FindABetterBank

Frequently Asked Questions

How does 'Find A Better Bank' make money?

We make money through fees collected from participating banks and credit unions. Our partners have no influence over the content presented about their accounts or the search results.

Attention Banks and Credit Unions: For more information about being included in our comparison tool, please call us at 212-738-9396 or email sales@findabetterbank.com.

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Where do you get your information?

We conduct our own research about banks' checking, savings and money market account offerings.

Our bank location database is sourced from the FDIC and is updated with information provided by banks and credit unions. In addition, we utilize Google's Maps to identify which banks have locations near you.

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What banks and credit unions do you cover?

We currently cover the top 85 US banks, the major "branchless banks" and a handful of smaller banks -- representing roughly half of all bank locations in the US. We are adding more banks every week.

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How often do you update your information?

We add new banks and credit unions to our database every week and audit each bank in the database every three months for changes and new services. Any inaccuracies brought to our attention are researched and updated immediately.

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What is a 'branchless or Internet bank'?

A "Branchless Bank" is an institution that does not have any physical bank locations to conduct business with it's customers -- instead it relies on the Internet and other channels.

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What is a 'Student Account'?

A "Student Account" is a checking account with features that appeal to full-time students.

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What is a checking account for people over 50?

Many banks offer checking accounts with features and benefits that appeal to people who are 50 or older. The age thresholds required to qualify for theses accounts varies by bank.

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How do you estimate annual fees?

We track over 20 different types of fees that banks charge their checking account customers and have developed a method to estimate the fees you could expect based on your answers to a few questions.

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What features do banks bundle with checking accounts?

We track 12 of the most common features banks bundle into their checking accounts (i.e., free online banking, debit card reward programs). For the best comparisons, customize this list (in Step 3) so you're only comparing accounts with all the features want.

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How do my feature preferences affect my search results?

We exclude from the search results all checking accounts that do not fulfill 100% of the features you set as "Must have."

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How do my responses to your questions about my banking behavior affect my search results?

We use your question responses to filter out accounts where you don't meet the requirements. For example, some checking accounts require a direct deposit. So if you indicate that you don't have a direct deposit, we won't include these accounts in your search results. Also, many banks have several checking account options, so we use your responses to show you the two best choices per bank.

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How accurate are your prices for each fee?

Many banks charge different fees based on where you live. For example, a bank may charge $30 for an overdraft in one state and $34 in another. We attempt to collect the fee charges in the bank's largest market. We suggest you verify our information with the bank prior to opening an account.

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How do I switch my automated deposits and payments?

We suggest you visit our other website: BankSwitcher.

To help you switch automated deposits and payments, we analyze your transaction history and find everything that you'll need to switch. We match each item to our database of switching instructions and forms and provide you with a PDF document with everything you'll need. In less than 10 minutes, we'll save you tons of time and aggravation.

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