Gen Z and millennials tend to prefer customer service through chat boxes or online features.
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Millennials and Gen Z are comfortable with online customer service platforms.
Some banks and credit unions have chat boxes on their website or app to answer questions.
You may already need to be a customer to use a bank’s live chat feature.
Sometimes calling customer service can take time and energy you don’t have. If you’ve ever found yourself in this situation, you’re not alone.
This perspective is shared by many younger customers who aren’t always the biggest fans of telephone customer support. According to a 2022 Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report, millennials and Gen Z are more comfortable with different mediums of online support, including in-app messaging and chat boxes, while older generations prefer to stick to traditional methods, like talking to someone over the phone.
If you’re curious about which banks offer online customer support, this list may interest you.
27 financial institutions with live chat customer service
1. Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union Superior Money Market Account
Standout feature: Affinity Plus Credit Union has a solid money market account featured in our top money market accounts guide.
How live chat works: Affinity Plus lets you speak with a live agent if you ask the Affinity Plus chatbox. The chatbox will appear on the bottom right corner of the screen when you’re browsing through specific pages on the website.
2. Ally High Yield Savings Account
Standout feature: Ally pays competitive interest rates on all of its accounts.
How live chat works: You must have an Ally bank account to use live chat. Log into online banking to talk to the customer support team.
3. Amalgamated Bank Give-Back Checking Account
Standout feature: Amalgamated Bank is a socially responsible bank. It has branches in Washington, DC, and the New York City area (its San Francisco branch is currently closed). You can also open online-only checking and savings accounts.
How live chat works: Click on the chat feature on the bank’s Customer Service page. A chat box page will appear and you’ll enter your name, then you’ll wait until the next customer representative is available.
4. Atmos Financial Climate-Positive Savings Account
Standout feature: Atmos Financial is an eco-friendly online banking platform with a high-yield savings account and cash-back checking account.
How live chat works: You can schedule a web conference meeting with a customer specialist by scrolling to the bottom of the platform’s website and clicking on “Book 15 Min Mtg” under the Support tab.
5. Axos Bank
Standout feature: Axos Bank (Member FDIC) has great high-yield savings, checking, and money market accounts.
How live chat works: Axos Bank lets you speak with an Axos Team Member if you ask the EVO Virtual Financial Assistant. EVO is usually located at the bottom of the bank’s website.
6. Bank of America
Standout feature: Bank of America (Member FDIC) has a variety of checking and savings account options to choose from. It also has a large branch and ATM network.
How live chat works: The live chat feature pops up when you’re browsing through certain pages on the bank’s website. You’ll find it in the lower right-hand corner of the screen.
7. Barclays Online Savings Account
Standout feature: Barclays has a solid high-yield savings account with a competitive interest rate.
How live chat works: If you are a customer of Barclays, live chat is available in the Barclays mobile app. Speak with a consumer representative by logging into your account, and going to the Contact Us section.
8. Blue Federal Credit Union
Standout feature: The Blue Extreme Checking Account pays a high interest rate. Blue FCU also reimburses you up to $28 each month in out-of-network ATM fees.
How live chat works: Blue Federal Credit Union lets you speak with a customer representative if you’re browsing through the website. You might find the chatbox at the bottom right corner of the bank’s homepage or the Contact page.
9. Capital One 360
Standout feature: Capital One 360 pays competitive interest rates on savings, checking, and certificates.
How live chat works: Live chat is available if you bank with Capital One 360. Log into online banking to contact a representative.
10. Charles Schwab
Standout feature: The Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking® Account (Member FDIC) requires no minimum opening deposit or monthly fees. Charles Schwab also doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees and offers unlimited refunds for out-of-network ATM fees.
How live chat works: Click on the chat feature on the bank’s Customer Service page. You’ll have to log into online banking if you have an account. If you don’t have an account, you’ll have to share your email and full name to verify your identity.
11. CIT Bank Money Market Account
Standout feature: The CIT Bank Money Market Account has a competitive interest rate that’s higher than the average savings account.
How live chat works: Live chat is only available if you’re part of CIT Bank. You’ll have to log in to send a message.
12. Citibank
Standout feature: The Citi® Accelerate Savings (Member FDIC) account pays a high interest rate if you deposit at least $1.
How live chat works: To use the online chat feature, you’ll need to sign into online banking or mobile banking.
13. Clean Energy Credit Union Savings Account
Standout feature: Clean Energy is an eco-friendly credit union with online accounts.
How live chat works: To use the online chat feature, you’ll need to sign into online banking or mobile banking.
14. Consumers Credit Union
Standout feature: Consumers Credit Union has a strong rewards checking account. You’ll earn a high interest rate if you meet the requirements.
How live chat works: Only members have access to 24/7 live chat. Sign in to online banking.
15. Connexus Credit Union
Standout feature: Connexus Credit Union (Federally insured by the NCUA) is featured in our best high-yield checking accounts guide. The Connexus Xtraordinary Checking Account has no minimum opening deposit, monthly service fees, or out-of-network ATM fees.
