Comenity Direct VS Banesco USA

Which bank is better for you?

  • Financial Rates: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 2.5 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 4.5 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 5.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • Low opening required amounts
  • Competitive interest rates on accounts
  • No monthly maintenance fees
  • Can open accounts entirely online

Cons:

  • Limited account options
  • Must link an external bank account
  • No checks or debit cards available
  • Early withdrawal fee on CDs is high
  • Financial Rates: 2.5 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 4.5 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 3.0 Star Icon
1.35%APY
Savings/MMA
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Pros:

  • Low opening amounts for most accounts
  • Good variety of accounts available
  • Competitive interest rates on accounts
  • Options to contact customer service

Cons:

  • Cannot open all accounts online
  • Accounts have monthly fees
  • MMA have high opening amounts
  • Tiered interest rates on some accounts
Comenity Direct Review

The required amounts to open Comenity Direct accounts are low. The Comenity Direct savings account requires $100 to open. Each of the CDs offered through Comenity Direct require $1,500 to open.

The interest rates for Comenity Direct accounts are competitive. Their rates are much higher than typical bank rates. They are competitive with other online accounts. To earn interest on CDs, you must keep $1,500 in the CD. The high-yield savings account only requires $1.00 to earn interest.

Comenity Direct accounts do not have monthly maintenance fees. There are not set account balances required to avoid the monthly fees. Their accounts are free. The CDs have a fee if you withdraw the money before the maturity date, but no monthly fee.

All Comenity Direct accounts can be opened online. You do not need to visit a branch location or mail in part of the application. The entire account opening process is online. You must be at least 18 years old and have a social security number. You must be a resident of the United States with an address. You cannot open an account with a P.O. Box.

Comenity Direct offers limited accounts. They offer a high-yield savings account and CDs. The CD terms range from one to five-years. There are no CD terms shorter than one year. Comenity Direct does not offer checking or money market accounts.

Comenity Direct accounts require a linked external account. You can link an account with your current bank. Once you link the two accounts, you can transfer money electronically. You can also have money directly deposited into your Comenity Direct account.

The Comenity Direct high-yield savings account does not offer checks or debit cards. Federal law allows for six withdrawals each billing statement from a savings account. Make withdrawals through electronic transfers into the linked external bank account.

Comenity Direct offers CD terms from one to five-years. The early withdrawal fees for these CDs are high compared to other online CDs. For terms from 12-months to three-years, the fee is 180 days of interest. For terms four-years or longer, the fee is 365 days of interest.

Read the full Comenity Direct review.

Banesco USA Review

Most Banesco USA accounts have low opening required amounts. The personal deposit checking and savings accounts only require $100 to open. The personal deposit CDs require $1,500 to open.

Banesco USA has a good variety of accounts. They offer personal checking, savings, and money market accounts. They offer personal and business CDs with terms from 3-months to 60-months. They offer business checking, savings, and money market accounts. Banesco offers personal and business international banking accounts, along with lending options.

The Banesco USA accounts offer competitive interest rates. The rates are competitive with other online accounts. The rates are much higher than typical bank rates.

There are a variety of ways to contact customer service. You can call during business hours or can have Banesco call you. You send an email, and customer service will call you. You can visit a local branch location or follow Banesco on social media. You can access account information anytime through BanescoVoice or logging in online.

Not all Banesco USA accounts can be opened online. To open their checking accounts, you must contact customer service. Other accounts may not be able to open online. Personal deposit money market and savings accounts can be opened online. Personal deposit CDs are also able to be opened online.

Most Banesco USA accounts have monthly fees. The fees range from $5 to $15 each month. To waive the fees, you must keep a set account balance in the specific account. This balance is not a combination of Banesco USA accounts. Those balances range from $100 to $2,500 depending on the account.

The Banesco USA money market accounts have high opening required amounts. Each of the personal deposit money market accounts require $2,500 to open. You must keep that amount in the accounts to avoid a monthly fee. If the amount falls below $2,500, the fee is between $5 to $15 per month.

Some Banesco USA accounts have tiered interest rates. The BanesFlex money market account requires $2,500 to earn any interest. But, to earn the most competitive rate offered you must have $100,000 in the account. Balances under this amount earn a much lower rate. The BanesGrown savings account only requires $300 to earn the most competitive rate.

Read the full Banesco USA review.

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