Flagstar Bank VS Customers Bank

Which bank is better for you?

  • 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
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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
  • Financial Rates: 2.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 4.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • Free ATM transactions and fee refunds
  • Variety of personal deposit accounts
  • Low opening required amounts
  • Bonus checking account offers good rates

Cons:

  • Accounts have low interest rates
  • Cannot open all accounts online
  • Tiered interest rates on accounts
  • Monthly fees for most accounts
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.

Customers Bank Review

Customers Bank accounts offer free ATM transactions at PLUS and NYCE ATMs. The Convenience checking account offers ATM fee refunds. To qualify for the refunds, you must have at least $5,000 in Customers Bank accounts.

There are a variety of personal deposit and business accounts available. Those include:

  • Convenience checking
  • Free checking
  • Bonus checking
  • Money market account
  • Reserve savings
  • CDs from 3-60 months
  • Loans and mortgages
  • Business accounts and lending options

The personal deposit accounts with Customers Bank have low opening required amounts. Each of the checking and savings accounts only require $10 to open. The money market requires $50 to open. The CDs require $500 to open.

The Bonus checking account earns competitive interest rates if you meet the qualifications. That requires you to spend $500 a month using your debit card. Those rates are much higher than the standard rates and are competitive with other online checking accounts. To open the Bonus checking account, you must use new money. You cannot use money already in a Customers Bank account.

Most of the accounts with Customers Bank do not offer competitive interest rates. The accounts offer rates similar to traditional bank rates. Customers Bank used to offer accounts with competitive interest rates. Those accounts are no longer available.

Not all accounts at Customers Bank can be opened online. Some accounts require visiting a branch location to open. They have branch locations in eight states. Not all products are available at every location. Contact customer service to see which accounts are available near you.

Money market accounts at Customers Bank have tiered interest rates. To earn the most competitive rates requires $250,001. Even the most competitive rate is not competitive with other online money market accounts.

Some Customers Bank accounts have monthly fees. The Convenience checking account has a monthly fee of $29 if you do not meet the requirements. You must keep a $5,000 balance in Customers Bank accounts to waive the fee. The money market account has a $5 fee if your balance falls below $1,000. The retirement savings account has a $5 fee if your balance falls below $100.

Read the full Customers Bank review.

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