Comenity Direct VS Navy Federal Credit Union

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: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 4.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
Advertiser Disclosure
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Pros:

  • Low opening required amounts
  • Variety of accounts available
  • ATM fee reimbursements
  • Competitive rates on most accounts

Cons:

  • Must become a member first
  • Accounts have tiered interest rates
  • Daily cash limits on withdrawals
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.

Navy Federal Credit Union Review

Navy Federal accounts have low opening required amounts. The savings account only requires $5 to open. The money market account does not have a set amount required to open, but to earn interest requires $2,500. The checking accounts do not have a set amount required to open. The CDs have tiered opening required amounts. The lowest amount to open a regular CD is $1,000. Special CD offers require lower opening amounts.

There are a wide variety of accounts offered through Navy Federal. They offer a savings account, money market account, and CDs. Their CD terms range from three-month terms to seven-year terms. Navy Federal offers five checking accounts. Those accounts include one for students, an online account, and an active duty account. Navy Federal also offers loans and credit cards.

Most Navy Federal checking accounts offer ATM fee reimbursement. Only the Everyday Checking account does not. The reimbursement amount ranges from $10 to $20, depending on the account. Some accounts require a direct deposit to earn the reimbursement.

Most all Navy Federal accounts offer competitive interest rates. The CDs offer the most competitive interest rates. Navy Federal savings and checking accounts earn interest. The rates are lower than online account rates. The money market account rates are slightly lower than online rates. These rates are higher than typical bank rates.

Before you open an account with Navy Federal, you must first become a member of the credit union. Servicemembers and veterans are eligible to join Navy Federal. Department of Defense employees are eligible. Family members of each of these groups can become members of Navy Federal Credit Union.

Navy Federal money market and Flagship checking account have tiered interest rates. To earn the most competitive rate on the MMA requires a balance of at least $50,000. The checking account requires $25,000. To earn the most competitive rate on Navy Federal CDs requires $100,000.

Navy Federal only allows for a daily cash withdrawal of $600. This includes cash from an ATM, a branch, or receiving cash back. There is a daily transaction limit of $3,000 for most checking accounts and $5,000 for the Flagship checking. Their accounts do not typically have limits on the number of transactions.

Read the full Navy Federal Credit Union review.

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