UFB Direct checking and savings accounts have a low required opening amount. The opening deposit is only $100. To receive the highest interest rates, you must keep a certain amount in the accounts. If the balance is below the set amount, you will earn a lower interest rate, but not be charged a fee.

Most UFB Direct accounts do not have a monthly maintenance fee. UFB Direct savings and checking accounts are free. There is no monthly fee and no amount required to keep in the account.

Earn miles for everyday purchases with the UFB Airline Rewards Checking account. When you use your debit card for purchases, you earn miles. Earn one mile for debit transactions over $3.00. The miles go toward American Airlines. You can earn up to 120,000 per calendar year. UFB Direct may add more airlines in the future.

The interest rates on UFB Direct accounts earn very competitive interest rates. The savings, checking, and money market accounts earn some of the highest rates on the market. For some accounts, you must keep a high balance in the account. However, if you do not have that set amount in the account, you will earn a lower rate. The lower rate on those accounts is still much higher than your typical brick and mortar banks rates.

There are no branch locations for UFB Direct. It is an entirely online bank. To talk to customer service, you can call a 24-hour phone line. You can reach customer service through mail or email. You can access everything about your account online.

Certain balances are required to earn the highest interest rates on the UFB Direct savings accounts. The basic savings account requires $20,000 in the account to earn the highest interest rates. The Premium savings account requires $25,000 to earn the highest interest rates. Any amount lower than the required amount will still earn interest, just a much lower rate.

The UFB Direct money market account has a monthly fee and a large sum required as the opening deposit. The monthly fee is $10 a month. Waive the fee by keeping a balance of $5,000 in the account. The required opening deposit is $5,000. You will earn interest and can write checks from the MMA.

UFB Direct does not offer business accounts or CDs. The accounts offered are a personal checking, saving, and money market account. There are options for loans, but not business accounts or CDs.

Read the full UFB Direct review.

Gateway First offers competitive interest rates on most accounts. The interest rates are much higher than typical bank rates. The online savings account and 12-month CD offers the most competitive interest rates.

The opening required amounts for Gateway First accounts are low. The online savings account requires $10 to open. The CDs need $1,000 to open. The checking accounts require either $50 or $1,000 to open. The money market account does require $2,500 to open.

Gateway First offers a good variety of accounts. These include:

• Three personal checking accounts
• Online savings account
• CD terms from six-months to five-years
• One, two, and three-year IRA CDs
• Home and consumer loans
• Business checking account
• Commercial and specialty lending options

Customers can send and receive money through Zelle. Gateway First Bank offers Zelle as a feature for each of their checking accounts. You can initiate Zelle payments through the mobile app or online.

Gateway First accounts have tiered rates. The CDs require $500 to open, but to earn interest requires a $25,000 balance. Each CD earns competitive rates if you have $25,000. You cannot add money to the CD after the opening amount. The money market account requires $100,000 to earn the most competitive rate. The checking account requires $50,000.

Not all Gateway First accounts can be opened online. The only accounts available online are the high yield savings account and CDs. The CD terms range from six-months to five-years.

Gateway First accounts are not currently available in all 50 states. If you live in the following states, you cannot open an account:

• Alaska
• California
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• Montana
• New Hampshire
• New York
• Rhode Island
• Vermont

Some Gateway First Bank accounts have monthly fees. The fees for the checking accounts are between $7-8. There is a fee of $0.15 per debit item if you do not keep a set account balance. To waive the account fees, you must keep an account balance between $250 and $2,500.

Read the full Gateway First Bank review.