-
Financial Rates:
4.0
-
Customer Service:
5.0
-
Website Experience:
5.0
-
Bank Fees:
4.0
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
-
Customer Service:
4.0
-
Website Experience:
5.0
-
Bank Fees:
5.0
Pros:
- No monthly fees or required balances
- Variety of CD terms available
- Competitive interest rates
- Reimbursed ATM fees
Cons:
- Best perks require Diamond member
- No checking account offered
- High opening amounts for CDs
- Tiered interest rates not offered
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.
The high yield savings account and money market account do not have any monthly fees. Synchrony does not require a set amount be kept in their accounts. There is no required amount to open a savings or money market account.
Synchrony offers a variety of CD term lengths. The terms range from three months to five years. As with any CD, the longer the term length, the higher the interest rates offered on the account. There are no monthly fees for the CD accounts. A fee is charged if you withdraw your money before the CD reaches maturity.
The interest rates for all Synchrony accounts are competitive. The savings and money market accounts and CDs are much higher than your typical bank rates. They are competitive with other online-only accounts.
Synchrony will refund the ATM fees charged by other financial institutions. The fees for every account holder will be reimbursed up to $5 each billing cycle. If you are a Diamond Reward member, you will receive unlimited ATM reimbursements.
All customers receive some perks for being an account holder with Synchrony bank. To earn the best perks, you must become a Diamond Reward member. To qualify to be a Diamond Reward member, you must have over $250,000 in Synchrony accounts. You must also be a customer for at least five years.
There is no checking account offered through Synchrony Bank. They offer a high yield savings account, money market account, and CDs.
The amount required to open a CD is high. Synchrony offers a variety of different CD terms. To open any of the terms requires $2,000 as a minimum opening deposit.
The savings and money market rates do not increase based on how much money you invest. If you invest $1,000 or $250,000, you will earn the same interest rate for each amount. Some banks offer tiered interest rates based on how much money you invest in the account.
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From Our Partners
| Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024) | |
| APY | 3.80% |
|---|---|
| Rate | 3.73% |
| Min to Open | $0 |
| Min to Earn APY | $0 |
| Monthly Fee | $0.00 |
| Min to Avoid Fee | $0 |
| Checkbook | No |
| Member FDIC. | |
| Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024) | |
| APY | 4.75% |
|---|---|
| Rate | 4.65% |
| Min to Open | $500 |
| Min to Earn APY | $500 |
| Monthly Fee | $0.00 |
| Min to Avoid Fee | $0 |
| Checkbook | No |
| Member FDIC. | |
| Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024) | |
| APY | 3.80% |
|---|---|
| Rate | 3.80% |
| Min to Open | $0 |
| Min to Earn APY | $0 |
| Monthly Fee | $0.00 |
| Min to Avoid Fee | $0 |
| Checkbook | No |
| Member FDIC. Promoted offer: It only takes about 5 minutes to open a fee-free account. |
|
| Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024) | |
| APY | 4.40% |
|---|---|
| Rate | 4.30% |
| Min to Open | $0 |
| Min to Earn APY | $0 |
| Monthly Fee | $0.00 |
| Min to Avoid Fee | $0 |
| Checkbook | No |
| Member FDIC. Promoted offer: No monthly maintenance fee, $0 to open, easily grow your money |
|
| Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024) | |
| APY | 4.46% |
|---|---|
| Rate | 4.46% |
| Min to Open | $500 |
| Min to Earn APY | $0 |
| Monthly Fee | $0.00 |
| Min to Avoid Fee | $0 |
| Checkbook | No |
| Member FDIC. | |
| Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024) | |
| APY | 4.35% |
|---|---|
| Rate | 4.35% |
| Min to Open | $0 |
| Min to Earn APY | $0 |
| Monthly Fee | $0.00 |
| Min to Avoid Fee | $0 |
| Checkbook | No |
| Member FDIC. Promoted offer: $200 Bonus w/ Tiered Savings Account and Qualifying Activities |
|
| Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024) | |
| APY | 4.35% |
|---|---|
| Rate | 4.35% |
| Min to Open | $100 |
| Min to Earn APY | $5,000 |
| Monthly Fee | $0.00 |
| Min to Avoid Fee | $0 |
| Checkbook | No |
| Member FDIC. Promoted offer: CIT Bank, a division of First Citizens, 125+ years of experience. |
|
| Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024) | |
| APY | 4.30% |
|---|---|
| Rate | 4.21% |
| Min to Open | $0 |
| Min to Earn APY | $0 |
| Monthly Fee | $0.00 |
| Min to Avoid Fee | $0 |
| Checkbook | No |
| Member FDIC. | |
| MMA (Rate as of 12/21/2024) | |
| APY | 4.10% |
|---|---|
| Rate | 4.02% |
| Min to Open | $0 |
| Min to Earn APY | $0 |
| Monthly Fee | $0.00 |
| Min to Avoid Fee | $0 |
| Checkbook | Yes |
| Member FDIC. | |
| Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024) | |
| APY | 4.10% |
|---|---|
| Rate | 4.10% |
| Min to Open | $0 |
| Min to Earn APY | $0 |
| Monthly Fee | $0.00 |
| Min to Avoid Fee | $0 |
| Checkbook | No |
| Member FDIC. | |
| Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024) | |
| APY | 4.75% |
|---|---|
| Rate | 4.64% |
| Min to Open | $1,000 |
| Min to Earn APY | $1,000 |
| Monthly Fee | $5.00 |
| Min to Avoid Fee | $0 |
| Checkbook | No |
| Member FDIC. | |
| Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024) | |
| APY | 4.75% |
|---|---|
| Rate | 4.75% |
| Min to Open | $10 |
| Min to Earn APY | $0 |
| Monthly Fee | $0.00 |
| Min to Avoid Fee | $0 |
| Checkbook | No |
| FDIC insured at program banks†. Promoted offer: var. APY a/o 11/8/24. New customers only. Betterment LLC, not a bank |
|
| Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024) | |
| APY | 4.10% |
|---|---|
| Rate | 4.02% |
| Min to Open | $0 |
| Min to Earn APY | $0 |
| Monthly Fee | $0.00 |
| Min to Avoid Fee | $0 |
| Checkbook | No |
| Member FDIC. | |
The rate information is obtained by Bankrate from the listed institutions. Bankrate cannot guarantee the accuracy or availability of any rates shown. Institutions may have different rates on their own websites than those posted on Bankrate.com. The listings that appear on this page are from companies from which this website receives compensation, which may impact how, where, and in what order products appear. This table does not include all companies or all available products.
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1 APY stands for Annual Percent Yield. It's different from Rate because it takes into account compounding interest for the year.
2 MMA stands for Money Market Account. It's a savings and checking hybrid, allowing you to earn interest and use checks 6 times a month.