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

  • Online accounts have competitive rates
  • Variety of personal deposit accounts
  • Online and mobile banking
  • Business accounts available

Cons:

  • Cannot open all accounts online
  • Tiered interest rates
  • Accounts have monthly fees
  • High required amounts for online
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.

Northfield Bank Review

The Northfield Bank online accounts offer competitive interest rates. The rates for the online accounts are competitive with other online accounts. The online account rates are higher than other Northfield Bank account rates.

There are a variety of personal accounts offered by Northfield Bank. They offer an interest-earning checking account, one for students, and traditional checking accounts. They offer a savings account for children, CDs, and money market accounts.

Northfield offers online and mobile banking for their accounts. These services are not just for the online accounts. All Northfield Bank accounts have the option of online and mobile banking. You can see account balances, transfer money, and deposit checks. You can pay bills and pay others with PopMoney.

Along with personal deposit accounts, Northfield offers business accounts. Those accounts include a checking and money market account for businesses. Northfield also offers credit cards, lending, and cash management services for businesses. All business accounts must be opened in a branch location.

Not all Northfield Bank accounts can open online. Most Northfield accounts require you to visit a branch location to open. Their branches are in the New York and New Jersey area. The accounts you open online include one savings account and CDs. The CD terms include a nine-month, 11-month, 16-month, and 60-month.

The interest rates for Northfield accounts opened in a branch location are tiered. To earn the most competitive rates on those accounts requires large account balances. The money market account requires $15,000. The high yield money market and premier savings account requires $100,000.

Most Northfield accounts have monthly fees. The fees for accounts opened in the branches range from $3 to $25. To waive the fees requires a set account balance. Those balance range from $500 to $100,000. The online savings account has a monthly fee of $8 if your balance falls below $2,500.

The online accounts with Northfield have high opening required amounts. The online CDs require $2,500 to open. The savings account only requires $0.01 to open, but there is an $8 monthly fee if your balance falls below $2,500. Any amount over $0.01 earns interest. You must also link the Northfield account to another bank account. You fund your Northfield online account through the linked account.

Read the full Northfield Bank review.

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