What's better a bank or a credit union?
Credit unions can be ideal for a low-interest loan, lower mortgage closing costs or reduced fees, but you'll need to qualify for membership. Larger banks may offer you more choices regarding products, apps, and international or commercial products and services, and anyone can join.
If you want higher deposit rates and don't need access to branches across the country, for example, you might prefer a credit union. If you want access to in-person services and don't mind lower interest rates, a bank might be more suitable.
The interest rates offered at banks and credit unions differ because of their profit versus nonprofit business models. In many cases, credit unions will offer significantly lower interest rates on lending products than banks that are trying to turn a profit, but higher rates on savings products.
Credit unions grew their share of primary credit cards from 6% in 2020 to 8.3% in 2023, while community banks increased theirs from 2.3% to 5.1% in the same time period.
However, because credit unions serve mostly individuals and small businesses (rather than large investors) and are known to take fewer risks, credit unions are generally viewed as safer than banks in the event of a collapse. Regardless, both types of financial institutions are equally protected.
While this isn't necessarily true across the board, many credit unions offer lower interest rates on debt products like loans and credit cards. Having a lower interest rate can help you build your credit score by making it easier to stay on top of paying down debt.
Credit unions tend to have lower interest rates for loans and lower fees. Banks often have more branches and ATMs nationwide. Many credit unions have shared branches and surcharge-free ATMs provided through the CO-OP Shared Branch network. Bank have historically had better technology online and for mobile apps.
The pros of credit unions include better interest rates than banks, while the cons include fewer branches and ATMs.
Experts told us that credit unions do fail, like banks (which are also generally safe), but rarely. And deposits up to $250,000 at federally insured credit unions are guaranteed, just as they are at banks.
- Alliant Credit Union. Alliant offers an above-average interest rate for savings. ...
- Consumers Credit Union. ...
- Navy Federal Credit Union. ...
- Connexus Credit Union. ...
- First Tech Federal Credit Union.
Are credit unions safer than banks during recession?
bank in a recession, the credit union is likely to fare a little better. Both can be hit hard by tough economic conditions, but credit unions were statistically less likely to fail during the Great Recession. But no matter which you go with, you shouldn't worry about losing money.
Through right of offset, the government allows banks and credit unions to access the savings of their account holders under certain circ*mstances. This is allowed when the consumer misses a debt payment owed to that same financial institution.
- First Republic Bank (FRC) . Above average liquidity risk and high capital risk.
- Huntington Bancshares (HBAN) . Above average capital risk.
- KeyCorp (KEY) . Above average capital risk.
- Comerica (CMA) . ...
- Truist Financial (TFC) . ...
- Cullen/Frost Bankers (CFR) . ...
- Zions Bancorporation (ZION) .
Both Wells Fargo and Bank of America can be good choices for low-income earners since the direct deposit minimums are not overly burdensome.
The median transaction account balance is $8,000, according to the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF), with the most recently published data from 2022. Transaction accounts include savings, checking, money market and call accounts, as well as prepaid debit cards.
If the bank fails, you'll get your money back. Nearly all banks are FDIC insured. You can look for the FDIC logo at bank teller windows or on the entrance to your bank branch. Credit unions are insured by the National Credit Union Administration.
If a credit union is placed into liquidation, the NCUA's Asset Management and Assistance Center (AMAC) will oversee the liquidation and set up an asset management estate (AME) to manage assets, settle members' insurance claims, and attempt to recover value from the closed credit union's assets.
| Bank | Forbes Advisor Rating | ATM Network |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Bank | 5.0 | 15,000+ Chase ATMs |
| Bank of America | 4.2 | 16,000+ ATMs in the U.S. |
| Wells Fargo Bank | 4.0 | 11,000 |
| Citi® | 4.0 | 65,000 |
This depends on your financial situation. For those with a good credit score — around 670 and up — a $30,000 personal loan may be pretty easy to get.
You need a credit score of 700+ to get a credit card from most credit unions, though some credit unions have options available for people with bad credit or no credit history. There are credit union cards for every credit level, and some of the best credit union cards are only available to people with excellent credit.
How trustworthy are credit unions?
Like banks, which are federally insured by the FDIC, credit unions are insured by the NCUA, making them just as safe as banks. The National Credit Union Administration is a US government agency that regulates and supervises credit unions.
It's easy to get a debit card and there are few debit card requirements. If you are opening a checking account at a credit union or traditional bank you will be offered a debit card when you open your account. Or you may request a debit card at any time.
- Alliant Credit Union.
- Ally Bank.
- Axos Bank.
- Bank of America.
- Bank5Connect.
- Barclays.
- Bethpage Federal Credit Union.
- Bread Financial.
But compared to banks, credit unions tend to be smaller, operate regionally and are not-for-profit. In many instances, they offer lower rates on loans, charge fewer fees and offer better interest rates for deposit accounts than traditional banks.
For example: A history of writing bad checks. Some people are listed in a database of customers who have been identified as having mishandled checking accounts in the past, which means the bank or credit union is less likely to let them open a checking account.
