Citizens Bank One Deposit Checking has no minimum balance — the $9.99 monthly fee is waived with just one qualifying deposit per month of any amount. This is the most accessible fee waiver of any major US bank. A $1 auto-transfer from an external bank counts.
Citizens Bank Balance Requirements by Account
| Account | Monthly Fee | Minimum Balance | Waiver Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| One Deposit Checking | $9.99 | None | 1 qualifying deposit |
| Citizens Quest Checking | $25 | $25,000 combined | Balance-based |
| Student Checking | $0 | None | Age 25 and under |
| Citizens Savings | $4.99 | $200 avg monthly | Balance |
How the One Deposit Waiver Works
Citizens’ One Deposit waiver is genuinely simple:
| Activity | Waiver Met? |
|---|---|
| Payroll direct deposit (any amount) | ✅ Yes |
| Social Security or government benefit | ✅ Yes |
| ACH transfer from external bank ($1+) | ✅ Yes |
| Internal Citizens-to-Citizens transfer | ⚠️ Verify |
| Cash deposit at branch | ❌ No |
| Check deposit | ❌ No |
Practical tip: Set up a $1 auto-transfer from an external bank to your Citizens account once per month. This permanently satisfies the One Deposit requirement and makes the account effectively free.
Citizens vs Competitors: Fee Waiver Ease
| Bank | Fee | Easiest Waiver |
|---|---|---|
| Citizens | $9.99 | 1 deposit any amount |
| Huntington | $0 | No fee ever |
| Fifth Third | $11 | $500 DD or $1,000 balance |
| Regions | $8 | $500 DD or $1,500 balance |
| TD Bank | $15 | $100 daily balance |
| Chase | $12 | $500 DD or $1,500 balance |
Citizens’ fee waiver is the easiest to satisfy other than Huntington’s $0 fee account. Even TD Bank’s $100 minimum balance is a balance-based requirement, while Citizens only needs one deposit.
Related Guides
- Citizens Bank fees 2026 — full fee schedule
- Citizens Bank routing number 2026 — by state
- Citizens Bank vs TD Bank 2026 — Northeast bank comparison
- Citizens Bank customer service 2026 — 1-800-922-9999
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