UFB Direct VS Key Bank

Which bank is better for you?

  • Financial Rates: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 3.5 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 4.0 Star Icon
5.25%APY
Savings/MMA
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Pros:

  • Low required amounts to open an account
  • No minimum balance or monthly fees
  • Earn American Airline miles
  • High interest rates on accounts

Cons:

  • No branch locations
  • Highest interest rate requires large sum
  • MMA has a fee and large opening deposit
  • Business accounts and CDs not offered
  • Financial Rates: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 3.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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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
UFB Direct Review

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.

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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