Navy Federal Credit Union VS USAA

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
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Pros:

  • Low opening required amounts
  • Variety of accounts available
  • ATM fee reimbursements
  • Competitive rates on most accounts

Cons:

  • Must become a member first
  • Accounts have tiered interest rates
  • Daily cash limits on withdrawals
  • Financial Rates: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 5.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • Low opening required amounts
  • No monthly fees or required balances
  • Youth and college accounts available
  • ATM reimbursement for USAA accounts

Cons:

  • Low-interest rates
  • Business accounts are not offered
  • Not a wide variety of accounts
  • Must be a member to open accounts
Navy Federal Credit Union Review

Navy Federal accounts have low opening required amounts. The savings account only requires $5 to open. The money market account does not have a set amount required to open, but to earn interest requires $2,500. The checking accounts do not have a set amount required to open. The CDs have tiered opening required amounts. The lowest amount to open a regular CD is $1,000. Special CD offers require lower opening amounts.

There are a wide variety of accounts offered through Navy Federal. They offer a savings account, money market account, and CDs. Their CD terms range from three-month terms to seven-year terms. Navy Federal offers five checking accounts. Those accounts include one for students, an online account, and an active duty account. Navy Federal also offers loans and credit cards.

Most Navy Federal checking accounts offer ATM fee reimbursement. Only the Everyday Checking account does not. The reimbursement amount ranges from $10 to $20, depending on the account. Some accounts require a direct deposit to earn the reimbursement.

Most all Navy Federal accounts offer competitive interest rates. The CDs offer the most competitive interest rates. Navy Federal savings and checking accounts earn interest. The rates are lower than online account rates. The money market account rates are slightly lower than online rates. These rates are higher than typical bank rates.

Before you open an account with Navy Federal, you must first become a member of the credit union. Servicemembers and veterans are eligible to join Navy Federal. Department of Defense employees are eligible. Family members of each of these groups can become members of Navy Federal Credit Union.

Navy Federal money market and Flagship checking account have tiered interest rates. To earn the most competitive rate on the MMA requires a balance of at least $50,000. The checking account requires $25,000. To earn the most competitive rate on Navy Federal CDs requires $100,000.

Navy Federal only allows for a daily cash withdrawal of $600. This includes cash from an ATM, a branch, or receiving cash back. There is a daily transaction limit of $3,000 for most checking accounts and $5,000 for the Flagship checking. Their accounts do not typically have limits on the number of transactions.

Read the full Navy Federal Credit Union review.

USAA Review

Most USAA accounts only require $25 to open the accounts. To earn interest on the Classic checking account, you must have $1,000 in the account.

There are no monthly fees for any USAA accounts. They do not have a set amount required to keep in any of their accounts. Some accounts only earn interest if the balance is a set amount. However, you will not be charged a fee for not having a certain amount in the account.

Youth and college accounts offered through USAA do not have a monthly fee. There is not a required balance to keep in the account. The youth savings account earns interest. The youth checking account offers parental controls. Parents can set debit or ATM limits and receive text alerts. The college account only requires $50 to open. Friends and family can contribute to these accounts.

There are over 60,000 free USAA ATMs. The first ten withdrawals from a USAA owned ATM are free. USAA refunds up to $15 in ATM fees charged from using other banks ATMs. The ATM reimbursement does not apply to the USAA Cashback Rewards checking account.

USAA accounts do not offer competitive interest rates. The rates are slightly higher than those of your typical brick and mortar banks. Some CDs receive more competitive interest rates. All other accounts are much lower than other online-only accounts.

USAA does not offer business accounts. The only accounts offered are personal checking and savings accounts and CDs. Insurance, investments, and retirement options are available. Loans, credit cards, and real estate options are offered.

USAA only offers two different checking accounts and two savings accounts. The basic savings account only requires $25 to open the account. The other savings account requires $10,000 to open. Only one checking account earns interest. The other checking account earns cashback rewards. They do not both have the same benefits.

To open an account with USAA, you must become a member. Those eligible to become a member are active and former military and their families. Cadets and midshipmen at academies are eligible to become a member. Once accepted, USAA will help you find the right accounts for your needs.

Read the full USAA review.

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