5Star Bank VS Flagstar Bank

Which bank is better for you?

  • Financial Rates: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 4.5 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 3.5 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 3.5 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • Variety of personal accounts offered
  • Low opening required amounts
  • Reimbursement for ATM fees
  • Savings account offers good rates

Cons:

  • Money market account has tiered rates
  • Accounts have monthly fees
  • Daily debit card limits
  • Cannot open accounts completely online
  • Financial Rates: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 3.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • Variety of accounts offered
  • Low opening required amounts
  • Some CDs offer competitive rates
  • Promotional savings accounts

Cons:

  • Low interest rates on accounts
  • Tiered interest rates
  • Accounts have monthly fees
  • Cannot open accounts online
5Star Bank Review

5Star Bank offers a variety of accounts. They offer personal deposit and business accounts. These include:

  • 5Star checking account
  • E-Checking account
  • Basic savings account
  • Money market account
  • CD terms from six-months to five-years
  • IRA CDs from 18-months to five-years
  • Lending options
  • Credit cards
  • Business checking and money market accounts
  • Business CDs from six-months to five-years
  • Business lending and credit options

5Star Bank has low amounts required to open their accounts. The E-Checking requires $50. The 5Star checking and the basic savings account require $100 to open. Both the money market account and the different CD terms require $1,000 to open.

The 5Star checking account refunds up to five ATM transactions fees per month. You must keep at least $1,000 in the checking account to have ATM transactions refunded. The E-Checking account does not offer ATM reimbursement.

The basic 5Star savings account offers competitive rates. The rates are higher than typical brick-and-mortar rates. This account only requires $100 to open and keep in the account to waive the monthly fee. Any amount in the account earns the competitive rate. These rates are not tiered.

To earn the most competitive rates for the money market account requires an account balance over $1 million. Any balance over $1,000 does earn interest but a lower rate. The rates gradually increase the more money you have in the account.

Most 5Star Bank accounts have monthly maintenance fees. The savings account fee is $2. The money market fee is $5, and the checking account fee is $7. Waive each of these fees by keeping a set amount in the accounts. Those balances range from $100 to $1,000, depending on the account.

5Star has daily limits for your debit card. The limit for point of sale purchases is $1,000 per day. The daily limit for ATM withdrawals is $300.

Accounts through 5Star Bank are not available to open entirely online. To open the accounts, you need to visit a branch location. You may be able to open the accounts through the mail. Contact customer service for more information.

Read the full 5Star Bank review.

Flagstar Bank Review

Flagstar Bank offers a variety of personal deposit and business accounts. There are three checking accounts to choose from and three savings accounts. They offer a money market account and many CD terms. Lending options are available for personal accounts as well as business. Flagstar offers business checking, savings, money market accounts, and credit cards.

The amounts required to open Flagstar accounts is low. The checking accounts all require $50 to open. The savings accounts and money market account all only require $1 to open. All CD terms only require $500 to open.

Flagstar offers three CDs with competitive interest rates. Those CD terms are a 13-month, 19-month, and 25-month. Each term requires $500 to open. These CDs must be opened in a branch location. They are only available for Michigan residents.

Flagstar offers promotional savings accounts. The interest rates for these three accounts are competitive. They offer a SimplySavings, MaxSavings, and High Yield Promo account. They guarantee the competitive rate for the first 12 months. There is no minimum balance or checking account required during the promo period. After the promotional period, you can choose which account fits you best. Monthly fees apply after the 12 months. These accounts are only for Michigan residents.

The interest rates for Flagstar Bank accounts are low. They are competitive with other brick and mortar bank rates. Most account rates do not compare with interest rates for online accounts. Only a few interest rates are competitive.

Along with being low, the interest rates for Flagstar accounts are tiered. To earn the most competitive rates for the high yield savings account requires $1 million. To earn a good rate requires $50,000. The SimplyMax savings and checking account earns the best rate for balances over $25,000. The money market and SimplyPlus checking account requires $10,000 to earn the best rate.

Flagstar Bank accounts have monthly fees. Checking account fees range from $10 to $25 a month. Waive those fees by keeping a balance of $1,000 to $5,000 in the checking. Alternatively, waive fees by having $5,000 to $25,000 between multiple accounts. Savings and money market account fees range from $3 to $35 a month. To waive those fees requires a $300 to $50,000 balance, depending on the account. Having a checking account will also waive the savings account fees.

At this time Flagstar Bank personal deposit accounts cannot be opened online. You must visit a branch location to open a checking, savings, or money market accounts, and CDs. You can apply for a mortgage online. The option to apply online may be available in the future.

Read the full Flagstar Bank review.

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American Express
Savings (Rate as of 11/9/2024)
APY 4.00%
Rate 3.92%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC
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Capital One
Savings (Rate as of 11/9/2024)
APY 4.00%
Rate 4.00%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC It only takes about 5 minutes to open a fee-free account.
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