TAB Bank VS Popular Direct

Which bank is better for you?

  • Financial Rates: 3.5 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 3.5 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 5.0 Star Icon
0.25%APY
Savings/MMA
Advertiser Disclosure
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Pros:

  • Variety of accounts offered
  • No monthly maintenance fees
  • Most accounts have low opening amounts
  • Savings account and CDs offer high rates

Cons:

  • Savings account opening balance high
  • Most account interest rates low
  • Opening accounts not entirely online
  • Customer service not available 24/7
  • Financial Rates: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 5.0 Star Icon
4.60%APY
Savings/MMA
Advertiser Disclosure
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Pros:

  • High-interest rates on accounts
  • Account available everywhere
  • Variety of CD terms
  • Online and mobile banking

Cons:

  • Opening accounts requires large deposit
  • The savings account has a monthly fee
  • Only offer CDs and one savings account
  • Linked external account required
TAB Bank Review

A variety of accounts are available through TAB Bank. They offer personal and business checking, savings, and money market accounts, along with CDs. The CD terms range from six months to five years. TAB offers personal deposit accounts and accounts for all sizes of businesses.

The accounts at TAB Bank do not have monthly maintenance fees. There is no required amount to keep in the account to avoid a monthly fee. The accounts do have set amounts to earn the most competitive interest rates.

Most TAB accounts have low required amounts to open. The money market account, checking, and basic savings account all only require $25 to open. There is a daily balance required of $1 to keep the account open and earn interest. Each of the CD terms require $1,000 to open.

TAB Bank’s high yield savings account and CDs offer competitive interest rates. These rates are competitive with other online accounts. The interest rate for the high yield account is not tiered. You do need to have a balance of $2,500 to earn the most competitive rate. Amounts under $2,500 still earn interest, just a much lower rate. Each of the CD terms offers competitive interest rates. CDs require $1,000 to open and earn interest.

The high yield savings account has a high opening balance. This account requires $2,500 to open. That amount is also required to keep in the account to earn the highest interest rate. Any amount under $2,500 earns interest, just a much lower rate.

Interest rates for TAB accounts, besides the high yield savings account and CDs, are low. They are not competitive with other online accounts. The interest rates for checking, basic savings, and money market accounts compare to brick and mortar bank rates.

Opening an account with TAB Bank is not done entirely online. The application is online. You must print off the application and fill out the information. Once the application is complete, you can email, fax, or mail it to TAB Bank.

TAB Bank customer service is not always available. TAB customer service is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mountain Time. On Saturday they open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. TAB customer service is closed Sunday and federal holidays.

Read the full TAB Bank review.

Popular Direct Review

The interest rates on Popular Direct accounts are very competitive. They are considerably higher than your typical brick and mortar banks. The rates are competitive with other online-only accounts.

Because Popular Direct is an online-only bank, the accounts are available everywhere. Applying for the account is quick and completed online. Everything you need for your account is accessed online. There are no branch locations.

Popular Direct offers a variety of different CD term lengths. The terms range from a three-month term to five-year terms. The other terms include six months, one year, eighteen months, two, three, and four-year terms. The interest rates increase the longer the term length.

All Popular Direct accounts come with online and mobile banking. With online banking, you can set up account notifications and see statements. You can transfer funds between the linked external account. Mobile and online banking allow you to transfer money between Popular Direct accounts. You can check account balances and deposit checks.

To open a savings account with Popular Direct, you must have $5,000 as your opening deposit. To open a CD with Popular Direct, you must have $10,000 as the opening required deposit. You will still earn interest if your balance drops below these required amounts.

Popular Direct savings account has a monthly fee. The fee is $4 per month if your balance falls below $500. No fee is charged if your balance remains above $500. There is also a fee for closing the account before 180 days after opening it. A $5 monthly fee is charged each month if your account is inactive for 12 months. Following the 12th month, the fee is charged each month the account is inactive.

Popular Direct only offers CDs and one savings account. They do not offer a checking account, money market account, or any business accounts. The CDs range from 30-day CDs to a five-year term.

Popular Direct requires you link your account to an external account. The linked account allows you to make deposits into your Popular Direct account. The external bank account cannot be changed within the first 60 days of opening the account.

Read the full Popular Direct review.

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