EBSB Direct VS Flagstar Bank

Which bank is better for you?

  • Financial Rates: 2.5 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 3.5 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 3.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • High interest rates on accounts
  • CDs have low opening required amounts
  • Accounts are entirely online
  • Debit card offered for MMA

Cons:

  • Limited deposit accounts offered
  • Highest rates require a large amount
  • MMA has a fee and high opening amount
  • Must link to another account
  • Financial Rates: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 3.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
Advertiser Disclosure
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Pros:

  • Variety of accounts offered
  • Low opening required amounts
  • Some CDs offer competitive rates
  • Promotional savings accounts

Cons:

  • Low interest rates on accounts
  • Tiered interest rates
  • Accounts have monthly fees
  • Cannot open accounts online
EBSB Direct Review

The EBSB Direct accounts offer good interest rates. The rates are slightly lower than other online-only accounts. They are higher than your typical brick-and-mortar bank rates.

The EBSB Direct accounts have low opening required amounts. The 15-month CD only requires $1,000 to open. The six-month CD and the money market account both require $2,500 to open.

EBSB Direct accounts are entirely online accounts. You apply for the accounts online, not at a branch location. You can make transactions for your EBSB Direct accounts at an EBSB branch location. Everything for your EBSB Direct accounts are online.

The money market account with EBSB Direct offers a debit card for you to access your money. Federal regulations allow six withdrawals per month from the money market account. There is a fee if you withdraw more than six times.

EBSB Direct only offers a money market account and two personal CD terms. The term lengths are six-months and 15-months. There are no other personal or business accounts available.

To earn the highest interest rate offered on the MMA, you must have at least $10,000 in the account. Balances from $10 to $9,999 earn interest, but a lower rate. The highest interest rate requires at least $10,000.

The money market account has a monthly fee of $8. Waive the fee by keeping at least $2,500 in the account. That is also the amount required to open the MMA. Keeping $2,500 in the account waives the fee and earns the lower interest rate.

To make electronic transfers, link your EBSB Direct accounts to an external account. You can link the accounts to another financial institution in the United States. More than one account can be linked to your EBSB Direct account.

Read the full EBSB Direct review.

Flagstar Bank Review

Flagstar Bank offers a variety of personal deposit and business accounts. There are three checking accounts to choose from and three savings accounts. They offer a money market account and many CD terms. Lending options are available for personal accounts as well as business. Flagstar offers business checking, savings, money market accounts, and credit cards.

The amounts required to open Flagstar accounts is low. The checking accounts all require $50 to open. The savings accounts and money market account all only require $1 to open. All CD terms only require $500 to open.

Flagstar offers three CDs with competitive interest rates. Those CD terms are a 13-month, 19-month, and 25-month. Each term requires $500 to open. These CDs must be opened in a branch location. They are only available for Michigan residents.

Flagstar offers promotional savings accounts. The interest rates for these three accounts are competitive. They offer a SimplySavings, MaxSavings, and High Yield Promo account. They guarantee the competitive rate for the first 12 months. There is no minimum balance or checking account required during the promo period. After the promotional period, you can choose which account fits you best. Monthly fees apply after the 12 months. These accounts are only for Michigan residents.

The interest rates for Flagstar Bank accounts are low. They are competitive with other brick and mortar bank rates. Most account rates do not compare with interest rates for online accounts. Only a few interest rates are competitive.

Along with being low, the interest rates for Flagstar accounts are tiered. To earn the most competitive rates for the high yield savings account requires $1 million. To earn a good rate requires $50,000. The SimplyMax savings and checking account earns the best rate for balances over $25,000. The money market and SimplyPlus checking account requires $10,000 to earn the best rate.

Flagstar Bank accounts have monthly fees. Checking account fees range from $10 to $25 a month. Waive those fees by keeping a balance of $1,000 to $5,000 in the checking. Alternatively, waive fees by having $5,000 to $25,000 between multiple accounts. Savings and money market account fees range from $3 to $35 a month. To waive those fees requires a $300 to $50,000 balance, depending on the account. Having a checking account will also waive the savings account fees.

At this time Flagstar Bank personal deposit accounts cannot be opened online. You must visit a branch location to open a checking, savings, or money market accounts, and CDs. You can apply for a mortgage online. The option to apply online may be available in the future.

Read the full Flagstar Bank review.

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Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
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APY 4.75%
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Min to Open $500
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Monthly Fee $0.00
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Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
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APY 4.40%
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Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
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Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
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APY 4.35%
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Min to Open $100
Min to Earn APY $5,000
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
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APY 4.30%
Rate 4.21%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
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MMA (Rate as of 12/21/2024)
APY 4.10%
Rate 4.02%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook Yes
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Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024)
APY 4.10%
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APY 4.75%
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Min to Open $10
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
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APY 4.10%
Rate 4.02%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
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