USAA VS M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB

Which bank is better for you?

  • 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
  • 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
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.

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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American Express
Savings (Rate as of 11/21/2024)
APY 4.00%
Rate 3.92%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
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EverBank
Savings (Rate as of 11/21/2024)
APY 4.75%
Rate 4.64%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC No monthly maintenance fee, $0 to open, easily grow your money
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