American Express National Bank VS Connexus Credit Union

Which bank is better for you?

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

  • Options on how to receive interest
  • No opening required amount
  • Pay credit card bill from savings account
  • Competitive interest rates on accounts

Cons:

  • Only offer savings and CD accounts
  • Must link account to a different bank
  • Funds not transferred immediately
  • No checks, debit cards, or ATM cards
  • Financial Rates: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 4.5 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 5.0 Star Icon
0.10%APY
Savings/MMA
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Pros:

  • Competitive interest rates
  • No monthly maintenance fees
  • Free ATMs and fee reimbursements
  • Variety of accounts available

Cons:

  • Must become a member of credit union
  • CDs have high opening required amounts
  • Tiered interest rates for money market
  • Requirements for checking interest rates
American Express National Bank Review

American Express Bank offers ways to receive the money you earn off interest. You can deposit it back into the account earning the interest. The interest can be transferred to your CD account. You can deposit the money into your linked external account, or receive a check. You can request a check to come monthly, quarterly, or annually.

There is no minimum amount required to open an account. You start earning interest with any amount deposited into the high-yield savings account. The more money you deposit, the more interest you earn, but no required amount.

Once you open a savings account with American Express, you can link that account to your credit card. Log into your account and link the savings account to the credit card. Paying your credit card bill from your savings account does count as a withdrawal.

American Express Bank offers higher interest rates than your typical bank. Their rates are competitive with other online banks. You can find the current rates are on their website.

American Express Bank only offers a high-yield savings account and CDs. To deposit money into the accounts, you must link it to your current banking accounts. You can also sign up for direct deposit from your employer or to make automatic deposits.

You must link your American Express accounts to your current bank account. You can then transfer money between the different accounts. Federal regulations only allow six transactions each billing cycle for savings accounts.

Transferring money to and from your American Express personal account is not immediate. Money coming into your American Express account is not available until the fifth business day. All other transfers take 1-3 business days.

American Express Bank does not offer checks, debit cards, or ATM cards for their accounts. To get your money, you must transfer it from your American Express savings account back into your linked external account. If you open a CD, you must wait until the maturity date to access your money without a penalty.

Read the full American Express National Bank review.

Connexus Credit Union Review

The interest rates for most Connexus accounts are competitive. The CDs and checking accounts offer rates competitive with other online accounts. The HSA and money market account also offer competitive rates. These rates are higher than typical brick-and-mortar bank rates. The Connexus regular saving account does not offer rates competitive with other online accounts.

The personal deposit accounts with Connexus do not have monthly maintenance fees. There are no required amounts to keep in accounts to avoid fees. The checking, money market, and savings accounts are completely free. The HSA account has a fee and the business checking account does as well, if your balance falls below $200.

The Connexus Xtraordinary checking account offers ATM fee reimbursements. ATM transactions are free at any Connexus, CO-OP, and MoneyPass ATMs. The Xtraordinary checking allows up to $25 in ATM fee refunds. You must meet the account requirements to earn the ATM refund.

Connexus Credit Union offers a good variety of personal deposit accounts. They offer:

  • Xtraordinary checking account
  • Teen checking account
  • Money market account
  • Savings account
  • CD terms of 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60-months
  • Holiday savings account
  • Health savings accounts

To open Connexus accounts, you must first become a member of the credit union. Employees of certain businesses or residents of certain cities qualify to become members. Relatives of members also qualify. You can become a member with a one-time $5 donation to the Connexus Association. Just because you apply does not mean you qualify to become a member. It can take up to three business days to hear if you receive approval.

The CDs through Connexus Credit Union all have high opening balances. Each of the CD terms requires $5,000 to open. Their CDs include 12, 24, 36, 42, or 60-month terms. The interest rates are competitive for each term length.

The Connexus money market account has tiered interest rates. To earn the most competitive rates requires an account balance of $100,000. Balances below $100,000 still earn interest, just not the most competitive rate.

The Connexus checking accounts have requirements you must meet to earn competitive rates. Those include eStatements, one direct deposit, and one online bill payment each month. You must also make a set amount of debit card transactions each month. If you meet these requirements, you earn the competitive rates. If you do not meet them, you are not charged a fee, but you do not earn the best rates.

Read the full Connexus Credit Union 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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Savings (Rate as of 11/9/2024)
APY 4.80%
Rate 4.69%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC No fees. Easy deposits and quick withdrawals.
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Savings (Rate as of 11/9/2024)
APY 5.25%
Rate 5.25%
Min to Open $500
Min to Earn APY $500
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
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Savings (Rate as of 11/9/2024)
APY 5.00%
Rate 5.00%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC No account fees, unlimited transfers, better for the planet
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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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Savings (Rate as of 11/9/2024)
APY 4.75%
Rate 4.64%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC No monthly maintenance fee, $0 to open, easily grow your money
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Savings (Rate as of 11/9/2024)
APY 4.46%
Rate 4.46%
Min to Open $500
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC
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Savings (Rate as of 11/9/2024)
APY 4.50%
Rate 4.50%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC $200 Bonus w/ Tiered Savings Account and Qualifying Activities
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Savings (Rate as of 11/9/2024)
APY 4.60%
Rate 4.50%
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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Sallie Mae
MMA (Rate as of 11/9/2024)
APY 4.20%
Rate 4.11%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook Yes
Member FDIC
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Savings (Rate as of 11/9/2024)
APY 5.00%
Rate 4.88%
Min to Open $1,000
Min to Earn APY $1,000
Monthly Fee $5.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC
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Betterment
Savings (Rate as of 11/9/2024)
APY 4.75%
Rate 4.75%
Min to Open $10
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
FDIC insured at program banks† var. APY a/o 11/8/24. New customers only. Betterment LLC, not a bank
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Sallie Mae
Savings (Rate as of 11/9/2024)
APY 4.20%
Rate 4.11%
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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