First Financial Bank Business Checking Review 2023
This article is part of a larger series on Business Banking.
If you need access to affordable business checking products that can accommodate a low to moderate transaction volume, consider First Financial Bank’s account lineup. It offers three types of business checking accounts:
- A basic account with no monthly fee and 500 fee-free transactions.
- An interest-earning account with a $10 monthly fee and 200-fee free transactions.
- An analyzed checking account.
First Financial Bank’s other business products include savings accounts, credit cards, and commercial loans. The bank operates exclusively in Texas, where it has around 80 brick-and-mortar locations. You are required to visit a branch to open an account.
Pros
- No monthly fees for basic accounts
- 500 free transactions for basic account
- Zero domestic ATM fees
Cons
- Limited to the 78 branches in Texas
- Only 200 fee-free transactions for interest-earning account
- High wire transfer fees
Features
- Online banking
- Autobooks, Hurdlr, and PayRecs integrations
- 24-hour phone banking
- Business check card
- Optional overdraft protection
- Treasury management
- Savings accounts, lending products, and credit cards available
How First Financial Bank Stacks Up With Its Competitors
Monthly Fee | Monthly Transaction Limit Before Fees | Minimum Opening Deposit | Geographic Availability | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Business 500 | $0 | 500, then 50 cents per item* | $100 | Texas |
Business My Way Checking | $10; waivable | 225, then 50 cents per item | $50 | Texas |
Business Complete Banking | $15; waivable | Unlimited debit card and Chase ATM transactions; 20 fee-free paper transactions, then 40 cents per item | $0 | All states except Alaska and Hawaii |
*Items include deposits, cash deposits, items deposited (foreign or otherwise), and debits paid.
When First Financial Bank Is a Good Fit
- You want to bank without a monthly fee: There is no monthly fee for First Financial Bank’s basic account, Business 500.
- You have a low-to-moderate transaction volume: The Business 500 account comes with 500 fee-free transactions per month. Transactions include deposits, cash deposits, items deposited (foreign or otherwise), and debits paid.
- You want to save on fees for business software: Through First Financial Bank, you get free access to the accounting solution Autobooks and the international payments app PayRecs. It also connects with the expense tracker Hurdlr, which charges a monthly fee of $6.
When First Financial Bank Is Not a Good Fit
- You want a bank with wide geographic coverage: First Financial Bank operates exclusively in Texas. If nationwide access to in-person services is a priority, consider Chase, which operates approximately 4,700 branches in all 48 mainland states. Read our Chase business checking review for a breakdown of the three accounts.
- You seek to earn interest on a fee-free checking account: Business Interest Checking charges a monthly fee of $10. If you want to earn interest without paying a monthly fee, then consider Bluevine, which earns 2.0% annual percentage yield (APY) on qualifying balances of $250,000 and less. Refer to our review of Bluevine business checking for the list of requirements you need to meet to earn APY.
- You send and receive wire transfers regularly: Under First Financial Bank, all incoming wire transfers cost $15, while outgoing wire transfers cost $25 for domestic recipients and $40 for international recipients. The financial technology (fintech) platform Mercury offers fee-free wire transfers. Our Mercury business checking review can help you decide if it fits the bill.
If your small business meets one or more of these scenarios, check out our guide to the best small business checking accounts for additional recommendations.
First Financial Bank Business Checking Overview
Nonanalyzed Accounts
Analyzed Account
First Financial Bank Business Checking Requirements
You are required to visit a First Financial Bank branch to open a business account. During the application process, you and other authorized signers will be asked to provide the following information:
- Name
- Address
- Date of birth
- Identifying documents, such as a government-issued ID
First Financial Bank will also ask you to provide relevant business records.
First Financial Bank Business Checking Features
Online Banking
You can access many business banking services through the First Financial Bank website and mobile app (available for iOS and Android). The following activities are available:
- View balances, account details, and transaction information
- Download transaction history and account statements
- Create real-time or scheduled fund transfers between First Financial accounts
- Place stop payments on checks
- Make electronic or check payments to any United States merchant or individual
- Deposit checks remotely through your phone camera (mobile) or a provided scanner (website)
The app has a rating of 4.6 stars on the App Store1 (based on more than 5,500 reviews) and 4.5 stars on Google Play2 (based on 3,200-plus reviews). The majority of feedback was positive, with satisfied customers having said that they found the app easy to use and navigate. However, a handful of users mentioned that they encountered glitches, most of which were related to logging in. One reviewer disliked that the app does not retain user passwords.
Software Integrations
Online Banking gives you access to the following platforms:
- Autobooks: This accounting solution lets you create, send, and track electronic invoices and receive payments. Additionally, it uses your checking account data to create detailed transaction histories and financial reports.
- Hurdlr: For a monthly fee of $6, Hurdlr tracks your business expenses and mileage to identify possible tax deductions. It also uses your banking data to help you file your taxes and estimate what you’ll owe each quarter.
- PayRecs: This online app lets you hold currency accounts and send and receive international payments. There are no fees for maintaining an account.
24/7 Phone Banking
First Financial Bank’s automated telephone banking system lets you conduct banking activities over the phone.
Business Check Card
Your First Financial Bank business account will come with a free business check card. First Financial Bank will charge you zero fees for using your card at domestic ATMs. However, foreign ATM and third-party operator fees may apply.
Overdraft Protection
This optional service protects you from overdraft fees by automatically transferring funds from a savings account or line of credit whenever you make a transaction that reduces your account balance to a negative number.
There is a $5 fee per sweep transfer if you own a nonanalyzed account. If you own an analyzed account, sweep transfers are free.
Treasury Management
First Financial Bank offers the following treasury management services:
- Automated clearing house (ACH) direct payments
- Remote deposit
- Merchant services
- Lockbox services
- Zero balance accounts
- Concentrate cash
Other First Financial Bank Business Products
There are two types of business savings accounts for small businesses:
- The Business Savings account charges $3 each month, waivable with an average ledger balance of $500.
- The Business Money Market account has a $12 monthly fee, waivable with an average ledger balance of $2,500.
Both accounts earn interest and offer six free debits. The minimum opening deposit requirement is $100.
First Financial Bank’s lending options include the following:
- Working capital loans
- Agricultural loans
- Equipment loans
- Floor plan loans
- Commercial real estate (CRE) loans
- Residential construction loans
- Letters of credit
- Oil and gas loans
- Small Business Administration (SBA) SBA 7(a) loans
- SBA 504 loans
First Financial Bank offers low-rate, cashback-earning, and rewards-earning Visa credit cards. All cards come with:
- Fee-free employee cards
- Free online expense reporting tools
- Mobile payment capability
- Protection through Zero Fraud Liability
- 24/7 cardmember service
First Financial Bank Business Checking Reviews from Users
Very few users have left First Financial Bank business checking reviews. Although the bank has a 5-star rating on WalletHub3, only one left a review, which focused on customer service. According to the client, First Financial Bank offered helpful customer service, which made banking feel personalized. The bank also has a rating of 3 stars on DepositAccounts4. However, only two customers left reviews, and neither is recent.
Bottom Line
Among First Financial Bank’s three accounts, Business 500 is the best fit for organizations needing affordable business checking. The account’s lack of monthly fees and generous monthly allowance for fee-free transactions helps organizations save on day-to-day banking fees. Integrations with software like Autobooks, Hurdlr, and PayRecs also help reduce business paperwork costs.
User review references: