Survey: 53% of Americans Feel Very Secure With Their Bank

Staff Report

Monday, April 17th, 2023

Fifty-three percent of Americans feel very secure with their bank, according to a survey by Slickdeals, the only shopping platform powered by millions of avid shoppers sharing and discovering the most up-to-date online deals and coupons. Despite the recent economic downturn, multiple bank failures and incentives to make the jump from one bank to another, only 6% claimed to feel insecure about their bank.

Developed by Slickdeals and conducted via Suzy, the survey of 1,300 U.S. adults found that while many would hypothetically switch banks to cash in on higher savings rates, bonus offers and more, few people actually have short-term plans to do so. More than half of respondents say there is little to no chance they'll change banks in the near-term.

The survey found that many people have been with their current bank for a significant amount of time. In fact 58% have been loyal customers to their current banking institution for six or more years, with 31% having more than a decade-long relationship with their primary bank.

Compared to other popular finance products, Americans seem less interested in experimenting with a variety of bank accounts. Ninety-one percent of respondents currently hold 1-3 bank accounts, with only 8% holding four or more bank accounts. In contrast, 21% of respondents hold four or more credit cards, showing that people tend to diversify their credit card portfolios more actively.

Only 7% of respondents said their bank's rates were strong enough to keep them loyal, which perhaps explains why 48% claim they'd consider switching banks if they learned better rates were available elsewhere. However, while some may be enticed by sign-up bonuses, the survey found that 77% of respondents did not pick their current account based on a sign-up bonus, and only 37% said a strong sign-up bonus would make them consider changing banks.

Instead, it seems as though customers value accessibility, customer service and familiarity most when choosing their bank. Out of everyone surveyed, 34% of respondents said they stay with their bank out of sheer convenience, 21% cited institutional loyalty as their main reason for staying and 18% claimed local access was their main deciding factor. Roughly two thirds (62%) of respondents also use the same bank as their spouse or family members.

While bank customers have more options than ever before when deciding where to keep their money, it seems most still like to stick with traditional offerings. Out of everyone surveyed, 68% of respondents said they preferred to bank with national chains (as opposed to regional banks), and 44% also opted for banks with brick-and-mortar locations over online banks or credit unions.

To learn more about the survey, visit here.