What Freedom Bank does

Freedom Bank is a privately held, state-chartered community bank headquartered in Alamo, Texas, operating under the legal name Freedom Bank and FDIC-insured. Founded in 1957 as First State Bank in Freer, Texas, the institution was renamed Brush Country Bank in 1974, merged with Freer State Bank in 1980, and rebranded to Freedom Bank in 2019. The bank operates a five-branch physical network across Duval and Hidalgo Counties in South Texas (Alamo, Freer, McAllen, San Diego, Edinburg), with an additional Mission location, and is designated as a Certified Development Financial Institution (CDFI) by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, with Equal Housing Lender status.

Freedom Bank offers a full-service retail and commercial banking product suite. Consumer products include checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, personal loans, mortgages (Construction, Conventional, FHA, VA), credit cards issued through Elan Financial Services under Visa and Mastercard licenses, safe deposit boxes, and peer-to-peer payments via Zelle. Business products include business checking, commercial loans and lines of credit (Real Estate, Farm, Ranch, Development & Construction), merchant services, and business credit cards. The bank also operates a $60MM commercial and consumer loan portfolio managed locally. Its technology stack is composed of third-party integrations rather than proprietary systems: iOS and Android mobile apps on a Digital Insight platform, Allpoint Network access to 55,000+ surcharge-free ATMs, Apple Pay and Google Pay digital wallet support, and an emerging InvestiFi partnership for embedded digital investing.

The bank generates revenue primarily through net interest income on loans and deposits, supplemented by fee-based income from deposit accounts, merchant services, safe deposit boxes, and credit card interchange. Its go-to-market model is community-led, relying on local decision-making, physical branches, community events, organic social media (Facebook, Instagram), and referral/word-of-mouth to serve small and medium-sized businesses, individuals and families, professionals, and underserved populations in South Texas. Ownership is independent with no parent company or external PE/VC backing; capital expansion is supported by a $6,197,097 CDFI Fund award received in 2023.

Name

Freedom Bank

Legal name

Freedom Bank

Website

https://brushcountrybank.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Freedom Bank is a privately held, CDFI-certified community bank in South Texas, operating six branches across Duval and Hidalgo Counties and offering personal and business banking products including deposits, mortgages, commercial loans, credit cards, and digital banking to local consumers, small businesses, and underserved communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Banking

NAICS

Commercial Banking (52211)

SIC

State Commercial Banks (6022)

akta.pro primary industry

SME Deposits & Business Accounts (Operating, Savings, CDs) (FSABABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Retail Lending (Personal Loans, Auto, Credit Lines) (FSABAAAB), Financial Inclusion & Basic Banking (Unbanked/Underbanked, Low-Fee Accounts) (FSABAAAL)

Keywords

• Community banking
• Personal banking
• Business banking
• Mortgage lending
• Commercial lending

Headquarters

HQ city

Freer

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Interest Income: Traditional banking revenue from interest rate spreads on loans and credit products including mortgages, commercial loans, and consumer loans
2. Fee-based Services: Service fees from deposit accounts, merchant services, safe deposit boxes, and other banking services
3. Credit Card Interchange: Revenue sharing from credit card program through Elan Financial Services partnership for business and personal cards

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Freedom Bank is a full-service state-chartered community bank in South Texas offering consumer banking products (checking, savings, CDs, personal loans, mortgages, credit cards, mobile banking, Zelle) and business banking products (business checking, commercial loans, lines of credit, business credit cards, merchant services) through five branch locations across Duval and Hidalgo Counties, supported by digital and ATM channels.

Product overview

Freedom Bank is a full-service community bank operating in South Texas, offering a unified portfolio of personal and business banking products. The core offering consists of consumer checking/savings accounts, CDs, personal loans, mortgages, credit cards, and mobile banking (web/app) for individuals; combined with business checking, commercial loans, merchant services, and business credit cards for businesses. Key add-on services include Zelle peer-to-peer payments integrated into mobile banking, Allpoint ATM network access, and safe deposit boxes. The bank also offers telephone banking as an alternative channel. Services are delivered through branch locations in Duval and Hidalgo Counties, online banking, and mobile apps for iOS and Android.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Consumer Checking & Savings Accounts Personal checking and savings account products with multiple options for individual banking needs, including access to online banking, mobile banking, and Zelle for person-to-person payments.
• Certificates of Deposit Time deposit accounts allowing customers to save with competitive rates for fixed terms, providing guaranteed returns with FDIC insurance protection.
• Personal Loans Consumer lending options for personal financing needs including auto loans, personal loans, and other consumer credit products with competitive rates and local decision-making.
• Mortgage Loans Home loan products including Construction, Conventional, FHA and VA fixed-rate mortgages for purchase, refinance, and cash-out transactions. NMLS #1867244.
• Personal Credit Cards Credit card products issued through Elan Financial Services with zero fraud liability protection, free online expense reporting, and multiple reward options including low rate, cash back, and flexible rewards.
• Safe Deposit Boxes Secure storage solution for valuables and important documents, available at Freer Branch and Alamo Branch locations.
• Mobile Banking Smartphone banking application for iOS and Android enabling account access, transfers, bill pay, and Zelle enrollment. Customers must enroll in online banking to access mobile features.
• Business Checking Accounts Business checking account products designed for small and medium-sized businesses with various options to meet business banking needs.
• Business Loans & Lines of Credit Commercial lending solutions including Real Estate, Farm, Ranch, Development & Construction loans with competitive rates for small business needs.
• Business Credit Cards Business credit card options including low rate, cash back, and flexible rewards programs with free online expense reporting and no fee for additional employee cards.
• Merchant Services Payment processing services for business merchants to accept card transactions and manage business payments.
• Commercial Loans Large-scale commercial lending for businesses with portfolio management and loan administration services led by the Senior Vice President and Senior Lender.

