Golden 1 Credit Union VS IncredibleBank

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: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 3.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
Advertiser Disclosure
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Pros:

  • No monthly maintenance fees
  • High-interest rates on accounts
  • Money market account for businesses
  • ATM fee reimbursement

Cons:

  • High opening required amounts
  • Limited options for accounts
  • Highest rates require a large balance
  • Checking account does not earn interest
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.

IncredibleBank Review

IncredibleBank accounts do not have monthly fees. The checking and savings accounts are completely free accounts. The CDs do not have a monthly fee. The only fees are from withdrawing your money before the CD reaches maturity.

The interest rates on the IncredibleBank saving account and CDs are high. They are competitive with other online-only accounts. The interest rates are much higher than your typical brick and mortar interest rates. Even the interest rates offered for lower balances in the accounts are competitive.

IncredibleBank offers a money market account specifically for businesses. This account comes with free online banking, mobile banking, and bill pay. To open the account requires $2,500. If your balance falls below $2,500, a fee of $10 will be charged. There is a $5 monthly fee if you do not sign up for electronic statements. This account earns a competitive interest rate for money market accounts for businesses.

With an IncredibleBank checking account, you will be reimbursed for domestic ATM fees. ATMs through the MoneyPass network are free. If you use an ATM not part of that network, IncredibleBank will reimburse you the fee you are charged. This does not apply to international ATM fees.

The required amounts to open IncredibleBank accounts are high. The opening required amount for checking accounts are $500. To open a savings account with IncredibleBank requires $2,500 to open. All the different CD terms require $1,000 to open.

IncredibleBank has a limited amount of accounts available. There is only one checking account and one savings account to choose. IncredibleBank offers CDs, but only three different term lengths. Those terms are a 12-month, 24-month, and a 36-month term.

To earn the highest interest rates, IncredibleBank requires a large balance. The savings account requires $25,000 to earn the highest rate offered. Balances below that amount still earn competitive interest rates. The lower rates are higher than your typical brick and mortar bank rates.

The IncredibleBank checking account does not earn interest. To open the account requires $500. The account does not have monthly fees or a required amount, but you do not earn interest on the account. Only the savings account and CDs through IncredibleBank earn interest.

Read the full IncredibleBank review.

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