When deciding who to financial institution with, you aren’t restricted to only banks — you would possibly discover {that a} credit score union is a greater match. Credit score unions usually provide related services to conventional banks. Nonetheless, they’re owned and operated by members, which regularly interprets to fewer charges, aggressive rates of interest, and extra personalised service.
We in contrast the highest NCUA-insured credit score unions with a broad area of membership and evaluated key metrics similar to membership eligibility necessities, charges, buyer expertise, product selection, account options, and every credit score union’s dedication to environmental and social accountability. (See our full methodology right here.)
The next is a take a look at our rating of the ten greatest credit score unions for 2025. Learn on to study extra about every credit score union, why they made our listing, and find out how to be part of.
Pentagon Federal Credit score Union, or PenFed, serves greater than 2.9 million members globally. It provides checking and financial savings accounts, bank cards, auto loans, residence loans, and extra.
PenFed scored the utmost variety of factors in our charges and insurance coverage classes due to its lack of month-to-month account charges and overdraft safety choices. It additionally scored the very best variety of factors in our product choice and account options class for its lengthy listing of accounts and merchandise, early paycheck companies, and Zelle capabilities.
In contrast to many credit score unions, PenFed has an open constitution. Anybody is eligible to grow to be a member of PenFed by opening a share account.
Alliant Credit score Union is an online-only, Illinois-based monetary establishment with greater than 900,000 members throughout the globe. Alliant scored the second spot on our listing for its complete providing of services, in addition to fee-free accounts and sturdy safety features.
Alliant at the moment provides checking and financial savings accounts, bank cards, certificates of deposit (CDs), lending companies, and extra. Although it doesn’t have any branches, Alliant does belong to a community of greater than 80,000 surcharge-free ATMs. It additionally provides cellphone, chat, and safe messaging assist within the evenings and on weekends.
To affix Alliant, you should be a present or retired worker from one in every of its accomplice companies or organizations, be a home accomplice or speedy member of the family of a present Alliant member, or reside or work in one of many communities close to its company headquarters in Chicago (see an inventory of eligible communities to seek out out if you happen to qualify).
In case you don’t qualify for membership underneath these standards, you’ll be able to grow to be an Alliant Credit score Union Basis digital inclusion advocate, which makes you eligible for an Alliant Credit score Union membership. The muse awards grants for academic and digital inclusion efforts nationwide. Alliant Credit score Union will make a one-time $5 contribution to the muse in your behalf.
Quorum Federal Credit score Union gives checking and financial savings accounts, residence loans, bank cards, pupil loans, and extra to over 65,000 members.
This credit score union made our listing due to plenty of perks accessible to prospects, together with entry to a community of greater than 90,000 surcharge-free ATMs, fee-free account choices, and complete safety features.
To affix Quorum Federal Credit score Union, you should be affiliated with one in every of Quorum’s choose worker teams (SEGs), or have a good friend or member of the family who at the moment works for or is retired from a choose worker group (see a full listing of eligible SEGs right here).
In case you don’t belong to any of these teams and aren’t associated to somebody who’s, you’ll be able to nonetheless acquire eligibility by becoming a member of the American Client Council (ACC). Becoming a member of is free and routinely qualifies you for Quorum membership.
Shoppers Credit score Union is an Illinois-based credit score union that gives quite a lot of deposit accounts, loans, enterprise banking services, and extra.
This credit score union made our prime 10 listing for having no month-to-month charges, a big surcharge-free ATM community, and entry to vital account options similar to early entry to paychecks, multi-factor authentication for added safety, and fast and simple funds through Zelle.
Moreover, in case your objective is to develop your financial savings, Shoppers Credit score Union provides among the highest rates of interest accessible as we speak. Particularly, its rewards checking account pays as much as 5.00% APY and its 9-month share certificates provides 4.75% APY.
Learn extra: What’s a share certificates?
Anybody can be part of Shoppers Credit score Union by becoming a member of the Shoppers Cooperative Affiliation and paying a one-time membership charge of $5.00, which Shoppers Credit score Union could reimburse.
Connexus Credit score Union serves greater than 475,000 members throughout the nation, providing fee-free accounts with low or no minimal opening deposit necessities.
Connexus additionally stood out for its cellular app, which has a median ranking of 4.7 stars on each the Apple Retailer and Google Play. Clients can use the app to pay payments, deposit checks, switch cash between banks, and entry plenty of monetary well being instruments to get extra perception into how their cash habits are impacting their monetary targets.
Connexus additionally ranked favorably in our environmental and accountability class for its philanthropic program, Connexus Cares, which provides again to the communities Connexus serves by way of volunteering, donation matching, and extra.
