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2.3

Overall Score

Author: Kaitlyn Short

LAST UPDATED: March 28th, 2025

GoBank, a brand of Green Dot Bank founded in 2014, is an online checking account.

To open an account, purchase a starter kit for $2.95 at a Walmart store, deposit $20 (the minimum opening deposit), and then follow the instructions in the kit to complete set up. Two other options are to go to GoBank.com or download the mobile app to start your account. The account can be opened on a smartphone or computer, and the starter Mastercard debit card is immediately activated and usable until the permanent card arrives.

It is important to note that GoBank assets are protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which means your money is just as safe as it would be in a normal bank.

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Attention: GoBank and GO2bank are separate Green Dot Bank products

In January 2021, Green Dot Bank introduced its new online banking program for consumers with limited access to financial products, GO2bank. Although both GoBank and GO2Bank are similar in name and function, they are not the same product and are meant to serve different consumer audiences.

 

Learn more about GO2bank's products and services

Continue reading for pros and cons of this online bank, as well as GoBank reviews from real customers.

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The Good

Award-Winning Mobile App

To take full advantage of what GoBank has to offer, customers are encouraged to download its mobile app.

Through the app, customers can check their balance, view their transaction history, find free ATMs, deposit checks, send money to other GoBank cards, and receive account alerts.

The app also includes the following helpful, and unique, features:

        • Fortune Teller — An exclusive feature to the GoBank mobile app. After building a budget on the app, Fortune Teller checks against your balance, budget, and a purchase amount to see if your next purchase will fit your budget.
        • Money Vault — If you want to set a certain amount of money aside, you can put it in the Money Vault for safe keeping. You can move money in and out whenever you want to, allowing you to set money aside as needed.

The app is available for both Android and iOS.

Monthly Fee Waiver

GoBank will waive the $8.95 monthly fee for your card account if you have signed up for Direct Deposit and have a monthly payroll or government benefits deposit of at least $500.

Easily Transfer and Receive Funds

Through the GoBank mobile app, you can easily send and receive money in just a matter of minutes.

It is important to note that money can only be transferred from your GoBank card to another GoBank card and vice versa. This makes it easy if many of your friends and family are GoBank customers, but if they are not it may not be an ideal way to send money.

Large ATM Network

Unique for an online banking service, GoBank has a massive free ATM network available for its customers. Through the GoBank app you can easily see the nearest ATMs to you.

Please note that for withdrawals made outside of the GoBank ATM network, you will be charged a $3 fee in addition to any other fees that the ATM owner may charge.

Deposit Cash Nationwide

GoBank makes it easy to deposit cash to your checking account at over 100,000 retail locations nationwide. This cash deposit service will cost you up to $4.95, or $0 at Walmart locations, and the process is simple and easy. At a participating location, you ask the cashier at the register to deposit cash directly to your GoBank card, and those funds should be available in your account within minutes.

It is important to note that this service is not available in the state of Vermont.

Uber Visa Debit Card

Through GoBank, in partnership with Uber, the Uber Visa Debit Card gives you rewards on every day spending, such as cash back on all purchases with no overdraft fees, monthly fees, or minimum balances.

It is important to note that this card provides larger cash back rewards at specific locations such as, Exxon and Mobil, Advance Auto Parts, and Jiffy Lube.

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The Bad

Multiple Fees

GoBank has multiple fees to be aware of:

  • $8.95 monthly fee which can be waived if you meet certain criteria
  • Out-of-network ATM fee of $3 if you withdraw money from an ATM outside of GoBank's network
  • Cash deposit fee up to $4.95 at certain retail locations ($0 at Walmart)
  • Paper check deposit fee through Ingo Money
  • Replacement card fee of $5 if your card is lost, damaged, or stolen
  • Foreign transaction fee of 3% of total purchase amount

Paper Check Deposit Stipulations

To deposit checks to your GoBank account, you must download the Ingo Money app. This may be inconvenient for consumers looking to do all their banking in one app. 

Ingo will generally accept checks from $5 to $5,000, and you are limited to how much you can deposit per day and per month. Your funds should be available to you within minutes, but for a fee. Checks deposited through Ingo require a fee of 2 percent for payroll and government benefit deposits with a pre-printed signature, 5 percent for all other checks, with a $5 minimum fee per check.

Slow Electronic Payments

Electronic payments take two to three days if done before 1 p.m. Otherwise, it will take longer. Also, there is no notification when the payment recipient cashes the check. Cash withdrawals cannot exceed $500 within a 24-hour timeframe.

Missing Card Response

If your GoBank debit card is lost or stolen, it could take up to four weeks to get a replacement. In the meantime, funds cannot be accessed and you may be charged a cancellation fee for the missing card.

Account Closure Process

To officially close your GoBank account, you need to spend or transfer the money in your account down to a $0 balance and then contact GoBank to close it. The $8.95 monthly fee will still be charged until your account is officially closed.

Customer Reviews

Of the more than 370 GoBank reviews, 90 percent of customers gave GoBank a 1-star rating.

Customers regularly complain about GoBank randomly closing accounts for unauthorized reasons, in addition to frequent reports of fraudulent use of GoBank debit cards. Some complaints include misallocated funds, misuse of the card or stolen card numbers, and intended funds that were never completed. This can upset balance transfers and cause banking issues. These problems usually result in a closed account, either closed by GoBank, or the account holder, losing out on future account opening opportunities. 

