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.

The interest rates for most Connexus accounts are competitive. The CDs and checking accounts offer rates competitive with other online accounts. The HSA and money market account also offer competitive rates. These rates are higher than typical brick-and-mortar bank rates. The Connexus regular saving account does not offer rates competitive with other online accounts.

The personal deposit accounts with Connexus do not have monthly maintenance fees. There are no required amounts to keep in accounts to avoid fees. The checking, money market, and savings accounts are completely free. The HSA account has a fee and the business checking account does as well, if your balance falls below $200.

The Connexus Xtraordinary checking account offers ATM fee reimbursements. ATM transactions are free at any Connexus, CO-OP, and MoneyPass ATMs. The Xtraordinary checking allows up to $25 in ATM fee refunds. You must meet the account requirements to earn the ATM refund.

Connexus Credit Union offers a good variety of personal deposit accounts. They offer:

• Xtraordinary checking account
• Teen checking account
• Money market account
• Savings account
• CD terms of 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60-months
• Holiday savings account
• Health savings accounts

To open Connexus accounts, you must first become a member of the credit union. Employees of certain businesses or residents of certain cities qualify to become members. Relatives of members also qualify. You can become a member with a one-time $5 donation to the Connexus Association. Just because you apply does not mean you qualify to become a member. It can take up to three business days to hear if you receive approval.

The CDs through Connexus Credit Union all have high opening balances. Each of the CD terms requires $5,000 to open. Their CDs include 12, 24, 36, 42, or 60-month terms. The interest rates are competitive for each term length.

The Connexus money market account has tiered interest rates. To earn the most competitive rates requires an account balance of $100,000. Balances below $100,000 still earn interest, just not the most competitive rate.

The Connexus checking accounts have requirements you must meet to earn competitive rates. Those include eStatements, one direct deposit, and one online bill payment each month. You must also make a set amount of debit card transactions each month. If you meet these requirements, you earn the competitive rates. If you do not meet them, you are not charged a fee, but you do not earn the best rates.

Read the full Connexus Credit Union review.