First Tech Federal Credit Union VS Bank of the West

Which bank is better for you?

  • Financial Rates: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 4.5 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 5.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • Dividend Rewards earns great rates
  • No monthly maintenance fees
  • CDs offer good rates
  • Low opening required amounts

Cons:

  • Must become a member first
  • Tiered interest rates
  • High opening amount for Instant Access
  • Low daily ATM withdrawal amount
  • Financial Rates: 2.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 3.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
Advertiser Disclosure
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Pros:

  • Business accounts are available
  • Direct deposit is not required
  • A variety of different lengths of CDs
  • Transfer money to others with PopMoney

Cons:

  • Low-interest rates on accounts
  • High initial required amounts for CDs
  • High required amounts for accounts
  • Products change based on states
First Tech Federal Credit Union Review

The Dividend Rewards checking account earns competitive interest rates. To earn the most competitive rate has some requirements. You must have 12 debit card purchases each month and have one direct deposit or ACH withdrawal. You must also receive electronic statements. The competitive rate is for any balance from $0.01 to $15,000. Balances over $15,000 earns a lower rate.

First Tech savings and checking accounts do not have monthly fees. There is no minimum balance required to keep in the account to waive the monthly fees. These accounts are free.

The CDs offered through First Tech offer good interest rates. The terms range from six-month to 60-month terms. Each of the terms earns rates slightly lower than other online CDs. Each traditional CD term requires $500 to open.

First Tech has low required amounts to open their accounts. The checking accounts require $0.01 to open. Two of the savings accounts require $0.01 or $5.00 to open. Each of the CD terms requires $500 to open.

To open an account with First Tech, you must be a member of the credit union. You are eligible to be a member if you work for certain tech companies or the state of Oregon. If you live or work in Lane County, Oregon, you are eligible. Immediate family members of members are eligible. You can also become a member by joining the Computer History Museum or the Financial Fitness Association.

The Instant Access savings account with First Tech has tiered interest rates. To earn the most competitive rate, you must have a balance over $250,000. Lower account balances earn interest, just not the most competitive rate.

The Instant Access savings account has a high opening required amount. To open the account requires $5,000. There is no monthly fee for this account. Interest rates for the Instant Access account are tiered.

First Tech members can only withdraw $500 per day, per cardholder, from First Tech ATMs. Other ATMs may allow for a higher withdrawal, but you may face a fee. If you need more than $500 at one time, visit a branch location.

Read the full First Tech Federal Credit Union review.

Bank of the West Review

Bank of the West offers checking, savings, CDs, and money market accounts for your business. Credit cards, loans, and lines of credit are also available. Bank of the West offers payroll services and payment processing options. Foreign exchange services for business accounts are also available. Interest rates for their different business accounts are not listed on the website.

Bank of the West does not require you to have direct deposit into their checking account. There is a monthly maintenance fee, but you can waive that fee by depositing money into your account each month. You can deposit any amount by an ATM, in-branch, direct, or mobile deposit to waive the fee.

Bank of the West offers Flexible-Term CDs, Premium Money Market CD, and a Relationship CD. Within these different CD types are a variety of term lengths, except the Relationship CD. That only has a 12-month term option. To apply for a CD and get the specific term lengths and rates you have to visit a branch. You cannot apply online.

With Popmoney you can send or receive money with only an email, text, or account number. You decide where the money is deposited. You will receive an alert when the transaction is complete. There is a fee to send money overnight, and not all customers qualify to use Popmoney.

Personal banking accounts of Bank of the West do not have competitive interest rates. The rates are much less than online-only banks but similar to typical bank interest rates.

To open a CD, you must have an opening balance of $1,000 for the Flexible-Term CDs and Premier Money Market CDs. To open a Relationship CD, you must have $2,500 and a checking account with Bank of the West.

To waive the Premier Checking account fee, you must have $25,000 in qualifying accounts. The Choice Money Market account requires $5,000. CD accounts require $1,000 to $2,500 to open. The Classic Savings account requires $300. There are other options for ways to have monthly fees waived. Know the options if you cannot keep the required amounts of money in the accounts.

Bank of the West accounts are not available in all states. To apply for an account, you must have an address in one of the states listed. Interest rates and products differ between states. The name of the bank may be slightly different as well depending on the area.

Read the full Bank of the West review.

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