VyStar Credit Union Review 2024 | Bankrate (2024)

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VyStar Credit Union Review 2024 | Bankrate (1)

4.1

Rating: 4.1 stars out of 5

Bankrate Score

CDs

Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5

Checking

Rating: 4.8 stars out of 5

Savings

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

MMA

Rating: 3.2 stars out of 5

Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.

About Bankrate Score

Overview

VyStar could be a great option for Floridians and Georgians in select counties looking for solid CD options and a free, interest-bearing checking account with a credit union.

Highlights

  • Free Checking
  • Low Fees
  • Low Min Deposit

Sponsored offers

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These are sponsored offers rated highly by us for competitive rates, fees, and minimums.

VyStar Credit Union Review 2024 | Bankrate (2)

Member FDIC

Savings Account

4.25

%

APY

APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.

APY

APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.

As of 8/5/2024

Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5

Bankrate Savings rating = 4.4/5

Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.

$1

Min. balance for APY

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Promoted offer:

VyStar Credit Union Review 2024 | Bankrate (4)

Member FDIC

Savings Account

4.40

%

APY

APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.

APY

APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.

As of 8/5/2024

Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5

Bankrate Savings rating = 4.7/5

Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.

$0

Min. balance for APY

View offerArrow Right

Promoted offer:

VyStar Credit Union Review 2024 | Bankrate (6)

Member FDIC

Savings Account

4.50

%

APY

APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.

APY

APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.

As of 8/5/2024

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Bankrate Savings rating = 4.5/5

Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.

$50,000

Min. balance for APY

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Promoted offer:

Overall

VyStar Credit Union is one of the largest credit unions in Florida, offering various deposit accounts and services to hundreds of thousands of members. Its accounts don’t charge monthly service fees or have minimum balance requirements, although better yields can often be found at other financial institutions.

Pros

  • The free checking account pays interest.

  • Minimum deposit and balance requirements overall are low.

  • The credit union charges no monthly service fees.

Cons

  • Membership is mostly limited to Florida residents and residents in parts of Georgia.

  • Yields are low relative to what you can earn at other institutions.

  • The overdraft/NSF fees are very high.

VyStar Credit Union Review 2024 | Bankrate (18)

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VyStar Credit Union banking products

3.0

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Bankrate Score

Compare top savings rates

FEATURES

VyStar Credit Union savings overview

VyStar’s Regular Savings account requires a $5 minimum deposit, but interest is earned only on amounts of $50 or more. VyStar doesn’t charge a monthly service fee on the savings account.

The account’s APY is minimal, and you can find much higher yields — especially at online banks — if you shop around.

Pros

  • The minimum deposit to open the account and earn interest is low.

  • There’s no monthly service fee.

Cons

  • The yield is low compared to what many other institutions offer.

  • VyStar Credit Union

    APY

    APY last updated between 7/29 and 8/4.

    APY

    APY last updated between 7/29 and 8/4.

    National average APY

    How do we get this data?

    Bankrate independently tracks hundreds of APYs and product details for banking institutions nationwide. We retain the historical data of every rate we track in our database. If there are any gaps where we weren’t actively tracking a rate at the time, the graph will reflect the missing data.

Compare Offer

Sponsored Offer

Offers featured here have been sponsored which impacts how, where, and in what order the products appear. Not all offers are displayed on this page.

This is a sponsored offer rated 4 stars or higher for competitive rate, fees, and minimums.

VyStar Credit Union Review 2024 | Bankrate (19)

Member FDIC

Savings Account

4.25

%

APY

APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.

APY

APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.

As of 8/5/2024

Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5

Bankrate Savings rating = 4.4/5

Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.

$1

Min balance for APY

View offerArrow Right

Promoted offer:

4.4

Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5

Bankrate Score

Compare top CD rates

FEATURES

VyStar Credit Union CD overview

VyStar Credit Union offers traditional CDs across terms ranging from three months to five years. All traditional CDs require a minimum $500 deposit to open.

VyStar pays rates on its CDs that are above the national average, yet higher yields can be found elsewhere. Each CD term is split into two balance tiers; a slightly higher rate is earned on balances of $50,000 or more.

A one-year Youth CD is also offered, with a lower minimum deposit requirement of $100.

Pros

  • VyStar offers a wide range of CD term lengths.

  • All CDs pay interest rates that are above the national average.

