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First National Bank Review: A Regional Bank With Some Good CD Rates

Review Updated
Matt Frankel, CFP®
Author: Matt Frankel, CFP®
Matt Frankel, CFP®
Matt Frankel, CFP®

Matt Frankel, CFP, has been a contributing writer, analyst, and personal finance expert for The Motley Fool since 2012.

Prior to The Motley Fool, Matt was a mathematics professor and high school math teacher.

He holds a B.S. in Physics from University of South Carolina; a M.S. in Mathematics from Nova Southeastern University; and a Graduate Certificate in Financial Planning from Florida State University.

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Ashley Maready
Reviewer: Ashley Maready
Ashley Maready
Ashley Maready
Writer and Editor

Ashley Maready is a former history museum professional who made the leap to digital content writing and editing in 2021. She has a BA in History and Philosophy from Hood College and an MA in Applied History from Shippensburg University. Ashley loves creating content for the public and learning new things so she can teach others, whether it's information about salt mining, canal mules, or personal finance.

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Eric McWhinnie
Fact Checked: Eric McWhinnie
Eric McWhinnie
Eric McWhinnie

Eric McWhinnie has been writing and editing digital content since 2010. He specializes in personal finance and investing. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance.

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Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page. APY = Annual Percentage Yield. APYs are subject to change at any time without notice.
Offer image for
Member FDIC.

First National Bank

Bottom Line

If you're looking to maximize the APY of your savings account, this bank isn't the best choice. However, First National Bank offers some high APYs on special CDs, and a variety of savings and checking accounts. If you want convenient branch-based banking with some good CD rates, First National Bank could be a good fit.

Pros
  • High CD rates on some special CDs
  • Many different account types
  • Some unique account features (like a free safe deposit box)
  • Over 350 branches and 1,600 ATMs
Cons
  • Generally low APYs on savings accounts
  • Many CDs aren't competitive
  • No-fee ATM network is limited

  • Our methodology for scoring banks and credit unions revolves around evaluating key aspects such as annual percentage yield (APY), brand reputation, fees and minimum requirements, and additional perks.

    These criteria are weighted differently across various account types, ensuring a comprehensive assessment that reflects the competitive landscape and economic conditions.

    We strictly feature products that offer federal insurance and high customer satisfaction, keeping our recommendations unbiased by advertiser influence. This robust evaluation process helps us generate balanced, reliable best-of lists that guide consumers to top financial products.

    Learn more about how The Motley Fool Ascent rates bank accounts.

Is First National Bank right for you?

First National Bank is a brick-and-mortar regional bank with branches and online bank accounts. This bank has an impressive history of being in business for over 160 years, and its stock is publicly traded (NYSE: FNB).

This bank may be a good option for you if:

  • You want good CD rates from online CDs
  • You want to choose from multiple types of checking accounts
  • You want to bank at a local branch in seven states and Washington, D.C.

Bank fees

First National Bank Fee Charge
Monthly service charge $5, $10 or $25 based on account; can be waived with minimum balance
Non-bank ATM fees Exact ATM fees are unknown based on First National Bank's website. Some checking accounts charge ATM fees for non-bank ATMs; some ATM fees can be refunded based on checking account type and usage.
Overdraft fees $0 for some checking accounts; insufficient funds transactions get declined or returned
Data source: First National Bank

Note: Compared to most banks, First National Bank does not publish many details of its fees on its website. To get the full Consumer Fee Schedule, contact a local branch or the Customer Service center.

Savings accounts

First National Bank offers a single savings account to its customers.

The First National Bank FirstRate Savings account is First National Bank's basic savings account product. It has a $50 minimum initial deposit (if opened online), and charges a $5 monthly fee, which can be waived with a $500 average daily balance. It offers a tiered interest rate structure, meaning that higher balances get better interest rates, but even for large-balance accounts, the First National Bank FirstRate Savings doesn't pay competitive rates.