How live chat works: Only members have access to 24/7 live chat. Sign in to online banking.
16. Discover Bank
Standout feature: Discover Bank (Member FDIC) has an online savings account that pays a high interest rate, and you don’t have to deal with monthly fees.
How live chat works: You must bank with Discover Bank to initiate live chat. Log into online banking.
17. GECU Savings Account
Standout feature: GECU is a Hispanic American-led financial institution with free checking and savings accounts. If you’re an immigrant or not a US citizen, GECU lets you use a permanent resident card, foreign passport, or Matricula Consular as a photo ID, and ITIN number instead of a social security number.
How live chat works: GECU lets you speak with a customer representative if you’re a customer. On the right side of the page, there’s a chat button.
18. KeyBank Smart Checking Account
Standout feature: KeyBank has over 900 branches in 16 states. It has a straightforward checking account with low minimum deposit, zero monthly services, and multiple ways to waive overdraft fees.
How live chat works: You must bank with Discover Bank to initiate live chat. Log into online banking or visit the contact us page and click on the Live Chat sign-in.
19. Marcus by Goldman Sachs High Yield Online Savings Account
Standout feature: Marcus Bank pays a high interest rate on its savings account. It also doesn’t require a minimum opening deposit.
How live chat works: Only customers have access to the bank’s live chat tool. Sign into online banking to reach out to a representative
20. Navy Federal Credit Union
Standout feature: Navy Federal Credit Union (Federally insured by the NCUA) has solid account options if you’re affiliated with the military.
How live chat works: Navy Federal Credit Union lets you speak with a customer representative if you’re browsing through the website. Look for the chat feature at the bottom right-hand corner of the page.
21. Juno Basic Checking Account
Standout feature: Juno (Deposits are FDIC insured) has a high-yield checking account that lets you earn 5% cash back on cash purchases and 10% cash back on crypto purchases on up to $500 in total.
How live chat works: Visit Juno’s support page. One of the options will be to talk to a support team member.
22. LendingClub High-Yield Savings Account
Standout feature: LendingClub (Member FDIC) has a solid cash-back checking account and competitive high-yield savings account.
How live chat works: LendingClub lets you speak with a customer representative if you’re browsing through the website. Look for the chat feature at the bottom right-hand corner of the page.
23. Quontic Money Market Account
Standout feature: Quontic Bank (Member FDIC) has high-interest, cash-back, and Bitcoin rewards checking accounts.
How live chat works: Visit Quontic Bank’s Contact page. One of the options will be to use live chat.
24. Security Service Federal Credit Union
Standout feature: Security Service Credit Union has solid account options if you’re affiliated with the military and live, work, or study in Colorado, Texas, or Utah. The Security Service Power Checking Account has zero monthly fees.
How live chat works: Security Service lets you speak with a live agent if you ask the AVA virtual assistant. AVA is usually located at the bottom of the bank’s website.
25. SoFi Checking and Savings
Standout feature: SoFi pays a high interest rate on its hybrid bank account. You also won’t have to worry about monthly service fees or overdraft fees.
How live chat works: Only customers have access to the bank’s live chat tool. Sign into online banking to reach out to a representative
26. Synchrony Money Market Account
Standout feature: Synchrony Bank pays high interest rates on savings and money market accounts.
How live chat works: Anyone using Synchrony’s website may use the live chat feature. Head to the contact page and see if a live agent is available.
27. VyStar Credit Union
Standout feature: Vystar Credit Union (Federally insured by the NCUA) has free savings and checking accounts and is featured in our best banks and credit unions of Florida guide.
How live chat works: Initiate live chat by clicking on the VyChat button, which can be found on the right side of the screen on most of the bank’s pages.
Frequently asked questions
How does live chat bank customer service work?
Live chat varies between financial institutions. Some places, like Ally and Capital One 360, require you to log into online or mobile banking to use the live chat feature.
Other institutions have a live chat feature on the bank website. There will usually be a chat box at the bottom of the screen or a link on the contact page. You won’t need to be a customer to talk to a representative. You can ask questions if you’re exploring banking services.
Live chat isn’t necessarily the same as an automated virtual assistant. With live chat, you’ll be speaking to an actual person. Automated virtual assistants, otherwise known as virtual chats, are essentially AI bots that answer frequently asked questions.
Some virtual assistants let you speak with a representative if you ask them. However, this won’t work with all virtual assistants.
Which banks offer the best customer experience?
When you’re considering where to bank, think about what you prioritize most.
Most of the financial institutions on this list have various ways of providing customer service. Representatives might be available over the phone, through email, or via online chat. You may like banking with one of the financial institutions on this list if you’re looking for multiple ways to reach representatives or haven’t been satisfied with customer service in the past.
If you find yourself struggling to contact a bank during normal hours, you may also want to consider switching to a place that offers 24/7 customer support. You’ll be able to get help at any time of day, and often with a quicker turnaround since there are more online representatives.