BankDirect VS TD 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
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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: 3.0 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:

  • Wide variety of accounts offered
  • Specific checking accounts available
  • Business prepaid cards
  • Good variety of CD options

Cons:

  • Products not available everywhere
  • Accounts have monthly fees
  • Interest rates are low
  • Not all checking accounts earn interest
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.

TD Bank Review

TD Bank offers a large selection of bank accounts. They offer personal checking, savings, and money market accounts. CDs, loans, and prepaid cards are offered. TD Bank offers accounts for small and commercial businesses. Checking, savings, and money market accounts are available for businesses. Loans, CDs, and credit cards for businesses are also offered.

TD Bank offers two specific checking accounts. One is for those over 60 years old, and another account specific for students. The student checking account does not have a monthly fee. The TD 60 Plus account requires $250 be in the account to waive the $10 monthly fee. The TD 60 Plus checking earns interest.

TD Bank offers three prepaid cards for businesses. You can use the cards to pay employees their paycheck or as part of an incentive program. Load a specific amount for expenses to the card or use them as a reward or refund. TD Bank offers reloadable cards or one-time use cards. The cards are accepted anywhere Visa is accepted.

TD Bank offers a good variety of CDs. TD Bank’s No-Catch CDs allow you to make one withdrawal each CD term without penalty. Step Rate CDs increase your interest each year. The 12-month Rate Bump CD offers competitive interest rates. To qualify for that CD, you must have a qualifying checking account in good standing. The rate bump increases the amount of interest your CD earns by more than a full percent. Only $250 is required to open all TD Bank CDs.

Accounts with TD Bank are not offered everywhere. To qualify for an account, you must have an address within the footprint of TD Bank. Those areas are on the East Coast, ranging from Maine to Florida. They are also in parts of Canada.

Most all TD Bank accounts have a monthly maintenance fee. The fees range from $4 to $25 each month, depending on the account. Not all account fees are easy to waive. Having a required amount in the account is the most common way to waive the account fees. Signing up for online statements will lower the monthly fee, not waive it. Having a direct deposit into the account will not waive the monthly fees.

Interest rates for TD Bank accounts are low. They are competitive with your typical brick and mortar bank rates. The TD Bank account rates are not competitive with online-only accounts. Only a few CDs offer interest rates competitive with online-only accounts.

Not all TD Bank checking accounts earn interest. The Premier, Relationship, and the TD 60 Plus checking account are the three that earn interest. The 60 Plus checking account does not require a large balance to avoid the monthly fee. The Premier account requires $2,500, and the Relationship requires $20,000 between TD Bank accounts.

Read the full TD Bank review.

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