Emprise Bank Review for 2024

Emprise Bank offers cash back and high interest checking accounts. It’s a family-owned financial institution that has been in operation for more than a century. If you’re looking for a bank account with no monthly fees and an opportunity to earn interest on your funds, you came to the right place.

In our review, you’ll get all the information you need to know before applying for one of the two types of checking accounts this bank offers.

Emprise Bank Overview

Emprise Bank has been in operation since 1910 and offers various types of financial products for individuals and businesses alike. Based in Wichita, Kansas, Emprise Bank has 34 branches across the state.

It caters both to those who prefer conducting their business face-to-face and remotely, and the online banking service works excellent. You can open an account, check your balance, and review your transactions from any desktop or mobile device.

The reputability of the bank is guaranteed with $2 billion in assets. Like other proven banks that offer checking accounts, Emprise Bank is a FDIC-insured financial institution, so your money will be secured if your bank fails. Additionally, the bank uses comprehensive safety measures to protect clients against fraud and cyberattacks.

Emprise Bank offers a wide range of financial products and services. They are divided into two categories - one for personal use and another for businesses. Our review will focus on the bank's checking account options - both High Interest Checking and Cash Back Checking Account, but there are a lot of other financial products there, including personal loans, debit cards, mortgages, auto loans, and many others.

Emprise Bank is BBB-accredited, with an A+ rating. There were only two complaints in the last three years, and both were resolved, proving that the bank’s agents respond quickly and efficiently. As for client reviews on other sites, they are mostly positive. Multi-year clients praise Emprise Bank’s customer support, online banking, and mobile app for Android and iOS. They are less satisfied with the bank’s security measures, though.

At first glance, we think that the bank’s High Interest checking account is worth your attention. Emprise Bank's APY is 1.75% to 0.34% on balances over $10,000, which is a good offer. Aside from checking accounts with a high APY, the bank also offers a Cash Back Checking account. Let’s find more about these two financial tools.

Emprise Bank’s High Interest Checking Account

The first financial product we are going to discuss is a high-interest checking account offered by Emprise Bank. If you don’t know how checking accounts work, here’s a short explanation. Checking accounts are similar to savings accounts, but more liquid. With a checking account, you can make as many deposits and withdrawals as you want.

However, checking accounts usually do not offer high interest rates due to their liquidity, and they come with monthly fees. 

Not so at Emprise Bank: Not only do you not need to pay monthly fees, but you can also earn interest on your money. Clients at Emprise Bank whose High Interest checking account has balances up to $10,000 receive an APY of 1.75%. An even better rate is offered to those who have more than $10,000. The APY is between 1.75% to 0.34% on balances over $10,000, depending on your balance amount.

But, before you get an interest rate, you need to meet some requirements:

• Make at least 12 debit card purchases.
• Enroll in eStatements. 
• Make at least one direct deposit, automatic deposit, or withdrawal per month.

If you don’t meet the requirements, the interest you earn is 0.01%. The bank will also refund up to $25 of ATM fees if you meet the monthly qualifications.

Getting and maintaining an Emprise checking account is free, meaning that you don’t need to pay any monthly fees for account maintenance. Also, the bank doesn't require you to keep a minimum monthly balance to use the account’s benefits and avoid fees.

Emprise Bank Cash Back Checking Account

Emprise Bank also offers a FDIC-insured Cash Back account. It comes with 2% cash back on purchases made during one month. This financial product is the most suitable for those who often use their debit cards.

To get cash back, you need to:

• Make at least 12 debit card purchases per month.
• Sign up for eStatements.
• Have at least one direct deposit, automatic deposit or withdrawal per month. 

Overall, with the Emprise Bank Cash Back account, you can make $72 per year if you meet the Emprise Bank Cash Back account requirements. The maximum amount of money you can earn is $6 per month. On top of that, the bank will refund you up to $25 per month for ATM transactions that are less than $5.

Emprise Bank Savings Plus Account

Emprise Bank offers additional benefits for checking account holders. Whether you have a High Interest or Cash Back account, you can connect them with your Emprise Bank savings account. This way, the earnings and ATM refunds you get will be automatically transferred to your savings.

If you have any of the aforementioned checking accounts, the bank will allow you to open a savings account with a high APY. You can qualify for 0.75% APY for balances over $50,000, or 0.75% to 0.38% APY for balances under $50,000. This account comes with zero monthly maintenance fees and no mandatory minimum balance. The minimum deposit for opening a savings account is $25.

Emprise Bank Checking Account Fees

Checking accounts are a great money management tool, but they come with a cost. Most banks will charge you different fees and monthly costs if you want to own a checking account. Our review explains in detail what you need to pay if you have an account at this bank: Luckily, you don’t need to worry about steep charges.

