BBVA Compass VS Bank5 Connect

Which bank is better for you?

  • Financial Rates: 1.5 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 4.5 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 3.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
Advertiser Disclosure
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Pros:

  • Low required opening deposit amounts
  • Small business and commercial accounts
  • Easy Checking to start or rebuild finances
  • Simple Cash Back program

Cons:

  • Only four transactions allowed per cycle
  • High overdraft fees
  • Low-interest rates
  • Only four different CD options
  • Financial Rates: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 5.0 Star Icon
1.50%APY
Savings/MMA
Advertiser Disclosure
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Pros:

  • Competitive rates on all accounts
  • ATM fee reimbursement
  • Low opening required amounts
  • No monthly maintenance fees

Cons:

  • Limited personal deposit accounts
  • External transfers only for checking
  • Daily withdrawal amounts low
  • Customer service not always available
BBVA Compass Review

BBVA Compass has low opening balances for their accounts. The minimum opening deposit for all checking and saving accounts is $25. The opening required amount for CDs is $500.

Small business and commercial business accounts are available from BBVA Compass. Checking accounts, savings accounts, loans, and credit cards are available. Commercial business opportunities also include ways to increase your working capital.

If you do not qualify for a checking account, BBVA Compass offers the Easy Checking account. This account helps you rebuild your finances. If the account is active with a positive balance after 12 months, you can upgrade to a different checking account. The fee for this account is $13.95 a month. The opening amount required is $25. This account offers a debit card and unlimited check writing. Online or mobile banking and text alerts are available. You have the option to enroll in the Simple Cash Back program.

Simple Cash Back is a program that allows you to earn cash-back rewards. This program is available if you have a debit or credit card with BBVA Compass. Your purchase history determines what offers you receive. You can select the offers that you want. The money is then deposited into your account.

Federal regulations allow for six transactions from a savings account each billing cycle. BBVA Compass savings accounts only allow four. Each extra transaction has a $3 fee.

Most banks have a fee if you spend more than you have in your account. BBVA Compass fees are higher than other banks. For every transaction over $1.01 of insufficient funds, the fee is $38. You can link your checking account to a BBVA Compass savings or money market account. This could help cover the insufficient amount. However, the fee to transfer money from a savings or money market into your checking for insufficient funds is $12 a day.

Only a few of BBVA Compass accounts have good interest rates. The money market account earns a competitive rate, but the rates are promotional. They may change. The other accounts have lower interest rates. The rates are higher than typical banks but lower than online-only bank accounts.

Only four of BBVA Compass CD accounts are available online. The terms are 12 months, 15 months, 18 months, and 36 months. The 12 months CD offers a good interest rate, but it is only a promotional rate. It may change. The other three CD terms are much lower than the 12-month term.

Read the full BBVA Compass review.

Bank5 Connect Review

Bank5 Connect offers competitive interest rates on all accounts. The rates are much higher than your typical brick and mortar bank rates. They are competitive with other online accounts. Interest rates are not tiered. Any amount over $100 earns the most competitive rate.

To get cash from a Bank5 Connect account, you can access any ATMs in the SUM network. If you withdraw money from an ATM that is not in the SUM network, Bank5 Connect will reimburse you the ATM fee. Bank5 Connect will reimburse up to $15 each month in ATM fees.

Bank5 Connect has low opening required amounts. The checking and savings account only require $10 to open. The CDs require $500 to open. To earn interest on the checking and savings account you must have $100 in the accounts.

Bank5 Connect accounts do not have monthly maintenance fees. There is not a required balance to keep in the account. To earn interest, you must have $100 in the checking and savings account. However, you will not be charged a fee for not having that balance.

Bank5 Connect does not offer a wide variety of accounts. Only personal deposit accounts are available. Those accounts include a checking account, savings account, and CDs. CD terms range from 6-months to 36-month terms. They also offer one investment CD. That term is a 24-month CD. There are no business accounts offered through Bank5 Connect.

Only money in a Bank5 checking account can be transferred to an external bank account. You cannot transfer funds from the Bank5 Connect savings to an external account. You must transfer the money from the Bank5 Connect checking account.

The Bank5 Connect checking account has daily withdrawal and purchase limits. You can only withdraw $500 each day from an ATM. There is a daily purchase limit of $1,000 with your debit card. If you need to spend more money, you must contact a Bank5 Connect representative.

Bank5 Connect customer service are not available 24/7. Their hours vary depending on the day. They open at 7:30 a.m. every day, except Sunday. They open at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday. They are open until 5:00 p.m. Monday thru Wednesday, and 7:00 p.m. Thursday and Friday. They close at 3:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Online chat is available Monday thru Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. All times are Eastern Standard Time.

Read the full Bank5 Connect review.

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