Golden 1 Credit Union VS Bangor Savings Bank

Which bank is better for you?

  • Financial Rates: 4.0 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:

  • Variety of accounts offered
  • CDs offer competitive interest rates
  • Low opening required amounts
  • Freedom Checking Account for teens

Cons:

  • Must become a member first
  • Cannot open all accounts online
  • Monthly maintenance fees
  • Not competitive rates for most accounts
  • Financial Rates: 2.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 4.5 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • Variety of personal deposit accounts
  • Business accounts available
  • Competitive interest rates on CDs
  • Most accounts have low opening amounts

Cons:

  • High opening required amount for MMA
  • Tiered interest rates
  • Accounts only for certain residents
  • Some accounts require a checking account
Golden 1 Credit Union Review

Golden 1 offers a wide variety of accounts. They offer free checking, interest-earning checking, and checking for students. They offer CDs, a money market, and a basic savings account. They also offer savings accounts for youth, the holidays, and big purchases. They also offer credit cards, investment options, insurances, and loans.

Golden 1 CDs offer good interest rates. The rates are higher than typical brick and mortar bank rates. They are slightly lower than other online accounts. A few of the CD terms do offer rates that are competitive with other online CDs.

Most Golden 1 Credit Union accounts have low opening required amounts. The opening amounts range from $1 to $100 depending on the account. Some accounts do not have a required amount. The CDs require $1,000 to open. The money market account does require $2,500 to open.

This checking account is set up specifically for students ages 16 and 17. To have this account, you must maintain a B average in school. Teens can have freedom of their own finances and learn to manage their money. There is no required amount or monthly fee. They offer online and mobile banking, and mobile deposit.

To open an account with Golden 1, you must first become a member. If you live or work in California, you qualify to be a member. Family members of other Golden 1 members also qualify. You can qualify if you belong to certain employee groups. If these options do not work, you can join the Financial Fitness Association to become a member.

Not all Golden 1 accounts can be opened online. Some accounts require visiting a local branch location to open. All the CDs and most of the savings accounts can be opened online.

The premier checking account and the money market account both have monthly fees. The fees are $5 each month. You can waive those fees by having a set amount in each of the accounts. The checking account requires $1,000, and the money market account requires $2,500.

Most accounts with Golden 1 do not offer competitive interest rates. The checking, savings, and money market account rates are not competitive with other online accounts. They are competitive with other brick and mortar rates.

Read the full Golden 1 Credit Union review.

Bangor Savings Bank Review

Bangor Savings Bank offers a variety of personal deposit accounts. They offer three checking accounts and savings and money market accounts. Those accounts include a savings account for kids and one for the holidays. Bangor offers CDs that range from three-month terms to five-year terms.

Bangor Savings Bank offers a wide variety of business accounts. Those accounts include business checking and savings accounts. They offer business credit cards and insurance options. Bangor offers cash management and payroll services for businesses.

The Bangor Savings Bank CDs offer competitive rates. The interest rates for these CDs are competitive with other online CDs. The terms range from three months to five years. The amount required to open each CD is $500.

Most Bangor Savings Bank accounts have low required amounts to open. Each of the checking accounts requires $25 to open. Two savings accounts also only need $25 to open. The CDs each need $500 to open.

The Benefit Money Market and Market Rate account have high opening required amounts. These accounts each need $5,000 to open and to earn interest. Balances below $5,000 do not earn interest. There is a $10 monthly fee if the Market Rate account drops below $5,000. The Benefit Money Market does not have a monthly fee.

Some Bangor Savings Bank accounts have tiered interest rates. To earn the most competitive rate for the MMA requires an account balance of $100,000. The savings account requires $25,000. Amounts under that balance earn interest, just not the most competitive rate.

Bangor Savings Bank accounts are not available to anyone across the United States. Only residents of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont can open an account. You can open some accounts online if you are a resident of one of these states. A few accounts require visiting a branch location.

Some accounts require having a Bangor checking account first. To open the Benefit Savings and MMA requires having a Bangor checking account. Once you have a checking account, you qualify to open these other accounts.

Read the full Bangor Savings Bank review.

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