Nationwide VS Washington Savings Bank

Which bank is better for you?

  • Financial Rates: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 4.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • Chief Customer Advocates on your side
  • Free ATM transactions
  • Earn cash back on debit transactions
  • Low minimum opening account amount

Cons:

  • Popmoney has fees and isn't instant
  • High deposit needed to open CDs
  • No credit cards or prepaid cards offered
  • Fee for dormant accounts
  • Financial Rates: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 4.0 Star Icon
0.05%APY
Savings/MMA
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Pros:

  • Low opening required amounts
  • Variety of bank accounts
  • Online Rewards checking account
  • Checking and CDs offer competitive rates

Cons:

  • Must meet requirements to earn interest
  • Not competitive rates for savings and MMA
  • Accounts have monthly fees
  • Not everyone can open accounts
Nationwide Review

If you have a question, the Chief Customer Advocate is there to help. This person works with the CEO of Nationwide to ensure the customer's needs are being met. If you have a policy problem or a question about a statement, call the Chief Customer Advocate.

Nationwide customers can make eight transactions at any ATMs each billing cycle. Nationwide will not charge you a fee, but the ATM owner might. If you are a premier member, you get unlimited ATM transactions without fees. To be a premier member, you must have another bank account, loan, credit card, or an insurance policy with Nationwide. There are over 77,000 surcharge-free ATMs.

As a premier member, you earn cash back on your debit card purchases. If you use your debit card for at least $1,200 in purchases each month, you will earn 0.25% on those purchases. The reward cap is $20 per month. This reward will not start until your account is active for 180 days.

Opening a savings or checking account with Nationwide only requires $25. You start earning competitive interest rates with the $25 you deposit to open the account.

Nationwide uses Popmoney to transfer money between people. Money transferred with Popmoney is not instant. The delivery takes three business days. If you want the money sent instantly, it will cost $0.25 per transaction. Each transfer must be at least $5.

To open a CD, you must have at least $500. Once you open an account, you can choose from three month to five-year CDs.

Nationwide does not offer credit cards or prepaid cards anymore. If you already have a prepaid card, you can use it until the money is gone, but you cannot reload money onto it. If you currently have a credit card with Nationwide, you can use it as normal, but Nationwide is no longer taking credit card applications.

There is a fee if you do not use your checking account for 365 consecutive days. On the 366th day, a $5 fee will be charged. Each month the account is not active will have a $5 fee. To avoid the fee, sign up for direct deposit.

Read the full Nationwide review.

Washington Savings Bank Review

Accounts at Washington Savings Bank have low required opening amounts. All the checking and money market accounts only require $10 to open. The savings account opening balances range from $1 to $50, depending on the account. All the CD terms require $500 to open.

Washington Savings Bank has a variety of personal deposit and business accounts. They offer three personal checking accounts and a variety of savings accounts. They also offer CDs, business accounts, and lending options.

Washington Savings Bank offers an Online Rewards checking account. This account is available to U.S. citizens across the country. You earn debit card cash rewards for purchases. You must have a direct deposit into this account. There is a monthly fee of $9.95. This is a checking account for those who need a second chance. After one year of good accounts history, you can receive a lower monthly fee.

The Washington Savings Bank checking accounts and CDs offer competitive interest rates. Not all CDs offer competitive rates. There are five special CD terms that have competitive rates. The checking account does have tiered interest rates. The most competitive rate is for balances between $0 and $10,000. Some qualifications must be met to earn the competitive rate.

The checking account has set requirements to earn the competitive interest rate. Those qualifications include having at least 12 debit card purchases post and clear. You must receive eStatements. You must also have one automatic payment, direct deposit, or bill pay post and clear. If these qualifications are met each month, you earn the competitive interest rate.

The savings and money market account do not have competitive interest rates. Washington Savings Bank offers a variety of savings accounts, but the rates are low. These account rates are not competitive with other online accounts.

Some Washington Savings Bank accounts have a monthly maintenance fee. Those fees range from $3 to $10 depending on the account. To waive the fees requires a set amount be in the accounts. Those balances range from $50 to $2,500. The Online Rewards checking has a monthly fee of $9.95.

Not everyone can open Washington Savings Bank accounts. Savings accounts are only for residents of Massachusetts or New Hampshire. Two of the checking accounts are only offered to those residents as well. The Online Rewards checking account is available for anyone. That account has a $9.95 monthly fee.

Read the full Washington Savings Bank review.

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