America First Credit Union Review: Checking, Savings and Certificates
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Overall bank rating
- CD rates
4.0
Utah-based America First Credit Union offers free checking and savings accounts, which give free access to the Co-op network of 30,000 ATMs nationwide. Share certificates, the credit union version of certificates of deposit, also have attractive features, including rates that are competitive with online banks’. Membership is mostly restricted to people in a handful of counties in Utah, Arizona, Idaho, Oregon, New Mexico and Nevada, along with workers in Utah’s food industry. Branches are similarly limited to the West.
Best for: Residents in select states who want high certificate rates or low-cost bank accounts.
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Pros
- Competitive yields on share certificates.
- Free nationwide access to thousands of ATMs.
- No monthly fees on checking or savings accounts.
Cons
- Limited membership in a handful of Western states.
- $25 overdraft fee, charged if your checking account goes negative.
- No shared branching with other credit unions.
Full review
CD
Federally insured by NCUA
5.0
/5 NerdWallet ratingAmerica First’s certificates have competitive yields on par with some of the best CD rates, though the credit union’s offering isn’t available in many states. Terms have a standard range from three months to five years, and the minimum opening deposit of $500 is low.
Methodology
NerdWallet’s overall ratings for banks and credit unions are weighted averages of several categories: checking, savings, certificates of deposit or credit union share certificates, banking experience and overdraft fees. Factors we consider, depending on the category, include rates and fees, ATM and branch access, account features and limits, user-facing technology, customer service and innovation. The stars represent ratings from poor (one star) to excellent (five stars). Ratings are rounded to the nearest half-star.
