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Popular Direct VS Banesco USA

Which bank is better for you?

  • Financial Rates: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Variety of Terms: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Required Opening Amount: 3.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • All CD terms offer competitive rates
  • Good variety of terms available
  • Customer service available 24/7
  • Opening CDs is completely online

Cons:

  • High opening required amount
  • Early withdrawal penalties are high
  • Cannot withdraw interest without a fee
  • Only one way to fund CDs
  • Financial Rates: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Variety of Terms: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Required Opening Amount: 4.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • Competitive interest rates on CDs
  • Low opening required amounts
  • Can open BaneSmart CDs online
  • Options on how to receive interest

Cons:

  • Limited CD terms available online
  • Does not offer interest rate guarantee
  • Interest on 12-months must be paid out
  • Fund accounts through mailing a check
Popular Direct CD Review

Each Popular Direct CD offers competitive interest rates. The rates are competitive with other online accounts. The terms are shorter than 12-months offer competitive interest rates as well. Popular Direct interest rates are much higher than typical bank interest rates.

There are a good variety of CD terms offered through Popular Direct. The terms range in length from three-months to five-years. There are eight CD term lengths in all. You can open any of these CD terms online.

If you have a question and need to contact customer service, they are available anytime. Customers can reach a customer service representative every day, all day. Their customer service phone line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also contact customer service through email or mail.

The process of opening Popular Direct CD terms is entirely online. It takes around ten minutes to complete the application for a new CD account. Once you successfully open an account, everything for your account is online. Access your accounts from anywhere, anytime.

Popular Direct CDs have a high set amount required to open their CDs. The requirement is $10,000 to open each CD term. If you do not have at least the $10,000 balance, you cannot open a Popular Direct CD.

The fee for withdrawing money from Popular Direct CDs before the maturity date is high. For terms less than 91 days, the fee is 89 days of interest. For terms greater than 91 days, but shorter than 12-months, the fee is 120 days of interest. The fee for terms longer than 12-months, but shorter than 36-months, is 270 days of interest. For terms from 36-months to 60-months, the fee is 365 days of interest. Terms 60-months or longer has a fee of 730 days of interest.

Some CDs allow you to withdraw interest earned on CDs without paying an early withdrawal fee. Popular Direct does not. They do not allow for withdrawals of the CD principal or the interest earned without paying a fee. You can only make withdrawals without a fee during the grace period.

There is only one way to fund your Popular Direct CDs. Customers must link each CD to an external bank account. When you open a CD, you must make the deposit from a linked external account. This is part of the account opening process. Once the accounts are linked, you can make electronic transfers into your CD. To avoid a fee, only transfer money when you first open the account and during the grace period.

Read the full Popular Direct review.

Banesco USA CD Review

The Banesco USA BaneSmart CDs offer competitive interest rates. These rates are much higher than typical bank rates. Banesco USA CDs offer rates competitive with other online CDs.

The Banesco CDs have low opening required amounts. The amounts range from $1,000 to $1,500 depending on the account. You must keep these balances in your CD accounts to earn competitive interest rates.

You can open each BaneSmart CD term online. The application is on the Banesco USA website. You do not need to visit a branch location.

There are options on how and when you receive your interest payments. You can choose to receive BaneSmart CD interest payments monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually. You can also choose to receive the interest when the CD reaches maturity. You can deposit interest earnings into any Banesco USA accounts.

There are limited BaneSmart CD terms available through Banesco USA. The terms range from six to 36-month CDs. There are a total of five CDs available online. More CD terms may be available at a branch location.

The BaneSmart CDs do not offer an interest rate guarantee. If the interest rates increase shortly after you open your CD, your rates will not increase. The interest rates for BaneSmart CDs are competitive. But, there is not a guarantee if the rates increase.

Banesco CD terms longer than 12-months have limits on interest payments. The annual percentage yield cannot stay in the account. A payout is necessary. Withdrawing the money before the CD reaches maturity will result in a fee. Contact customer service for more information on this matter.

There are limited ways to fund your BaneSmart Banesco CD. To initially fund your CD, you need to mail in a check. The CD terms range from six to 36-months.

Read the full Banesco USA review.

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