Learn our full assessment of Connexus Credit score Union
Anybody can be part of Connexus Credit score Union by changing into a member of the Connexus Affiliation by way of a one-time $5 donation. You additionally qualify for membership if you happen to reside in one of many eligible communities or counties that Connexus serves, are associated to an present member, or belong to an eligible group or group.
Navy Federal Credit score Union, generally known as Navy Fed, was established in 1933 and has since grown to serve 14 million members belonging to the Division of Protection, Military, Marine Corps, Area Pressure, and Coast Guard, in addition to veterans and their households. Navy Fed provides private and enterprise services, together with checking and financial savings accounts, bank cards, loans, and extra.
Navy Federal made our listing of prime credit score unions for its stellar customer support ranking, massive community of bodily branches and fee-free ATMs, and around-the-clock customer support. Clients who want to communicate to a consultant can accomplish that at any time through phone, chat, safe message, mail, and even social media.
Learn extra: USAA vs. Navy Federal Credit score Union: Which is best for army banking wants?
All branches of the army, veterans, Division of Protection staff, and their speedy members of the family are eligible to affix Navy Fed.
Service Credit score Union’s historical past dates again to 1957 when it was established to assist army personnel and their households. It has since grown to serve greater than 300,000 members. Service Credit score Union provides private and enterprise banking services, together with checking and financial savings accounts, enterprise and industrial loans, residence loans, and auto loans.
This credit score union made our listing due to its fee-free account choices, massive community of branches and ATMs, and large number of services. This credit score union additionally boasts a robust cellular app ranking; customers can reap the benefits of distant test deposit capabilities, subscription administration instruments, budgeting instruments, invoice pay, Zelle, and extra.
Moreover, members of the army can qualify for particular financial savings alternatives, such because the Deployed Warrior Financial savings program, which provides 10% APY on deposits as much as $10,000 for members at the moment serving lively responsibility in a fight zone.
Membership with Service Credit score Union is open to lively responsibility army, veterans, and their households, in addition to present and former staff of the Division of Protection and their households. Membership can be accessible to members of Service Credit score Union’s choose employer teams.
In case you don’t fall into any of those classes, you’ll be able to nonetheless be part of Service Federal CU by changing into a member of the ACC and utilizing the promo code “Service” to affix without cost. You may also be part of the Monetary Health Affiliation (FFA) for membership eligibility.
Andrews Federal Credit score Union operates places in Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., and New Jersey. It additionally has places within the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. It provides private and enterprise checking and financial savings accounts, in addition to loans, bank cards, and funding merchandise.
Andrews FCU made our listing for its fee-free accounts, surcharge-free ATMs and ATM rebates, and instruments to assist prospects higher handle their cash, similar to free FICO scores, monetary calculators, and receipt administration instruments.
To affix Andrews Federal Credit score Union, you have to belong to a Choose Worker Group or grow to be a member of the ACC.
International Credit score Union serves greater than 750,000 members all around the world, working greater than 5,500 shared branches and 55,000 surcharge-free ATMs. It provides checking and financial savings accounts, loans, insurance coverage merchandise, monetary planning companies, and enterprise banking.
We selected International Federal CU for its low-cost checking and financial savings accounts that don’t pose any minimal opening deposit necessities. International Credit score Union additionally ranked extremely due to its cellular app, which has a median ranking of 4.7 stars throughout each cellular storefronts.
Individuals who reside, work, worship, or attend faculty in Alaska, Washington, California’s San Bernardino County, Arizona’s Maricopa County, and Idaho’s Kootenai County can be part of International Credit score Union, together with their speedy members of the family. Membership can be accessible to anybody employed by the Division of Protection (wherever on the earth).
First Expertise Credit score Union — generally known as First Tech — was based in 1952 and serves greater than 600,000 members. Its services embrace rewards checking and financial savings accounts, share certificates, particular person retirement accounts, enterprise accounts, bank cards, and private loans.
First Tech took the ultimate spot on our listing for its fee-free account choices, ATM rebates, 24/7 customer support, and rewards account choices.
You’ll be able to be part of First Tech if you happen to work for one in every of its 900 accomplice organizations, are associated to or reside with a present First Tech member, work for the State of Oregon, reside or work in Lane County, Oregon. You may also be part of the credit score union by changing into a member of the Pc Historical past Museum or the Monetary Health Affiliation, which might be carried out when filling out your on-line utility.
A credit score union is a member-owned monetary establishment that operates equally to a financial institution however with a deal with serving its members fairly than producing earnings for shareholders. Credit score unions provide quite a lot of private and enterprise deposit accounts similar to checking, financial savings, cash market, and share certificates, in addition to loans, mortgages, bank cards, and extra.