Monthly Service Fee

One of the most significant advantages of Emprise Bank checking accounts is that they come without a monthly service fee. If you decide to open an account, you will get an excellent checking account without monthly costs. The bank doesn’t charge its clients monthly service fees.

ATM Fees

When it comes to ATM transaction fees, the bank will not charge you any fees for in-network withdrawals. You will have access to 55,000+ surcharge-free ATMs. If you use any non-Emprise ATMs, you will be charged $1.50.

In our review, we also mentioned that the bank would refund your domestic transaction fees if you meet the monthly requirements. The ATM reimbursement is up to $25 per month or $4.99 per transaction.

Overdraft Fees

If you don’t have enough money on your account to pay for a bill, the bank can cover that difference for you. In that case, however, you need to pay overdraft protection. Emprise Bank charges $32 per item, which is less than the industry standard.

Emprise Bank Additional Features

Like other reputable financial institutions, Emprise Bank provides its clients with a set of tools for easier account management. The bank collaborates with Elan Financial Services, meaning that your credit card will be monitored and protected by any unauthorized transaction. 

Emprise Bank app

Emprise Bank offers a modern mobile app for iOS and Android devices for clients already signed up for online banking. You can download it from Google Play or the App Store, depending on the operating system you use. To log in to your mobile bank account, you need to use your username and password.

With the mobile app, you will be able to track and monitor your account, transfer funds from one account to another, pay your bills, or locate and find the bank's closest ATMs.

Account Alerts

Another useful thing here are account alerts. This way, you can see what’s happening with your account instantly. You’ll receive notifications about your debit card charges, payment due dates, deposits, withdrawals, etc.

Emprise Bank allows you to set daily or real-time alerts. You can also choose how you want to be notified - with emails or messages. You need to log in to online banking from your computer or mobile phone to use this tool. Then, go to settings and alerts and choose the notifications that you want to receive.

Personal Finance tool

Track and control your finances at any time you want with this online feature. It’s convenient for improving financial health, setting and accomplishing financial goals, and developing better spending habits. It's a free-to-use tool, available for all Emprise Bank clients as soon as they log in to their online banking account.

How to Open an Account at Emprise Bank

If you want to open an account, go to the checking account page. From there, you can choose between High Interest and Cash Back checking accounts. Click on the account type you want to open and then on the “Open Account Now” button.

The application process is straight and easy, taking only five minutes to complete. You need to meet some requirements before applying for a checking account, credit card, or any other financial product offered by this provider. You need to:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a US citizen or have permanent residency
• Have a Social Security Number 
• Provide a valid address

Emprise Bank will ask you to fill in your personal information (e.g., name, email address, and phone number) to create an online account. You’ll also be asked to verify your email through the email code and answer questions to verify your identity.

The minimum amount you’ll need to deposit to open either a High Interest or Cash Back checking account is $100.

Emprise Bank does not open accounts for those living in New York, New Jersey, California, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, or Connecticut.

Emprise Bank Customer Service

Emprise Bank is well-known for providing its clients with an enviable level of support. The easiest way to reach the support team is to call or text the bank's phone number.

The agents are available Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Saturday, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

You can send an email, too - the bank reviews all correspondence in the shortest possible time. Another option to contact the support team is to use the ticketing system, or even send a written letter. It's a less efficient way, but you’ll still get your answer. Emprise Bank also has live chat support.

The site’s knowledge base is extensive and loaded with helpful articles, containing all the basic information about different products and services offered at Emprise. However, for more detailed information, you’ll need to contact the support team.

Emprise Bank Security

Emprise Bank offers financial products protected by an FDIC certificate. Whether you want to open a checking account or opt for a loan, you may rest assured that your funds will be protected in case anything happens with the bank. The FDIC covers deposit insurance for up to $250,000 per owner.

When it comes to online security measures, Emprise Bank doesn’t employ any advanced security features. The online transactions and clients’ data are secured with industry-standard 128-bit encryption. However, there are no additional tools for identity protection or dark web monitoring.

What We Like About Emprise Bank 

There are no fees for account maintenance, nor any minimum balance requirements, which is the first reason why we would recommend Emprise Bank. The second reason is the high APY on High Interest checking accounts for monthly balances up to $10,000. A Cash Back account is also a great financial tool for those who want to save some money.

If you connect any of the two types of checking accounts with your savings account, you can earn more interest on your deposits, too.

What We Don’t Like About Emprise Bank 

Although the Emprise Bank mobile app satisfies our banking needs, we were slightly disappointed with the bank’s website. It’s not only because of the site’s outdated interface, but because of its poor organization. Another downside is that you need to meet monthly requirements to get rewards and earn money.