Comenity Direct VS Northeast Bank

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: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 4.0 Star Icon
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Pros:

  • Low required amounts to open accounts
  • Variety of personal deposit accounts
  • Business accounts offered
  • Pearl MMA earns a good rate

Cons:

  • Low interest rates on accounts
  • Some accounts have tiered interest rates
  • Accounts opened in branches
  • Monthly fees for most 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.

Northeast Bank Review

The required amounts to open Northeast Bank accounts are low. The savings account requires $100. The holiday club requires $2, and all CDs only require $500 to open. One checking account requires $25 to open. The other three checking accounts require $100 to open.

Northeast Bank offers a variety of personal deposit accounts. They offer a savings account for youth, regular savings, and a holiday savings account. Two money market accounts are offered. There are four checking accounts, including one for those 50 or older. There are a variety of CD terms, ranging from six-months to five-years.

Along with personal deposit accounts, Northeast Bank offers business accounts. Those include savings, checking, and money market accounts. They offer lines of credit, business, and equipment loans. Cash management options are available. Each account comes with online bill pay and banking, and merchant card processing.

The Pearl money market account is available to open to those who live by a branch location. This money market account earns more competitive interest rates than the other accounts. This account is only for new customers to Northeast Bank. Any amount over $0.01 earns the competitive rates. The minimum opening amount is $5,000. The account fee amount or required balance is not listed on the website.

The interest rates for most Northeast Bank accounts are low. They are not competitive with other online accounts. Northeast Bank checking accounts earn interest. Some accounts have tiered interest rates.

To earn the highest interest on some Northeast Bank accounts requires a large sum. The regular money market account requires $100,000 to earn the most competitive rate. The business MMA requires $75,000. The Northeast Express Gold personal checking account requires $50,000. Any balance earns some interest, just not the most competitive rate. The most competitive rate offered is not competitive with other online accounts.

The accounts listed on the Northeast Bank website are only able to open in a branch location. No online accounts are offered directly through the Northeast Bank website. Online accounts are offered through ableBanking, their online division.

Most accounts offered through Northeast Bank have a monthly fee. The fees range from $1 to $7 a month, depending on the account. To waive the monthly fee requires a set balance be in the account. That amount varies from $100 to $10,000.

Read the full Northeast Bank review.

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