California Bank & Trust (CB&T) is a good option for California-based organizations needing business bank accounts. It’s suitable for small businesses with low and moderate transaction volumes and those looking to customize their bank accounts to earn premium rates for eligible savings and money market accounts.
It offers four small business checking accounts and specialized checking accounts for nonprofits and attorneys. They come with waivable fees, high free cash deposits, a free debit card, and business online and mobile banking access.
CB&T is a California-based regional bank operating primarily in the Bay Area, Central Valley, Sacramento, Greater Los Angeles, Greater San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange County, and San Diego. It is a subsidiary of Zions Bancorporation, N.A. and deposit accounts are FDIC-insured.
With a decade of banking experience, my solid financial background helps me provide the best answers to our audience in line with the Fit Small Business editorial policy. I strive for accuracy, clarity, and objectivity in writing reviews and guides to ensure that small business owners can access impartial and critical information that supports their business decisions.
I also completed a Business degree and have substantial experience in facilitating account opening, performing KYC, and cross-selling different banking and investment products and services to both retail and preferred clients.
The California Bank & Trust business checking review was conducted through careful research by looking at the following criteria:
- Product features
- Monthly fee
- Opening balance
- Required balances
- Account opening requirements
- ATM fees
- Cash deposit fees
- Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
- Monthly transaction limits
- Cash deposit allowances
- Branch accessibility
- Other business banking product
Pros
- Waivable monthly fees
- Up to $15,000 free cash deposits for higher-tier account
- New account holders save up to $150 on Deluxe check orders
- Premium rates for savings and money market accounts linked to some business checking products
Cons
- Operates exclusively in California
- 50 free transactions for starter account
- Low APY for interest-earning account
Special Offer | None |
Opening Deposit Requirement | $50 |
Monthly Maintenance Fee |
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APY | |
ATM Fees | |
Other Standout Features |
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- You make large amounts of cash deposits each month: CB&T provides up to $15,000 free monthly cash deposits for its midtier business checking accounts, Business Growth Checking, Business Interest Checking, and Business Connect Checking.
- You want to earn premium interest rates on your eligible savings and money market accounts: Business Interest Checking and Business Connect Checking account holders can link their accounts to business savings and business money market accounts to access premium interest rates.
- You want to waive the monthly service fees of your business savings and money market accounts: Linking these accounts with a Business Connect Checking or Business Interest Checking product allows you to save on service fees each month.
California Bank & Trust Alternatives & Comparison
Account Name | Monthly Service Fee | APY | Free Monthly Transactions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Inspire Checking | $10; waivable | None | 50, then 45 cents per item |
 | Silver Business Checking | None | None | 125, then 50 cents per excess item |
| Standard | None | Unlimited | |
Visit Bluevine
Provider is a fintech platform backed by and FDIC-insured through a supporting bank partnership with Coastal Community Bank.
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 | Business Checking | None | None | Unlimited |
Visit Novo
Provider is a fintech platform backed by and FDIC-insured through a supporting bank partnership with Middlesex Federal Savings.
| ||||
Best For | Learn More | |
|---|---|---|
| You want a free business checking account from a traditional provider: Although California Bank and Trust has accounts with waivable monthly fees, you need to meet a fixed account balance monthly. U.S. Bank offers Silver Business Checking with no monthly fees and waiver conditions. | Read our U.S. Bank business checking review |
| You want both fee-free transactions and interest earnings: CB&T’s business checking accounts have fixed transaction limits and low interest (Business Interest Checking). Consider Bluevine Standard, which offers free unlimited transactions and a 2.0% APY on qualifying balances up to $250,000. | Read our Bluevine business checking review |
| You want an account without an initial deposit and provides ATM fee refunds: CB&T requires an opening deposit of $50 and charges $2.50 when withdrawing at nonnetwork ATMs. Novo has no opening deposit and refunds ATM fees up to $7 monthly. | Read our Novo business checking review |
California Bank & Trust Business Checking Terms & Features
California Bank & Trust Business Checking Requirements
You can visit a branch to open a business checking account. CB&T will ask you to provide information about your business and the identity of all direct owners and certain beneficial owners of the account.
Additional California Bank & Trust business checking requirements include documentation to establish good standing, ownership, and entity authorization for individuals who will be authorized signers, principals, and beneficial owners. All accounts will also require a federal taxpayer identification number.
California Bank & Trust Business Checking Features
Other California Bank & Trust Business Products
- Community Checking
- Attorney Client Checking
- Commercial Analyzed Checking
- Business Savings
- Business Money Market
- Business Money Market Sweep
- Business CDs
- Credit cards
- Lines of credit
- Term loans
- Equipment financing and leasing
- SBA loans
- Acquisition financing
- Asset-based financing
- Real estate financing
- Specialty financing
California Bank & Trust Business Checking Reviews From Users
| Users Like | Users Dislike |
|---|---|
| Low monthly fees | Account frozen without notice |
| Fee transparency | No branch is open on weekends |
| Professional customer service | |
Few California Bank & Trust business checking reviews are available on third-party sites. On WalletHub[1], CB&T has a rating of 2.8 from over 30 reviews. Meanwhile, on Yelp[2], it received a rating of 2.9 from about 240 reviews. Some customers appreciated the low monthly fees of checking accounts, while others praised the bank’s transparent fees.
Many users also shared positive reviews of their interactions with branch personnel. They stated that the bank staff was professional and knowledgeable. However, there were complaints about frozen accounts without notification due to fraud detection, which led to business issues. The lack of branch operations on the weekend also made it difficult for them to access customer support.
The California Bank and Trust’s mobile app has great ratings, receiving 4.8 from around 7,300 reviews on the App Store[3] and 4.7 from about 1,000 reviews on Google Play[4]. Customers like the convenience of transferring funds, paying bills, and depositing checks on the app, and many find it simple to use. However, a few reviewers complained about loading issues.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
California Bank and Trust is a subsidiary of Zions Bancorporation, N.A., and is a full-service bank with over 80 branches across California, specifically in the Bay Area, Central Valley, Sacramento, Greater Los Angeles, Greater San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange County, and San Diego.
The difference between the two is the market they serve. Business checking is designed for individuals and small businesses, while commercial checking suits large businesses and corporations.
Given that your business checking account is where you’ll be taking out your operation expenses, you should ideally have one to two months’ worth of expense funds to cover your expected costs. You should also aim to open a fee-free checking account for more savings. See our guide to the top free business checking accounts.
Bottom Line
With high free cash deposits, California Bank & Trust’s higher-tier business accounts are ideal for cash-reliant organizations. You also get more value with Business Interest Checking and Business Connect Checking since linking these accounts to business savings products gives you access to preferred interest rates.