Sunday, July 13, 2008

Online Banking Reviews

Online Banking Reviews

Fast Answers - Best Online Banking
Top Rated
What the Research Says
Citibank (http://www.citi.com) >> Where to buy

Best online bank.Citibank has the most complete and competitive online banking services. Online checking is free with direct deposit, two monthly bill payments or a $1,500 account balance, and you can make deposits and free withdrawals at Citibank's 3,300 ATMs in the U.S. You can also make free withdrawals at over 5,500 7-Eleven stores. And if you use a non-network ATM, Citibank will reimburse you for up to four ATM charges per month. Online, you can view up to 120 days of check images and make unlimited free bill payments. Citibank has a zero-liability fraud policy, and accounts are fully FDIC insured. Furthermore, Citibank offers an online e-Savings account with a yield that's substantially higher than what's offered by its neighborhood branches, though some online-only banks offer yields that are higher still.
Bank of America (http://www.bankofamerica.com) >> Where to buy

Online banking with best ATM access.With over 16,000 ATMs nationwide, Bank of America online banking offers the easiest access to your money, with the highest customer satisfaction scores (along with Citibank). If you want more personalized attention, there are also over 5,800 banking centers. Other pluses include free checking with no minimum balance needed. Online bill paying is free. You can view up to 18 months of account statements and get e-mail alerts on your mobile device to help you track payments. However, Bank of America doesn't offer a high-yield online savings account, so its rates aren't the best.
E*Trade Bank (https://us.etrade.com/e/t/banking) >> Where to buy

Best Internet-only bank.Although it has no physical branches, E*Trade offers a range of online banking services that are a lot like Citi.com -- a high-yield savings account, free checking and bill payment. One advantage to E*Trade bank is its integration with E*Trade discount brokerage accounts. Another is a savings account yield that's substantially higher than Citibank's online savings account. An ATM card gets you free access at 8,800 E*Trade ATMs in the U.S., and E*Trade also offers unlimited reimbursement for non-E*Trade ATM charges. Reviews praise E*Trade for its quick posting of deposits, but as with most Internet-only banks, making deposits is trickier -- you need to mail in checks, arrange for direct deposit with your employer or transfer funds from another bank account.
HSBC Direct (http://www.hsbcdirect.com) >> Where to buy

Best online savings account.HSBC doesn't attract much attention for its online banking as a whole, but it gets great reviews for its high-yield online savings account, typically offering one of the higher available rates at a bank. Anyone can open an account, and there's no minimum deposit. You can transfer funds for free into and out of your HSBC account, and you get an ATM card that can be used for free at HSBC branches to either deposit or withdraw funds. Experts say an online savings account makes a great supplement to your regular checking account. There's also an innovative bill pay option that pays interest.
EverBank (http://www.everbank.com) >> Where to buy

Best online checking account.Reviews applaud EverBank for its high interest rate on online checking accounts -- EverBank pledges to keep its rate hovering in the top 5 percent of all nationwide savings rates. Free unlimited online bill paying and check writing is included if you keep at least $1,500 in your account (otherwise fees are $5 a month). While many Internet-only banks don't let you make ATM deposits at all, EverBank does have a network of 13,000 affiliate ATMs that do accept deposits (though it can take up to five days for your account to be credited). You can withdraw money at 800,000 VisaPlus ATMs, and EverBank will reimburse you for up to $6 in ATM fees per month.

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