Synchrony Bank

If you want the best online banks people actually use, the safest shortlist is SoFi, Ally, Capital One 360, Chime, and American Express Bank. These names show up repeatedly across major 2026 rankings, and each has a clear use case rather than just a generic “best” label.

Here’s the most useful way to think about them:

A few other widely used options also come up often:

• Varo Bank for mobile-first banking and higher APY features.
• Synchrony Bank for savings, CDs, and money market accounts.
• Discover Bank for cashback checking and solid all-around online banking.
• Marcus by Goldman Sachs for high-yield savings.
• Alliant Credit Union if you’re open to a credit union instead of a bank.

If you want a practical recommendation rather than a rank list:

• Choose SoFi if you want one main online bank account setup.
• Choose Ally if you care most about a clean app, no-fee banking, and separate savings/checking.
• Choose Capital One 360 if you want strong ATM access and an easy everyday bank.
• Choose Chime if you want the most popular mobile-first experience.
• Choose American Express Bank if your priority is savings, not checking.

If you want, I can also give you a “best online bank by need” shortlist, like best for high yield, best for joint accounts, best for cash deposits, or best for avoiding fees.