Golden 1 Credit Union VS PurePoint Financial

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: 3.5 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 5.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
Advertiser Disclosure
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Pros:

  • High interest rates
  • No monthly fees or required amount
  • PurePoint Best Rate Commitment
  • Financial centers available

Cons:

  • High opening deposits
  • CD deposit requires single transaction
  • Only savings account and CDs offered
  • Online transfers require linked 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.

PurePoint Financial Review

PurePoint offers competitive interest rates. The rates for their savings account and CDs are high. Earn more money off your money with these accounts.

PurePoint savings account does not have monthly fees. There is no required amount to keep in the account. If you do not keep the $10,000 in the account, you will earn lower interest rates, but there is not a fee. The PurePoint savings account is free.

PurePoint CDs offer the Best Rate Commitment. This helps to ensure you earn the best interest rates for your CD. After the application is complete, you watch the interest rates for ten days. The best rate from that 10-day period is the rate you will receive for the term of the CD.

PurePoint is an online bank. There are no monthly fees. The interest rates are competitive with other online accounts. However, PurePoint offers the low fees and high rates and has some financial centers. PurePoint has over 20 financial centers in Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas.

PurePoint requires a large amount to open the account. The savings account and CDs requires $10,000 as the minimum deposit. If you do not have $10,000 in the savings account, you will not earn the high-interest rates offered. You will still earn interest on amounts under $10,000, but it will be a much lower rate.

The CDs and savings accounts require a large opening deposit. That deposit for CDs must be in a single transaction. Ten thousand dollars must be in the account to earn the competitive interest rates.

PurePoint only offers a savings account and CDs. The CDs offered vary in terms from six-months to five-years. They offer nine CD terms. PurePoint does not offer a checking account or a money market account. No business accounts are available.

You must link your PurePoint savings account to an external bank account. Since PurePoint does not offer a checking account, an external bank account is necessary. This allows you to transfer funds online into and out of your PurePoint savings account. You can also transfer money into the account by sending a check in the mail, a wire transfer, or a mobile deposit.

Read the full PurePoint Financial review.

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