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 more benefits, such as premium rates for eligible savings and money market accounts.
It offers four small business checking accounts, plus an analyzed commercial account and specialized 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. You are required to visit a branch to open an account.
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
Cons
- Operates exclusively in California
- Branch visit required for account opening
- $20 monthly fee for interest-earning account
Features
- Free business debit card
- Business online and mobile banking
- Integration with Quicken and QuickBooks
- Cash bonus for new business checking accounts
- Variety of lending products, including Small Business Administration (SBA) loans and business access online loans
How California Bank & Trust Stacks Up With Its Competitors
When California Bank & Trust Is a Good Fit
- 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, and its nonprofit account, Community Checking.
- You want to earn premium interest rates on your eligible savings and money market accounts: Business Interest Checking, Business Connect Checking, and Community Checking account holders can link their accounts to business savings and business money market accounts and access premium interest rates.
- You send domestic wires often: Business Connect Checking and Community Checking provide two free outgoing wires monthly if you initiate the transfers using the Business Online Banking platform.
When To Choose California Bank & Trust Alternatives
- Your business operates outside California: Most CB&T branches are located in the Bay Area, Central Valley, Sacramento, Greater Los Angeles, Greater San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange County, and San Diego. We recommend Chase since it has branches in all 48 mainland states. Read our Chase Business Checking review to find which of its three featured accounts suits your needs.
- You are a nonprofit seeking a free business checking account: CB&T offers a Community Checking account for nonprofits with a waivable monthly fee. However, if you prefer not to have a monthly fee at all, you can opt for First Citizens Bank. For more information, check out our First Citizens Bank Business Checking review.
- You want unlimited fee-free transactions: CB&T business checking accounts have fixed transaction allowances. If you want free unlimited transactions, consider Bluevine, a financial technology company backed by Coastal Community Bank. It also offers 2.0% APY for accounts with qualifying balances of $250,000 and less. Our Bluevine Business Checking review details its beneficial features.
Our guide to the best small business checking accounts features additional recommendations.
California Bank & Trust Business Checking Overview
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.
For a checklist of documents banks typically require, see our guide on how to open a business bank account.
California Bank & Trust Business Checking Features
Interest-earning Business Account
You can open a Business Interest Checking account and earn interest that’s compounded daily and credited to the account monthly. CB&T uses a daily balance method to calculate the interest on your checking account.
Check Discounts for New Business Checking Accounts
New business checking account holders can save up to $150 on their first order of Deluxe business checks. To qualify for the discount, you must order your checks through a CB&T branch, the CB&T website, or the customer contact center.
You get one discount per business customer with a unique tax ID number.
The following types of account holders are ineligible for this discount:
- Existing CB&T checking account holders
- Attorney Client Checking holders
- Public agencies, political action committees, fiduciary, and campaign accounts
Business Online & Mobile Banking
Owners of small and midsize businesses (SMBs) can take advantage of free Business Online Banking, which lets you do the following:
- View accounts and current-day transactions
- Transfer funds
- Pay bills
- Set up user access controls
- Export account activity to QuickBooks and Quicken
CB&T is also available as a mobile app, downloadable on both iOS and Android devices. The app provides the above features while letting you deposit checks remotely. Daily and monthly deposit limits apply, subject to the banking relationship period.
Banking Relationship Age | Daily Mobile Deposit Limit | 30-day Deposit Limit |
|---|---|---|
1 to 179 days | $7,500 | $15,000 |
180 days and above | $30,000 | $120,000 |
The app received good ratings on both the App Store[1] (4.8 out of 5, based on 5,000-plus reviews) and Play Store[2] (4.4 out of 5, based on more than 800 reviews). Most users praised it for being easy to use and having a straightforward layout. However, many recent reviewers complained of a bug that caused their app to crash upon opening.
Other California Bank & Trust Business Banking Products
- Community Checking: This nonprofit checking account offers 350 free transactions for a monthly fee of $10. You can waive the fee by paying more than $150 in other qualified banking services, or by maintaining a minimum daily balance of $1,000 or a combined deposit balance of at least $10,000.
- Attorney Client Checking: CB&T is an approved depository of Interest on Lawyer’s Trust Accounts (IOLTAs) and offers specialized accounts for attorneys. The account provides unlimited monthly transactions and cash deposits for a $200 minimum opening deposit and no monthly fee.
- Commercial Analyzed Checking: This account was created for businesses with high activity and complex treasury management needs. It has a minimum opening deposit requirement of $50 and a monthly fee of $21. You can offset service fees by maintaining large account balances and receiving earnings credit.
There are four types of CB&T business savings accounts:
- Business Savings: For a minimum opening deposit of $100, you can open a savings account that earns 0.15% annual percentage yield (APY). You can waive the $5 monthly fee by maintaining a $500 minimum daily balance.
- Business Money Market: With a $1,000 minimum opening deposit, you can earn tiered interest from a business money market account. Maintain a $2,500 daily balance to waive the $10 monthly fee. APY rates range from 0.05% to 2.00%.
- Business Money Market Sweep: No minimum deposit is required when you open a business money market sweep account. The monthly fee is $25 and the rate is variable, compounded daily, and paid monthly. You need a primary business checking account to open this account.
- Business CDs: For a $1,000 minimum opening deposit, you can open a business CD where you earn a fixed interest rate, compounded daily. The terms are flexible from 28 days to 5 years. This account has no monthly fee and offers APY rates from 0.05% to 4.60%.
You get access to preferred APY rates if you link your savings account to Business Connect Checking or Business Interest Checking.
CB&T offers three types of business credit cards. All cards are powered by Visa and charge no annual fees:
- AmaZing Rate Credit Card offers low APR.
- AmaZing Cash Credit Card provides cash back on common business purchases, select travel purchases, and more.
- AmaZing Rewards Credit Card earns redeemable rewards points.
- Lending: CB&T offers lines of credit, term loans, equipment financing and leasing, SBA loans, acquisition financing, asset-based financing, and factoring.
- Real estate financing: For real estate deals, CB&T provides owner-occupied real estate financing, multifamily and commercial financing, and residential development.
- Specialty financing: Specialized financing is available through employee stock ownership plans, loan syndications, public finance, power and project finance, municipal underwriting, and entertainment and media finance.
- International banking and foreign exchange: For global businesses, CB&T has foreign exchange solutions, foreign currency services, and international trade solutions.
California Bank & Trust Business Checking Reviews from Users
Although the bank has an overall rating of 3 stars on WalletHub[3] (based on more than 30 reviews), very few California Bank & Trust business checking reviews have been published on review websites within the last few years. Most instead discussed customer service. A few customers stated that their accounts were closed unexpectedly. One complained about being charged fees unfairly whenever checks bounced due to bank errors.
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.