  • There’s only a $500 minimum deposit requirement to open a CD.

Cons

  • Those looking for the higher yields can find them elsewhere.

Compare Offer

Sponsored Offer

Offers featured here have been sponsored which impacts how, where, and in what order the products appear. Not all offers are displayed on this page.

This is a sponsored offer rated 4 stars or higher for competitive rate, fees, and minimums.

VyStar Credit Union Review 2024 | Bankrate (21)

Member FDIC

CD

5.15

%

APY

APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.

APY

APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.

As of 8/5/2024

Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5

Bankrate CD rating = 4.9/5

Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.

$500

Min. deposit

1yr

Term

View offerArrow Right

Promoted offer:

3.2

Rating: 3.2 stars out of 5

Bankrate Score

Compare top money market rates

VyStar Credit Union money market overview

VyStar’s money market account pays interest rates that are above average, but much more competitive rates can be found elsewhere. The account has balance tiers, and larger balances are rewarded with a higher interest rate.

The account requires no minimum deposit, and it doesn’t charge a monthly fee. It does offer check writing and an ATM card.

Pros

  • There is no minimum balance requirement.

  • The account doesn’t charge a monthly fee.

  • Check writing is available.

Cons

  • The yield is above the national average, but it’s low compared to what top competitors are offering.

  • You need at least $250,000 to earn the top-tier yield, which is still not very competitive.

4.8

Rating: 4.8 stars out of 5

Bankrate Score

Compare top checking rates

VyStar Credit Union checking overview

VyStar offers a free checking account that earns interest at the same rate as the savings account. No minimum deposit is required to open the account, and there’s no minimum balance requirement. However, the NSF and overdraft fees are expensive at $32 and $29, respectively. Account holders also get a debit or ATM card and can get paid up to two days early with direct deposit.

The free checking account offers bill pay, and customers can send and receive money with Zelle. Customers also have fee-free access to more than 20,000 ATMs through the credit union’s owned-and-operated machines as well as ATMs in Accel and Plus networks.

The credit union also offers a youth checking account as well as a senior account geared toward those ages 50 and older.

Pros

  • VyStar’s free checking account pays a little interest on all balances.

  • There’s no minimum deposit requirement to open and maintain the account.

  • There’s no monthly service fee.

Cons

  • The overdraft and NSF fees are higher than average.

Compare Offer

Sponsored Offer

Offers featured here have been sponsored which impacts how, where, and in what order the products appear. Not all offers are displayed on this page.

This is a sponsored offer rated 4 stars or higher for competitive rate, fees, and minimums.

VyStar Credit Union Review 2024 | Bankrate (23)

Member FDIC

Checking Account

0.50

%

APY

APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.

APY

APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.

As of 8/5/2024

Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5

Bankrate Checking rating = 4.9/5

Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.

$0

To open

$0

To avoid fees

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Bank fees

FeeCharged?
Overdraft fee$29 (for transactions above $5)
Non-sufficient funds fee$32
Account maintenance feesNone
Incoming wire transfer feeNone
Outgoing wire transfer fee$15

Customer experience

Branch and ATM access. VyStar Credit Union offers branches in Florida and Georgia and access to more than 20,000 surcharge-free ATMs across the United states. Some ATMs are available at retailers such as CVS Pharmacy, Target and Walgreens.

Customer service. Branch hours vary by location. Representatives are available through the contact center every day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET. Members can also contact the credit union through the live chat feature on its website, during the same hours.

Highly rated mobile app. Members can use the credit union’s mobile app and take advantage of capabilities like Zelle and account alerts. The app has 4.2 stars on Google Play and 4.8 stars on the Apple app store. There’s also a VyStar card control app within the main mobile app that members can use to manage access to their debit cards.

About VyStar Credit Union

VyStar is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and today has more than 925,000 members. Membership is open to local residents who live or work in 49 Florida counties or in 29 counties in Georgia. Past and present military members worldwide and their families are also eligible for membership.

VyStar Credit Union was chartered in 1952 and was originally known as the Jax Navy Federal Credit Union, which offered services to military and civil service members.

How does VyStar Credit Union compare to other banks?

Review methodology

With so many financial institutions to choose from, it can be hard to know who to trust. Bankrate’s ever-growing list of bank and credit union reviews is updated regularly. Our editorial team analyzes and reviews each institution across deposit products such as savings accounts, checking accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs) and money market accounts (MMAs). Banks are rated by important factors such as offered interest rates, fees, minimum balance requirements, access to funds and more.

