Synchrony Bank Review

Pros Explained

• High-yield deposit products with no monthly fees – Synchrony Bank offers a high-yield savings account, a money market account, and certificates of deposit (CDs) with no monthly fees. This means that the interest you earn won’t be reduced by bank fees. The high-yield savings account earns a 4.75% annual percentage yield (APY), and the money market account earns 2.25% APY. CD rates vary by term and go up to 5.15% APY
• Minimum required deposits to open account as low as $0 – You can open a Synchrony Bank savings account, money market account, or CD with as little as $0.
• Hundreds of credit cards from popular retailers – Synchrony Bank partners with hundreds of retailers and healthcare providers around the U.S. to offer financing. These finance options provide customers the ability to buy products and services today and pay for them over time.

Cons Explained

• Limited branch presence – If you want to visit a Synchrony Bank branch to speak to someone in person, your options are limited, as it only has five branch locations. Instead, your best option is to call customer service or initiate a chat session during business hours.
• Does not have its own ATM network – Synchrony Bank partners with Accel to offer fee-free ATMs across the U.S. The bank does not charge to use another bank’s ATM, and it refunds up to $5 charged by domestic banks per statement cycle. Members of Perks Rewards with Diamond status receive unlimited domestic ATM fee refunds.
• No checking account options – Consumers looking to consolidate all of their accounts with one bank should look elsewhere. Synchrony Bank does not offer checking accounts or other types of lending besides credit cards.

Who Is Synchrony Bank Best For?

Synchrony Bank is best for consumers who:

• Don’t want to change their primary checking account
• Want a high-yield deposit account
• Don’t need access to physical branches
• Are interested in the benefits of having a retailer credit card
• Want to finance healthcare expenses over time

What Does Synchrony Bank Offer?

As an online bank, Synchrony Bank offers competitive interest rates on its savings, money market, and CD accounts. The bank also partners with hundreds of retailers to provide co-branded credit cards specific to each retailer. Synchrony Bank has financing for healthcare procedures and purchases available through its CareCredit product. It does not offer checking accounts, mortgages, investments, or other products that you may find at other financial institutions.

Synchrony Bank offers the following banking products:

• Savings Account
• Money Market Account
• CDs
• Credit Cards

Through its Synchrony Bank Perks Rewards program, customers earn elite status based on their deposit levels or length of the relationship. Customers reach top-level Diamond status when deposits exceed $250,000 or by banking with Synchrony Bank for five years. Such members enjoy unlimited domestic ATM reimbursements and three free wire transfers per statement cycle.

High-Yield Savings Account

The high-yield savings account offers a competitive rate of interest with no minimum deposit and no monthly maintenance fees. Customers earn an interest rate of 4.75% APY on all balances. They can access this account online, by phone, or via an ATM. Synchrony Bank partners with Accel to offer ATMs across all 50 states. The bank does not charge to use another bank’s ATM and reimburses up to $5 per statement cycle for those fees.

Money Market Account

Customers can open a money market account with check-writing capabilities. The account has no minimum balance and no monthly maintenance fees. You can access your money through wire transfers, checks, online transfers, and ATMs.

These accounts are also available within a traditional or Roth IRA. You can contribute anytime (up to the annual limit) to your IRA account. Additionally, you may transfer an IRA from another institution or roll over an employer-sponsored retirement plan to Synchrony Bank.

CDs

Synchrony Bank offers CDs with terms ranging from three months to five years. The minimum deposit to open a CD is $0. Interest rates vary depending on the term of the CD you want to open. Higher rates are not available if you deposit larger amounts. You may open a traditional CD or one inside of a traditional or Roth IRA.

When your CD matures, it will automatically renew for the same term at the prevailing interest rate. There is a 10-day grace period when you can add funds, withdraw money, and change terms. You can provide instructions during this grace period, or you can submit renewal instructions within 30 days prior to the maturity date through their website.

If you need to withdraw funds from a CD before maturity, there is a penalty. The penalty differs depending on the length of the CD. Terms of one year or less face a penalty of 90 days simple interest. CDs ranging from more than one year to less than four years have a penalty of 180 days of simple interest. Terms of four years or more incur a penalty of 365 days of simple interest.

Credit Cards

Synchrony Bank offers dozens of credit card options from retailers around the country. Additionally, it offers healthcare financing through its CareCredit product. You can use this financing for dental, LASIK and vision, veterinary, and other specialties.

Here are some of the retailers that Synchrony Bank partners with to offer credit cards:

• Ashley HomeStore
• Chevron
• Guitar Center
• LensCrafters
• 尝辞飞别’蝉
• NAPA Auto Parts
• Sam’s Club
• Sunglass Hut
• The Container Store
• Verizon

Synchrony Bank Customer Service

To contact customer service, you can connect by phone (1-866-226-5638), online chat, or secure message online. Bank customer service is available by phone or chat Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. Automated phone service is available 24 hours a day. If you have questions about your credit card or CareCredit, you’ll need to select your card type on this page to obtain the right phone number.

How to Bank With Synchrony Bank

Most customers bank with Synchrony Bank by opening a deposit account online or a credit card online or in the store. Synchrony Bank has five branches—one each in Georgia, Kansas, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Utah.

Opening a bank account online is simple to do and can be completed in a few minutes. Once opened, you can deposit money into it electronically or by mail, or you can make a mobile deposit through Synchrony Bank’s mobile app, which is available for both iOS and Android devices.

You can use your debit card at ATMs and for debit card transactions. Additionally, you can withdraw money at Accel Network ATM locations with no fees.

To apply for a credit card, you can browse the options online before applying online or in the store. Some credit cards have promotions offering a welcome bonus when you apply and complete specific activities. You can find these promotions on the Special Offers page.

Methodology

Investopedia is dedicated to providing consumers with unbiased, comprehensive reviews of banks. We collected over 20 data points across more than 80 banks—including products available, interest rates, fees, and accessibility—to ensure that our content helps users make the right decision for their savings and banking needs.