Apple app store and 3.8 stars from Google Play. Both apps have several hundred reviews.

Access to limited payment services. The bank doesn’t offer Zelle, one of the most popular peer-to-peer (P2P) payment services. It is, however, compatible with Popmoney, which customers can use to send money to external bank accounts.

Feature

Account Summary

Screen view

Desktop Mobile

The above images were last updated on March 14, 2024.

About Western State Bank

Western State Bank is a federally insured bank founded in 1902 and headquartered in Devils Lake, North Dakota. It has 10 branches in North Dakota and Arizona, digital banking tools and a partnership with the MoneyPass ATM network. Its Freedom Banking program benefits veterans and those who currently serve in the U.S. military.

How does Western State Bank compare with other banks?

Western State Bank vs. First Citizens Bank

Western State Bank and First Citizens Bank are both regional banks that offer a full suite of deposit products. First Citizens Bank has a much wider presence, however, with branches in 23 states, while Western State Bank only has branches in Arizona and North Dakota. This could be a notable limitation for consumers, since many of Western State Bank’s accounts can only be opened at a branch.

Both banks offer free checking account options, each with $50 minimum opening deposits. First Citizens charges a much lower overdraft fee, though.

Neither bank has competitive rates on its savings products. Western State Bank does have a few specialty products with high rates, including two specialty CDs and an online money market account. Meanwhile, First Citizens Bank only has one specialty product — an 11-month CD — that offers a competitive rate.

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.

Western State Bank Review 2024

The Bankrate promise

At a glance

Overview

Highlights

Overall

Pros

Cons

We want to know what you think about Western State Bank

Western State Bank banking products

Western State Bank savings overview

Pros

Cons

Rate history for Western State Bank's Savings account

Western State Bank CD overview

Pros

Cons

Western State Bank money market overview

Pros

Cons

Western State Bank checking overview

Pros

Cons

Bank fees

Customer experience

Digital experience

About Western State Bank

How does Western State Bank compare with other banks?

Western State Bank vs. First Citizens Bank

Review methodology

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