Quantifiable outcome

• $60 million commercial loan portfolio managed locally with regulatory compliance
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• InvestiFicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2026Collaboration to integrate digital investing services into Freedom Bank's online banking platform. Enables clients to invest directly from checking accounts and access financial education resources. Partnership aims to expand financial services offerings to include stocks, ETFs, and digital assets.
• InvestiFicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2026Digital investing capabilities embedded into online banking platform. Clients can invest in stocks, ETFs, and digital assets directly from checking accounts with financial education resources.
• MastercardminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 February 2026Partnership with RISE Research and Freedom Bank to prepare Kazakhstan's first comprehensive AI market overview report. Mastercard provided support alongside the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of Kazakhstan.
• RISE ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 February 2026Research partnership to examine over 100 AI startups, infrastructure, government strategy, and sector applications. Report presented January 28 in Astana, Kazakhstan.
• Elan Financial ServicescoreTechnology or IntegrationCredit card program partner providing business and personal credit cards under Visa and Mastercard licenses. Elan provides zero fraud liability protection, online expense reporting tools, and 24/7 cardmember service.
• Allpoint NetworkcoreTechnology or IntegrationATM network partnership providing Freedom Bank customers access to 55,000+ surcharge-free ATMs nationwide. Available via Allpoint app for iOS and Android.
• Early Warning Services (Zelle)coreTechnology or IntegrationIntegrated Zelle payment service enabling fast, safe money transfers between bank accounts using email or mobile number. No fees charged for Zelle transactions within Freedom Bank app.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lone Star National Bank: Pharr/McAllen-based Texas community bank with a similar South Texas footprint and deep relationships with Hispanic consumers and small businesses. Directly comparable in market, customer segment, and community-banking value proposition to Freedom Bank.
• International Bank of Commerce (IBC Bank): McAllen-headquartered community/commercial bank serving the Rio Grande Valley and Texas. Highly comparable to Freedom Bank as a South Texas community bank focused on Hispanic markets with full-service consumer, commercial, and digital banking.
• Vantage Bank Texas: Texas-based community bank with a multi-city footprint offering consumer and commercial banking. Comparable in product breadth and target market to Freedom Bank, though somewhat larger in scale.
• Texas Regional Bank: South Texas community bank providing consumer, business, and mortgage banking across the Rio Grande Valley. Directly comparable in geography, customer segments, and community-banking model.
• First State Bank of Texas (multiple charters): Network of small Texas community banks offering consumer and commercial banking similar in scale and product scope to Freedom Bank. Highly comparable as a peer community-banking franchise.
• Rio Bank: McAllen, Texas community bank serving the Rio Grande Valley with comparable consumer and commercial banking products. Closely matches Freedom Bank's size, geography, and customer mix.

Broad incumbents

• Wells Fargo: National bank with deep Texas branch and commercial banking footprint. Overlaps with Freedom Bank in consumer deposits, mortgages, and small-business banking but at much larger scale and with materially broader capabilities.
• Cadence Bank: Mid-size regional bank with Texas and Gulf Coast presence offering consumer, commercial, and digital banking. Comparable in product suite but materially larger and broader geographically than Freedom Bank.
• PlainsCapital Bank: Large Texas-based commercial bank (Hilltop Holdings subsidiary) with statewide branch presence and full commercial/consumer banking. Overlaps with Freedom Bank in Texas commercial and consumer banking but operates at much greater scale.
• JPMorgan Chase: National megabank with extensive Texas retail, commercial, and digital banking presence. Comparable in core product categories (deposits, loans, cards, mobile, Zelle) but operates at vastly greater scale with full-stack technology ownership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FreedomBankTexas
• Instagraminstagram.com/freedombanktx
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brush-country-bank

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Freedom Bank