BankDirect VS Northfield Bank

Which bank is better for you?

  • Financial Rates: 3.5 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 2.5 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 4.5 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • Low required opening amounts
  • Reimbursement of ATM fees
  • Variety of personal deposit accounts
  • Money market account earns good rates

Cons:

  • Highest MMA rate requires large amount
  • High required amount to open CDs
  • Checking accounts have a monthly fee
  • Must mail in application to open account
  • Financial Rates: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 3.0 Star Icon
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Pros:

  • Online accounts have competitive rates
  • Variety of personal deposit accounts
  • Online and mobile banking
  • Business accounts available

Cons:

  • Cannot open all accounts online
  • Tiered interest rates
  • Accounts have monthly fees
  • High required amounts for online
BankDirect Review

Most of the BankDirect accounts have a low amount required to open the account. BankDirect checking accounts only require $500 to open. Both BankDirect money market accounts require $500 to open. The basic savings account only requires $100 to open.

BankDirect does not own any ATMs; they reimburse their customers the ATM fees. The first four ATM withdrawals per statement cycle are refunded. The refunds are up to $2.50 per transaction. There is a withdrawal limit of $500 from an ATM each day.

BankDirect offers a variety of personal deposit accounts. There are three different checking accounts and two different money market accounts. There are a variety of different CD terms available. BankDirect offers one savings account. There are no business accounts available.

The BankDirect Money Market Plus account offers a competitive interest rate. BankDirect also offers a mileage money market account. This account earns American Airline miles. Both MMA require $500 to open. The mileage money market account earns much lower interest rates. You earn miles instead of interest. There is no monthly fee for either account.

To earn the high rates offered on the BankDirect Money Market Plus account you must have $10,000 in the account. Amounts under $10,000 do not earn any interest. Only $500 is required to open this account, but to earn any interest requires $10,000.

BankDirect offers a variety of different CD terms. The required amount to open any of the CDs is $10,000. There is no monthly fee. The interest rates for CDs are competitive. The 12-month, 18-months, 24-months and 36-month CDs offer the most competitive rates. To open a mileage CD also requires $10,000.

Two of the BankDirect checking accounts have monthly fees. The interest and mileage checking accounts both have a monthly fee. The fee is waived for the interest checking account if you have at least $2,500 in the account. The mileage checking does not list a way to waive that monthly fee.

Opening an account with BankDirect is not entirely online. To open an account, you must fill out the application online, then print off part and mail it in. You will then receive a welcome kit within one to two weeks. Once you get your kit, you can finish setting up your account.

Read the full BankDirect review.

Northfield Bank Review

The Northfield Bank online accounts offer competitive interest rates. The rates for the online accounts are competitive with other online accounts. The online account rates are higher than other Northfield Bank account rates.

There are a variety of personal accounts offered by Northfield Bank. They offer an interest-earning checking account, one for students, and traditional checking accounts. They offer a savings account for children, CDs, and money market accounts.

Northfield offers online and mobile banking for their accounts. These services are not just for the online accounts. All Northfield Bank accounts have the option of online and mobile banking. You can see account balances, transfer money, and deposit checks. You can pay bills and pay others with PopMoney.

Along with personal deposit accounts, Northfield offers business accounts. Those accounts include a checking and money market account for businesses. Northfield also offers credit cards, lending, and cash management services for businesses. All business accounts must be opened in a branch location.

Not all Northfield Bank accounts can open online. Most Northfield accounts require you to visit a branch location to open. Their branches are in the New York and New Jersey area. The accounts you open online include one savings account and CDs. The CD terms include a nine-month, 11-month, 16-month, and 60-month.

The interest rates for Northfield accounts opened in a branch location are tiered. To earn the most competitive rates on those accounts requires large account balances. The money market account requires $15,000. The high yield money market and premier savings account requires $100,000.

Most Northfield accounts have monthly fees. The fees for accounts opened in the branches range from $3 to $25. To waive the fees requires a set account balance. Those balance range from $500 to $100,000. The online savings account has a monthly fee of $8 if your balance falls below $2,500.

The online accounts with Northfield have high opening required amounts. The online CDs require $2,500 to open. The savings account only requires $0.01 to open, but there is an $8 monthly fee if your balance falls below $2,500. Any amount over $0.01 earns interest. You must also link the Northfield account to another bank account. You fund your Northfield online account through the linked account.

Read the full Northfield Bank review.

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