First Tech Federal Credit Union VS Salem Five Direct

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

  • No required balances or monthly fees
  • High interest rates on accounts
  • No required amount to earn interest
  • Low opening required amounts on accounts

Cons:

  • Not wide variety of accounts
  • Business accounts are not offered
  • eOne checking only for new customers
  • No branch locations for accounts
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.

Salem Five Direct Review

Salem Five Direct savings and checking account do not have a required balance to waive fees. Only $100 is required to open the account. After the account is open, there is no amount you must keep in the account to avoid fees. There are no monthly fees for the savings or checking account. A fee is charged if you withdraw money from your CD before maturity.

Salem Five Direct savings and checking accounts offer competitive interest rates. The rates are competitive with other online-only accounts. They are much higher than your typical brick and mortar rates. Salem Five Direct offers three different CD term lengths. Each of the three CDs offers competitive interest rates.

The accounts at Salem Five Direct do not have a set amount required to earn the highest interest rates. Any savings or checking account balance earns the highest interest rates. Each of these accounts requires $100 to open.

All Salem Five Direct accounts have low amounts required to open the accounts. The minimum amount required to open a savings or checking account, or a CD, is $100. Once you open the account, there is no set amount required to keep in the accounts.

Salem Five Direct offers one savings account and one checking account. They only offer three different term lengths of CDs. Those are 18-month, 36-month, and 48-month CD terms. Only personal deposit accounts are available.

There are no business accounts offered through Salem Five Direct. The only accounts are personal deposit accounts. Those include a savings account, a checking account, and three different CD term lengths.

To open the Salem Five Direct eOne checking account you must be eligible. To be eligible for the account you cannot have an existing account with Salem Five Bank. The funds to open the eOne account cannot come from a Salem Five Bank account. This account is only available to open online. You cannot open it at a branch location.

Each of these Salem Five Direct accounts is entirely online accounts. There are no branch locations for Salem Five Direct. If you make a transaction to your Salem Five Direct accounts at a Salem Five branch, you will be charged a fee. Reach customer service for Salem Five Direct accounts by online chat, phone, or email.

Read the full Salem Five Direct review.

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