Learn extra: What’s a credit score union, and the way do you be part of one
In contrast to banks, that are open to anybody, credit score unions have eligibility standards that members should meet to affix. These necessities range relying on the credit score union. Members are additionally house owners and have a say in how the credit score union is run, together with voting for board members and coverage adjustments.
Learn extra: 7 credit score unions anybody can be part of
Share financial savings accounts are a well-liked sort of account provided by credit score unions that perform equally to a conventional financial savings account. If you deposit cash in a share account, it represents your “share” of possession within the credit score union.
Learn extra: What’s a share financial savings account?
Credit score unions provide their very own variations of CDs, often known as share certificates. These accounts usually work the identical means that conventional CDs do.
Learn extra: What’s a share certificates?
The Nationwide Credit score Union Administration (NCUA) is a federal company that regulates, supervises, and insures credit score unions in the USA. Its has an identical perform because the Federal Deposit Insurance coverage Company (FDIC), the company that insures financial institution deposits.
Learn extra: What’s the NCUA, and the way does it work?
In contrast to banks, credit score unions are not-for-profit, member-owned establishments. Even so, credit score unions should generate income as a way to proceed working. Frequent methods credit score unions generate profits embrace charging curiosity on loans, charging charges, and different actions.
Learn extra: How do credit score unions generate profits?
Each credit score unions and banks are usually protected due to federal rules and insurance coverage, however credit score unions have a popularity for being the safer possibility because of their non-profit construction and conservative lending and investing practices.
Learn extra: Are credit score unions safer than banks?
It’s much less widespread for credit score unions to fail than banks, nevertheless it’s not unimaginable. This may occur when a credit score union turns into bancrupt, which means it may now not meet its monetary obligations or preserve ample reserves.
Learn extra: Can credit score unions fail?
Banks and credit score unions have a tendency to supply related services however have their very own distinctive enterprise fashions. Credit score unions are nonprofit organizations which might be member-owned, which signifies that their prospects have a say in how the credit score union is run. Banks, however, are for-profit establishments that generate revenue for shareholders. This may impression the kinds of merchandise accessible, charges, charges, and extra.
Learn extra: Credit score union vs. financial institution: Which is best for you?
Our grading system, collected and thoroughly reviewed by our private finance specialists, includes over 600 knowledge factors for greater than 20 NCUA-insured credit score unions to develop our listing of the highest 10 greatest credit score unions. We in contrast these establishments throughout key metrics, together with membership prices, charges, buyer expertise, product choice, account options and safety, and environmental and social accountability.
The credit score unions on our listing may earn a most of 82 factors throughout all classes. Right here’s a better take a look at the classes we thought of:
Charges and insurance coverage: 25 factors
We evaluated every credit score union’s charges for its most simple checking and financial savings account choices, in addition to overdraft charges and ATM charges. Credit score unions have been awarded factors for having no or low charges, larger charge transparency, and clear charge buildings. We additionally rewarded monetary establishments that provided a large area of membership and/or provided potential members the chance to grow to be eligible to affix in change for a donation to a charitable group.
Customer support expertise: 30 factors
Personalised customer support is a key advantage of credit score unions, although some are higher than others. Credit score Unions have been scored on metrics together with entry to a bodily department, cellular app scores on Apple and Google storefronts, and strategies for reaching customer support representatives. Credit score unions that provided cellphone, chat, and e mail or secured message contacts have been awarded the utmost factors in that class.
We additionally examined every web site for info readability as a part of the customer support providing evaluation. This subjective evaluation evaluated every credit score union’s web site design, ease of navigation, language readability, and whether or not prospects may simply collect all of the wanted info wanted to make an knowledgeable determination about any explicit product.
We additionally awarded factors to credit score unions that provided extra in depth ATM networks, credit score monitoring instruments, and academic sources.
Product choice and account options: 14 factors
Every credit score union we analyzed may earn one level per product for every of the next:
We additionally seemed on the pace of ACH transfers and gave credit score unions factors for same- or next-day transfers, early entry to paychecks, Zelle as a service, and being a part of FedNow — the Federal Reserve’s prompt cost service.
Safety: 10 factors
We rigorously thought of every credit score union’s safety measures to guard your cash and delicate info. We checked out elements similar to multi-factor authentication, web site encryption, alerts for suspicious exercise, zero fraud legal responsibility, and whether or not every credit score union had a devoted on-line safety web page or hub.
Environmental and social accountability: 3 factors
Many shoppers think about a credit score union’s carbon footprint and philanthropic efforts earlier than deciding on a selected establishment. As such, credit score unions which have devoted pages to their philanthropic efforts and environmental targets, and have pledged to succeed in internet zero CO2 emissions by 2050, scored as much as 3 factors for doing so.
