Axos Bank vs. Citizens Access
High-Yield Savings Account Comparison
By Aviel Fahl|Last Updated: November 16, 2025
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Summary of Axos Bank vs. Citizens Access™
Key Metrics at a Glance
| Feature | Axos Bank | Citizens Access™ |
|---|---|---|
| Top Savings APY | 4.51% Axos ONE | 3.35% Citizens Access® Savings |
| Minimum to Open | $0 | $0.01 |
| Minimum Balance for Top APY | $0 | $0.01 |
| Note | This APY is only available with the Axos ONE savings and checking bundle. To qualify, you must either set up a direct deposit of $1,500 and maintain an average daily balance of more than $1,500 in your ONE Checking account, or receive at least $5,000 in total monthly qualifying deposits and maintain an average daily balance of more than $5,000. |
Axos Bank
Strengths
- Axos Bank offers a higher APY of 4.51% compared to Citizens Access's 3.35%.
- Axos Bank has no maintenance fees on all accounts.
- Axos Bank's App Store rating is 4.7, slightly lower than Citizens Access.
Potential Drawbacks
- Axos Bank requires maintaining a balance of $1,500 for the highest APY.
- Axos Bank's Google Play rating is 4.5, lower than Citizens Access's 4.8.
- Axos Bank has no physical branches.
Citizens Access™
Strengths
- Citizens Access has a higher App Store and Google Play rating of 4.8.
- Citizens Access has no direct deposit requirement for their savings account.
- Citizens Access offers a low minimum deposit of $0.01.
Potential Drawbacks
- Citizens Access's APY decreased from 3.50% to 3.35% in the last 30 days.
- Citizens Access's APY is significantly lower than Axos Bank's 4.51%.
- Citizens Access has no physical branches.
Summary: Axos Bank offers a significantly higher APY of 4.51% for its high-yield savings account, while Citizens Access provides a lower APY of 3.35% but has a higher App Store and Google Play rating of 4.8. Both banks have no maintenance fees and no direct deposit requirements, but Axos Bank's APY is contingent on maintaining a higher balance. Citizens Access's APY has recently decreased, making Axos Bank's offering more attractive.
→ As of November 16, 2025 Axos Bank offers an APY of 4.51% for its Axos ONE account, with a minimum balance of $0, compared to Citizens Access™'s 3.35% APY for its Citizens Access® Savings account, with a minimum balance of $0.01.
→ Axos Bank yields $116 more than Citizens Access™ on a $10,000 balance after one year. Axos Bank pays $451, while Citizens Access™ pays $335 - an APY advantage for Axos Bank.
→ In addition, Axos Bank also offers 4.00% APY for the Summit Savings account.
Calculate Savings Growth for Axos Bank vs Citizens Access™
All calculations are based on APY.
Axos Bank - Axos ONE
Top APY: 4.51%
Total savings breakdown:
- Interest earned: $2,766.7 (13.32%)
- Total contributions: $13,000 (62.60%)
- Initial deposit: $5,000 (24.08%)
Your total balance
$20,766.70
Effective APY: 4.51% (based on your deposit and contributions)
Total balance: $20,766.7
Earnings: $2,766.7
Citizens Access™ - Citizens Access® Savings
Top APY: 3.35%
Total savings breakdown:
- Interest earned: $2,018.8 (10.08%)
- Total contributions: $13,000 (64.94%)
- Initial deposit: $5,000 (24.98%)
Your total balance
$20,018.80
Effective APY: 3.35% (based on your deposit and contributions)
Total balance: $20,018.8
Earnings: $2,018.8
Bank OverviewWith a $5,000 initial deposit and $13,000 in total contributions over 5 years, Axos Bank's total earnings would be $747.9 higher than Citizens Access™'s total earnings.
The Banksparency Savings Calculator provides estimated savings growth based on user input and our latest data.
Compare Axos Bank's vs Citizens Access™'s Savings Accounts
| Axos Bank | Citizens Access™ | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Axos ONE | High Yield Savings | Summit Savings | vs | Citizens Access® Savings |
| APY | 4.51% (as of 11/16/2025) | 0.15% - 0.61% (as of 11/16/2025) | 4.00% (as of 11/16/2025) | 3.35% (as of 11/16/2025) | |
| Bundled Account | Yes | No | No | No | |
| FDIC-insured | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Online Only | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Compound Frequency | Daily | Daily | Daily | Daily | |
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0.01 | |
| Minimum Balance for APY | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0.01 | |
| Maintenance Fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Direct Deposit Required | No. Not required, but is the easiest way to earn the highest APY. | No | No | No | |
| Note | This APY is only available with the Axos ONE savings and checking bundle. To qualify, you must either set up a direct deposit of $1,500 and maintain an average daily balance of more than $1,500 in your ONE Checking account, or receive at least $5,000 in total monthly qualifying deposits and maintain an average daily balance of more than $5,000. | This is a tiered savings account where rates vary based on the balance. The top APY may be earned on a balance up to $9,999.99, while balances above that receive an increasingly lower APY. | |||
| Sponsored Link | LEARN MORE at Axos Bank, Member FDIC | ||||
| App Store Rating | 4.7/5 | 4.8/5 | |||
| Google Play Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.8/5 | |||
| BBB Rating | A+ | A+ | |||
Comparative Historical APY Insights (Last 10 Months)
| Axos Bank | Citizens Access™ | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product | High Yield Savings | Summit Savings | Axos ONE | vs | Citizens Access® Savings |
| Latest APY | 0.61 % | 4.00 % | 4.51 % | 3.35 % | |
| Trend | Sideways | Sideways | Sideways | Sideways | |
| Slope (bps/mo) | 0.0 | 0.0 | -4.4 | -3.6 | |
| Rate Changes / Mo | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.31 | 0.21 | |
| Days Since Last Change | 291 | 139 | 44 | 17 | |
| High (-10 m) | 0.61 % | 4.00 % | 4.86 % | 3.70 % | |
| Low (-10 m) | 0.61 % | 4.00 % | 4.46 % | 3.35 % | |
| Draw-down from High | 0.0 % | 0.0 % | -7.2 % | -9.5 % | |
| Volatility (CV) | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.030 | 0.034 | |
APY Insights Glossary
- Latest APY
- Most recent advertised annual-percentage yield.
- Trend
- Direction over the last 10 months (regression slope).
- Slope (bps/mo)
- Average monthly change; 10 bps = 0.10 pp.
- Rate Changes / Mo
- Typical number of APY moves per month.
- Days Since Last Change
- Recency of the latest APY adjustment.
- High (-10 m)
- Highest APY in the last 292 days.
- Low (-10 m)
- Lowest APY in the last 292 days.
- Draw-down from High
- How far today sits below the 10-month peak.
- Volatility (CV)
- Coefficient of variation = stdev ÷ mean.
Why Track Savings-Account APYs?
- See how quickly a bank reacts to Fed moves or competition.
- Gauge “twitchiness” - frequent moves can annoy savers.
- Spot if you're buying near a peak (draw-down) or riding a rise.
- Slope (bps/mo) shows speed of change.
- Volatility (CV) scales jumps by average level.