Quick comparison
| Factor | Citizens | TD Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Entry account | Clearly Better Business Checking | Business Simple Checking |
| Published monthly fee | $0 | $10 |
| Primary fit | Small branch-using businesses that want no-maintenance-fee checking with a meaningful included transaction allowance, plus relationship customers able to waive Advisor’s fee. | East Coast businesses that value branch convenience and a broad service ecosystem, especially higher-volume firms that can use Premier’s cash allowance and wire reimbursements. |
Checking economics
Citizens
| Account | Monthly fee | Waiver / condition | Published allowance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clearly Better Business Checking | $0 | No waiver needed | First 200 check transactions per statement period at no charge; $0.50 each additional |
| Business Advisor Checking | $25 or $0 | $10,000 average daily balance or $35,000 qualifying combined balance | First 500 check transactions per statement period at no charge; $0.30 each additional |
| Cash Flow Essentials (add-on) | $49/month | Separate service, not a checking-fee waiver | ACH origination, wire origination and cash-flow tools; transaction limits/fees can apply |
TD Bank
| Account | Monthly fee | Waiver / condition | Published allowance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Simple Checking | $10 | No standard balance waiver | 200 included paid/deposited items; $5,000 in-store cash deposits at no charge |
| Business Convenience Checking Plus | $20 or $0 | $2,500 combined minimum daily balance with one eligible TD personal checking account | 500 included items; $5,000 in-store cash deposits at no charge |
| Business Premier Checking | $30 or $0 | $25,000 qualifying combined balance or selected active TD merchant/remote-deposit/lending relationship | 500 included items; $30,000 in-store cash deposits at no charge; incoming-wire and outgoing-wire benefits |
Decision points
Entry-level economics
Citizens: Clearly Better Business Checking — $0. TD Bank: Business Simple Checking — $10. Compare the waiver mechanics with balances and activity you already maintain rather than moving money solely to avoid a fee.
Operating capacity
The published transaction and cash allowances differ by tier. A low headline fee can become less important than overage charges if your business regularly exceeds the included activity.
Relationship depth
Citizens is described in our verified review as best suited to Small branch-using businesses that want no-maintenance-fee checking with a meaningful included transaction allowance, plus relationship customers able to waive Advisor’s fee. TD Bank is described as best suited to East Coast businesses that value branch convenience and a broad service ecosystem, especially higher-volume firms that can use Premier’s cash allowance and wire reimbursements.
Treasury and payments
For ACH, wires, merchant services, fraud controls and cash-management tools, compare service-specific pricing separately from checking fees. Treasury economics often matter more once payment volume grows.
Operating fit
Citizens
Citizens is particularly relevant to small businesses in its branch footprint that want a straightforward $0-maintenance operating account without committing to a large balance. Businesses with higher activity can move to Advisor, while companies needing more advanced payment workflows can add Citizens cash-management services.
TD Bank
TD is most relevant to businesses in its East Coast footprint that value extended branch hours, 24/7 phone support and a broad small-business service stack. The product choice depends mainly on transaction volume, cash handling and whether the owner can use the relationship or service-based fee waivers on the higher tiers.
Verified reviews
- Citizens Business Banking Review
- TD Bank Business Banking Review
- BusinessBanks.us comparison methodology
- Source standards
Match the account to your real transaction, cash and relationship profile rather than choosing by brand size alone.
Citizens and TD Bank can both work for established businesses, but their entry pricing, waiver mechanics and operating allowances create different cost curves. Model a normal month before deciding.