BBVA Compass VS Washington Savings 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
No Rate Information
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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: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 4.0 Star Icon
0.05%APY
Savings/MMA
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Pros:

  • Low opening required amounts
  • Variety of bank accounts
  • Online Rewards checking account
  • Checking and CDs offer competitive rates

Cons:

  • Must meet requirements to earn interest
  • Not competitive rates for savings and MMA
  • Accounts have monthly fees
  • Not everyone can open 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.

Washington Savings Bank Review

Accounts at Washington Savings Bank have low required opening amounts. All the checking and money market accounts only require $10 to open. The savings account opening balances range from $1 to $50, depending on the account. All the CD terms require $500 to open.

Washington Savings Bank has a variety of personal deposit and business accounts. They offer three personal checking accounts and a variety of savings accounts. They also offer CDs, business accounts, and lending options.

Washington Savings Bank offers an Online Rewards checking account. This account is available to U.S. citizens across the country. You earn debit card cash rewards for purchases. You must have a direct deposit into this account. There is a monthly fee of $9.95. This is a checking account for those who need a second chance. After one year of good accounts history, you can receive a lower monthly fee.

The Washington Savings Bank checking accounts and CDs offer competitive interest rates. Not all CDs offer competitive rates. There are five special CD terms that have competitive rates. The checking account does have tiered interest rates. The most competitive rate is for balances between $0 and $10,000. Some qualifications must be met to earn the competitive rate.

The checking account has set requirements to earn the competitive interest rate. Those qualifications include having at least 12 debit card purchases post and clear. You must receive eStatements. You must also have one automatic payment, direct deposit, or bill pay post and clear. If these qualifications are met each month, you earn the competitive interest rate.

The savings and money market account do not have competitive interest rates. Washington Savings Bank offers a variety of savings accounts, but the rates are low. These account rates are not competitive with other online accounts.

Some Washington Savings Bank accounts have a monthly maintenance fee. Those fees range from $3 to $10 depending on the account. To waive the fees requires a set amount be in the accounts. Those balances range from $50 to $2,500. The Online Rewards checking has a monthly fee of $9.95.

Not everyone can open Washington Savings Bank accounts. Savings accounts are only for residents of Massachusetts or New Hampshire. Two of the checking accounts are only offered to those residents as well. The Online Rewards checking account is available for anyone. That account has a $9.95 monthly fee.

Read the full Washington Savings Bank review.

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