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USAA VS Zions Bank

Which bank is better for you?

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

  • Good variety of CD terms
  • Low opening required amounts
  • Competitive interest rates on CDs
  • Can open accounts online

Cons:

  • Jumbo CDs have high opening amount
  • Link another account to CDs
  • Membership required to open accounts
  • Does not offer interest rate guarantee
  • Financial Rates: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Variety of Terms: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Required Opening Amount: 5.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • Low opening required amounts
  • Good variety of terms available
  • Early withdrawal fees are low
  • CDs renew automatically

Cons:

  • Cannot open CDs online
  • Best rates require large account balance
  • Rates may change based on location
  • Short-term CDs have low rates
USAA CD Review

USAA provides a good variety of CD terms. The terms range from three-months to seven-years. They offer fixed-rate CDs, jumbo and super jumbo CDs, and variable-rate CD terms. Each of these types of CDs offers different term lengths.

The standard fixed-rate CDs have low opening required amounts. Each of those CD terms requires $1,000 to open and earn interest. The standard CD terms range from 91-days to seven years. The variable-rate CDs only require $250 to open.

The USAA standard fixed-rate CDs offer competitive interest rates. The rates are competitive with other online CDs. They are much higher than the typical bank rates. These CD interest rates are not tiered. Any amount above the required opening amount earns competitive rates.

Everything for your USAA accounts can be done online. You can apply to become a member online. Once you are approved, you can open their CDs and other accounts online. They also offer a mobile app.

The jumbo and super jumbo CDs with USAA have high opening required amounts. The jumbo CDs require $95,000 to open. Super jumbo CDs require $175,000 to open. Standard CDs require $1,000 to open.

To transfer money electronically into your USAA CD, you must link another account. This linked account can be an external account or another account with USAA. Once the account is verified, you can transfer money electronically.

To open accounts with USAA, you must first become a member of the bank. Those who are eligible to join include active military and former military members. Eligible family members of those serving, cadets, and midshipmen are also able to join.

USAA CDs offer competitive rates, but not an interest rate guarantee. If the interest rates increase shortly after you open your CD, your USAA rates will not increase. Each of the CD terms offers competitive rates.

Read the full USAA review.

Zions Bank CD Review

The opening amount required for Zions Bank CDs is low. Each of the standard CD terms requires $1,000 to open. The IRA CD accounts also require $1,000 to open. The jumbo CDs require $100,000 to open.

There are a good variety of CD terms available through Zions Bank. The CD terms range from one month to five years. They include standard, IRA, and jumbo CDs. The CD term lengths are the same for the different CD types.

The early withdrawal penalties for Zions Bank CDs are low. If you withdraw money from terms 31-days or less, the fee is all the interest earned. If the term is from 32-days to one-year, the fee is 90 days of interest. For all terms longer than one year, the fee is 180-days of interest.

You can set up your Zions Bank CDs to renew automatically. If you select this option, your CD will renew at maturity. The interest rate for the renewed CD are the interest rates offered at the time of renewal. Contact customer service to set up automatic renewal.

You cannot open Zions Bank CDs online; you must visit a branch location. Branch locations are listed on their website. Once you open a CD in a branch location, you can access your CD and other accounts online.

The interest rates for Zions Bank CDs are lower than other online CD rates. To earn the highest interest rates requires a balance of at least $100,000. The highest rates are just higher than the standard rate. Even the highest rate is lower than online CD rates.

The interest rates for Zions Bank CDs may change based on your location. To know the correct rates for your area, input your zip code on the Zions Bank website. You can also call customer service or visit a branch location.

The short-term CDs with Zions Bank offer low interest rates. These rates are not competitive with other online CDs of the same term length. These term lengths include a one, three, six, and nine-month CDs. The interest rates increase with terms 12-months or longer.

Read the full Zions Bank review.

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