Zeta is a financial technology company that focuses on providing a joint banking experience through its mobile app. (Deposits are handled by Piermont Bank, member FDIC.) Users can easily share bills and manage finances through Joint and Personal accounts. See all that Zeta has to offer in our complete Zeta review.
Zeta checking account review
Zeta has two account types, Joint and Personal. Users must begin by opening a Joint account. Personal accounts are only available for active Joint account users.
Zeta Joint Account
This is the foundation of a Zeta account, and it's a checking account that can easily be shared by couples (and potentially whole families, though Zeta is still working on those features). But it's not only couples who are eligible to share a Zeta Joint account. Co-parents, friends, roommates, and friends can also team up to share an account. Users will share a true joint account, in that all funds will be equally owned between the two account holders.
Joint accounts have no monthly fee and no minimum balance requirement. That said, if you have at least $1,000 a month in direct deposits or a minimum balance of $5,000, you'll reach VIP level and can earn interest on your deposits (the APY is decent, but not the best).
Ratings Methodology
Rates asof Sep 14, 2024
Zeta
Member FDIC.
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
APY
up to 2.43%Rate info2.43% APY applies to the entire balance for customers who qualify for VIP status by setting up $1,000 in direct deposits each month or maintaining a $5,000 minimum daily balance.
Min. To Earn APY
$0.01
- Well-rated mobile apps
- No monthly account fees
- Lots of in-app features for joint banking
- No separate savings products
- APYs aren't very competitive
- Premium features require monthly fee
Zeta's interface and extra features can be useful for couples who want to seamlessly blend their finances. A lower APY and lack of other product offers could be limiting for some folks.
Zeta is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Piermont Bank; Member FDIC.
Zeta Personal Account
As long as you are part of an active Joint account, you can also open a Personal Zeta account. This lets you manage those finances you want to keep separate while also easily interfacing with your Joint account.
Personal accounts have no monthly fee, and your account will have its own individual account number and debit card. You can use many of the same features as the Joint account, including everything in the Zeta mobile app, like help from the Zeta Concierge.
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| Account | APY | Promotion | Next Steps |
|---|---|---|---|
Open Account for Chase Total Checking® OnChase'sSecure Website. Member FDIC. Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars. 3.50/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | 0% Min. to earn: | N/A | Open Account for Chase Total Checking® OnChase'sSecure Website. |
Open Account for Discover® Cashback Debit OnDiscover Bank'sSecure Website. Member FDIC. Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars. 5.00/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | 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 OnDiscover Bank'sSecure Website. |
Open Account for Quontic High Interest Checking OnQuontic'sSecure Website. Member FDIC. Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars. 4.00/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | up to 1.10% Min. to earn: $1 | High APY when you complete 10 or more qualifying debit card purchases each month | Open Account for Quontic High Interest Checking OnQuontic'sSecure Website. |
Zeta (free) vs. Zeta+ (paid)
Zeta itself is a tech company, not a bank. (The banking side is handled by Piermont Bank.) So what you get from going through Zeta, rather than getting an account right from a bank, is the suite of extra banking tools and features and access to the Zeta app.
With that in mind, there are two different tiers of Zeta membership. The free Zeta membership includes up to three bank accounts and three household members. It offers all the basic features, including Zeta's envelope system, digital banking, and Zeta Pay.
If you want access to the premium features, you need Zeta+, which costs $6.99 a month. With Zeta+, you can have up to four accounts and four household members. You also unlock Automation+, a host of custom automations for bills and goals, and Cards+, which offers more virtual cards and additional card controls.
Other outstanding Zeta features
For a newcomer to the banking app space, Zeta has managed to integrate a nice menu of features, including:
- Both Joint and Personal accounts can send and receive wire transfers.
- When a Zeta user's account hits VIP status, it gains access to mobile check deposit and higher card limits.
- Zeta account holders can file their income taxes for free in the app, powered by April and its exclusive AI-powered tax software.
Zeta customer service and experience
The company hasn't been around for all that long, so there's limited feedback about its services. Browsing user anecdotes and comments, it looks as if most folks are pretty happy with their accounts. Zeta's mobile banking apps have decent reviews, rating 3.9 out of 5 stars in the Google Play store and 4.5 out of 5 stars in the App Store.
| iOS App Rating | 4.5/5 stars |
| Android App Rating | 3.9/5 stars |
| Cost | Free |
Regarding customer service, Zeta is a bit unique in that it assigns you a dedicated Zeta Concierge when you create an account. You can contact your Concierge through the app to get assistance on a variety of issues.
Zeta also offers email support. What's more, the team seems to be fairly active on social media; even the r/ZetaJointCards subreddit seems to be actively monitored by customer service folks.
Zeta relationship benefits
Unfortunately, Zeta is a young enough service that it isn't set up for relationship benefits like some giant banks. (On the plus side, younger, smaller companies tend to take feedback more readily, and you can be a part of growing the service.)
Alternatives to Zeta
Although some folks might find its features useful, Zeta isn't for everyone. There are other joint bank accounts out there that are simpler, with fewer features but cleaner interfaces, debit rewards, or even better interest rates.
Discover® Bank
If you want a bank that acts like a tech company, Discover could be a good fit. Discover is an online-only bank with a great customer service reputation, and a very highly rated mobile app. The Discover® Cashback Debit checking account has a joint option, no monthly fees, and even earns 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month.
SoFi®
SoFi is another online bank with the heart of a tech company, offering tons of digital banking features, including a solid mobile app. SoFi Checking and Savings (member FDIC) is a dual account option that pairs both checking and savings in one place, and you can set it up as a joint account without much hassle. You can even earn a competitive APY when setting up direct deposit.
Is Zeta right for you?
Zeta could be a good choice if you:
- Want a joint account with your partner, roommate, friend, co-parent, or other person you trust
- Are happy doing all of your banking online or via a mobile app
- Will receive $1,000 or more a month in direct deposits (to qualify for interest)
Our bank and credit union methodology
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.
FAQs
No. Zeta is a financial technology company, but it isn't a bank. Instead, your deposits are held by Piermont Bank, member FDIC.
The funds in joint accounts are equally owned by both people on the account.
Yes. Personal Zeta accounts are only available to active Joint account users.