Ratings Methodology
Rates as of Jan 31, 2025

First National Bank FirstRate Savings

Member FDIC.
APY
up to 0.05% Rate info Circle with letter I in it. Balances of $0 to $999.99 earn 0.01% APY. Balances of $1,000.00 to $50,000.00+ earn 0.05%
Min. To Earn APY
$0.01
  • No minimum initial deposit (in a branch)
  • Monthly fee can be waived
  • Higher balances earn higher APY
  • Card access
  • Low APYs
  • $5 monthly fee if less than $500 average daily balance

The FirstRate Savings account has no minimum initial deposit, and its monthly fee can be waived with a $500 average daily balance. However, its APYs are really low -- much lower than the national average savings account.

Compare savings rates

Make sure you're getting the best account for you by comparing savings rates and promotions. Here are some of our favorite high-yield savings accounts to consider.

Account APY Promotion Next Steps
3.80%
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. 3.80% annual percentage yield as of January 31, 2025. Terms apply.
Min. to earn: $0
N/A
Open Account for American Express® High Yield Savings

On American Express's Secure Website.

up to 3.80%²
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. You can earn the maximum APY by having Direct Deposit (no minimum amount required) or by making $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits every 30 days. See SoFi Checking and Savings rate sheet at: https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
Min. to earn: $0
New customers can earn up to a $300 bonus with qualifying direct deposits!¹
3.80%
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. See Capital One website for most up-to-date rates. Advertised Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is variable and accurate as of Dec. 6, 2024. Rates are subject to change at any time before or after account opening.
Min. to earn: $0
N/A

Certificates of deposit

First National Bank offers several different CD accounts, some of which offer competitive rates -- but watch out for high minimum deposit requirements.

First National Bank Standard CDs

First National Bank's standard CDs come in terms ranging from three months to five years, and have a $500 minimum deposit requirement. They have some strong features, such as the ability to have interest paid directly instead of added to the CD, but their interest rates are not competitive.

Rates as of Jan. 30, 2025

APY = Annual Percentage Yield

Offer image for First National Bank Standard CD
First National Bank Standard CD
Bottom Line

First National Bank offers a variety of CD terms and types. While its standard CD rates are generally low, its special CD rates may be worth a look -- but they do require a much larger minimum deposit to open.

MINIMUM DEPOSIT $500
3 Mo. APY 6 Mo. APY 1 Yr. APY 1.5 Yr. APY 2 Yr. APY 3 Yr. APY 4 Yr. APY 5 Yr. APY
1.00% 1.00% 1.00% 1.00% 1.00% 1.00% 1.00% 1.50%

  • If you have enough cash to make the minimum deposit, First National Bank offers some special CDs for customers who deposit at least $5,000 or $10,000, depending on term. And these special CDs have highly competitive interest rates, especially for the 5-month and 7-month terms.

Rates as of Jan. 30, 2025

APY = Annual Percentage Yield

Offer image for First National Bank Special CD
First National Bank Special CD
Bottom Line

Some of First National Bank's Special CD rates are pretty competitive, particularly for its shorter terms. These CDs require a much higher minimum deposit of $5,000, however, and its 5-month and 7-month special CD require a whopping $10,000 minimum to open.

MINIMUM DEPOSIT $5,000 or $10,000, depending on term
5 Mo. APY 7 Mo. APY 13 Mo. APY 19 Mo. APY 25 Mo. APY 35 Mo. APY 52 Mo. APY 61 Mo. APY
4.00% 4.00% 3.75% 3.00% 3.00% 3.00% 3.00% 3.00%

  • Want to open a CD without the risk of early withdrawal penalties? First National Bank's Flex CD could be a good choice. This unique CD gives you more flexible access to your cash than the typical CD, allowing one penalty-free withdrawal per month. The Flex CD requires a $500 minimum balance, has a 9-month term, and pays a decent APY.

  • First National Bank's Savers Goal CDs are a somewhat unique product. Instead of simply making a one-time deposit, like you'd do with most CDs, the Savers Goal CD allows you to open an account with as little as $100, and you can set up automatic deposits and/or make additional deposits whenever you want.

    The Savers Goal CDs only come in 12-month terms. However, they have very low interest rates. Savers who want to gradually build their savings would likely be better off choosing a high-yield savings account from a different bank.

