TAB Bank VS USAA

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
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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: 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
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.

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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