Even though GoBank advertises that it has 24/7 customer service, customers report that they stop answering the phone after a certain time in the evening. This is super frustrating for customers with questions about instant pay, online purchases, credit scores, points, statement credit, as well as Uber and Lyft questions concerning the Uber Visa Debit Card. Other customers report that customer representatives are insensitive and inflexible to their needs and individual requests, even though those needs and requests fall within the legal guidelines and normal expectations a checking account holder would have.

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The Bottom Line

GoBank can be a dream come true for people on the go who want to avoid working with big, traditional banks.

Those who choose to use GoBank's services can expect limited fees and penalties, online access to funds, and deposit limitations.

It is important to note that you must have a monthly direct deposit in order to qualify. Besides the direct deposit, good luck might be a requirement. Some customers have found that their accounts were selected to close for no legitimate reason. In addition, if you lose your debit card or it is stolen, it could take weeks before another is issued, and your funds cannot be accessed without a card.

View Best Online Banks

For more information, see GoBank reviews below. GoBank consistently receives poor reviews from its customers.

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Star Rating

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1.3

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455 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

5%

4 grade

1%

3 grade

1%

2 grade

2%

1 grade

91%

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Deb Hughes Decatur, IL

I have had a GREAT EXPERIENCE with them, almost 2 years...until today! I’m not sure what’s going on but I cannot get into my account today. It keeps saying error try again! I have tried calling, the lines busy...I’ve tried logging in online and on the app! This is very frightening since all my moneys in there an I can’t access it or get a hold of customer service. The system must be down because the site says experiencing higher than normal call volume... Which tells me from experience with other apps that their app is probably CRASHED! Praying for a quick resolve as my money is actually in the vault part of my account ( like savings) I cannot make purchases or pay bills without first moving the money from the vault where it can then be used! This has. EVER happened in the 2 years I’ve been with them! Like I said until today it’s been AWESOME! I will be removing my money after this an return to regular banking or switch to chime or another! I don’t even see an email where I could email. If apps down or servers temp down I get that...but they need to put that on their site! It is anFDIC Bank so its federally insured... huh

5 years ago

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Tenesha Curtis

I have had the best experience with GoBank. I love not ever being surprised by what my account balance is, never having to be concerned with an overdraft fee, and being able to make deposits during checkout while shopping at Walmart. The feature I probably love the second most (after no overdraft fees!), is the pre-authorized checks. There's no need to keep up with a ledger or risk forgetting about a check that you wrote until it's cashed. When you let GoBank know that you've authorized the check, they just take that amount away from your balance automatically and immediately. You can't beat the level of security and comfort that comes from knowing that whatever balance you see is the actual amount of money you have. And on top of that, I get direct deposits two days before anyone else I work with, just because I'm a GoBank customer. Talk about a perk! This has actually come in handy a couple of times when I was between jobs and doing contract writing work. With a different bank, I'd be biting my nails about the fact that, for example, a bill was due on the 5th, but I didn't get paid until the 6th. I was guaranteed a late fee on the bill or, if it was an automatic debit, a low balance or overdraft fee. However, with GoBank, I'd get paid on 4th, giving me plenty of time to pay the bill online or in-person. And with the pre-authorized checks, I could just write the check out and send it and simply authorize it once the money came in. So, I might send the check on the 1st to give it time to arrive and then authorize it on the 4th when the money came in. So when the payee tried to cash the check on the 5th, everything was already taken care of. I have never received this level of convenience and intuitive design from any other banking institution. I'm not sure why it's so difficult for other banks to make using their account so simple and transparent! Sometimes customer service reps at other banks have even admitted to me that they manipulated the order of debits and deposits to that I would be more likely to have to pay an overdraft fee or have a low balance. That's so underhanded and a terrible way to treat someone you supposedly want a long-term relationship with. I have yet to experience a better banking relationship with another company than I have with GoBank (I've been with PNC, US Bank, Chase, multiple credit unions, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo). I recommend GoBank to all my friends and family to help them save money on fees and save headache when it comes to managing their account. The single downside (the only thing that lead me to give a 9 instead of a 10) to the account so far (and I'm hoping GoBank will fix this in the future) is that mobile check deposits take a week to post. When I've done mobile check deposits with other banks (the feature where you use the app to take a picture of both sides of the check and deposit it), the money was often available within an hour or two, maybe the next business day if I deposited it late at night or on a Sunday. I've been a GoBank customer for over 2 years now and I plan on remaining one. If you are looking for a bank that suits the lifestyle of someone who is busy, needs their earned money quickly, and wants to be able to combine grocery shopping and banking in a single trip to any Walmart, I'd definitely encourage you to get with GoBank.

7 years ago

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Robert Wear Oklahoma City, OK

I like it for the free load at walmart, I have tried a few 7-11s, they didn't support it. Other than that it is a very good deal. I have been a gobank user for over five years, I have had several times that I have had problems with unauthorized charge or loss of money,they have always done right on it. Sometimes it takes a little bit to settle. And the vault is awesome.

4 years ago

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Nicole Wheat San Diego, CA

I love that I get my direct deposit early! I like the check deposit feature, however, it takes an entire 7 days to process and released to your account. This is the huge downside to the feature. I won't use that feature again which sucks.

5 years ago