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Key takeaways
- Frost Bank and Texas Capital Bank are great regional banking options with solid customer service and products for Texans.
- If you prefer a credit union, Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union has 65 branches in the state.
- Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union serves over 1 million members with 60 branches and fee-free checking accounts.
- Consider Chase for its huge physical footprint, but beware potential fees and generally low yields.
As the saying goes, “Everything is bigger in Texas” — including your banking options. The Lone Star State hosts hundreds of banks and credit unions, from major national institutions to community-focused regional players. Whether you need extensive branch access, competitive rates or exceptional customer service, Texas has financial institutions to match your priorities.
Bankrate’s top picks for the best banks and credit unions in Texas for 2026 include regional and larger banks so you can find the right fit for your wallet.
Our picks for best banks and credit unions in Texas
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Frost Bank ranked first in the Lone Star State for the 16th year in J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction study. This survey weighs factors such as complaint resolution, account options, digital access and trust.
Despite being a regional bank, Frost Bank offers unusually flexible access to customer service. Customers can call 24/7, use live chat or visit in person. Headquartered in San Antonio, Frost has more than 200 branches and 1,700 ATMs, all located in Texas. (Note that Frost charges a $2 out-of-network ATM fee for Frost Personal Account holders, so it might not be the ideal choice if you travel frequently outside Texas.)
Customers also rate Frost Bank’s mobile app highly.
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While Frost Bank excels in service quality, its account yields are less-competitive — which is a big factor in its Bankrate rating. The bank offers a full suite of products: Certificates of deposit (CDs) along with checking, savings and money market accounts (MMAs). Most accounts, aside from CDs and the Frost Premium Account, can be opened online. Frost requires substantial deposits to earn top rates — $20 million for the highest money market yields and $15,000 for peak savings rates, which even then are modest compared to online alternatives.
Frost’s checking accounts offer some appealing features, such as early payday and overdraft forgiveness up to $100. However, all three options come with fees you’ll have to meet a minimum balance or meet other requirements to avoid.
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Pros
- Great customer service access
- Highly rated app
- Generous overdraft forgiveness
Cons
- No ATMs outside Texas
- Multiple fees for basic accounts
- High $35 overdraft fee
“Being a ninth-generation Texan, I’ve seen how quickly things can change in the Lone Star State, but Frost Bank remains a constant pillar of integrity in our community. My own journey with Frost started the day I opened my first checking account in high school. Years later, when it was time to fix up my first home, I didn’t think twice about turning to them for a HELOC because I knew I’d get a square deal from people who actually live in my community. I always feel like I’m in good hands with a team that truly understands the spirit of Texas.”
— Katie Lowery, Bankrate editor
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Dallas-based Texas Capital Bank stands out with a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars Bankrate Score, low fees and a Texas-specific high yield savings account with a competitive yield. The bank maintains 10 branches, including in large Texas cities such as Austin, San Antonio and Houston. Even if you don’t have a location nearby, you can access more than 55,000 fee-free ATMs nationwide through the Allpoint network.
Texas Capital offers other conveniences, too. Customers get free checks and a debit card, which has useful features, like spending limits and instant locking and unlocking. Customer service offers limited hours on Saturdays as well as weekdays.
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Texas Capital offers a menu of deposit products. The Star High-Yield Savings Account, only available to Texans, stands out with no service fees, no minimum deposit and a solid yield. The Star Plus Checking account is also worth a look: With no service fee, it earns a little interest and offers up to $20 per month in out-of-network ATM fee rebates. Most CD rates are solid, but terms only go up to two years.
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Pros
- Few fees
- Competitive rates across most account
- Free checks and debit card
Cons
- Potential service fee on the MMA
- Only 10 branches
- CD terms max out at two years
Editorial insight
Texas Capital Bank’s online-only division, Bask Bank, is also worth a look, with competitive yields across all account types.
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Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union earned the highest Bankrate score of all Texas-based credit unions we rate and offers a well-rounded selection of products. It’s also one of our best credit union picks. RBFCU serves over 1 million members with 65 branches throughout Texas, providing extensive coverage for a credit union. Members also have access to more than surcharge-free 30,000 ATMs nationwide through the CO-OP network.
Membership is open to those who live, work, study or attend church in select Texas areas, or members of institutions the credit union serves.
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If you’re interested in a CD (which RBFCU calls a share certificate), checking account or MMA, RBFCU has you covered. Notably, its Really Free Checking account — which has no monthly fee or minimum balance requirement — comes with free checks and a debit card, and earns a little interest on any balance.
Share certificate yields are solid to competitive. Terms range up to seven years — longer than the standard five — and larger deposits earn higher annual percentage yields (APYs). But you can find much higher rates on savings and MMA rates elsewhere.
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Pros
- Free, interest-bearing checking account
- Competitive rates on CDs up to 7 years
- Access to CO-OP ATM network
Cons
- Disappointing savings and MMA yields
- $24 overdraft fee for transactions above $5
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If you prefer to do your banking in person, there’s probably a Chase Bank location near you: They have about 480 locations in Texas alone, and more than 5,000 nationwide in every state except Hawaii and Alaska. Wells Fargo takes second place in the branch count at nearly 460, according to Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) data. Chase also has an above-average score in J.D. Power’s Retail Banking Satisfaction Survey.
If you’d rather bank from your phone, Chase has you covered with a highly rated mobile banking app.
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Most of Chase’s accounts are weighed down with monthly fees and below-average yields. The Total Checking account stands out with no minimum deposit and a policy that allows you to overdraft up to $50 with no fee, but the monthly fee is steep at $15 unless you can meet requirements to waive it.
Two of the CDs offer solid returns for customers with a linked Chase checking account but you can find higher APYs elsewhere.
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Pros
- Huge physical footprint
- More than 15,000 fee-free ATMs
- Robust help center with FAQs and contact information
Cons
- Monthly fees charged for most accounts (though they are waivable)
- Subpar yields
- Non-Chase ATM fee of $3-$5
How to choose the right Texas bank for you
When choosing a bank, consider:
- Look for banks with low or no fees, especially for common charges like monthly maintenance, ATM and overdraft fees.
- Look for competitive APYs on savings, MMAs and CD accounts.
- Consider the convenience of local branches and digital features, like mobile banking and the ability to lock your debit card.
- Search the bank’s website for fine print and links to fee schedules and other disclosures so you can understand potential promotional deals and federal insurance coverage.
- Read bank reviews and consider managing accounts at multiple banks or credit unions for a more tailored banking experience.
Methodology
Bankrate researches over 100 banks and credit unions, including some of the largest financial institutions, online-only banks, regional banks and credit unions with both open and restrictive membership policies.
We score these institutions based on their product offerings (savings, checking accounts, CDs and money market accounts), APYs, fees, minimum deposit requirements, funds access, digital features and more.To determine our picks for the best banks in Texas, the Bankrate editorial team factored in our proprietary scores and other sources of data, including customer satisfaction data from J.D. Power and information from the FDIC and NCUA. Our picks offer customers easy access to banking services throughout Texas and a range of checking and savings products. Learn more about how we choose the best banking products and our methodology for reviewing banks.
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