BBVA Compass VS Sun Canyon Bank

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
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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: 1.5 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 4.5 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 4.5 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 3.5 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • Higher rates than typical banks
  • Good variety of accounts online
  • Free ATM transactions
  • Digital Wallet

Cons:

  • Monthly fees for most accounts
  • High opening required amounts
  • Must wait for accounts to activate
  • Tiered interest rates on accounts
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.

Sun Canyon Bank Review

The interest rates for Sun Canyon are higher than typical bank rates, but lower than online accounts. The accounts do have tiered interest rates. But even the lowest tier rates are higher than typical bank rates.

Sun Canyon Bank offers online accounts. Those accounts include:

  • Checking account
  • Savings account
  • Money market account
  • Standard CDs in 6, 12, and 24-month terms

Sun Canyon allows for eight ATM transactions each month, or up to $25 per billing cycle, free of fees. The other banking institution may charge a fee. Sun Canyon will not charge a fee for those first ATM transactions.

Through the mobile app, you can make purchases and payments with Sun Canyon Digital Wallet. You load your debit card into the mobile app. You can then make purchases. Sun Canyon also supports Apple, Google, and Samsung Pay.

Most Sun Canyon accounts have fees. The money market fee is $10. To avoid fees, you must keep at least $2,500 in the account. The savings account has a fee of $5 per month. To avoid this fee, you must have a balance of at least $250. The checking account has a fee of $5 if you have less than $5,000 in your checking account. To waive the fees, you can also have set combined balances. The savings account requires $2,500 in combined accounts. The MMA requires $5,000, and the checking account requires $20,000 in combined accounts.

The opening required amounts for Sun Canyon accounts are high. The savings account requires $250 to open. The checking account requires $1,000 to open. The CDs all require $1,000 to open. The money market account requires $2,500. You must keep these amounts in the accounts to avoid the monthly fees.

Apply for an account with Sun Canyon by filling out an application online. Once your application is complete, customer service sends an email when the account activates. You can start using the account once you receive the email.

To earn the most competitive rates, you must have a high account balance. The checking account requires $50,000 for the best rates and the money market requires $100,000. The savings account requires $250,000. Balance over $250 for the savings account and over $2,500 for the MMA and checking accounts earn interest, just not the highest rate.

Read the full Sun Canyon Bank review.

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