The opening required amount for PenFed CDs is low. Each standard and IRA CD terms only require $1,000 to open. The education CDs only require $500 to open. You can open the CDs online or in a branch location.

There are a good variety of CDs available through PenFed. They offer nine standard CD terms from six months to seven years. Their IRA CDs and educational savings certificates terms range from one to seven years.

Each CD term with PenFed offers competitive interest rates. The rates are competitive with other online CDs. The standard, IRA, and education CDs interest rates are competitive. They are higher than the typical bank interest rates.

There is more than one way to choose how to receive interest payments earned from your PenFed CDs. You can have the money added to the CD or another account. You can choose to have the money sent to you in a check. You can receive the interest earned monthly or when the CD matures.

To open a CD with PenFed, you must first become a member of the credit union. If you have or are currently serving in the military, you can become a member. Living in certain areas or being a member of set organizations qualifies you. If you work for the U.S. government or other organizations, you are eligible as well. If you do not meet any of these requirements, you can pay a $5 fee. Once you are a member, you can apply for accounts.

PenFed offers standard CDs, IRA CDs, and educational CDs. Members can only open standard CDs online. To open the other types of CDs, you must visit a branch location or contact customer service. All the standard CD terms are available to open online.

The standard PenFed CDs do not offer an interest rate guarantee. If you open a CD and the interest rates increase shortly after, your interest rates will not increase. The PenFed standard CDs offer competitive interest rates.

The early withdrawal fees for PenFed CDs are high. If you withdraw money early from a six-month CD, you will lose all your interest. For CD terms longer than six-month the fee is all interest earned if withdrawn in the first year. After the first year, the fee is 30 percent of what would have been earned if the CD had reached maturity.

Read the full PenFed Credit Union review.

There are a good variety of CD terms available with TAB Bank. The terms range from six months to five years. There are eight total CD terms offered through TAB Bank. You can open any of the TAB Bank CDs online.

Each of the CD terms available through TAB Bank offers competitive interest rates. The rates are competitive with other online CD accounts. These interest rates are much higher than typical bank rates. If you withdraw money or close your TAB Bank CD before the interest credits to your CD, you will not earn the interest.

The CDs offered through TAB Bank have low opening required amounts. Each CD term only requires $1,000 to open. You must keep a balance of $1,000 to earn interest on the CDs. Balances below this amount will not earn interest.

The penalty for withdrawing money before the maturity date for TAB Bank CDs is low. For CD terms 12 months or less, the fee is 90 days of interest on the withdrawn amount. For CDs greater than 12 months, the fee is 180 days of interest on the withdrawn amount.

TAB Bank does not offer an interest rate guarantee. The interest rates on the day you open the CD is the rate you receive through the life of the CD term. If the interest rates increase shortly after you open the CD, you will not receive a higher rate.

TAB Bank offers a mobile app. The app is for checking and savings accounts. You can make transfers between these two accounts, but not to CD accounts.

Some of the interest rates for TAB Bank CDs may be promotional. The disclaimer says the offer is good on new CDs only. Check with customer service to see what interest rates are promotional to new CDs only.

TAB Bank is an online bank. Customer service is not available 24/7. They have specific hours. You can reach customer service through phone, email, or mail. Their hours are Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. MT. They are open on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. MT. You can follow TAB Bank on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.

Read the full TAB Bank review.