Sallie Mae VS Key Bank

Which bank is better for you?

  • Financial Rates: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 5.0 Star Icon
4.65%APY
Savings/MMA
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Pros:

  • Cash rewards on savings accounts
  • No account fees or required amounts
  • Personal and student loans if you qualify
  • Five year CDs have amazing interest rates

Cons:

  • High opening amount for CDs
  • CDs require large sum to earn interest
  • No checking accounts offered
  • High-interest rates on personal loans
  • Financial Rates: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 3.0 Star Icon
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Pros:

  • Savings account for kids
  • Many CD term length options
  • Business accounts are available
  • Relationship Rewards on certain accounts

Cons:

  • Low-interest rates and monthly fees
  • Amounts to waive fees is high
  • Not all checking accounts earn interest
  • High required amounts to open CDs
Sallie Mae Review

To get the cash back rewards you have to meet requirements. You must link a UPromise Goal Saver Account with the UPromise Rewards Account. You must also either have $5,000 in the account or make ten deposits within the first 90 days. You earn 10% of the amount of money transferred from your Rewards account to your Goal Saver account. If you meet the requirements, you earn an annual bonus of $10 the first two years and a loyalty bonus of $100 the third year.

The high yield savings account and money market accounts do not have any monthly fees. There is no required amount to open these accounts. They offer competitive interest rates, and there is no required monthly balance.

Sallie Mae is a college funding bank. They offer student and personal loans. Some of the different loans include undergraduate loans, parent loans, MBA loans, dental or medical school loans, medical residency loans, bar study loans, or graduate student loans. Sallie Mae offers a personal loan to help consolidate your debt, pay for major expenses, or life events.

The interest rates on Sallie Mae CDs are exceedingly higher than other banks. CDs range in term from six months to five years. The five year CD offers the best interest rate, but the other terms are still better than other banks.

To open a CD with Sallie Mae bank, the required opening balance is $2,500. The interest rates on the CDs are much higher than other banks.

To earn interest on Sallie Mae CDs, you must keep at least $2,500 in the CDs at all time. If your account balance drops below that amount, you will not earn interest. Sallie Mae CDs offer interest rates that are considerably higher than other banks and even other online banks.

Sallie Mae does not offer a checking account. This is a college savings bank. They do offer different savings accounts to help you prepare for college. Sallie Mae also has different loans to help pay for college, but no checking accounts.

As with any loan, the interest rates are high. Know the different repayment plans, interest rates, and if there is a fee for paying your loan off early. High-interest rates mean you could end up paying almost $9,000 in interest on a $10,000 loan.

Read the full Sallie Mae review.

Key Bank Review

KeyBank offers a savings account for kids 18 years old and younger. Their parent or guardian must have a KeyBank account. This account only requires $10 to open. There are no monthly fees or balance requirements. This savings account earns interest.

KeyBank has a variety of CD term lengths, including short-term CDs. The short-term lengths vary from seven days to six months. There are a number of tiered CD accounts. The terms vary from six months to 10 years with many options in between. The jumbo CDs range from seven days to 11 months.

KeyBank offers a variety of business accounts. Checking, savings, and CD accounts are available. A Mastercard and business loans are offered. Other business services include wire transfers and HSA accounts. Automated tax payments, electronic payments, and invoicing are other features of the business accounts.

KeyBank checking account and reward credit card holders earn rewards points. Points are earned by making debit and credit card transactions. Earn points by using online banking, ATMs, and mobile deposits. Direct deposit, automatic debits and credits, and online statements also qualify. Redeem points for gift cards, cash back, travel, and other items. There is an annual fee to earn rewards. Key Privilege or Key Privilege Select checking accounts do not have the annual fee.

The interest rates on KeyBank accounts are lower than other online-only accounts. The rates are competitive with typical bank rates. Most all KeyBank accounts have a monthly maintenance fee. The only checking account without fees is the KeyBank Hassle-Free account. That account does not earn interest. All KeyBank savings accounts have a monthly fee except the kids account.

The amounts required to waive the monthly maintenance fees are high. The lowest amount required for checking accounts is $500. The other checking accounts require $10,000 to $100,000. KeyBank savings accounts require $300 to $25,000 to waive the monthly maintenance fees.

Not all KeyBank checking accounts earn interest. The only two interest earning accounts are the most expensive accounts to keep open. To waive the monthly fee you must keep $10,000 to $100,000 in KeyBank accounts. You can also waive the fee by having a mortgage through KeyBank. Direct deposits totaling $1,000 to $5,000 each month also waives the fee.

The amount required to open a CD is $2,500 for the short term CDs and the tiered CDs. The jumbo CDs require $100,000 to open. You earn Relationship Reward points for opening any of the KeyBank CDs.

Read the full Key Bank review.

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