United Community Bank Overview

United Community Bank is a midsize regional bank with $24 billion in assets and 189 locations in the Southeast. The bank offers savings, checking and CD products; home, vehicle and personal loans; credit cards; and investment services. It also offers business banking, including deposit accounts, lending and treasury management.

                By                    Karen Doyle

  • Overview

  • Features

  • Comparable Options

  • Checking Accounts

  • 4.8

  • Savings Accounts

  • 4.3

  • Products and Services Offered

  • 5.0

  • Banking Experience

  • 4.9

Pros

  • Full suite of banking products
  • Personal Financial Management service for planning and goal setting
  • Award-winning customer service

Cons

  • $100 minimum deposit and balance requirement for basic savings account
  • No nationwide free ATM access

United Community Bank has been recognized for providing outstanding service by several organizations. It was ranked highest in customer satisfaction for consumer banking in the Southeast by J.D. Power in 2022. It was also recognized by Forbes as one of the top 10 World’s Best Banks in 2022 and included on Forbes’ list of the 100 Best Banks in America the same year.

Key Features

Here are some of the key features that make United Community Bank stand out among the competition.

Checking Accounts

United Checking is a basic checking account with low (or no) fees and minimums. You can open one with as little as $50. There’s a monthly service fee of $8, but you can waive it simply by opting for e-statements or by setting up direct deposit. You also get free ATM transactions at over 150 United Community Bank ATMs and at over 1,000 Publix Presto ATMs. Plus, you get $10 off your first order of checks and $5 off subsequent orders.

If you have a little more cash to stash and are looking for more features, the United Signature Checking account earns interest, but you’ll need at least $1,000 to open it. This is a good choice if you have other deposit accounts at United Community Bank since you’ll need minimum balances across all accounts to waive the $25 per month maintenance fee. The account offers free checks, no fees for overdraft protection transfers, and more.

Savings Accounts

The basic savings account at United Community Bank, United Savings, requires a $100 minimum deposit to open it, and a $100 daily balance to avoid the $5 quarterly service charge. You get six free withdrawals each quarter — each one after that will cost you $2. The interest rate on the United Savings account is APY for balances up to $2,499 and APY for balances of $2,500 or more.

No single savings account is right for everyone, so United Community Bank has other options as well. United Money Market offers higher interest but has a higher minimum balance. United Student Savings is for savers age 22 or younger, and United Treasure Chest Savings is for children 12 or younger. United Community Bank also offers health savings accounts and certificates of deposit.

Products and Services Offered

United Community Bank offers a full suite of banking products, so you can do all your banking in one place. In addition to checking and savings accounts, you can borrow money to buy a home or a car, or get a personal loan or a credit card. You can invest for retirement or another goal, and protect your family with investment and insurance products and services offered through LPL Financial.

United Community Bank also offers business banking products, so if you own a business, you can do your banking with United as well.

Banking Experience

United Community Bank is clearly popular with its customers, as the bank was ranked No. 1 in customer satisfaction for consumer banking in the Southeast by the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study.

United Community Bank has robust online banking services and a comprehensive mobile app. You can see your statements, pay bills, make transfers, deposit checks and get banking notifications wherever you are. The United Community Bank mobile app has a rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars on the App Store and 4.1 out of 5 stars on Google Play.

Personal Financial Management is available through United Community Bank’s online banking platform. This service can help you set your financial goals, create and manage a budget, and track your progress toward financial independence. You can track your spending, cash flow, debts and net worth, making adjustments as needed. You can link your outside accounts to your Personal Financial Management profile to see your big picture all in one place.

Comparable Regional Bank Options

Comparison shopping is important when you’re looking for a bank. Here are some other options for regional banks in the Southeast.

SouthState Bank

SouthState Bank has 240 locations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. It offers a complete suite of banking, loan and investment options. SouthState Bank has lower minimums for basic checking and savings but lacks the big-picture view that UCB’s Personal Financial Management service provides.

Regions Bank

If you’re considering a larger bank, Regions Bank has about 1,300 locations in 16 states, including locations throughout the South, Midwest and Texas. Regions offers full-service banking for consumers and commercial customers, including deposit accounts, mortgages and other loans, and wealth management.

Final Take

If you’re looking for a regional bank where you can get personalized service, and you have at least a little money to keep in your accounts, United Community Bank may be the choice for you. And with its Personal Financial Management offering,  you may find your assets growing as you work toward your goals.

 

Rates are subject to change; unless otherwise noted, rates are updated periodically. All other information on accounts is accurate as of Dec. 10, 2022.

  • No, United Community Bank does not offer money transfers by Zelle.

Editorial Note: This content is not provided by any entity covered in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, ratings or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any entity named in this article.

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