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Can't overdraw from your account without the Overdrive feature
Highlights
More Information
Access to 40,000 fee-free Allpoint ATMs
You may overdraw up to $200 from your account with no overdraft fees if you're eligible for Overdrive
To be eligible for the Overdrive feature, you'll need to receive direct deposits $500 per month
3 Savings Pods: You may deposit up to $2,000 in each Savings Pod; Money that is kept in Savings Pods can earn 4% APY
Round-Ups: Debit card purchases are rounded up to the nearest dollar and the change is deposited into a Savings Pod
Spending Insights: You can create a budget that keeps track of specific categories of spending; Spending Insights monitors how much you spend and can issue alerts if you are close to your limit
Cash back: You can earn cash back at 14,000 select stores when you use your debit card; Points be redeemed at the Current Shop for cash
Issued through Choice Financial Group (Member FDIC)
The Current Account is a solid free hybrid checking/savings account. It might be appealing if you're comfortable keeping your money all in one place and looking for budgeting tools and savings features.
Most notably, Current banking lets you earn up to 4.00% APY through a savings feature called a Savings Pod. A Savings Pod may be used to save money for individual goals, and you can add an image and description to label how the money will be used. Each account has three Savings Pods, which can hold a maximum of $2,000 per pod.
You'll also get some notable perks common in checking accounts — for example, the Current Account has a two-day early direct deposit and lets you earn cash back on debit card purchases.
Current banking also has a debit card for teens. To be eligible for the debit card, at least one parent will have to get a Current Account. Teens will need to open and link a separate account through a QR code.
Teens will be able to manage their debit card through the Current Teen Account, which doesn't have minimum balance requirements or monthly service fees.
With the Teen Account, you also have the unique option to donate to charities — choose from a list of organizations and save money through a Giving Pod.
How Current works
Current is a mobile fintech platform with banking products for adults and teens. Anyone over the age of 18 may open a hybrid checking/savings account. You may also open a debit card for a minor if you're a parent, but you'll have to open a Current Account first.
While Current isn't a bank, its banking services are issued through Choice Financial Group (Member FDIC). You may safely keep up to $250,000 in an FDIC-insured bank account.
If you have questions about Current banking products, you'll have to search through the website FAQ section or submit an email request. You can't call a customer representative on the phone.
The platform's mobile app is rated 4.6 out of 5 stars in the Google Play Store and 4.7 out of 5 stars in the Apple store.
Current trustworthiness and BBB rating
The Better Business Bureau rates businesses by assessing how they respond to customer complaints. Current has a D rating because the BBB has received a high volume of customer complaints, and Current hasn't fixed the recurring problems customers complain about.
BBB ratings aren't necessarily the be-all and end-all. You may also want to talk to current customers or read online customer reviews.
Current vs. Chime
See how the Current banking app compares to Chime, another popular fintech banking platform.
Choosing between Current and Chime may depend on what you prioritize in your banking experience.
Current offers a higher interest rate than Chime, but there are account balance limits — you only be able to earn 4% APY on up to $6,000 in Saving Pods. Money that isn't kept in Saving Pods won't earn any interest.
Meanwhile, Chime has a bit more of a straightforward approach. The Chime Savings Account pays 2.00% APY, and there aren't any limits.
You may also prefer Current to Chime if you're looking for more unique budgeting features. You can create a budget to keep track of your spending in certain categories or earn cash back on debit card purchases.
Current vs. Spruce
Current banking and Spruce both offer mobile banking products. See how the two stack up below.
Your decision between these two mobile banking platforms may ultimately hinge on how you would conduct your finances.
With Current, you'd be opening a hybrid checking/savings account. A hybrid account combines savings and checking features. You'll earn a high interest on money kept in three Savings Pods like you would with a savings account (although, there's a limit of $2,000 per pod). In terms of checking account features, you'll be able to receive early direct deposit and have access to a debit card.
Spruce has separate savings and checking accounts. The Spruce Spending Account also has a debit card and offers early direct deposit. Meanwhile, the Spruce Savings Account lets you save for individual savings goals. You won't be able to earn any interest on your savings, though.
Frequently asked questions
Is Current a free app?
You can open a Current Account and Teen Account, and there are no monthly service fees or subscription fees.
Can I deposit cash in the Current Account?
You may deposit cash at over 60,000 stores. You may also link an external bank account and make transfers to deposit money into a Current Account.
If you're looking for more online-only institutions that accept cash deposits at ATMs or stores, review our list here.
Which ATMs can I use with Current?
You'll have access to 40,000 fee-free ATMs in the Allpoint ATM network.
How much can you withdraw from the Current Account?
You may withdraw up to $500 daily from ATMs. The debit card has a daily spending limit of $2,000.
Current does not permit daily limit increases, so you won't be able to make one-time withdrawals or debit card purchases that exceed the limits.
Sophia Acevedo is a banking reporter at Insider. She covers bank reviews, banking guides, and banking and savings articles for Personal Finance Insider. She is also a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF).Sophia joined Insider in July 2021 and is an alumna of California State University Fullerton where she studied journalism and minored in political science. She is based in Los Angeles. You can reach out to her on Twitter at @sophieacvdo or email sacevedo@insider.com.Read more about how Personal Finance Insider chooses, rates, and covers financial products and services >>Below are links to some of her most popular stories:
Evelyn He is a compliance associate at Insider who supports the Personal Finance Insider team. Personal Finance Insider is Insider's personal finance section that incorporates affiliate and commerce partnerships into the news, insights, and advice about money that Insider readers already know and love.The compliance team's mission is to provide readers with stories that are fact-checked and current, so they can make informed financial decisions. The team also works to minimize risk for partners by making sure language is clear, precise, and fully compliant with regulatory and partner marketing guidelines that align with the editorial team.Before joining Insider, she served in various legal and compliance roles in different industries, including the legal and pharmaceutical industries. Evelyn obtained her M.S. degree in Marketing at Boston University in 2022. Prior to combining and consolidating her knowledge of law and business, she spent one year finishing 1L courses at Suffolk University Law School to further her legal knowledge. She has also completed MBA business law courses while working on her Bachelor of Business Administration in Management at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her 14-year-old Shih Tzu named Money, and her 5-year-old Bichon named Tibber.
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*The annual percentage yield (APY) on the deposit balances in Betterment Cash Reserve (Cash Reserve) is 4.75% and represents the weighted average of the APY on deposit balances at the banks participating in Cash Reserve (the Program Banks) and is current as of August 1, 2023. This APY is variable and subject to change daily. Deposit balances are not allocated equally among the participating Program Banks. A minimum deposit of $10 is required, but there is no minimum balance required to be maintained. The APY available to a customer may be lower if that customer designates a bank or banks as ineligible to receive deposits. APY applies only to Cash Reserve and does not apply to checking accounts held through Betterment Checking. Cash Reserve and Betterment Checking are separate offerings and are not linked accounts.