USAA VS Radius Bank

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: 1.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 4.5 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 5.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • High interest rates on accounts
  • Business accounts offered
  • Most accounts do not have fees
  • Low opening required amounts

Cons:

  • Cannot open all accounts online
  • Limited CD term lengths opened online
  • Only one savings account offered
  • Highest interest rate requires a large sum
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.

Radius Bank Review

The Radius Hybrid checking account offers competitive interest rates. You earn the competitive interest rate on any balance over $2,500. The savings account offers competitive interest rates as well. You earn higher interest rates on balances over $25,000. The interest rate under $25,000 is still competitive, just a slightly lower rate.

Radius Bank offers a variety of business accounts. Four different checking accounts are available. The accounts vary in benefits. This allows you to find the best fit for your business. A money market account and CDs are available for businesses also.

Most Radius accounts do not have monthly fees. The only account that has a monthly fee is the Essential checking account. That fee is $9 a month. After you make the opening required deposit, there is no required amount to keep in Radius Bank accounts.

The Radius savings account and two checking accounts only require $100 to open. The basic checking account only requires $10 to open. There are three CDs you can open online, the one-year, 18-month, and the three-year. Each of those CDs only require $500 to open. Open different CD term lengths at branch locations. Those CDs require either $500 or $1,000 depending on the term.

At this time, only a few Radius accounts are available to open online. Three Radius checking accounts can be opened online. The Radius High-Yield savings account and CDs can also be opened online. To open a business account, visit their financial center in Boston, Massachusetts.

Only three Radius Bank CD terms are available to open online. The CDs include a 12-month, 18-month, and three-year CD. Each CD only requires $500 to open. The interest rate on the CDs are competitive with other online-only accounts.

Only one savings account is available through Radius Bank. They do not offer a money market account. There is no monthly fee for the savings account. The opening amount required is $100. You can request an ATM card for this savings account. Federal regulations only allow six transactions per statement cycle.

To earn the highest interest rates for the Radius savings account, you must have $25,000 in the account. Any amount over $10 earns interest. Those rates are low; similar to typical bank rates. Having $2,500 in the account will earn much higher rates. Rates for balances over $2,500 are good but still less than the interest you earn if you have over $25,000. To earn interest on your Radius checking account balance, you must have $2,500 in the account. Any amount less does not earn interest.

Read the full Radius Bank review.

Sponsored Offers

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Jenius Bank
Savings (Rate as of 3/29/2024)
APY 5.25%
Rate 5.25%
For APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Checkbook No
Member FDIC. No fees. Easy deposits and quick withdrawals.
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Barclays
Savings (Rate as of 3/29/2024)
APY 4.35%
Rate 4.35%
For APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Checkbook No
Member FDIC
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