Patelco Credit Union Review 2024 | Bankrate (2024)

On This Page

At a glance

Patelco Credit Union Review 2024 | Bankrate (1)

4.2

Rating: 4.2 stars out of 5

Bankrate Score

CDs

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Checking

Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5

Savings

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

MMA

Rating: 3.9 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

Patelco Credit Union is a full-service credit union offering a range of competitive deposit products, making it a worthwhile option for Northern Californians who meet the credit union’s requirements.

Highlights

  • High APY
  • Free Checking

Sponsored offers

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.

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

Patelco 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 6/28/2024

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:

Patelco Credit Union Review 2024 | Bankrate (4)

Member FDIC

Savings Account

5.30

%

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 6/28/2024

Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5

Bankrate Savings 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

Min. balance for APY

View offerArrow Right

Promoted offer: No account fees, unlimited withdrawals, better for the planet

Patelco Credit Union Review 2024 | Bankrate (6)

Member FDIC

Savings Account

5.00

%

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 6/28/2024

Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5

Bankrate Savings 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

Min. balance for APY

View offerArrow Right

Promoted offer: Plus, no monthly fees and unlimited free external transfers

Overall

Patelco Credit Union is a full-service credit union serving members in Northern California. From investing and insurance to credit cards and savings, Patelco offers all the products you’d want to consolidate your banking in one place. Patelco offers stellar APYs on most of its share certificates and provides fee-free checking and money market accounts. But the yields for its savings account are extremely low, dimming the appeal of bringing all of your banking under Patelco’s roof.

Pros

  • Patelco’s money market account pays a solid APY on certain balance tiers.

  • It offers a free checking account without a minimum deposit requirement.

Cons

  • The savings account pays a below-average yield.

  • Patelco doesn’t offer out-of-network ATM fee rebates.

Patelco Credit Union Review 2024 | Bankrate (18)

We want to know what you think about Patelco Credit Union

Do you have experience with Patelco Credit Union? Let us know your thoughts.

Patelco Credit Union banking products

3.0

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Bankrate Score

Compare top savings rates

Patelco Credit Union savings overview

Patelco Credit Union’s base savings account, called Regular Savings, is fee free and doesn’t require a minimum balance to earn interest. The account’s APY, however, is low, even below the national average. Savers looking for a competitive yield should consider the credit union’s money market account or compare savings accounts at other institutions.

This account comes with a debit card and overdraft protection in case you overdraw your checking account. You can freely access your money at one of Patelco’s branches in California or at one of Patelco’s more than 30,000 in-network ATMs.

Pros

  • The savings account doesn’t charge a monthly service fee.

  • The deposit needed to open and earn interest is just a penny.

Cons

  • The APY is low, even below the national average.

  • Patelco Credit Union

    APY

    APY last updated between 6/21 and 6/27.

    APY

    APY last updated between 6/21 and 6/27.

    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.

Patelco 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 6/28/2024

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:

4.5

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Bankrate Score

Compare top CD rates

Patelco Credit Union CD overview

Patelco offers a range of share certificate terms, from three months to five years. All require a minimum deposit of only $250, but some pay higher APYs than others, particularly the longer-term certificates. Members have the opportunity to open a certificate at a specific monthly term; for example, Patelco offers one APY for three- to five-month certificates, another APY for six- to 11-month terms, and so on all the way up to five years. The credit union doesn’t offer any no-penalty or bump-up certificates but does offer IRA certificates.

Pros

  • The range of share certificate terms lets members easily build a ladder.

  • The minimum deposit is only $250.

Cons

  • Yields for the shortest certificate terms are low and dividends aren’t paid until maturity.

  • Higher yields can be found 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.

Patelco 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 6/28/2024

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.

$0

Min. deposit

13mo

Term

View offerArrow Right

Promoted offer:

3.9

Rating: 3.9 stars out of 5

Bankrate Score

Compare top money market rates

Patelco Credit Union money market overview

Patelco showcases a competitive APY on its Money Market Select account, but dig a little deeper and you’ll find it offers a tiered APY structure. Balances of $1-$2,000 earn a high APY, and then the yield decreases as the deposit amount increases. The blended APY with a $25,000 deposit is on par with the national average.

The credit union’s website offers a calculator to show what your blended APY would be with different deposit amounts. In addition, the account doesn’t charge a monthly fee, and members need just a $1 deposit to open and earn interest.

Some online banks offer the same high APY for all balances, which could help you earn a higher yield on balances of $10,000 and more. You have to calculate the blended APY to see if Patelco Credit Union is the best option for you.

Pros

  • Even with a tiered APY, the yield is competitive.

  • Savers only need a $1 deposit to open and earn interest.

  • The account doesn’t charge a monthly fee.

Cons

  • You may be able to find higher yields elsewhere on balances of $10,000 and more.

4.7

Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5

Bankrate Score

Compare top checking rates

Patelco Credit Union checking overview

Patelco offers a few checking accounts to meet the individual needs of its members. The Free Checking account — the account scored for this review — gives customers a fee-free option and doesn’t have a minimum deposit requirement. Additionally, the account offers free overdraft transfers from a linked account. Additional features include a free debit Mastercard card and free Mastercard ID theft protection.

Patelco has some owned-and-operated ATMs, but it is also part of the CO-OP ATM network, giving its members free access to thousands of ATMs nationwide. The credit union charges $1.75 to use out-of-network ATMs and doesn’t offer ATM rebates. Customers can use Zelle to send and receive money.

Pros

  • The Free Checking account has no monthly fee or deposit requirement.

  • It offers free overdraft transfers from a linked account

  • Patelco members get free access to thousands of CO-OP ATMs.

Cons

  • Patelco charges $1.75 to use out-of-network ATMs and doesn’t offer rebates.

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.

Patelco 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 6/28/2024

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

View offerArrow Right

Bank fees

FeeCharged?
Overdraft fee$15
Non-sufficient funds fee$28
Monthly maintenance feesNone
Out-of-network ATM fee$1.75
Excessive transaction feeNone

About Patelco Credit Union

Patelco Credit Union is a full-service credit union serving members in Northern California. Membership is limited to people who meet at least one of the institution’s requirements. For example, residents who live, work or attend school or worship in an eligible location qualify for membership. The credit union offers a range of competitive deposit products, making it a viable option for savers who meet its requirements.

Patelco was founded in 1936, when some employees at Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Co., now AT&T, created the credit union, according to the institution’s website.

Customer experience

Customer service. Patelco Credit Union customer service representatives are available by phone. Customers can also send email via the credit union’s website, meet with an agent virtually, or schedule an appointment with a Patelco representative in person, virtually or over the phone.

Digital experience. Patelco offers a highly rated app for both iOS and Android devices. Members can deposit checks and pay bills through their mobile devices. Patelco also hosts regular webinars to help members learn more about managing their finances.

Customers can make person-to-person payments using Zelle and can also add their debit card to Apple Pay and Google Pay.

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.

Patelco Credit Union Review 2024 | Bankrate (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Fredrick Kertzmann

Last Updated:

Views: 6277

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (46 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Fredrick Kertzmann

Birthday: 2000-04-29

Address: Apt. 203 613 Huels Gateway, Ralphtown, LA 40204

Phone: +2135150832870

Job: Regional Design Producer

Hobby: Nordic skating, Lacemaking, Mountain biking, Rowing, Gardening, Water sports, role-playing games

Introduction: My name is Fredrick Kertzmann, I am a gleaming, encouraging, inexpensive, thankful, tender, quaint, precious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.