SmartyPig VS M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB

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: 5.0 Star Icon
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Pros:

  • Free savings account
  • Tiered Interest Rates
  • Set up multiple goals
  • Direct withdrawals

Cons:

  • Only offer one type of account
  • Six withdrawals allowed per month
  • Maximum account balance
  • One external funding source allowed
  • Financial Rates: 2.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 3.0 Star Icon
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Pros:

  • Low opening required amounts
  • MYSB Direct CDs and MMA
  • Classic and jumbo CDs terms offered
  • Business accounts offered

Cons:

  • Accounts have monthly fees
  • CDs have high opening required amounts
  • Rates low and require large sum
  • Cannot open MYSB Direct accounts online
SmartyPig Review

SmartyPig accounts do not have monthly maintenance fees. There is not a required amount to keep in the account. The first initial deposit to open the account is $25.

This savings account offers tiered interest rates. This means the more money you have in the account, the more interest you will earn. The interest rates do not vary much between tiers. The difference from a low amount to the higher amount is around 0.05%.

With this SmartyPig account, you can set up different savings goals. The savings accounts can be long-term, like saving for a college education. They can also be short term, like saving for a mountain bike or birthday party. You can transfer money from your SmartyPig primary account to different savings goals.

The best way to save money is to set up direct withdrawals. You set up when you want the money to come out of your account and how much to withdraw. Then, SmartyPig does the rest. Once the money is deposited into your account, you can transfer it into different savings goal. The withdrawals can be set up to occur monthly or biweekly.

SmartyPig has only one account offered: a high yield savings account. They do not offer checking accounts, CDs, money market accounts, or business accounts. The interest rate on this savings account is considerably higher than other banks savings accounts.

The website says you can withdraw money anytime, but federal regulation only allows six withdrawals per billing cycle. This includes transfers between your SmartyPig primary account and your different savings goals. The transfer or withdrawal will not take place if you have made more than six in a billing cycle. If you repeatedly try to make more than six, your account will be closed. Once you reach your goal, you cannot withdraw part of your money back to your external funding source. You must withdraw it all, or transfer the money between other savings goals.

This account is not meant for high account balances. There is a maximum account balance of $250,000. If your account has $250,000, you will earn interest on the money in the account, but you cannot add to the account.

Each SmartyPig account is only allowed to have one external funding source set up for it. That means you can only have one bank account connected to each SmartyPig account. You can change your external funding source if you want, but never have more than one.

Read the full SmartyPig review.

M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB Review

M.Y. Safra Bank has low opening required amounts for their personal deposit accounts. Their basic checking account requires $25 to open. The rest of their checking, savings, and money market accounts require $100 to open. Their business accounts require $100 to open as well.

Online-only CDs and a money market account are available through M.Y. Safra's online division called MYSB Direct. The CDs earn higher rates than the M.Y. Safra CDs. The CD terms range from three-months to five-years. Each of the CDs and the money market account require $5,000 to open.

M.Y. Safra Bank offers classic and jumbo CDs. The terms for each range from three-months to five-years. The classic CDs require $5,000 to open, and jumbo CDs require $100,000. The rates for the jumbo CDs are only slightly higher than the classic CD rates.

M.Y. Safra offers business accounts. These accounts include a checking, money market, and savings account. Business CDs are also offered. The opening balances for most business accounts are $100. But, to waive the monthly fee requires much higher balances. Those balances range from $1,000 to $5,000, depending on the account.

Accounts at M.Y. Safra Bank have a monthly fee. The fees for personal deposit accounts range from $3 to $20 a month. To waive the monthly fees requires an average monthly balance. Those balances range from $1,000 to $5,000. Not all fees can be waived.

CDs through M.Y. Safra Bank have high opening required amounts. Each term requires $5,000 to open. The terms range from 30-days to 84-months. M.Y. Safra Bank offers jumbo CDs. Those require $100,000 to open. The CDs through MYSB Direct require $5,000 to open.

The interest rates for M.Y. Safra accounts are low. To earn the highest rate requires a large account balance. Personal and business checking accounts require $250,000. The M.Y. Safra savings and money market accounts also require $250,000. Lower amounts earn interest, but the rates are not competitive.

MYSB Direct offers online-only accounts. But to open these accounts, you must visit a branch location or call customer service. Both the online-only CDs and money market account require contacting customer service. They cannot be opened entirely online.

Read the full M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB review.

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