Golden 1 Credit Union VS Home 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
No Rate Information
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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: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 3.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
Advertiser Disclosure
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Pros:

  • Competitive interest rates for CDs
  • Personal deposit accounts offered
  • Can open CDs online
  • Online mortgage options

Cons:

  • High opening required amounts
  • Monthly maintenance fees are high
  • Cannot open all accounts online
  • MMA has tiered interest rates
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.

Home Savings Bank Review

Home Savings Bank CDs offer competitive interest rates. The rates are competitive with other online accounts. Their rates are much higher than typical brick and mortar bank rates. The rates are competitive whether you open the account in the branch or online.

Personal deposit accounts are available through Home Savings Bank. These accounts include a checking account, money market account, CDs, and IRAs. Not all accounts can be opened online. Only the CDs and IRAs have the option to open online.

Home Savings Bank offers CDs that are entirely online. These accounts are available for anyone across the United States to open. You must be at least 18 years old. You must be a resident of the United States or a resident alien. You must have an address in the U.S., a social security number, and a driver license or other ID.

Home Savings Bank offers online mortgage options. You apply for your loan online. A loan officer will contact you by phone, email, or online chat to answer your questions. Because the mortgage is online, the rates and fees are typically lower than other banks.

Each of the accounts with Home Savings Bank has a high required opening amount. The CDs, money market account, checking account, and IRA accounts all require $5,000 to open. The opening required amount is the same whether opening in the branch or online.

The monthly maintenance fees for Home Savings Bank accounts are high. The fee for the money market account and checking account is $35 a month. Waive this fee by keeping a set balance in the account. The checking account requires $5,000 in a combination of Home Savings Bank accounts to waive the fee. The money market account must have $2,500 in the account to waive the fee.

Not all Home Savings Bank accounts have the option of opening online. Only the Home Savings Bank CDs and IRAs have the online option. To open the checking or money market account visit the branch location. There is one branch location in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The interest rates for the Home Savings Bank MMA are not competitive. These rates are also tiered. To earn the best rate requires an account balance over $200,000. Even the highest rate is not competitive with other online money market accounts. Only the CDs with Home Savings Bank earn competitive interest rates.

Read the full Home Savings Bank review.

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