Compare CD rates

Rates as of Jan. 30, 2025
Bank & CD Offer APY Term Min. Deposit Next Steps
APY: 4.00% Term: 1 Year Min. Deposit:  $0
Open Account for Discover® Bank CD

On Discover Bank's Secure Website.

Member FDIC.
APY: 4.35% Term: 10 Months Min. Deposit:  $2,500
Open Account for

On Secure Website.

Member FDIC.
APY: 4.25% Term: 6 Months Min. Deposit:  $500
Open Account for

On Secure Website.

Checking accounts

First National Bank offers a wide variety of checking accounts, and they are each designed for a specific type of customer.

First National Bank Freestyle Checking

The First National Bank Freestyle Checking account is First National Bank's basic checking account product. It offers a Visa debit card, online statements, online bill pay, unlimited check writing, and no minimum balance requirement. This account has no monthly service charge, as long as you agree to receive your statements electronically.

Ratings Methodology
Rates as of Jan 31, 2025

First National Bank Freestyle Checking

Member FDIC.
APY
N/A
Min. To Earn APY
N/A
  • No minimum balance requirements
  • No monthly fee (with online statements)
  • Bill pay
  • Unlimited check writing
  • Doesn't earn interest
  • Few unique features

The Freestyle Checking account is a solid product, with popular features like free online bill pay. It has no monthly fee with electronic statements, and is a great choice for customers looking for a basic, everyday checking account.

  • The First National Bank Lifestyle Checking account is designed to be a step above the basic checking account. It has the features of the First National Bank Freestyle Checking account, but also includes a free 3" x 5" safe deposit box (a unique feature), free paper statements, and more. The First National Bank Lifestyle Checking account also earns interest -- although a relatively low APY -- on balances of $2,500 or more.

    To waive the $10 monthly service charge, you'll need a $1,000 average daily balance or $10,000 in combined First National Bank deposit or loan balances.

  • The First National Bank Premierstyle Checking account is First National Bank's top-tier checking account. It pays interest on balances of $1,000 or more, and offers some valuable perks, such as no ATM fees at non-FNB ATMs, up to $15 per statement rebates for other banks' ATM fees, free stop payment requests, free custom checks, a free safe deposit box, no overdraft fees, and more.

    This checking account charges a $25 monthly fee, which can be waived with an average daily balance of $7,500 or combined First National Bank balances of $25,000.

  • First National Bank offers two types of "checkless" checking accounts, known as the eStyle and eStyle Plus accounts. Both have no overdraft fees, and are designed for customers who exclusively use digital methods (or ATM/debit cards) to pay bills and send money. They offer free online bill pay, the ability to send and receive money with Zelle, and more.

    The eStyle account doesn't earn interest, and has a $5 monthly fee that can be waived by setting up direct deposit or by completing at least five transactions per month. It doesn't have a ton of features, but the eStyle Account is a low-fee, easy-to-use checking account for customers who don't really need to write physical checks.

  • The eStyle Plus account is the premium version of First National Bank's "checkless" checking accounts.

    The eStyle Plus account monthly service charge of $25 is higher than the basic eStyle account, but eStyle Plus earns above-average interest on balances from $0 to $2,500. The eStyle Plus also comes with $12 in monthly ATM fee reimbursement, while the eStyle does not. The eStyle Plus account's $25 monthly service charge can be waived with an average daily balance of $1,000 or more (or $25,000 in combined First National Bank balances).

Compare checking accounts

We recommend comparing checking accounts to make sure you're getting the best fit for you. Here's a list of our favorite accounts.

Account APY Promotion Next Steps
0%
Min. to earn: N/A
Earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month (see details when you click 'Open Account')
Open Account for Discover® Cashback Debit

On Discover Bank's Secure Website.

up to 1.10%
Min. to earn: $1
High APY when you complete 10 or more qualifying debit card purchases each month

Money market account

The First National Bank FirstRate Money Market account combines some of the best features of savings and checking accounts in one. It offers a tiered APY, with higher balances earning higher yields, but even the highest APYs on this account are not competitive with the best money market accounts.

This account also offers the ability to write checks, and have a Visa debit card connected to the account. There is a $10 monthly service charge, and you'll need a $5,000 average daily balance to waive this fee, so the First National Bank FirstRate Money Market account is better suited for customers who tend to keep relatively high balances in savings.

