AloStar VS Vio Bank

Which bank is better for you?

  • Financial Rates: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 3.5 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 5.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • Competitive interest rates
  • Low required amounts to open CDs
  • Accounts are entirely online
  • Shorter terms offer competitive rates

Cons:

  • Limited personal accounts offered
  • Customer service not available 24/7
  • No checks or debit cards offered
  • Must link to an external bank account
  • Financial Rates: 3.5 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 2.5 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 5.0 Star Icon
1.10%APY
Savings/MMA
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Pros:

  • Competitive interest rates
  • Low required opening amounts
  • Variety of CD terms available
  • No monthly fees

Cons:

  • Limited personal accounts offered
  • Customer service not available 24/7
  • No business accounts offered
  • Specific transfer regulations
AloStar Review

AloStar CDs offer competitive interest rates. The interest rates are competitive with other online CDs. The rates are much higher than typical brick and mortar bank rates.

The CDs at AloStar have low required opening amounts. Each of the CDs require $1,000 to open. To earn the competitive interest rates, you must keep $1,000 in the account. There is not a fee if your balance falls below $1,000, but you will not earn interest on the balance.

CDs with AloStar are entirely online. You apply for the CDs online. Once you open an account, everything for the account is online. There are no branch locations. You can reach customer service by phone or email.

Usually with CDs, the longer the term the higher the interest rate. But, with AloStar some shorter terms offer more competitive rates. The 12-month, 18-month, and 24-month CD terms offer the most competitive rates.

There are limited accounts offered through AloStar. The only accounts offered are CDs. AloStar does not offer checking, savings, or money market accounts. The CD terms offered range from three-month to five-year terms.

AloStar customer service is not always available. You can contact customer service through email. Their hours are Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. On Saturday their hours are 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The AloStar CD accounts do not offer debit cards or checks. The only way to access your money is through electronic transfers. You can transfer money during the grace period or after the CD reaches maturity.

To fund your AloStar CDs you must link the accounts to an external bank account. Once the accounts are linked you can make electronic transfers between the accounts. To avoid a fee, make withdrawals or deposits during the grace period or after the CD reaches maturity.

Read the full AloStar review.

Vio Bank Review

Vio Bank offers competitive interest rates on their CDs and high yield savings account. The interest rates are much higher than typical brick and mortar bank rates. Vio Bank interest rates are competitive with other online accounts. They monitor their interest rates to keep them competitive with national rates.

Vio Bank accounts have low opening required amounts. All the different CD terms only require $500 to open. The high yield savings account only requires $100 to open.

Vio Bank offers a good variety of CD terms. The CDs range in length from six-month to 120-month terms. Each of the CDs requires $500 to open. They are all FDIC insured and can be opened online. The CD terms all earn competitive interest rates.

The savings account at Vio Bank does not have a monthly fee. There is no required balance to avoid a monthly fee. The CDs only have a fee if the money is withdrawn before the maturity date of the CD.

Vio Bank offers limited personal deposit accounts. Only a personal savings account and CDs are available. The CD terms range from six-months to 120-months. No checking or money market accounts are available.

Customers cannot reach a Vio Bank representative 24/7. Customer service has specific hours of operation. They are open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Central Time. Saturday they are open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday they open from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Vio Bank does not offer business accounts. Only personal deposit accounts are available. Those accounts include a personal high yield savings account and CDs. The CDs range in term from six-month CDs to 120-month CDs.

Money can only be transferred from the savings account to external bank accounts. If you want to make a wire transfer, you must submit the forms 72 hours before the transfer takes place. Federal regulations only allow six withdrawals per month from your savings account.

Read the full Vio Bank review.

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