Citizens Bank review

Updated September 28, 2026 · BorrowCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

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Our verdict

Citizens Bank offers a secured home equity line of credit, and it suits homeowners in listed US states with a good credit file planning renovations. A 2.5% to 21% rate range, a 120 to 300 term and soft prequal checks set it apart from the personal loans listed beside it.

Key facts

Best for
Listed US homeowners funding a renovation on a secured line.
APR
2.5% to 21% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Loan amount
$17,500 to $2,000,000 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Term
120 to 300 months (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Arrangement fee
$0 (no application, origination or closing fees to open) (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Credit check
Soft prequal (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Funding time
Money in as little as 2 weeks (close in as few as 7 days) (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Rate type
Variable (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Lender type
Direct lender (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Eligibility
Min credit score 680; owner-occupied 1-4 family, condominiums, second/vacation homes; property in listed US states (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Loan types
Credit-line, Secured (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Credit needed
Good (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Use cases
Home-improvement (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Legal entity
Citizens Bank, National Association (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Headquarters
United States (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Founded
1828 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Support channels
Phone, Chat, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Features
Credit line
Official website
citizensbank.com

Apps and profiles

Elsewhere
WikidataWikipediaLinkedInXfacebook.cominstagram.comyoutube.com

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Lines of $17,500 to $2,000,000, well past the €5,000 upper quartile for listed credit lines.
  • A direct lender (direct lender), so the bank sets the offer rather than passing it on.
  • Registered under the National Mortgage License System as 433960, with FDIC cert 57957.
  • Home improvement is a listed use (home improvement), so a staged renovation fits the line.

Cons

  • The rate is variable, so later payments are not fixed at the start.
  • Support runs on phone, chat and help centre only, so help comes through those channels.
  • Eligibility sets a minimum credit score and property in a listed US state, which narrows who qualifies.
Citizens Bank

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Scored 9.6 / 10 by BorrowCue.

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Who it suits

  • Homeowners in listed US states with a good credit file and an owned property to pledge.
  • Borrowers who want a revolving line they can draw and repay as work runs.
  • People who prefer a direct lender and a bank founded in 1828.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Renters without property to pledge, since the line is secured; compare Cashspace at PHP 12 to PHP 36.
  • Anyone needing a level monthly payment, because the rate is variable; Plazo ES lists 24.19%.
  • Borrowers without a strong credit file, since eligibility sets a minimum score; try Vivus ES at 0% to 3,752.4%.

How Citizens Bank compares

Where Citizens Bank is available

Available
United States
Licence in United States
National Mortgage License System (NMLS) (433960), checked September 26, 2026
Licence in United States
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), checked September 26, 2026
Licence in United States
FDIC (FDIC cert 57957), checked September 26, 2026

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

What rate should I expect on a Citizens Bank home equity line?+

The line is priced at a 2.5% to 21% range and the rate is variable, so the figure moves with the market rather than staying level. For context, the median across listed credit lines is 10.5% and across home improvement loans it is 9.26%.

What does it cost to open the line?+

Fees to open are $0 (no application, origination or closing fees to open), covering the application, origination and closing charges on the line. Citizens Bank is a direct lender, so the terms come from the bank rather than through a broker, and the 2.5% to 21% range is the figure to weigh against other lenders.

How much can I borrow, and over what term?+

Lines run to $17,500 to $2,000,000 and the repayment term is 120 to 300, which places the product well past the €5,000 upper quartile recorded for listed credit lines. That points to property projects rather than a single bill.

What credit check do I need to pass?+

The credit check is soft prequal and the bank asks for good credit. Eligibility adds a minimum credit score, plus owner occupied homes, condominiums, second or vacation homes in a listed US state, which rules out renters and borrowers with weaker credit files.

Is Citizens Bank regulated in the United States?+

Citizens Bank holds an FDIC certificate, FDIC cert 57957, and the lending side is licensed through the National Mortgage License System as 433960. The lender is Citizens Bank, National Association, headquartered in the US (US) and founded in 1828. Support runs on phone, chat and help centre.

How quickly would the money arrive?+

Funding takes time: Money in as little as 2 weeks (close in as few as 7 days) for the money to land in the account, so a renovation schedule needs to work around that rather than same-day expectations. The figures cover both closing and the transfer itself.

What can I use the money for?+

Home improvement is a listed use (home improvement) and the product is a credit line secured by the property (credit line and secured). Drawing and repaying repeatedly is the point of a revolving line, so it suits projects whose costs arrive in stages.

How does this compare with the personal loans on this site?+

Costs sit at a different level: the line carries a 2.5% to 21% range, while listed personal loans show a 12.25% median and a 25.03% upper quartile. The trade-off to weigh is the security on the property and the longer 120 to 300 term.

Sources

Compiled from 5 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: Representative example.

Citizens Bank

Citizens Bank

Listed US homeowners funding a renovation on a secured line.

9.6/10See alternatives

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