Barclays VS Merrick Bank

Which bank is better for you?

  • Financial Rates: 4.5 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 4.5 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 5.0 Star Icon
4.35%APY
Savings/MMA
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Pros:

  • High-interest rates
  • Savings assistant helps visualize goals
  • No minimums, fees, or required amounts
  • Options on how to receive interest

Cons:

  • Limited types of accounts offered
  • Transfers take 2-3 business days
  • Customer service is not open 24/7
  • Financial Rates: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 5.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • Competitive interest rates on CDs
  • Credit cards available
  • Accounts are online
  • Interest credited monthly

Cons:

  • High opening required amount
  • Not everyone qualifies for an account
  • Acceptance takes a long time
  • Limited accounts offered
Barclays Review

Barclays offers extremely high-interest rates. Their rates are higher than other banks and even other online banks. Their high yield savings account and CDs earn great interest rates. Even their short-term CDs earn higher interest rates than most other banks.

Barclays offers a Savings Assistant tool. First, input your goal. Next, decide how much you want to save and how much you have saved already. Finally, decide how much you can contribute to the account each month. With one click, the Savings Assistant tells you how long it will take you to reach your goal.

There is not a set amount to open a savings or CD account with Barclays. Their accounts do not have monthly maintenance fees. There is also not a set amount you are required to keep in the different accounts.

You have the choice of how to receive the money earned on interest. You can choose to have the money kept in the CD or transferred into your Barclays savings account. You can choose to have the money transferred to a verified external account. To set up different interest options log in to your account.

Barclays only offers one high yield savings account and CDs. They do not offer a checking account. Barclays used to offer accounts for minors but stopped in June of 2017. Even though they only offer one savings account, you can open up to 25 different accounts if needed.

Your money is not available immediately. Transfers into your Barclays account take five business days. Electronic transfers from your Barclays account to your external account take 2-3 business days. Money transferred between Barclays accounts are immediate.

There isn’t an app for the Online Savings account and the CD accounts. You can access your accounts and do whatever you need to do online, but not through an app.

Customer service is not available all the time. You can reach customer service through the mail or by the phone. They are open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.

Read the full Barclays review.

Merrick Bank Review

Interest rates on Merrick Bank CDs offer competitive interest rates. The rates are competitive with other online CDs. They are much higher than other brick and mortar bank rates.

Merrick Bank offers personal credit cards. They offer a Secured Visa credit card specifically to build or rebuild customer’s credit. They also offer a Platinum Visa for customers who have better credit. Each credit card comes with Zero Liability for Unauthorized Use and account alerts.

Merrick Bank is an online account. Once you are approved to open a CD everything else for your account is online or on the mobile app. You can deposit or withdraw money from the CD during the grace period or at maturity.

The Merrick Bank 12-month CD term offers competitive interest rates. The interest you earn is credited to your account each month. You can watch your money grow. You can withdraw money from your CD during the grace period or once the CD reaches maturity.

To open a CD through Merrick Bank requires a large sum. The 12-month CD requires $25,000 to open the account. The opening deposit must be one transaction. Deposit money electronically through a linked bank account.

When applying for a CD with Merrick Bank, you must qualify. Each CD is carefully reviewed. Acceptance to open a CD is based on the person's credit. If you do not meet the set criteria, you cannot open an account with Merrick Bank. If you receive an offer in the mail, you are eligible to open a CD.

After you apply for an account with Merrick Bank, you will receive a letter in the mail. This will inform you if you qualified for an account or not. The letter takes two to three weeks to receive. If after the allotted time you have not heard from Merrick Bank, you can call customer service.

Merrick Bank offers a limited amount of personal deposit accounts. Only one 12-month CD is available. They do offer personal credit cards and lending options. This bank helps customers build or rebuild their credit. To open an account, you must qualify.

Read the full Merrick Bank review.

Sponsored Offers

Advertiser Disclosure
Jenius Bank
Savings (Rate as of 3/29/2024)
APY 5.25%
Rate 5.25%
For APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Checkbook No
Member FDIC. No fees. Easy deposits and quick withdrawals.
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Barclays
Savings (Rate as of 3/29/2024)
APY 4.35%
Rate 4.35%
For APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Checkbook No
Member FDIC
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