We assign a score to each type of account and its features, weigh them carefully based on importance to account holders and determine an overall score. Read our full review methodology.

VyStar Credit Union Review 2024 | Bankrate (2024)

FAQs

What credit union is highest recommended? ›

Alliant Credit Union is fully digital and has the best APY across all accounts compared to other credit unions on our list. With a $100 minimum balance, Alliant's high-yield savings account earns 3.10% APY. Its share certificates also earn excellent rates as high as 5.20% on a 12-month jumbo certificate.

What is the downside of banking with a credit union? ›

Credit unions tend to have fewer branches than traditional banks. A credit union may not be close to where you live or work, which could be a problem unless your credit union is part of a shared branch network and/or a large ATM network such as Allpoint or MoneyPass. May offer fewer products and services.

What is the hardest credit union to get? ›

Progressive Credit Union - You must be recommended by another member. This might be the most unique credit union requirement, and it also seems to be the toughest.

Is VyStar legit? ›

Overall. VyStar Credit Union is one of the largest credit unions in Florida, offering various deposit accounts and services to hundreds of thousands of members.

What are the top 5 credit unions in the US? ›

The five largest credit unions are Navy Federal Credit Union, State Employees' Credit Union, PenFed Credit Union, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union and Boeing Employees Credit Union. The largest, Navy Federal Credit Union, has more in assets than the rest of the top five combined.

What is the richest credit union? ›

Who is the largest credit union? Navy Federal is the country's largest credit union with around $168.4 billion in total assets and 13.2 million customers at the end of 2022, according to the latest data from the NCUA.

Are credit unions safe during a banking crisis? ›

Credit unions and banks are both insured, with most banks being insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) for up to $250,000 per customer. Most credit unions are similarly insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) for up to $250,000.

Are credit unions failing too? ›

National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) credit unions had five conservatorships/liquidations in 2023, and one so far in 2024. Similarly, there were five Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) bank failures in 2023 and one bank failure so far this year.

Why do people not like credit unions? ›

Some have argued that credit unions are inherently inefficient because of their one-member, one-vote governance structure.

What is the largest credit union in Florida? ›

Suncoast Credit Union

Suncoast is the largest credit union in Florida and the only one with over a million members.

How big is VyStar credit union assets? ›

VyStar Credit Union is the second-largest credit union headquartered in Florida and now serves more than 975,000 members with assets of over $14 billion. VyStar is the largest mortgage lender in Northeast Florida and a major employer in the region with over 2,000 employees across the communities it serves.

Do wealthy people use credit unions? ›

Millionaires often spread their wealth across multiple accounts and financial institutions to maximize insurance coverage. This includes a mix of checking, savings and investment accounts, both in banks and credit unions.

Why did VyStar go down? ›

The outages were caused by “several issues during the conversion process,” and VyStar took the online and mobile banking platform offline “to investigate and find a resolution as quickly as possible.”

Is there a class action lawsuit against VyStar Credit Union? ›

Cohen & Malad, LLP filed a class action lawsuit against Vystar Credit Union for allegedly charging multiple non-sufficient funds fees (NSF fees) on a single item presented for payment. The lawsuit alleges this practice violates the express terms of the Deposit Agreement between Vystar and its members.

What company owns VyStar? ›

VyStar is a not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members and governed by a volunteer Board of Directors.

Which credit union has the highest savings rate? ›

Our Picks for the Best Credit Union Savings Accounts
Credit UnionSavings Account Star RatingAPY*
First Tech Federal Credit Union4.55.00%
Consumers Credit Union4.33.00%
Alliant Credit Union4.23.10%
Quorum Federal Credit Union4.24.25%
Jun 7, 2024

Which bank or credit union tend to have better interest rates? ›

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.

Should I have more than one credit union? ›

You can have more of your money covered by federal insurance. By spreading your accounts around to different federally insured banks and credit unions, you can get access to having more of your money insured by the NCUA or the FDIC. You can better manage your money and build your savings.

Who is the largest credit union in California? ›

SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union

SchoolsFirst FCU is the largest credit union in California, headquartered in Santa Ana, managing $28.72 billion and serving over 1.35 million members.

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