Ratings Methodology
Rates as of Jan 31, 2025

First National Bank FirstRate Money Market

Member FDIC.
Monthly Fee
$10, waivable with $5,000 average daily balance
Min. Balance
$0
APY
up to 1.00% Rate info Circle with letter I in it. Balances of $0 to $9,999.99 earn 0.25% APY. Balances of $10,000.00 to $49,999.99 earn 0.50% APY. Balances of $50,000.00 to $99,999.99 earn 0.75% APY. Balances of $100,000.00 to $1,000,000+ earn 1.00% APY.
Min. To Earn APY
$0.01
  • Tiered APY structure
  • Check-writing ability
  • Visa debit card
  • Monthly fee waived with $5,000 average daily balance
  • $10 monthly fee if balance requirement not met
  • APYs are low compared with online competitors

First National Bank's FirstRate Money Market account is a solid product for those looking to earn interest from their savings, but who want the ability to access their money with a debit card or checkbook. It is best suited for customers who regularly keep more than $5,000 in savings, as this will waive the monthly fee.

Customer experience

Customer reviews

First National Bank is a brick-and-mortar bank with branches in seven states that also offers online accounts through its eStore® app. First National Bank has been in business for 160 years (not a typo) and has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, although it is not BBB accredited.

Like most banks, First National Bank gets some mixed reviews from customers on the Better Business Bureau, with a rating of 1.14 stars out of five, based on customer reviews on bbb.org. The bank has no reviews listed on Trustpilot.

First National Bank provides in-person customer service at its network of more than 350 branches, and also provides phone support at 800-555-5455 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. You can also use the bank's website to schedule an appointment online, or send an email for customer service.

Mobile app

First National Bank offers the FNB Direct Mobile App as its dedicated app for consumer banking. The bank also has separate mobile apps for other services like wealth management, business banking, and insurance.

The FNB Direct Mobile app enables you to manage your First National Bank accounts on the go, with must-have mobile banking features like depositing checks, paying bills, viewing balances, transferring money, and finding a nearby bank branch or ATM.

The app is available for Android and iOS devices, and generally gets excellent reviews for both.

  • App Store rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars
  • Google Play rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars

Physical locations

First National Bank has physical locations in seven states (Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina) and Washington, D.C. It also has more than 1,600 ATMs where you can get cash. If you use non-bank ATMs, you might be charged a fee by First National Bank as well as other banks. Some First National Bank checking accounts offer refunds for ATM fees.

How does First National Bank compare?

First National Bank is a brick-and-mortar regional bank with some excellent rates on special CDs and some nice perks for its checking accounts. But its ATM network is surprisingly limited, its account fees are slightly complex, and its standard CDs and savings accounts don't offer competitive APYs.

Before you decide where to keep your money, check out a couple of our top-rated banks.

First National Bank vs. Capital One

Capital One is best known for its credit cards, but it also has branches in several states -- including a few where First National Bank operates. However, Capital One offers savings accounts with much higher APYs, a greater variety of high-yield CDs, and several other top-rated products.

First National Bank vs. SoFi®

SoFi® could be a good fit for customers who don't need bank branches. This 100% online bank has an excellent high-yield savings and checking account combo, as well as some top-rated loan products. It also offers an easy-to-use investment platform, credit cards, and more.

FAQs

  • First National Bank has about 350 branches and 1,600 ATMs. Its branches are located in seven states (Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia) and Washington, D.C. The bank also has a few ATMs in Delaware.

  • Yes, many of First National Bank's accounts can be opened online. However, if you only want an online banking relationship, there are generally better products available from online-only banks.

  • Two of First National Bank's higher-end checking accounts offer ATM fee reimbursement. The eStyle Plus (checkless) account offers up to $12 of ATM fee reimbursement per statement, while the Premierstyle Checking account offers as much as $15 per statement.

  • First National Bank is an FDIC member, and has been since 1934. With this bank, your checking accounts, savings accounts, CDs, and money market accounts are protected by FDIC insurance. This insurance protects your account in case of bank failure, up to $250,000 per depositor, per account ownership category.